DPRU RESEARCH PAPERS Figure 2: UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) map displaying various drug trafficking routes from Afghanistan, the leading exporter of opium and heroin. The route through Iran is a major one: with 20% of global heroin supplies and 80% of global opium trafficked through the Islamic Republic of Iran. Source: UNODC, World Drug Report 2010 (2010). “dismayed” that Mr Djalali was arrested on DUAL IRANIAN NATIONALS “spurious espionage charges based on forced As of January 2022, the Centre for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) notes the imprisonment of 16 confessions.”59 The Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognise dual Iranian nationals in Iran. This list is likely to be dual nationality of Iranians. By extension it then non-exhaustive, with documented instances of denies consular assistance to anyone with dual administrative pressure on families to remain citizenship. For example, the Dutch Foreign 55 56 In terms of accusations levied against this Ministry spokesperson Daphne Kerremans has said group, the majority face espionage, foreign that “it is very difficult for the Dutch government quiet. collusion or security charges.57 Bozorgmehr to lend support since Iran does not recognize the the Dutch nationality of the prisoners, and gives little to accusations, having spoken to members of the no information about them.”60 There have been Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He notes further accounts of non-Iranian passports being that “in all cases, the IRGC sources said the confiscated, with the holder prohibited from detainees had not carried out any espionage and leaving Iran.61 Sharafedin questions the veracity of were arrested only because of their second citizenship.”58 One prominent dual Iranian national who has been sentenced to death is the SwedishIranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali, who was convicted of espionage. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, he remains at “imminent risk of execution,” with the Special Rapporteur There are also serious concerns surrounding treatment of this group whilst detained. Ahmadreza Djalali, for example, has been denied medical treatment for a life-threatening condition, with his counsel raising concerns that Djalali had lost substantial weight between visits. Contact was also lost with Djalali for some time, as he was 8