FM Zarif makes an appearance! And he is such an “outgoing” person! And note he doesn’t mention hostages, missiles, terror, or human rights changes. Sounds like a winner of an agreement being negotiated. See “U.S. prepared to lift nearly all Iran sanctions, Zarif tells parliament,” Barak Ravid, Axios, Yahoo, July 14, 2021.
It is so ironic that countries who have interfered for decades in various ways to twist Cuba’s future and shorten the lives and freedoms of its people would try to warn off the beacon of liberty. I hope the world press points this out. “Iran, Syria denounce US ‘interference’ in Cuba amid unrest,” Adam Lucente, Al Monitor, July 14, 2021. See also “Iran denounces US ‘interference’ as Cuba rocked by rare protests,” AFP, Times of Israel, July 14, 2021.
“Iran Cracks Down On Water Protests,” Iran News Wire, July 14, 2021.
“Iran At Risk Of COVID-19 Fifth Wave As Homegrown Vaccine Campaign Stalls,” Neil Bowdler, Reuters, July 14, 2021.
Quote of the Day: “There’s really no government in the world that targets its critics overseas like the Iranian government. Since 1979, Iran has assassinated at least several dozen of its critics overseas.” Karim Sadjadpour. in “4 Iranian Nationals Charged For Alleged Plot To Kidnap Iranian-American Journalist,” Ryan Lucas, NPR, BBC, July 14, 2021. Will the media let the allegations go and not investigate? That is normally the pattern over the past several years.
Another Quote of the Day: “”The Lebanese state is collapsing. Like all the countries that Iran takes over and entrenches itself in, everything it touches is destroyed.” PM Naftali Bennett, in “PM: Lebanon is collapsing; everything Iran touches is destroyed,” Yoav Zitun, Ynet, July 14, 2021.
Iran will use this time (several weeks) to move closer to a nuclear device. “Exclusive-Iran not ready for nuclear talks until Raisi takes over –source,” KFGO, Thomson Reuters, July 14, 2021.
And notice that Iran’s government response is to not address the allegations/facts, but simply to issue a disclaimer. This is their pattern over multiple years. And the press and most other countries do not hold them to account. “Iran says U.S. claim of kidnapping plot is ‘baseless, ridiculous’,” Reuters, July 14, 2021.
And “imaginary”? “Iran foreign ministry: Iran kidnap plot is ‘imaginary story’,” WAGM, July 14, 2021.
“Iran to continue defending Palestine: Raeisi,” Mehr, July 14, 2021.