The first thought I had was that missiles being transferred via boat from Iran to Hezbollah blew up due to mismanagement and corruption. Second thought was we know from past acts that Israel is not defensively involved in this place and type of large explosion. Here’s a quote from one of the first stories, from AP: “The cause of the blast, which sparked fires, overturned cars and blew out windows and doors, was not immediately known. Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port. Local television channel LBC said the material was sodium nitrate. Witnesses reported seeing a strange orange-colored cloud over the site after the explosion. Orange clouds of toxic nitrogen dioxide gas often accompany an explosion involving nitrates.” And “The explosion was reminiscent of massive blasts during Lebanon’s civil war and took place only three days before a U.N.-backed tribunal was set to give its verdict in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a truck bombing more than 15 years ago.” BBC has since cited Lebanon’s President as saying 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored for 6 years is to blame. So, whose ammonium nitrate was confiscated? See the AP story at “Massive Beirut blast kills more than 60, injures thousands,” Bassem Mroue, AP, August 4, 2020.
It appears the Supreme Leader’s Regime (its business interests) has taken control over at least one of the climbing routes, to benefit from the climbing fees. “Iran religious endowment eyes slice of Mt Damavand,” Kourosh Ziabari, Asia Times, August 4, 2020.
“A new interactive map of Hezbollah’s activities has shown all the attacks, financing and plots by the terror group revealing for the first time its vast global reach. Researchers, the police and the public will be able to view the group’s activities across the world in a resource that includes information taken from declassified CIA and FBI files. The document is the painstaking work of former FBI agent Dr Matthew Levitt who hopes it will demonstrate the nature of Hezbollah to European countries that have yet to fully proscribe it as a terrorist organisation. If the map proves successful it could also be used as a template to help the fight against other terror groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS as well as international criminal gangs. The ‘Lebanese Hezbollah Select Worldwide Activity’ is the first-ever publicly available, interactive map and timeline of Hezbollah-related activities and counter-terrorism action taken against it. Dr Levitt said he committed to the project because during forums and seminars on Hezbollah there was always a lack of information. “Discussion about Hezbollah’s covert enterprises was rendered virtually impossible by the dearth of publicly available material on the group’s covert activities,” he said.” The map and the rest of this great open source-based resource is found at https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/hezbollahinteractivemap See “Interactive maps reveal full extent of Hezbollah’s global reach,” Thomas Harding, The National, August 4, 2020.
This blog will continue to advocate for hostages held in Iran, and argue with much evidence they are held in terrible conditions. And that being held in itself is violation of so many expectations of human interaction, violation of international law, and antithetical to international relations. The very recent report of the Australian ambassador Lyndall Sachs is an aberration for their professor Kylie Moore-Gilbert—she is not “well.” It is cruel to describe the situation as “Dr. Moore-Gilbert is well and has access to food, medical facilities and books,” the statement said. “We will continue to seek regular consular access to Dr. Moore-Gilbert.” … But “[t]he Center for Human Rights in Iran, a U.S.-based organization, said last week that Moore-Gilbert was being held with violent criminals under harsh conditions.” … “Moore-Gilbert has gone on hunger strikes during her time in custody and pleaded for the Australian government to do more to free her during almost two years in custody. She wrote to Australia’s prime minister last year that she has been “subjected to grievous violations of my legal and human rights, including psychological torture and spending prolonged periods of time in solitary confinement.”” See “Australia: British-Australian woman in Iran prison ‘is well’,” Rod McGuirk, AP, August 4, 2020.
“A story not receiving the attention it deserves. “Iran rules out attack as cause of nuclear site incident,” The Nation, August 4, 2020. “What is certain is that in our view, a drone, missile, bomb or rocket attack is not the case,” ISNA news agency quoted Mojtaba Zolnour, head of parliament’s national security and foreign affairs committee, as saying.” So, if the Supreme Leader orders a retaliatory attack, it is based apparently on no evidence.
One of the more fascinating news pieces one will read, including Iran’s kidnapping practices, tracking phone information, and another hostage taken. Unfortunantly, Mr. Sharmahd will never be released. See “Iran Abducted California Man while in Dubai,” Naharnet, August 4, 2020.
“Iran’s regime targets critics’ relatives to silence dissent,” U.S. Embassy in Georgia, August 4, 2020.
“Iran praises Turkey’s conversion of Hagia Sophia again,” Paul Antonopoulos, Greek City Times, August 4, 2020.