Month: February 2020

“Report: Iran Threatens to Destroy Tomb of Esther and Mordechai,” Hana Levi Julian, JewishPress.com, February 16, 2020.

“Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook thwarted Iran disinformation bid,” Damien McElroy, The National, February 15, 2020.

Ukraine Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said to Iran’s FM Zarif that a quick financial resolution for Flight PS752 was needed and “they would not wait long, saying they’re talking weeks and months, not years.”  See “Iran plane crash: Ukraine minister says they told Iran a quick resolution is needed,” Global News, February 15, 2020.

“Air Pollution Kills 30,000 People in Iran Annually,” Pooya Stone, Iran Focus, February 16, 2020.

“Iranian hackers have been hacking VPN servers to plant backdoors in companies around the world,” Catalin Cimpanu, ZDNet, February 16, 2020.

“Is Iran Using Space Launches To Develop Long-Range Missiles?,” Ron Synovitz, RFE/RL, February 16, 2020.

“Iran-backed group launches attack near small garrison in Syria housing American special operators,” Shawn Snow, Military Times, February 16, 2020.

“To ensure turnout of Iran’s some 60 million registered voters, the regime has launched a campaign of public relations, making it clear that non-participation in the elections is tantamount to treason. “All to whom Iran and its security are important must take part in the elections … The enemies who threaten our country are afraid of public support [for the regime] more than of our military capabilities…Participation in the election is a stamp of support for the ways of the regime and will thus lead to security,” the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced.”  See “Analysis Iran’s Parliamentary Election Is a Test of Legitimacy for the Regime,” Zvi Bar’el, Haaretz, February 16, 2020.

“Iran militias assassinated Lebanon’s Rafik Hariri: Saudi Deputy Defense Minister,” Arab News, February 16, 2020.

“Iran and Najaf struggle for control over Hashd al-Shaabi after Muhandis’s killing,” Suadad al-Salhy, February 16, 2020.

It is not a statue of Soleimani in southern Lebanon in the small town of Maroun al-Ras, it looks like a large, heavy-duty plywood cut-out.  You can see the video at “Hezbollah unveils Soleimani statue at Israeli border,” Seth Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, February 15, 2020.

“National ID Card as a New Tool to Oppress Minorities in Iran,” Iran Press Watch, February 14, 2020.

“Hardliners set to ‘take complete control’ in Iran elections,” Stephanie Trouillard, France24, February 15, 2020.

Almost daily comments by various Regime leaders are now joined by Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC  Aerospace force—the region must unite to expel “Zionists” and Americans.  His comments are significant because he oversees Iran’s missiles and drones.  Hajizadeh was in charge of the ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces at Ayn al-Assad base in Iraq in January.  He also said, “Today …  [the] “axis of resistance extends from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, from Ansarullah in Yemen to Hezbollah in Lebanon.”  This is the Shia Crescent, and is reflective of Iran’s efforts for hegemonic rule over the Middle East.  See “Iran’s Hajizadeh: We must unite to expel the Zionists and Americans,” Seth Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, February 15, 2020.

This is nice for the people of Iran—the tourism ministry has introduced “Simurgh” as its main tourism symbol/marketing device.  This animal is a mythical bird of Persian legend, supposedly having great wisdom.  If the Regime wants to really draw tourists, as the UN encourages it to, Iran must be wise and release hostages and stop its bullying of neighboring states.  See “The wait is over: “Simurgh” named Iran’s national brand for tourism,” Tehran Times, February 15, 2020.

“Iran Warns Korean Giants Forced By Sanctions Not To Leave Market,” Maryam Sinaiee, Radio Farda, February 15, 2020.

“Top US Official Urges Tehran Regime to Give Iranian People a ‘Real Choice’ in Parliamentary Elections,” Algemeiner, February 14, 2020.

“Canada joins other nations pressing Iran for compensation to Ukrainian jetliner victims,” The Star, February 15, 2020.

Happy Valentine’s Day.  “Iran’s Clerical Rulers Ban Valentine’s Day As ‘Cultural Threat’,” Maryam Sinaiee, Radio Farda, February 12, 2020.

“Government Debt, Deficit, Money Supply Soar, Iran Central Bank Reveals,” Dalga Khatinoglu, Radio Farda, February 14, 2020.

“Iranian hackers targeted Western universities: report,” Reuters, February 14, 2020.

“U.S., Iran use Swiss as go-between to negotiate release of Americans held in Iran,” Dan De Luce, NBC News, February 13, 2020.

“Iran says it will strike U.S. and Israel if they make the ‘slightest error’,” Reuters, February 13, 2020.

The Guardian Council, which approves or disapproves candidates, blocked more than 7,000 applicant/candidates from out of over 14,000 who applied in December.  “Iran candidates start campaigns for parliamentary elections,” Nasser Karimi, February 13, 2020.

“Iran starts election campaign with thousands barred from standing,” Parisa Hafezi, Reuters, February 13, 2020.

“Drivers’ Rush To Be First Using New Iran Freeway Causes Heavy Traffic,” Radio Farda, Radio Farda, February 13, 2020.

We go sideways for a moment to take a look at Chinese missiles, but which tells us some about the increasing accuracy of Iranian missiles.  “What Iran’s Attacks on American Bases Tell Us About China’s Missile Program,” Christopher Colley, The Diplomat, February 13, 2020.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran reports that IRGC intelligence agents are contacting Iranian journalists, raiding their homes, and taking their equipment to silence criticism of government policies ahead of the parliamentary elections.  See “Watchdog says Iran ‘Muzzling’ Journalists Ahead Of Parliamentary Elections,” RFE/RL, February 12, 2020.

“VIDEO: USS Normandy Seizes Cache Of Iranian-Made Weapons in Arabian Sea,” Ben Werner, USNI News, February 13, 2020.

A really good way to lose your job.  “Iran’s information minister apologized Wednesday for posting a photo on Twitter of what appeared to be a Halloween-type costume representing a spacesuit, in an effort to promote the idea of a manned space program for his country. The official IRNA news agency quoted Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, Iran’s information and communications technology minister, as saying his department’s advertising team “undeniably made a mistake in choosing the image” and expressed his apologies to “the people and space scientists” of Iran.  [He didn’t even take personal responsibility but blamed the team].  The photo, posted on Jahromi’s Twitter account and depicting what looks like costume of a spacesuit with an Iranian flag sowed on the front, caused a stir on social media, with many Iranians turning to sarcasm and commenting about the fake spacesuit. After his apology, Jahromi removed the photo from his account.  The timing of the minister’s faux pas was also unfortunate. An Iranian rocket failed to put a satellite into orbit on Sunday, the latest setback for a program the U.S. claims helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile program.  The attempted launch followed two failed launches last year, of the Payam and Doosti satellites, as well as a launchpad rocket explosion in August. Also, a fire at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in February 2019 killed three researchers, authorities said at the time.  Jahromi acknowledged the unsuccessful launch in a tweet shortly after the news broke on state TV, comparing it to a “few samples of US launch failures” and insisting that Iran’s space program was unstoppable.  The failed launch had been planned amid celebrations ahead of this week’s anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran routinely unveils technological achievements for its armed forces, its space program and its nuclear efforts during this time.”  See “Iranian minister apologizes over mock spacesuit post,” AP, WTMJ, February 12, 2020.

Incredible reporting by Frantzman reveals what most of the press doesn’t cover—the sudden additional pressures on Hezbollah due to the removal of Qasem Soleimani from heading Iran’s terror efforts.  It is so significant to anti-terrorism efforts by multiple countries and to eventual peace that the linchpin of Iran’s foreign policy use of terrorism was removed from the long war against terrorism.  Here’s the story, “Inside Iran’s push to get Hezbollah to take a role in Iraq,” Seth Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2020.

“Facebook removes accounts run from Iran targeting Americans,” Donie O’Sullivan, CNN Business, February 12, 2020.

“Iran FM stresses Tehran’s rejection of US ‘peace deal’,” Middle East Monitor, February 12, 2020.

“Iran government denies rumors of Rouhani resignation,” Al-Monitor, February 12, 2020.

“Iran’s 8000-Member Cyber Battalion Wages Online Propaganda War Against US: Report,” Venus Upadhayaya, Epoch Times, February 12, 2020.

My former blog site at https://irannationorcause.blogspot.com is still active, and contains almost two years of archives.  Those archived blog and news posts will be moved to this new blog.