“[E]xtreme internal and external pressure”—that is the phrase that bears repeating. “Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the newspaper [Times of Israel] that the latest attacks had led to “extreme internal and external pressure” on Iran as it grapples with an economic crisis and punishing US sanctions.” Undoubtedly this is because Iran’s intelligence services cannot determine who committed the sabotage related to the Natanz and other explosions in the past two weeks. Iran suddenly seems unable to defend itself. See “Israel’s alleged Natanz strike ‘as complex as Stuxnet,’ a major blow to Iran,” Times of Israel, July 10, 2020.
“Iran government squeezed over ‘secretive’ deal with China,” Al Monitor, July 10, 2020.
“Probe reveals Pakistani crime boss spied for Iran in 2014,” Naimat Khan, Arab News, July 10, 2020.
“Iran Executes Man For Drinking Alcohol – Rights Monitor,” Radio Farda, July 10, 2020.
“Israel Will Never Let Iran Improve Syria’s Decrepit Air Defenses,” Paul Iddon, op-ed, Forbes, July 10, 2020.
A 31% increase in trade. Russia is a facilitator, or if you prefer an enabler. “Russian Exports To Iran Continue To Grow Despite Decline In Tehran’s Trade,” Radio Farda, July 10, 2020.
“The annual report of the German Federal Intelligence Service warned against Iran’s increasing use of IT infrastructures to access sensitive information with the aim to circumvent sanctions. … The intelligence report also spoke of widespread activity by Iranian intelligence and the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force within German soil, adding that espionage operations were conducted against Jewish, pro-Jewish and Israeli targets. … It “pointed to the Islamic Center in Hamburg, which is considered “the most important representation of Iran in Germany”, in addition to the Iranian embassy. The report said that the center has established a national network of contacts within many Shiite mosques and societies and exerts a significant influence on them.” See “German Intelligence Warns of Iranian Cyber Spying,” Raghida Bahnam, Asharq Al-Awsat, July 10, 2020.