Month: December 2020

Iran prepares revenge attacks after the West eliminates terrorists.  “Fears Iran-backed militias in Iraq readying attack to avenge nuke chief – report,” Times of Israel, AP, December 11, 2020.

“Fears Iran-backed militias in Iraq readying attack to avenge nuke chief – report,” AP, Times of Israel, December 11, 2020.

Really thinking outside the box.  But notice where the proposal came from—an Israeli voice.  This sort of thing would not be tolerated in Iran if a newspaper in Tehran made this suggestion.  “Now’s the Time for Israel to Make Peace With Iran,” Ofri Ilany, Haaretz, December 11, 2020.

To deter Iran’s plans, “two B-52H “Stratofortresses” flew from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on a roughly 36-hour mission that took them across Europe, through the northern Red Sea, across Saudi Arabia and into the Persian Gulf for a north to south transit. The mission included a counterclockwise loop around Qatar, all the time staying closer to the western side of the Arabian Gulf and outside Iranian airspace, according to the senior U.S. military official with knowledge of the region. Aircraft from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar flew with the U.S. planes during portions of the flight.”  See “U.S. flew two bombers from Louisiana over the Persian Gulf to deter Iran, says military,” Courtney Kube, NBC, December 10, 2020.

“U.S. military on alert for potential Iranian attack in Middle East,” Lara Seligman, Politico, December 10, 2020.

“Iran, Afghanistan open first rail link with eye on trade,” The Tribune, December 10, 2020.

“Rise in Israeli strikes in Syria has led to decrease of Iranian activity,” Anna Ahronheim, Jerusalem Post, December 10, 2020.

But no names and no parading in front of the cameras.  Is it true?  “Iran has arrested some suspects in killing of top nuclear scientist arrested Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, says official,” Reuters, South China Morning Post, December 9, 2020.

In a similar vein, intelligence agencies continue to try to assess the Leader’s health after the report a few days ago that he passed authority to one of his sons.  Another assessment they are trying to make is who (if anyone—this story could be fake considering the media source) has been arrested for the killing of the lead nuclear scientist.  See “Iran says arrests “some” involved in assassination of nuke scientist,” Xinhua, December 9, 2020.

“Iran: UN calls for accountability on 1988 prison massacres marks turning point in three-decade struggle,” Amnesty International, December 9, 2020.

“Satellite imagery points to Iran moving Natanz underground – NYT,” Jerusalem Post, December 9, 2020.

“Iran Is Already Stalking Israelis Visiting the UAE. Mossad Is Bracing for the Worst,” Yossi Melman, Haaertz, December 9, 2020.

Iran supports the Houthis and the Badr Organization.  See “Trump determined to designate pro-Iran groups as terrorist,” Maria Maalouf, Arab News, December 9, 2020.

No surprise here.  And, as you’ll see in the story, they don’t wear masks but not because of Covid.  “Iranians guiding Houthi missiles, says captured spy,” Saeed Al-Batati, Arab News, December 8, 2020.

“Iranian law bans the use of Israeli flags, symbols or signs. Iranians and visitors to the country associated or allegedly associated with Israel have ended up imprisoned or executed in the past.”  See “’Thank you Mossad’ banner, Israeli flag spotted in Iran’s capital – report,” Tzvi Joffre, Jerusalem Post, December 8, 2020.  “The flag and banner were placed amid the aftermath of the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.”

““Iran’s recent announcement to the IAEA that it intends to install an additional three cascades of advanced centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz is contrary to the JCPoA and deeply worrying,” the statement by the so-called E3 said.”  See “UK, Germany, France calls Iran nuclear moves ‘deeply worrying’,” Adam Shaw, Fox News, December 8, 2020.

Despite the Regime’s representatives regular statements otherwise, “Khomeini apparently never issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD).”  See “Nuclear Fatwa:  Religion and Politics in Iran’s Proliferation Strategy,” Michael Eisenstadt and Mehdi Khalaji, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Policy Focus #115, September 2011, cited and linked in “A history of continuity in Iran’s long nuclear program,” Sina Azodi, Atlantic Council, December 8, 2020.

“Iran vows to build two new nuclear facilities, alarming observers,” Richard Stone, Science, December 8, 2020.

This is the UN, not what individual countries track and know about the Dehlavieh anti-tank guided missile system and other weapons that Iran has been selling in contravention of Sec. Coun. Resolutions.  See “Anti-tank missile in Libya looks like Iran-produced weapon – U.N.,” Michelle Nichols, Reuters, December 8, 2020.

Another article pointing out that Iran does not act as a normal country.  Who else “supports anti-Israel militant groups like the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah”?  See “Iran’s president vows to continue supporting Syria,” AP, Fox KVVU, December 8, 2020.

“CISA Warns About Iran’s Offensive Cyber Capabilities,” Oodaloop, December 8, 2020.

Just because an official says something doesn’t mean it’s true.  Case in point—look at this article.  There are no statements from the UN or WHO or the World Bank or anyone with credibility providing evidence for these Iranian officials’ claims.  See “Iran accuses US of blocking coronavirus vaccine purchases,” Al Monitor, December 8, 2020.

“Iran Upholds Death Sentence Against French-Based Journalist Captured Last Year,” Reuters, VOA, December 8, 2020.

Not your ordinary university.  Wonder what a degree qualifies one to do?  I imagine that the Quds curriculum and degrees are not approved by an accrediting body.  “U.S. to impose sanctions on Iranian official, university – U.S. official,” Reuters, December 8, 2020.

As just mentioned on this blog, Iran is not blocked from acquiring Covid vaccine.  The media should not enable these claims.  See “Washington Post Spouts False Iranian Talking Points On Sanctions Allegedly Blocking Vaccine,” Jordan Davidson, Federalist, December 8, 2020.

Articles like this would be comical if they weren’t about such a deadly topic—the threatened extermination of a people or country.  Is CNN willing to accept the Regime’s repeated disclaimers that it is not working on a nuclear bomb?  If so, they shouldn’t run this story.  If they are unsure, CNN needs to ask why would Israel (or someone) risk retaliation by killing this important nuclear scientist?  If not, CNN needs to fully explore Iran’s program.  Last, as CNN continues to examine its reporting, the reader is drawn to the last line in the article—“There are just over 40 days until Biden can begin to negotiate, and during which diplomacy’s adversaries can stop talks dead.”  What?!  Here, and from the context of the article, CNN (this is not an op-ed) is saying that the U.S. and Iran neither want diplomacy.  CNN needs to ponder the actions of both the U.S. and Iran—is it CNN’s position that both the current Administration and Iran are equally bad actors?  See “As Iran mulls retaliation for nuclear scientist’s death, a riddle remains. What exactly was he working on?,” Nick Paton Walsh, Jo Shelley, Ramin Mostaghim, and Scott McWhinnie, CNN, December 7, 2020.

It is not normal for a country to snatch one of its citizens (who has dual citizenship) and hold them hostage, waiting to see what she can be traded for.  And this is an elderly woman.  “I don’t know what Iran wants’: Mariam Claren’s fight to free her mother,” Patrick Wintour, Guardian, December 7, 2020.

Gives new meaning to the term habeas corpus.  “An official at the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday denied the rumor about the top leader’s health, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported.”  But the Leader has not been seen publicly.  And this is a Chinese source—remember the disappearance for weeks by NK Leader Kim?  The Chinese do.  See “Iran’s top leader office denies rumors about bad health,” Xinhua, December 7, 2020.

“Why does the Iranian regime keep taking foreigners hostage as political leverage? The simple answer is that this tactic always works. Starting from the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in 1979, the regime has inevitably got something in return for releasing captive foreigners, be it some form of financial gain, repatriation of Iranian prisoners detained overseas or other political concessions from foreign governments. Inevitably, too, these swaps have been described as “diplomacy.” But when the old hostages are sent home, the regime simply arrests new ones to replenish its stock of political pawns. The vicious circle is repeated. The irony here is that the regime’s hostage-taking is in fact a manifestation of its anti-diplomacy orientation. The Islamic Republic, from its formation in 1979, has consistently defied international norms, and frequently rejected the use of diplomacy and dialog as means of mitigating its differences with other countries. This is because of its revolutionary outlook and a unique, divine-sanctioned sense of hubris. No other state actor in the contemporary world has so frequently encouraged or tolerated the seizure and ransacking of foreign diplomatic representations. These are gross violations of the most basic diplomatic principles, but they are perfectly justifiable in the regime’s rhetoric of “revolution” and “quashing the global arrogance.””  See this well-reasoned article by Wang Xiyue, Ph.D. candidate in history at Princeton and an incoming Jeane Kirkpatrick fellow at American Enterprise Institute in D.C.—he was imprisoned in Iran from Aug. 7, 2016, to Dec. 7, 2019—at “Don’t Let Iran Get Away With Hostage-Taking,” Wang Xiyue, op-ed, Bloomberg, December 7, 2020.

About 10 ships so far announced in the media.  “The ‘Biggest Ever’ Flotilla Of Iranian Tankers Is En Route To Venezuela,” OilPrice.com, December 7, 2020.

He’s aiming to win friends, not enemies?  FM spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh sure knows how to wow the Saudis and the Europeans.  See “Iran Dismisses Saudi Call for Inclusion in Nuclear Talks,” Naharnet, December 7, 2020.

“No official confirmation has been made regarding any potential transfer of power, and media outlets have been unable to confirm it.” “In addition, it is unclear if the succession would be permanent, as it goes against the constitution’s rules regarding appointing a new supreme leader. According to Article 111 of Iran’s constitution, the supreme leader’s successor is to be chosen by the Assembly of Experts, which currently consists of 88 ayatollahs. In the interim, the country would be administered by a provisional leadership council, which would consist of Iran’s president, chief justice and a member of the guardian council. However, according to articles from prestigious think-tank the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, it may not be as simple as that, with outside pressures such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) likely a role in the process, due to the military body’s influence on the Assembly of Experts.” And you have the power of the Leader himself—he is not constrained by the IRI Constitution.  See “Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei hands power to son due to health – report,” Aaron Reich, Jerusalem Post, December 6, 2020.

Another wild theory—do they really have an idea what happened?  “Iran Says Scientist Was Killed Using Satellite-Controlled Gun,” Arsalan Shahla and Golnar Motevalli, Bloomberg, December 6, 2020.

“Iran’s ex-VP for women, accused of sharing classified info, gets jail sentence,” AFP, December 6, 2020.

Oh my, it’s finally happening.  After years of denial of poor health and cancer, the Supreme Leader Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prepares for his departure.  But note that he gave power to his son and not another clerical figure. “Iranian journalist Mohamad Ahwaze reported the major political move on Twitter, citing sources in the country. Writing in Arabic, Ahwaze said Khamenei had handed power over to his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.”  The Assembly of Experts, supposedly charged with overseeing the Supreme Leader and selecting his successor, is not mentioned in this article.  It has been rumored that they were slowing considering replacement options for Khamenei but none of the open sources said what Khamenei or the Assembly would do if the Leader were incapacitated.  See “Iran’s Supreme Leader Transfers Power to Son as Health Deteriorates,” Darragh Roche, Newsweek, December 5, 2020.

“Iran Supreme Court To Retry Three Men Sentenced To Death Over 2019 Protests,” RFE/RL, December 5, 2020.

Amazing.  Israel had a spy that was remained close to Fakhrizadeh, who recorded that Iran was working on five warheads.  In 2008.  That spy must be somewhere else now, in a safe place.  The Times of Israel says, “Report says ex-PM Olmert played top-secret recording of Fakhrizadeh for President Bush in decisive 2008 meeting that boosted US-Israel cooperation against Iran’s nuclear program.”  Here’s the amazing story—“‘Israel has tape of slain Iran nuke chief talking about building five warheads’,” Times of Israel, December 4, 2020.

“Iran tells IAEA it will accelerate underground uranium enrichment,” Francois Murphy, Reuters, December 4, 2020.

“Iran says won’t recognise Belgium verdict for diplomat,” Barron’s, AFP, December 4, 2020.“Belgian court to give verdict in Iran diplomat case on Jan 22,” France 24, December 4, 2020.

“Iran to accelerate underground uranium enrichment: IAEA,” Al Jazeera, December 4, 2020.

So let’s look at this from the point of Israel, whose very existence remains challenged by the growing number of missiles in Lebanon, controlled by Iran and Nasrallah, and the growing nuclear weapons program inside Iran.  And then let’s look at from the point of Hezbollah’s leader, Nasrallah, who practically lives underground most of the time.  He is apparently smart to move to Iran, but Iran has also shown it cannot protect persons living above ground, so he will stay undercover there—or underground.  See “Hezbollah’s Nasrallah to move to Iran amid regional tensions – report,” Tzvi Joffre, Jerusalem Post, December 3, 2020.

“Iran says it has identified suspects in Fakhrizadeh assassination,” Tobias Siegal, Jerusalem Post, December 3, 2020.

“Iran’s Zarif Rules Out Renegotiating Nuclear Deal With Biden,” John Follain, Golnar Motevalli, and Patrick Sykes, Bloomberg, December 3, 2020.

“Iran Rights Lawyer Sent Back to Prison,” Michael Lipin and Ramin Haghjoo, VOA, December 03, 2020.

So this turns into an important story, not yet spotlighted by the media or governments.  I wrote a couple of days ago on this blog that Iran would probably execute the Swedish scientist in retaliation for the killing of the nuclear scientist.  But here the Leader has made an exception, perhaps an opening.  Iran is under much pressure because it can’t explain the infiltration and escape of the Absard killers, nor protect its nuclear scientists or its IRGC kingpins.  The Leader may be looking to see now if the West will give something in exchange.  See “Iran reprieves scientist facing execution for espionage,” Patrick Wintour, Guardian, December 2, 2020.

“Iranian Arms, Fighters Bolster Maduro Government in Venezuela, U.S. Says,” Michael Gordon and Ian Talley, Wall Street Journal, December 2, 2020.

A very long but informative article about the reach of the Quds Force and IRGC into Iraq.  See “Special Report: Iran expands shrines and influence in Iraq,” WHBL, December 2, 2020.

“Iranian Arms, Fighters Bolster Maduro Government in Venezuela, U.S. Says,” Michael Gordon and Ian Talley, Wall Street Journal, December 2, 2020.