Twitter is an enabler of Iran. It tells a Knesset committee that the Supreme Leader’s tweets calling for Israel’s destruction do not violate company rules, and are “foreign policy saber-rattling.” See “Twitter to MKs: Unlike Trump tweets, Khamenei’s ‘eliminate Israel’ posts are ok,” Raphael Ahran, Times of Israel, July 30, 2020.
Time for the bizarre at the end of July, but this is not really strange in the world of Twelvers. I will let the story and his quotes talk for themselves. “Iran’s former Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said during a recent interview that the moon landings are a lie, and that travel to other planets will only become possible once the Hidden Imam arrives. Mohammad-Hadi Homayoun, a professor at Imam Sadegh University, told Iran’s Channel 4 on July 17 that when this happens, there will be no more diseases and people will be able to communicate with jinns. “Enormous things are going to take place,” said Homayoun. “Those who want regimes that are just must know that this will certainly happen [when the Hidden Imam appears]. If somebody wants to travel to other planets—this is also going to become possible. People say that [man] has gone to the moon and stuff like that, but they are almost certainly lying. Man has not yet left planet Earth. We have not yet gone to the moon.” Homayoun added that “according to our tradition, we will be able to go to other planets only after [the Hidden Imam] appears.” Communicating with jinns “will also become possible, and the jinns will serve man,” said Homayoun. “We won’t be afraid of the jinns like we are now. I am talking about God-fearing jinns.” He added that once the imam arrives, there will be no more disease.”” See “Iranian professor: Space travel will only be possible after Hidden Imam’s arrival,” MEMRI, Jewish News Syndicate, July 30, 2020.
What a crucial moment it would be one day if Iraq would decide to buy its electricity and gas for energy from the GCC states, and not Iran. The Iraq PM trip to Washington will be an important step in keeping Iran from skirting U.S. sanctions. “Issue of Iran-backed militias to top agenda of Kadhimi’s US visit,” Arab Weekly, July 30, 2020.
The Nour-1 was not peaceful, as Iran claimed. “Iran Uses First Military Satellite to Map, Publish U.S. Base in Qatar,” David Brennan, Newsweek, July 30, 2020.
A new report explains that management, corruption, and other factors may explain the recent explosions as somewhat consistent with historical events in the country. “Not every explosion or fire in Tehran is the result of foreign subterfuge. Recent research carried out by Tiziana Corda, a political science PhD candidate at the University of Milan, revealed that such events frequently occur in Iran. Thus, she argues that these present occurrences are not necessarily anomalies. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency’s archive, there were at least ninety-seven fires or explosions between mid-May 2019 and the end of July 2019. That averages out to more than one per day over a period of 2.5 months. The data shows that, just like this year, there were explosions or fires in power plants, factories, hospitals, research centers, naval vessels, and arms depots in 2019.” See “When it comes to Iran, not everything that goes boom in the night is sabotage,” Raz Zimmt, Atlantic Council, July 30, 2020.
No word yet of what type or pictures of the Iranian arms-carrying ship. “US informs Security Council of detention of Iranian ship off Yemen coast,” Middle East Monitor, July 30, 2020.
This is key, isn’t it? The IRI’s past behavior, over 40 years, is indicative of future behavior. “U.S., UANI Warn That Ending Restrictions On Iranian Arms Will Accelerate Global Terror Campaign,” UANI, July 30, 2020.
Quote of the Day. “We will stand fast against the world of arrogance. We will not rest until we have raised the banner of Islam over the White House.” Ali Shirazi, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative in the Quds Force, in “Unrealistic to expect Iranian regime to change its behavior,” Majid Rafizadeh, Arab News, July 30, 2020.
“Iran-Syria air defense pact could cause Russian-Iranian friction,” Mark Katz, MENA, July 30, 2020.