Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, August 26, 2019–Amir Towhid Fazel, a reporter working for a state-run media in Iran who accompanied the regime’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Norway last week, refused to return to Iran and is seeking asylum in Norway, according to an August 25 piece in the Keyhan daily. Keyhan is known to be the mouthpiece of Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Fazel was the political director of the “Moj” news agency. However, a look at his record indicates he had previously cooperated with the Iranian regime’s official IRNA news agency and various newspapers such as Hamshahri.
“This reporter had time and again signed joint statements alongside reformists journalists,” the Keyhan piece reads while using the term “reformists” for a certain faction of the regime. It is worth noting that the Iranian people on numerous occasions hold protest rallies chanting, “Reformists, principalists, game over!”
Other state-run media and colleagues of this reporter are saying he has sought refuge in Sweden.
This reporter, neither confirming or denying the rumors about seeking refugee in Sweden, posted the following Farsi tweet in Twitter:
“Every individual has the right to make decisions for their lives. No one knows about the future. Only short-minded people make comments without being adequately informed.”
State media outlets are also publishing various reports in this regard.
“Amir Towhid Fazel first published the list of Javad Karim Qudoi, a member of the Security Commission in Iran’s Majlis (parliament). This list raised the possibility of various government officials having dual citizenships, including President Hassan Rouhani, Health Minister Saeed Namaki and Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice President in Women and Family affairs.”
It is worth noting that the regime ruling Iran does not recognize dual citizenship and government officials are specifically banned by law from having dual citizenship.
