Demonstrators gather in Antwerp, Belgium, where three people convicted of plotting to bomb a rally by the Iranian opposition launched an appeal. EPA
Demonstrators gather in Antwerp, Belgium, where three people convicted of plotting to bomb a rally by the Iranian opposition launched an appeal. EPA
Demonstrators gather in Antwerp, Belgium, where three people convicted of plotting to bomb a rally by the Iranian opposition launched an appeal. EPA
Demonstrators gather in Antwerp, Belgium, where three people convicted of plotting to bomb a rally by the Iranian opposition launched an appeal. EPA

Iranian spymaster Assadollah Assadi’s accomplices appeal against bomb plot convictions


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Three accomplices of an Iranian diplomat jailed for 20 years for plotting to blow up a dissidents’ rally in France appealed against their convictions on Wednesday.

A married couple, who were given the job of planting the bomb at a rally near Paris, and a third agent were jailed for between 15 and 18 years for their roles in the plot.

The diplomat, Assadollah Assadi, a senior spymaster in Europe for Tehran, abandoned his appeal against conviction in May, saying he wanted to play no further part in the “political” process.

Assadi brought explosives for the Paris plot on a plane from Iran and handed over a device to the husband-and-wife team Amir Saadouni and Nasimeh Naami, who were living in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

They were arrested on the outskirts of Brussels as they headed to set the bomb at a conference centre at Villepinte in June 2018 and the attack was foiled.

Assadollah Assadi, a senior spymaster in Europe for Tehran, abandoned his appeal against conviction in May. Photo: US Embassy Iran
Assadollah Assadi, a senior spymaster in Europe for Tehran, abandoned his appeal against conviction in May. Photo: US Embassy Iran

The target was a rally attended by 25,000 people of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) which campaigns for the overthrow of the Tehran regime and is backed by prominent US and European politicians.

Saadouni and Naami are appealing against their convictions at Antwerp’s court of appeal along with Mehrdad Arefani, another member of the Iranian intelligence service, who was described as the eyes and ears of Assadi on the ground. Arefani was jailed for 17 years.

Saadouni, who was jailed for 15 years, has claimed previously that he was coerced into taking part in the plot and had co-operated with authorities as soon as he was arrested.

Naami, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison, claimed that she did not know the package contained a bomb.

But prosecutors said they knew what they were doing and had negotiated sums of money over a long period of time during their work for Assadi.

The appeal is expected to conclude on Thursday with the verdict at a later date.

The NCRI unsuccessfully called for widespread sanctions to be imposed on Iran and the expulsion of diplomats from Europe after the verdicts.

“It is time for the European Union and the international community to take practical steps to confront the mullahs' terrorism,” said Shahin Gobadi of the NCRI.

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Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing

In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.

While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.

In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all). 

“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”

Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.

"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

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  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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