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THE SENTENCING OF Bernard Phelan to 6.5 years in an Iranian jail on charges of ‘providing information to an enemy country’ has naturally come as a great worry to his family and close friends. The 64-year-old has already spent over 170 days locked up. His case is undoubtedly also cause for concern within the Irish Government.
Phelan’s arrest, detention and sentencing are typical of many foreign nationals in Iran, where the regime has used them as bargaining chips with respective governments.
It’s a business model that has served Tehran well since 1979, both domestically and by proxy in Lebanon during the 1980s. It comes at a time when the Iranian regime continues to oppress the nationwide protest movement.
The large-scale anti-government demonstrations by the Iranian diaspora throughout Europe and beyond highlight a unified and determined stance against vicious oppression.
Earlier this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed listing the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation in a response to the “trampling of fundamental human rights”. Interestingly, the EU remains on the sidelines with a suspicion that proscription of the IRGC would kill off the small chance of reviving the Iran nuclear deal.
One of the most significant roles allocated to Ireland on the Security Council over the past two years was the facilitator of Resolution 2231, which underpins the Iranian nuclear deal, the JCPOA. Relations between Ireland and Iran appear stronger than many of our European neighbours. The leadership and experience displayed by Ireland in the recent two-year term of the UNSC are invaluable when understanding the mindset of the leadership in Iran.
With that in mind, there are areas in which Ireland could influence the EU and utilise relevant diplomatic channels for positive change:
i) Involve Iranian civil society in sanctions influencing and harm assessment processes
Because of the intensity of the current set of sanctions, Iranians abroad cannot send money back home. In addition, Iranian students studying abroad struggle as their parents cannot transfer their tuition fees. Some within the diaspora have developed a system whereby they send funds to the students, and their respective families channel money to the wider family in Iran.
With the constant devaluation of the Iranian rial and the inability to transfer money in or out of the country, the impact of sanctions on ordinary civilians is colossal.
Whilst ensuring a ‘do no harm’ approach, those leading on sanctions must have the complete picture. Targeted sanctions against individuals, particularly on regime members’ families overseas, can have a more desired effect. The international community should engage with civil society in Iran and develop a grassroots approach.
A recent proposal from US lawmakers will now target not only Iranian officials but their family members overseas. The Regime Act revokes any visas issued to family members of IRGC, the supreme leader’s office, and state security. This initiative by the US government follows from the targeted sanctions introduced to some members of the political elite in Lebanon. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the son-in-law of former Lebanese President Michel Aoun, for his role in corruption in Lebanon, (E.O. 13818), which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, targets corruption and serious human rights abuse around the world.
ii) Bolster the internet
Iran’s population of 84 million people relies hugely on the internet for uncensored news. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran controls the internet. In 2019, it blocked the entire internet for a lengthy period.
Earlier this year the regime ran a cyberspace protection act with restrictions completely blocking access to all websites excluding those hosted in Iran. Social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube, all remain blocked. The US government issued licence D-2 sanctions relief for American internet companies to help the Iranian people. To help Iranians circumvent internet restrictions imposed by the regime, the US has allowed Elon Musk to provide ‘Starlink’ satellite internet receivers. These have been carried in illegally over borders and provide some hope.
Up to 800 terminals are believed to be in use across Iran. In order to create a shadow web, experts estimate 5,000 units are required.
The EU has been playing its part too. Restrictive measures now apply to 164 individuals and 31 entities. They consist of an asset freeze, a travel ban to the bloc, and a prohibition to make economic resources available to those listed. A ban on exports to Iran of hardware, which might be used for internal repression, and of equipment for monitoring telecommunications, is also in place. Deployment of high technology is critical, as is the continuation of the D-2 sanctions relief by the US.
iii) Role of International organisations
Despite the limited information coming out of Iran, the media and international organisations, including international NGOs, must utilise their constituencies, ensuring a far greater level of advocacy than what we have seen to date.
The protest’s initial slogan ‘woman, life, freedom’ started as a response to the killing of Masha Amini, but now Iranians want freedom, a secular democracy, and an end to the Islamic Republic.
Horrific atrocities have been reported in recent months – many of them targeting girls in school. International organisations with rights based approaches, must support the bravery of those risking their lives on the streets of Izeh, Arak, and Ishfahan.
In the past, the international community’s direct interference in Iranian affairs has often been counterproductive. There would appear to be a fine balance between supporting the Iranian people and confronting a brutish regime. As a nation, we have the capability and maturity to make the correct calls. Irish influence in Brussels, combined with our recent experience on the UNSC, allows Ireland to help shape a safer future for the Iranian people.
As the protests appear to have died down for now, the Irish Government must stand in solidarity with ordinary Iranians and rule out any plan of reopening a full-time residential embassy in Tehran. This will need to be balanced with the fact that an innocent Irish national, in failing health, faces a lengthy prison term.
Colin Lee has lived and worked in Beirut for 14 years, 2007 – 2021 as a Humanitarian Director covering the Middle East region with programmes impacted by sanctions.
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The unions doing a sterling job of absolutely zero, as usual. Union dues paying high wages for those at the top, but little help for the actual membership
The majority of these staff members are on working visas, Indians Turkish, south Americans , These companies treat these staff as despensible zero hour contractors . No rights good luck . Irish government let this happen.
@Big Beats: also they don’t pay any tax here and only moved from US to Ireland head quarters to avoid US taxes and not pay any here. they are generally a terrible company supported by fffg
@Big Beats: There are so many inaccuracies in this comment, it makes my brain hurt!
” … jobs in Ireland being advertised on Accenture’s website.” So it’s either:
1. They want to hire staff at cheaper rates, or
2. Their HR people are clueless.
(And it’s probably both).
@Earth Traveller: 3. They are DIFFERENT JOBS
@Earth Traveller: Or, there are areas within the business that they are cutting while still hiring for other departments. And those impacted by the layoffs can apply for the open roles. Standard enough practice in business.
The next 5 articles are comments closed / including bizarrely an article on Covid – has anybody in the journal got any legitimate reason for closing comments on a COVID article – hmmm how times have changed eh
@Dave Hammond: actually a total of 11 of last 18 journal articles are comments closed – that’s just ridiculously poor – is there any standard or editorial there controlling the flow of articles to be sure at least some are open for comments / the journal is bizarrely bringing on their own decline if they keep closing comments on articles at this level / it’s one of the few unique features they have as an Irish media organisation , kinda idiotic business imo
@Dave Hammond: week said Dave..nobodies allowed to disagree with the articles anymore or point out untruths.. the Harris article is typical… was updated to include an extra paragraph pushing Drews agenda as being in the best public interest… covid is a minefield these days.. the rainbow crossing?? I dunno anymore… sure what else is it…. the journal keeps getting worse and I keep reading the crap on it for some reason..
@Dave Hammond: you know you can post what you want when you want on a multitude of platforms and you’re not limited to the comments section of the journal?
@Anthony Curran: the journal is very popular and influential and when they print an article skewed in one direction in some people’s minds, they should be able to counter the argument or let their opinion be known in the comments section.. after all isn’t that what the comments section is for… asking people to search for other forums that won’t be read by a fraction of the people isnt a great solution ..
@Dave Hammond: why don’t you comment on another news site. Ohhh you can’t. I’m sure we’ll miss you.
@Anthony Curran: Yep I figured that ingenious piece of insight out all by myself – 12 years ago when I originally started posting comments on the Journal -when they didn’t close comment sections for every second or third article – try keep up will you…
Years ago as a grad student, Arthur Anderson now Accenture as a newish company, were doing the milk round recruiting. I asked them what is it they made, they said we make nothing – just money and planning. When all you do is count other people’s money and get well paid for it, we can expect more of these shenanigans.
@The Irish love this shy….: It’s called “Consultancy.” There are many business sectors that don’t “make” anything, e.g. Accountancy, Finance, Law. They provide what’s known as “services.”
@Iano C: Consultancy mehole. To who? Those who have it to waste it? That’s not sustainable. Not much of a service to nearly 1500 dumped workers now is it? And that’s only for the moment. If you work in this job my advice to you is to start retraining.
@The Irish love this shy….: maybe consultancy doesn’t suit you, but it certainly suits a lot of employees and/or contractors who can make a lot of money doing it. Lots of companies pay lots of money for these services. Whether they get value for money is another matter.
@Iano C: haha, on fire tonight
@SYaxJ2Ts: Fire is right. Consultancy on the whole is tech reliant in Ireland. With the exception of Intel which is manufacturing and even that has 133% dip in earnings compared to last year. Intel won’t invest anymore here. Already we’ve lost to other English speaking countries like Germany! Watch this space for your consultancy fatties. If you’re into this polite chatting with excel documents, you and Iano should set up your own firm. Warehousing on the Kylemore Road going cheap. Best of luck.
@The Irish love this shy….: Hmmmm, tech reliant, eh?! PWC, KPMG, Deloitte, and EY might beg to differ.
@SYaxJ2Ts: Not too shabby yourself ;) Yer man’s having a conniption over facts!
@The Irish love this shy….: you asked that question as a grad student?
CN I ask why the journal mods are turning off comments on a lot of posts lately? Absolutely no need for it. I got a comment removed because I said drew Harris should be sacked. As mods and by deleting my comment they are more or less in league of the government. Sorry for of topic comment
@Alan Scott: you don’t have to apologise for being “off topic” anymore – they close so many comments these days you need to speak out wherever ya can imo !
So it turn out letting right wing parties base our entire economy on foreign multinationals isn’t the best idea.
If only we’d had some previous experiences in this regard.
Oh wait, it’s the 1980s all over again.
At least our Green Party – quote unquote – is still able to get us a few dozen jobs guarding servers in the endless new data centres they’re signing off on.
@Chris O’Brien: FDI in Ireland is a huge part of our economy, like it or not. It’s nothing like the 80′s, ya mad yoke!
Jesus, an article that you’re allowed comment on!! Becoming like hens teeth! Lol
@Colette Kearns: hence my comment just above yours. It’s not real journalism. I was of it for a while and came back to see if anything changed, twitter is a much better outlet where government sponsored propaganda and are not penalised when you disagree with them.
@Colette Kearns: it’s beyond comical Collette – for the life Donne I can’t understand the Journal at all these days – literally making their own business less and less engaging which will lead to a decline in revenues and bring on inevitable down turn for their own business – bizarre
Unions…. In Ireland, total waste of time. Apart from the teachers unions, they’ve managed to get their longer standing members a great deal over the years. The nurses union seem an undercover group acting on behalf of the HSE/dept of Health.
@Eddie Garvey: agree in the main but there are plenty of strong unions that have secured good conditions for their members , Irish rail , Dublin bus , RTE , ESB , airline pilots , I’d say the fact we don’t hear too much about them is a sign they have secured good deals and use their leverage accordingly imo
There should be no employment without union membership..bosses will always abuse workers in the past, now and in the future. This is why Trump is the last true Socialist.
People before profit are all talk and band wagon jumpers
@Chief Of police Retired – Truther MAGA Trump 2024: Trump the billionaire 1% who inherited hundreds of millions from Daddy and doesn’t pay his suppliers ….hmm you might want to do a bit of research to educate yourself of the facts mister
@Chief Of police Retired – Truther MAGA Trump 2024: https://www.liunachicago.org/about-us/news/details/2147/anti-union-actions-by-the-trump-administration
Corporations and banks are the enemy of the people. Making the rich richer, while the comman man is fleeced to death, but told we never had it as good.
Stop voting for politicians who support this.
@GoodBrother: Yeah, I agree. Let’s get rid of all the corporations and banks. Back to tilling the land, 16 hours a day, 7 days per week! And storing our money under the mattress. Who do you suggest we vote for to make this utopia you speak of, a reality? It wouldn’t be SF by any chance now, would it?
Challenging and difficult for people, but not for AI. The Unions may actually have a future, but are they able to see it?
I meet coupe of Spanish guys working there on new year’s eve party
“What do You do there”
“watching Netflix”
@transik: Cool story, never happened.
Another multinational on the way out. Nice one ffg,
@calum Tierney: Who do you think brought them here in the first place? FF. And they’re hardly “on the way out.” It’s a percentage of their workforce, not all of it
welcome to America
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