Iran's Hostage Politics: Journalists Under Siege

In a stark move against independent journalism, Iran has detained family members of a journalist from Iran International, a Farsi news channel based in London. This action is seen as a pressure tactic for the journalist to resign, which the network condemns as an outrageous form of coercion.

The journalist's mother, father, and younger brother were reportedly taken to an undisclosed location by the Revolutionary Guards. The journalist received a call from her father, under duress, insisting on her resignation, with security agents audibly coercing him in the background.

This incident marks an alarming escalation in Iran's efforts to silence dissenting voices, especially targeting media outlets like Iran International, which are critical of the government's policies. Given Tehran's labeling of the channel as a terrorist organization, the risks facing journalists covering Iran are markedly severe.

(With inputs from agencies.)