“Iran plagued by energy crisis partially caused by strikes attributed to Israel,” Times of Israel, 12-22-24.

“Iran uses D-8 economic summit to push anti-US, anti-Israel agenda – analysis,” JPost, 12-22-24.

“Sudden rumors of Iranian president’s resignation refuted,” Iran International, 12-22-24.

“Khamenei says Iran does not have or need proxy forces in Middle East,” AFP, Times of Israel, 12-22-24.  In the largest prevarication of the end of 2024, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, “The Islamic Republic does not have a proxy force. Yemen fights because it has faith. Hezbollah fights because the power of faith draws it into the field. Hamas and [the Islamic] Jihad fight because their beliefs compel them to do so. They do not act as our proxy.  They [the Americans] keep saying that the Islamic Republic has lost its proxy forces in the region! This is another mistake.  If one day we want to take action, we do not need a proxy force.”  Let’s hear it for AFP and ToI, who responded as every other news source should have replied, writing, “Assad had long played a strategic role in Iran’s anti-Israel axis of resistance, particularly in facilitating the supply of weapons to Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. The axis of resistance also includes Hamas, the Houthis and smaller Shia militia groups in Iraq, all of which are united in their opposition to Israel and its main backer the United States.”