The news is really big, and I’ll just quote it.  “The IranWire news site reported on Wednesday that Iran’s first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri has tested positive for coronavirus and is undergoing treatment.  IranWire cited an “informed source”. There was no immediate confirmation from Iranian officials.  Several Iranian officials have been infected with the coronavirus and one senior official died from a coronavirus infection on Monday.”  See “Iran’s first vice president has coronavirus, IranWire reports; no official confirmation,” Babak Dehghanpisheh, Reuters, March 4, 2020.

“Iran sets up checkpoints between cities; closes schools and universities,” Holly Ellyatt and Saheli Roy Choudhury, CNBC, March 4, 2020.

This story is a reminder that if your loved one was killed on the Ukrainian airliner shoot-down, you’re out of luck.  Iran isn’t going to help you one bit.  And if you complain and ask for compensation or that the military be held responsible, you are putting your life and your family’s life at risk.  “Husband of Iran plane crash victim warns of intelligence agency’s actions,” Hannah Hepner, Jerusalem Post, March 4, 2020.

“Lawyer says award-winning Iran filmmaker summoned to prison,” Amir Vahdat, AP, March 4, 2020.

“Iran rallies religious leaders to expel US forces from Iraq,” Hamdi Malik, Al Monitor, March 4, 2020.

“Threatened by Iranian regime, family of Flight 752 victim flees to Edmonton,” Stewart Bell, Global News, March 4, 2020.

“Iran says 92 dead amid 2,922 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the Islamic Republic,” Washington Times, AP, March 4, 2020.

“UN nuclear watchdog finds Iran has nearly tripled its uranium stockpile,” Nicole Gaouette, CNN, March 4, 2020.

“Coronavirus has spread to nearly all Iran provinces – Rouhani,” Jerusalem Post, March 4, 2020.

This looks like another announcement without legs, like many of the new jet fighters and drones and missiles that do not work (there are obviously some that do, but Iran seems to “lead the world” in deception regarding new weapons systems).  The proof is yet to be seen of Iran making a vaccine for coronavirus, and of course spent a couple of months denying it was even a problem in Iran.  See “Iran’s IRGC claims it’s close to producing coronavirus vaccine,” Al-Monitor, March 4, 2020.

“Iran still won’t give up the black boxes.  “Canada urges Iran to give access to downed airliner’s black boxes,” AFP, Arab News, March 4, 2020.

“Iraqi Militias Split Over New Iran-Backed Head, Reflecting Wider Divisions,” Crispin Smith, Just Security, March 4, 2020.

And I thought the virus started from a wet market in China.  “Virus is biological attack on China and Iran, Iranian civil defense chief claims,” Times of Israel, AFP, March 4, 2020.

This is the way to ignore international agreements and keep your nuclear program humming along, free from oversight by the IAEA, which you have agreed to come inspect you.  Here is the story in quotes, “Tehran has no obligation to grant the UN’s nuclear watchdog access to sites in Iran when it deems the requests are based on “fabricated information”, Iran’s UN ambassador in Vienna said on Wednesday. “Intelligence services’ fabricated information… creates no obligation for Iran to consider such requests,” said a statement from Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Vienna, Kazem Gharib Abadi.  It comes a day after a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reprimanded Iran for refusing access to two sites which diplomats believe could be connected to the country’s historic nuclear activity.”  See “Iran says ‘no obligation’ to let International Atomic Energy Agency into certain sites,” Economic Times, March 4, 2020.

“Iran’s coronavirus response: Pride, paranoia, secrecy, chaos,” Farnaz Fassihi and David Kirkpatrick, New York Times, March 4, 2020.

So I saw this story originally on Daily Beast and other less reliable outlets.  Now that it is on CNN and WSJ and has been looked at through other more traditional sources I can post it on my blog.  “Iran to temporarily free 54,000 prisoners as coronavirus spreads,” Mohammed Tawfeeq and Angela Dewan, CNN, March 4, 2020.  And here is another “Iran Releases Prisoners on a Temporary Basis to Halt the Spread of the Coronavirus,” Aresu Eqbali and Isabel Coles, Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2020.

The killing of Soleimani continues to pay dividends for the future of region.  “Iran running out of options in Syria,” Baha al-Awam, The Arab Weekly, March 4, 2020.

“‘Suicide Prevention Committees’ To Form In Iranian Universities,” Radio Farda, March 4, 2020.

“Exclusive: U.N. nuclear watchdog plans alert on Iranian stonewalling – diplomats,” Francois Murphy, John Irish, Reuters, March 2, 2020.