“The UN nuclear watchdog chief travels to Iran as its monitoring remains hampered,” AP, WTOP, 5-6-24.
“Iran Remains Second Largest Jailer of Writers Worldwide,” Iran International, 5-4-24.
“Iranian IRGC Warship Crosses Equator For First Time,” RFE/RL, 5-4-24.
“Iran announces sanctions on United States, United Kingdom,” Mehr, 5-2-24. For alleged support of terrorism and violation of human rights in the Gaza War.
“Iran charges journalists after BBC report on teen protester’s death,” BBC, 5-2-24.
Exactly. This article by Azizi (again) hits the purpose of this Kissinger-inspired blog. “Is Iran a Country or a Cause?,” The Atlantic, 5-1-24. “The ideologues are winning a decades-long battle over Tehran’s foreign policy.”
Thugocracy. Authoritarian. Police State. These are the sorts of terms describing the state of affairs in the former IRI. Regime as a term works also. See “Iran and the ‘Ship of Theseus’ paradox,” JNS, 5-1-24.
“CNN gets a rare look at the Iranian missiles and drones that hit Israel,” CNN, 5-1-24.
“Are Iran and Sudan Renewing Their Ties?,” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 5-1-24. Sudan’s bordering of the Red Sea, past involvement with weapons smuggling from Iran to Gaza, and other issues are concerning.
“The UN’s nuclear watchdog chief will visit Iran next week as concerns rise about uranium enrichment,” CNY, AP, 5-1-24. Perhaps too little, too late.
Taking from the poor, directly for the benefit of the Supreme Ayatollah, Ali Husseini Khamenei. Amazing. I’ve never seen evidence of this before. Zaidi and Naqvi, both of Houston, pled guilty to transfer tens of thousands of dollars from the religious tax on wealth and for victims of the Yemen civil war. Note that Khamenei has not denounced the attempt to enrich himself (no press release, statement, comment on corruption in a sermon, etc.). “Scheme to Transfer Money to Iran Results in Guilty Pleas,” U.S. Department of Justice, 5-1-24.
The Regime’s leader makes the news a second time today, “Iran’s Khamenei pooh-poohs Arabs normalizing with Israel,” Times of Israel, 5-1-24.