Month: March 2024

“The actual voter turnout in the elections estimated at about 8%.”  Shocking.  See “Iran Election Result: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Lost Gains Made From Gaza Conflict – OpEd,” Eurasia Review, 3-4-24.

“Iran Announces 41% Turnout In Parliamentary Elections,” Barron’s, AFP, 3-4-24.  So, is it 41%, 8%, or somewhere in the 10s or 20s?  Western intelligence agencies will also use the methodology of this article, and will find that the Regime-announced results are grossly inflated, just as their Covid-response numbers were so out of line with reality.

“Hard-liners dominate Iran’s parliamentary election after record-low turnout,” Politico, AP, 3-4-24.

“Commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force is expanding predecessor’s vision of chaos in the Middle East,” The Conversation, 3-4-24.

“Commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force is expanding predecessor’s vision of chaos in the Middle East,” El Paso Inc., 3-4-24.

“Iran’s Currency Plunges To Historic Low,” Iran International, 3-4-24.

“Ballistic Missiles Allow Iran to Act More Boldly,” WSJ, 3-4-24.  “Over the past decade, Iran has transformed much of its ballistic-missile arsenal, the largest in the Middle East, from mere tools of terror to battlefield-ready systems. Iranian missiles are more precise, mobile, lethal and abundant than ever before—giving the regime more dangerous options when it wants to throw its weight around. … Since 2017, Iran has engaged in at least 11 separate ballistic-missile operations from its own territory against Kurdish, U.S., Islamic State, Baluch and other targets and interests across Iraq, Syria and Pakistan. Iran is likely to use these missiles to respond to any serious or perceived provocation in the future. … In 2023 the regime claimed to have developed its first-ever hypersonic missile and celebrated with a poster in Persian, Arabic and Hebrew proclaiming that it needed only “400 seconds” to strike Tel Aviv. … Tehran is already taking advantage of its missile capability to provide cover for other escalatory acts against the U.S. and Israel. When Israel thinks about how to respond to Hezbollah’s attacks, it must take into account a deadly and potentially direct Iranian response. This, on top of Hezbollah’s Iran-supplied precision-guided munition capabilities, helps deter Israel and is keeping 80,000 Israelis from returning to their homes in the north. … Missile mastery has emboldened the Islamic Republic, making it keen to take more risks and to respond to fire with fire.”

“IAEA chief: We have lost track of Iran nuke progress,” JPost, 3-4-24.  “IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi on Monday told the IAEA Board of Governors, concerning Iran’s nuclear advancement, that “the agency has lost continuity of knowledge about the production and inventory of centrifuges, rotors and bellows, heavy water and uranium ore concentrate.” “It is three years since Iran stopped provisionally applying its additional protocol and therefore it is also three years since the agency was able to conduct complementary access in Iran,” Grossi said, describing large gaps in nuclear inspections. Next, he referred to a recent Iranian nuclear official who said that all aspects of the nuclear weapons cycle are complete and that the only obstacle to Tehran producing a nuclear weapon is the political decision to do so. Grossi said, “Public statements made in Iran regarding its technical capabilities to produce nuclear weapons only increase my concerns about the correctness and completeness of Iran’s safeguard declarations.”

“Iran’s Supreme Leader Silent After Election Boycott,” Iran International, 3-4-24.

“Cooperation agreements with Iran pit Algeria against the West,” Arab Weekly, 3-4-24.

“What Do Official Statistics Reveal About Iran’s Elections?,” Iran International, 3-4-24.  “After the closure of the polls, the media affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, including Fars News Agency, announced what they claimed was the turnout figures before the election authorities had provided any information.”  As of 3-5, there are still no official results.  But we are left with the IRGC 41% figure.

“Religious dictators of Iran covet DNA identifiers of journalists — report,” Biometric, 3-4-24.

“Iran Tried to Persuade Sudan to Allow Naval Base on Its Red Sea Coast,” WSJ, 3-3-24.  “Tehran, which has supplied drones for Khartoum’s war with a rebel warlord, pledged a warship in exchange for access but was turned down. … A naval base on the Red Sea would allow Tehran to tighten its grip on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, where it is helping Yemen-based Houthi rebels launch attacks on commercial vessels. Iran and the Houthis say the attacks are aimed at punishing Israel and its allies for the fighting in Gaza. Iran’s regional rivals, Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, all have direct access to the waterway.”

“Chinese Influencers’ Upcoming Visit To Iran Sparks Criticism,” Iran International, 3-3-24.  “Despite its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, Iran continues to grapple with challenges in attracting foreign tourists, exacerbated by its history of detaining foreigners and dual nationals, along with societal constraints imposed after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.”

“Economic Turmoil Worsens In Iran As Hardliners Win Election,” Iran International, 3-3-24.

Iran is encouraging Hamas to hold firm, and hand on to the pawns/hostages.  “Israel won’t send team to Cairo, said to believe Sinwar seeks escalation on Ramadan,” Times of Israel, 3-3-24.

“Ex-President Khatami Abstains From Voting In Iran Elections,” Iran International, 3-2-24.

“Iran: Raisi Re-Elected for Assembly of Experts,” teleSur, 3-2-24.  And see the Supreme Leader cast his vote, covered by the “IRNA News Agency and by X.”

“Grammy winner gets 3-year prison sentence in Iran for anti-regime song,” UPI, 3-2-24.  He wrote the song about the death of Mahsa Amini.  And the Regime requires Hajipour to “also write a song about U.S. ‘atrocities against humanity’,”.

I’ll say it again.  The world will have to decide if Iran will hold the Strait hostage.  “A ship earlier hit by Yemen’s Houthi rebels sinks in the Red Sea, the first vessel lost in conflict,” AP, 3-2-24.  “The Rubymar, which carried a cargo of fertilizer and previously leaked fuel, could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea and its coral reefs.  Persistent Houthi attacks have already disrupted traffic in the crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East to Europe. Already, many ships have turned away from the route.”  They are going around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10 days and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Iranian threat to overthrow the Kuwait government has finally resulted in “Kuwait Top Court Criminalizes Lebanon’s Hezbollah,” Asharq Al-Awsat, 3-2-24.  BTW, Kuwait has made few entries on this blog over the years.  But here, the threat was too great.

“Nobel Laureate Exposes Iran’s Use Of Solitary Confinement,” Iran International, 3-1-24.  “White torture … is different from white room torture, another form of psychological torture technique aimed at complete sensory deprivation and isolation that can lead to hallucinations and psychosis. In the latter form, which has also been employed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic, the prisoner is held for long stretches of time in a soundproofed cell with white walls and no windows, given white clothing and food such as rice, and is often deprived from sleep.”

“Record Low Turnout in Iran as Voters Lose Faith in Elections,” Reason, 3-1-24.  “Iran’s leaders wanted to show the world a high voter turnout. Instead, people stayed home for the “sham” elections.”

The world will have to decide if Iran will hold the Strait hostage.  “Only grain ships from Black Sea and for Iran still crossing Red Sea, analysts say,” Reuters, 3-1-24.