“Misinterpret Iran’s signals of restraint at your peril,” The Hill, 10-20-24.
Iran, Russia, Oman. “Joint naval exercise serves to increase Iran’s legitimacy – analysis,” JPost, 10-20-24.
This is out of left-field, but my theory is that with the heavy investing China is doing in Tanzania, and how the Tanzanian government will be caught up in that debt trap, that China has also encouraged or arranged or even forced Tanzania to also trade with Iran, because Iran needs trading partners. “Iran to establish tractor assembly plant in Tanzania,” Daily News, 10-19-24.
“Lebanon issues rare rebuke to Iran over ‘interference’,” Reuters, 10-18-24.
Iran has lost another proxy head. “IDF source confirms Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in Gaza,” I24, 10-17-24. He should have negotiated when he had the chance.
“Iran remembers Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a ‘martyr’ and ‘model for the youth and children’,” Fox, 10-17-24. No comments from me needed on this article.
The U.S. is bombing Iranian weapons used against international shipping. UN Sec. Gen., it is time to speak up against Iran. “US B-2 bombers strike Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen,” CNN, 10-17-24.
“Sinwar’s death will hurt Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ – analysis,” JPost, 10-17-24.
“New details shed light on Israel’s stunning pager plot that ravaged Hezbollah,” I24, 10-16-24.
Weapons from Russia most likely through Iran. “Netanyahu says IDF found ‘state-of-the-art’ Russian arms in Hezbollah bases,” IDF, 10-16-24.
“Nilforoushan’s assassination shook Iran’s IRGC to its core, expert says,” JPost, 10-16-24. “The assassination of Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was a hefty blow to the Islamic regime in Tehran, as well as its regional proxies, Benny Sabti, an Iran researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), said in a Tuesday interview with Maariv. Nilforoushan was also the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon, and was eliminated along with former Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Dahieh, Beirut. Sabti began by saying, “This man was the head of operations in the Revolutionary Guards, and many missions, supplies, and budgets passed through his hands. The man was primarily responsible for everything that concerns us, approving budgets and transferring weapons to Syria and Lebanon, and indeed for maintaining all the activities of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations that operate mainly through connections with Syria.” … “He was one of the extremists. He was 14 when the revolution in Iran took place, and at that age, he enlisted in the Iran-Iraq war. He came from an extreme place and a very extreme city. The background in Iran is very important; when you grow up in an extreme environment, that’s how you continue your path,” he added. … Regarding Nilforoushan’s activities, Sabti said, “In recent years, in his role as head of operations, he contributed to Hezbollah’s anti-Israeli activities because he dealt with the approvals. He essentially had a hand in everything that happened in the Revolutionary Guards.” … It will take time to replace Nilforoushan …”
Somewhat helpful, describing some of the strategy and influence on Iran. But Iran still has to decide on its own, despite outside influence, if it will act as a normal country. “Russia’s Deliberately Unclear Strategy for Iran,” GPF, 10-14-24.
Iran’s technology killed 4 IDF soldiers. “How Hezbollah’s drone pierced Israel’s Iron Dome,” India Today, 10-14-24. “[T]he Mirsad-1 was a modified version of Iran’s Mohajer-2 drone. … Hezbollah is said to have an arsenal of around 2,000 drones….”
“Mystery fire in Tehran may be linked to nuclear capabilities,” Iran International, 10-14-24.
“Israeli Couple Charged With Aiding Iran, Including Plotting to Assassinate Public Figure,” Haaretz, 10-14-24.
“Iran’s top diplomat meets senior Houthi official in Oman: Ministry,” Al Arabiya, 10-14-24.
“Swedish PM urges EU to list Iran’s IRGC as terrorist organization,” Iran International, 10-14-24.
“Iran’s Nuclear Tipping Point,” Foreign Affairs, 10-14-24. But wait! The Islamic Republic of Iran, and its two ayatollahs, have always said its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, and never for nuclear weapons. The current Supreme Leader has repeatedly said he has a fatwa (although he never shows the document) saying that if Iran pursued nuclear weapons that it is against the will of Allah. So, … if Iran is now pursuing a weapons program, shouldn’t the worlds’ countries and the United Nations say Iran is not telling the truth?
These talks are just to distract, anyway. “Iran halts indirect talks with US as region tensions escalate,” JPost, 10-14-24.
About 100 THAAD soldiers involved, daring Iran. “U.S. Is Sending Antimissile System to Israel to Bolster Defenses Against Iran,” WSJ, 10-13-24.
The Iranian attack was more successful that immediately known. “Hundreds of Israeli Buildings Marred by Iran’s Oct. 1 Attack,” Bloomberg, 10-13-24.
“Iran strike cost Israel tens of millions in damage,” Ynet, 10-13-24.
“More justification to attack? Leaked docs link Iran to Hamas plan to destroy Israel – analysis,” JPost, 10-13-24. “The documents show that Iran knew of a general plan by Hamas to carry out a massive attack on Israel that it hoped would bring Iran and its proxy Hezbollah into the fray.” And to bring about the destruction of Israel.
“Iran-Israel news: ’Heavy cyberattacks’ hit nuclear facilities; pagers and walkie-talkies BANNED on Iranian flights,” Livemint, 10-12-24.
The Wall Street Journal broke this story after Oct. 7, but others wouldn’t or couldn’t confirm. Now, after a year, the NYT follows. “Iran was aware of Hamas’s plan to launch October 7 attack – NYT,” Iran International, 10-12-24. “Documents seized by the Israeli military and verified by The New York Times show senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya discussed the plan with IRGC commander Mohammed Said Izadi in July 2023.” The story does not say what the documents are, how they were obtained, or why it took so long for the NYT to report its findings.
Similar reporting, “Hamas wanted Iran to join in Oct 7 attack, secret minutes reveal,” Telegraph, 10-12-24. “Hamas tried to convince Iran to join in the Oct 7 terrorist attacks on Israel, minutes of secret meetings have revealed. The terror group’s leader Yahya Sinwar attempted to persuade Iran and Hezbollah to join the assault or the broader conflict with Israel after the raid, documents seized by the Israeli military show. The minutes, which were obtained and reported by the New York Times, show Hamas first plotted to carry out the attack in autumn 2022. Documents from 10 secret meetings of political and military leaders before the attack on Oct 7 2023, reveal that the terrorists delayed the plan, which they codenamed “the big project”, amid efforts to convince Iran and Hezbollah to take part. … The green light for the Oct 7 attack was also given because Hamas wanted to disrupt efforts to normalise relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”
A country-based groundswell can have an effect. “Iran overturns death sentence of labor activist Sharifeh Mohammadi,” VOA, 10-12-24.
Iranian military and energy infrastructure. Nuclear facilities? “U.S. officials say Israel has narrowed down its targets for strike on Iran,” NBC, 10-12-24.
“Iran’s parliament speaker meets with Hezbollah officials, Lebanese PM,” Times of Israel, AFP, 10-12-24.
“US slaps sanctions on Iran’s ‘ghost fleet’ of oil tankers, citing attacks on Israel,” Times of Israel, 10-12-24.
More cooperation. “Iran sends satellites to Russia for rocket launch, Tasnim reports,” Reuters, 10-12-24.
“Iran has a hit list of former Trump aides. The U.S. is scrambling to protect them,” Politico, 10-11-24. For those media outlets and individuals complaining that Pres. Trump is not threatened, they ignore what the FBI says, and they ignore stories like this from the left-leaning Politico about the efforts by Iran to apparently kill as many as 50 former Trump administration officials. ““This is extraordinarily serious,” said Matt Olsen, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for national security. “Iran has made it very clear that they are determined to seek retaliation against former officials in connection with the Soleimani strike.” … “Some of those officials are now spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on security for themselves and their families.” … “Those who ordered the murder of General Soleimani as well as those who carried this out should be punished,” Khamenei posted on his social media account nearly a year later, in December 2020. “This revenge will certainly happen at the right time.” … “This is historic, and different and new,” said a former senior Trump administration official with knowledge of the Soleimani killing. “We’ve never had former senior national security officials, a Cabinet member, that have had this risk profile from a foreign adversary.” … Four people who spoke with POLITICO cited the example of Salman Rushdie, the Nobel Prize winning author. Thirty-four years after Iran’s supreme leader ordered Rushdie’s killing over a novel he claimed insulted Islam, a would-be assassin stabbed Rushie 15 times onstage at an event in New York. “When they put these fatwas out, they’re like for life,” said the first senior national security official. … In addition to Trump, who receives Secret Service protection as the former president, at least seven former generals, diplomats and civilian policy advisers from his White House receive a 24/7 government security detail, according to the people who spoke to POLITICO. Sometimes a single security detail includes roughly a half-dozen people. The list is dominated by those with direct ties to the Soleimani killing or high-up in the Trump administration: Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense; Mark Milley, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Paul Nakasone, head of NSA and U.S. Cyber Command; Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command; Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State; and Brian Hook, the State Department’s Special Representative for Iran. … This July the FBI arrested an Iranian operative who had entered the U.S. in an effort to arrange the assassination of “a political person” in retaliation for Soleimani’s death, the Justice Department has said. The individual, a Pakistani national, even remotely scouted a Trump rally.”
Iran Air is still at it. Israel will have to decide how to ground these planes. “Iran’s national airliner accused of flying weapons to Beirut airport for terror proxy Hezbollah: Report,” Fox News, 10-11-24.
“Putin owes Iran – he may be about to find out how much,” Telegraph, 10-11-24. Pezeshkian and Putin met in Turkmenistan.
“Iran threatens to target US allies in Mideast if Israel allowed to use their military bases, airspace,” WSJ, 10-11-24.
“Moscow and Tehran share ‘very close’ worldview, says Putin as he meets Iran’s president,” Politico, 10-11-24.
“The Nasrallah killing is upending Iran’s security strategy. Here’s what to expect next,” Iran Source, 10-11-24.
“Iran and the collapsing axis,” Asia Times, 10-10-24. “Iran faces big decisions after Israel targeted Axis of Resistance allies’ leading figures, fighters and resources.”
“Iran general’s whereabouts in question after Israeli strikes on Hezbollah,” Guardian, 10-10-24. Produce his body.
“Iranian general who vowed to ‘see dead bodies of Americans all over the Middle East’ possibly killed in Israeli airstrike,” NYPost, 10-6-24. Produce his body.
“‘Quds Force chief suffers heart attack in Iranian detention’,” JNS, 10-10-24. Produce his body.
“Qaani is alive and is currently being interrogated in Iran, sources claim – report,” JPost, 10-10-24. Produce his body.
“Exclusive: Esmail Qaani under guard and questioned as Iran probes Nasrallah killing,” MEE, 10-10-24. Produce his body.
“Autocrats United: How Russia and Iran Defy the U.S.-Led Global Order,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 10-10-24.