“3 Years Later, A Prisoner’s Family Still Awaits His Return From Iran,” Patrick Holmes, WSKG, April 8, 2021.

This is proof that Iran can act rational if it chooses—it has decided to release a hostage ship.  This is also proof that Iran takes things/ships hostage for ransom.  In this case, ask yourself what is Iran getting in exchange.  The article doesn’t say, but we can guarantee they have received something.  The ship sailed just hours ahead of further talks in Vienna between Iran and world powers over the JCPOA.  Remember also that “Iran had accused the MT Hankuk Chemi of polluting the waters in the crucial Strait of   Hormuz.”  But this was a flat out lie, and most countries did not call out Iran on this.  There was no environmental damage, only a taking.  “Iran frees South Korean ship it held amid dispute over funds,” Isabel Debre and Jon Gambrell, AP, YourBasin, April 8, 2021.

Notice this line—“Despite frosty relations in the past amid Dushanbe’s longstanding anxieties over Iran exporting the Islamic Revolution to its territory, the two Persian-speaking countries appear to be warming to each other as Turkey goes about firming Turkic ties among their neighbours.”  See “Persian-speaking Iran and Tajikistan boost defence relations,” bne IntelIiNews April 8, 2021.

Ah ha, some sort of promise.  “Iran frees South Korean ship, captain after promise to help with frozen funds,” Hyonhee Shin, Reuters, April 8, 2021.

Sounds like Trump’s sanctions are at fault.  “Furious calls are growing louder in Iran against the pandemic mismanagement after the country’s infection rates tripled in a matter of two days. According to official statistics April 8, all provincial capitals and over three-fourths of the country were mapped as red zones. The number of daily cases hit a record new high of 22,586, pushing beyond 2 million the entire population of those infected since the outbreak of the pandemic.”  See “Bitter blame game in Iran amid coronavirus ‘explosion’,” Al Monitor, April 8, 2021.

“A climber (who asked to remain anonymous) told Climbing that the local mountain in Isfahan, Kooh Sefid, has over 40 sport routes that have been used freely by both men and women until now. The incident occurred on the mountain during a canyoning class that was attended by both men and women in central Iran. Local Islamic fundamental extremists interrupted the group. When the group objected to the intrusion, they were beaten. IranWire reported that the Isfahan Mountaineering Board condemned the attack and offered legal assistance to the victims. However, following that, the Imam of the grand mosque in Dorche supported the attacker.”  See “Iran Bans Women Climbers From Local Crag,” Rebecca McPhee, ExplorersWeb, April 8, 2021.

Enablers in the Academy.  “Does Iran even need spies in academia?,” A.J. Caschetta, op-ed, The Hill, April 8, 2021.