“Two men face US trial over Iran-backed plot to kill dissident,” Reuters, 3-10-25.
“UN Security Council to meet over Iran’s growing stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium,” Reuters, 3-10-25.
This may be the Ayatollah saying he will not negotiate over nuclear weapons. “Iranian leader says he won’t accept demands by “bully countries” after Trump claim,” Axios, 3-8-25.
“Iran rejects Arab plan, calls for one-state solution in Gaza conflict,” JPost, 3-8-25. Notice that Iran is rejecting Egypt and Saudi Arabia and all the League nations. And note that Iran continues to call for Israel to expelled from the UN, which should be a red flag to the Secretary General.
It takes until the last line of the story to admit what the NYT should have led with, “monitoring Iran’s secretive moves to make atomic bombs.” “Atomic Detectives Who Inspect Iran Sites Are Affected by Trump’s Aid Freeze,” NYT, 3-8-25.
“Iran rejects Arab plan, calls for one-state solution in Gaza conflict,” JPost, 3-8-25.
It takes until the last line of the story to admit what the NYT should have led with, “monitoring Iran’s secretive moves to make atomic bombs.” “Atomic Detectives Who Inspect Iran Sites Are Affected by Trump’s Aid Freeze,” NYT, 3-8-25.
Big news. “Trump Offers to Reopen Nuclear Talks in a Letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader,” NYT, 3-7-25. Iran will “have to choose between curbing its fast-expanding program or losing it in a military attack.” … “Now, the strategic environment has changed radically. The Justice Department has accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of seeking to assassinate Mr. Trump last year; it issued indictments before Mr. Biden left office. Iran’s nuclear facilities are now exposed to attack, after Israel destroyed almost all of the air defenses protecting them in October. And Iran’s regional proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas, are in no condition to threaten Israel with retaliation should the Iranian facilities come under attack. … Curiously, Mr. Pezeshkian has publicly distanced himself from Ayatollah Khamenei’s position. On Sunday, he told Parliament that he favored negotiations but had to abide by Ayatollah Khamenei’s decision. It was an unusually frank acknowledgment of the limits of the president’s power in Iran’s political system and an attempt to put the fallout of such a decision — more sanctions, worsening economy, military strikes on nuclear sites — on the ayatollah. “My position has been and will remain that I believe in negotiations, but now we have to follow the parameters set by the supreme leader,” Mr. Pezeshkian said.”
“Iran FM says no to nuclear talks with US under Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ policy,” Times of Israel, 3-7-25.
It is rarity because of the purpose of this blog, but this article is not directly about Iran. It is about the freeing of Lebanon. And begs the question of what Iran will do next regarding Hezbollah. “State Department unfreezes $95 million in aid for the Lebanese army,” Axios, 3-4-25. “The Aoun presidency is a historic opportunity to change the reality in Lebanon for the better,” a U.S. official told Axios. The new Lebanese government platform stated for the first time in years that only the Lebanese state and its armed forces are responsible for defending the country. It is a marked change from the previous governments, which said the state and “the resistance” — synonymous with Hezbollah — are responsible for defensing the country. State of play: As part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel, the Lebanese armed forces have been deployed to southern Lebanon, especially to areas where Hezbollah militants were positioned before the war.” Likewise, look at this. “Saudi Arabia to consider resuming Lebanon imports, lifting travel ban,” Al Jazeera, 3-4-25.
“Russian missile experts flew to Iran around the time of Tehran’s attacks on Israel,” Reuters, Times of Israel, 3-4-25. Expands the definition of enabler.
Having the president clearly identify the Supreme Leader as the policy decider is refreshing and doesn’t let the Leader pass the buck or blame others or triangulate, which he has for decades. Someone has to be responsible, and this Leader has for too long tried to play the middle man and blame others for policy decisions. Hey, while they’re at it, maybe an election for Leader would be a good thing! Social science research indicates poor policies, poor outcomes, poor human rights, and poor people when country leaders are unaccountable and stay in power for long periods of time. “Iran’s president says he backs US talks but aligns with Khamenei’s ban,” Iran International, 3-2-25.
He is partly a result of the haphazard form of governing in the IRI, power struggles, and part wily character. “Iran’s vice-president Javad Zarif resigns, yet again,” Iran International, 3-2-25. “Mohammad Javad Zarif, the architect of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, resigned as Iran’s vice-president, state media reported Sunday, a few days after the country’s Supreme Leader voiced his opposition to holding talks with Washington. [after he had indicated Yes]. … Zarif’s resignation came after the Parliament ousted the Pezeshkian administration’s finance minister in a vote of no confidence, the IRGC-affiliated Fars News reported, citing two unnamed sources. … Many observers believed that Zarif joined the Pezeshkian administration to help negotiate another nuclear deal with world powers similar to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was scrapped by Donald Trump during his first term in office. … Zarif is no stranger to resignations, treating them almost like brief intermissions—having submitted five during his tenure under former President Hassan Rouhani. Last August, he resigned as Pezeshkian’s aide, but his departure was short-lived, as he returned as vice president for strategic affairs within a couple of weeks. In November, Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf joined hardliners in the parliament who had long been calling for Zarif’s dismissal over his son’s US citizenship. Ghalibaf called on Zarif to resign voluntarily as he, too, believed that Zarif’s appointment to the post was illegal. Led by the Paydari (Steadfastness) Party faction, ultra-hardliners in Parliament have refused to amend a 2020 law that prohibits appointing dual nationals or individuals whose spouses or children hold dual nationality to “sensitive positions” in the government. Hardliners argue the restriction applies to Zarif.”
Control and Theft. “Iran Exploits Iraqi Financial System Through Complex Networks,” Kurdistan24, 3-1-25.
More ominous signs between these two countries. “Explainer: How can Iran help South Africa advance its civilian nuclear program?,” Press TV, 3-1-25.