“Calls to ban Iran from World Cup for teargassing women to bar access at match,” The Jerusalem Post, March 31, 2022.
“Iran won’t break with Russia over Ukraine. Here’s why,” Javad Heiran-Nia, Iran Source, March 30, 2022.
Finally. “US imposes new sanctions against Iran’s ballistic missile program,” Jeremy Herb, CNN, March 30, 2022.
“Blame game after Iran women pepper-sprayed at World Cup qualifier,” Al Jazeera, March 30, 2022.
“Why a terror designation is the last sticking point in Iran-US talks,” Mostafa Salem and Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, March 28, 2022.
“Iran bombed Iraq’s Kurdish region over natural gas plan involving Israel – report,” Times of Israel, March 28, 2022.
Surprising this piece from St. Antony’s, but that is answered from their homepage—Agha is a visiting prof, not on faculty. He correctly writes “A new nuclear deal will strengthen the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps without derailing the regime’s long-term ambitions.” See “The United States’ Clueless Diplomacy Won’t Stop a Nuclear Iran,” Hussein Agha, FP, March 25, 2022.
“One of the most scenic railways in the world spans Iran,” National Geographic, March 24, 2022.
“Iran’s Secret System to Avoid Sanctions,” GIMLET, March 24, 2022.
“Iran will blackmail world using nuclear threat to Ukraine – analysis,” The Jerusalem Post, March 24, 2022.
Quote of the Day: “I’m appalled at the concessions this administration is considering to placate the Iranian regime. A deal that provides $90-$130 billion in sanctions relief, relieves sanctions against Iran’s worst terror and human rights offenders, and delists the [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] does not support our national security interests.” Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee. See “Dems start questioning Biden admin’s Iran nuclear talks,” Andrew Desiderio, Politico, March 22, 2022.
Uh oh, this means that Iran got what it wants. “Iran leader signals support for nuke talks at critical stage,” Amir Vahdat, AP, March 21, 2022.
This is terrible—the IRGC is a full military dedicated by the Regime to pursuing the Revolution. Terrorism is used and has always been used as a major part of the IRGC’s strategy. See “Iran Nuclear Deal’s Final Hurdle Is Lifting Terrorism Sanctions on Revolutionary Guards,” Laurence Norman, Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2022. “U.S. allies including Israel want the Iranian security force to remain on the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. … The effort to revive the 2015 nuclear deal agreement now hinges on perhaps the most politically sensitive issue in the negotiations: whether to remove the U.S. terrorism designation for Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, the country’s powerful security force, diplomats said. The issue is galvanizing opposition to the nuclear deal in Washington and among Middle East allies such as Israel, where the government issued stinging public criticism of any attempt to remove the terrorism designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Senior U.S. officials say a failure to find a compromise with Iran on the issue quickly could cause a breakdown in negotiations that—over almost a year—have resolved nearly every other disagreement. The U.S. has accused the Guard of killing hundreds of Americans, while its elite Quds Force has arranged weapons and support for proxy forces throughout the region and for pro-Iranian groups that fought in Syria. The Guard has long faced U.S. sanctions for its ballistic-missiles programs and alleged human-rights violations and was placed on the counterterror sanctions list in 2017. Those backing compromise argued that other sanctions on the Guard would still keep foreign companies away from dealing with Guard-linked Iranian firms, damping the economic benefits of any nuclear deal for Iran.”
“Iran to provide new answers to IAEA about Mossad-seized documents,” The Jerusalem Post, March 20, 2022.
“Iran Signs Deal With Russia To Import 20 Million Tons Of Basic Goods,” Iran International, March 20, 2022.
“’If Iran strives for normalcy it must exercise transparency’,” Israel Hayom, March 20, 2022.
“Fears grow over possible removal of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard from US terror list,” Arab News, March 19, 2022.
“New Video Leak Keeps Spotlight On Inhumane Prison Conditions In Iran,” RFE/RL Radio Farda, March 18, 2022.
Russia and China have helped each other to avoid some sanctions by hiding assets off-shore, and look like they are doing it for Iran, also. It is time for UN Sec. Gen. Guterres to call these countries out publicly. “Clandestine Finance System Helped Iran Withstand Sanctions Crush, Documents Show,” Ian Talley, Wall Street Journal, March 18, 2022.
“Iran has released two hostages, but others remain – and nuclear talks are on a knife edge,” Sanam Vakil, Guardian, March 18, 2022.