Month: October 2025

“Iran out in cold as Mideast unites in support of Gaza ceasefire,” Economic Times, 10-11-25.

“Iran’s Streets ‘Transformed’ As More Women Shun The Mandatory Hijab,” RFE/RL, 10-11-25.

We won’t see this.  “Iran says it is open to ‘fair, balanced’ US nuclear proposal,” JPost, 10-11-25.

As we wrote, Iran won’t negotiate.  Yesterday’s statement that Iran is open to proposals was not true.  “Iran says will never join Trump’s ‘treacherous’ Israel normalization deals,” Iran International, 10-11-25.

“Iran says will never join Trump’s ‘treacherous’ Israel normalization deals,” Iran International, 10-11- 25.

Because of the ties between Israel and the U.S., and the threat Iran has posed to both (and Saudi Arabia) since 1979, because of the involvement in Iran in the Oct. 7 attacks, and because of the claims Pres. Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had, this blog will comment on the agreement between Israel and Hamas now that is the result of Pres. Trump’s influence.  First, note that Pres. Trump is not being said to be the best friend that PM Netanyahu has ever had (he was using the war to stay in power), but instead the best friend of Israel and desires that wars end.  Because the Nobel Committee ignored DT this year, they are looking almost irrelevant.  Will he get Time’s Person of the Year?  See “Can U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas deliver lasting peace?,” NPR Morning Edition, 10-10-25.

“Air Superiority in the Twenty-First Century: Lessons from Iran and Ukraine,” CSIS, 10-10-25.

“Victory, blame, regret: Iranians reacts to Gaza ceasefire deal,” Iran International, 10-10-25.

Will Iran seize the U.S. initiative for peace?  “Trump Gives Update on Possible ‘Peace’ With Iran,” Newsweek, 10-10-25.

“Iran Lures Transgender Foreigners for Surgery but Forces Operations on Locals,” NYT, 10-10-25.

“UK, France, Germany say they hope to restart Iran nuclear talks,” Al Jazeera, 10-10-25.

What does Iran say about the Hamas agreement?  In open sources, I’ve only seen one story so far, “Iran, a Longtime Hamas Backer, Signals Support for Truce Deal With Israel,” NYT, 10-9-25.  Consider the source, right?!  Here is what the NYT says.  Notice the lack of information about accountability or responsibility, nor anything about the leading sponsor of terror.   “Iran, a longtime backer of Hamas, signaled its tacit acceptance of the Palestinian militant group’s cease-fire deal with Israel, which will include the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza.  As the agreement began taking shape earlier this week, Iran’s foreign ministry said Hamas had the right to take its own initiatives. But it warned the group that Israel would continue its “expansionist and racist plans” and might not hold up its end of the deal.  On Thursday, after the first phase of a cease-fire deal was agreed, Iran said it “has always supported any action or initiative aimed at ending the genocidal war” in Gaza, suggesting it supported the agreement.  Iran’s diminished regional standing is among the starkest shifts in regional dynamics since the war between Israel and Hamas began two years ago. The country had fostered a constellation of loosely aligned militant groups for decades.  But its ability to project power across the region has been vastly undercut through a series of setbacks over the past two years.  Israel killed the leadership of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. Iran lost another critical regional ally with the overthrow of the dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria last December. And Israel’s 12-day war on Iran — joined by the United States in the final stage — badly battered the country’s nuclear and military facilities.  The country is still reeling from the cost inflicted by the war and is grappling with the dire economic fallout of the United Nations reimposing harsh economic sanctions.  Iran may now be looking for ways to reassert its influence in the Arab world through diplomatic outreach, including with its former Gulf rivals.  Since Israel’s attack on a Hamas negotiators meeting in the Gulf nation of Qatar last month, Iran has tried to portray Israel as a greater threat to regional security, and itself as a potential partner.  That effort looked largely stymied by Arab countries flocking to support the new Israel-Hamas deal brokered by President Trump.”

“Treasury Takes Aim at Iran-Backed Militia Groups Threatening the Safety of Americans,” U.S. Treasury, 10-9-25.

“Drone parts recovered from Iranian proxy group attacks trigger latest US blacklist of Chinese companies,” Defense Scoop, 10-9-25.

“Iran Update, October 8, 2025,” ISW, 10-8-25.

“Special Report – For Years, Iran Planned a Simultaneous Invasion of Israel – Only One Was Carried Out,” Alma, 10-8-25.

“Deaths Of Inmates Reignite Calls For Closure Of Iran’s ‘Uninhabitable’ Women’s Prison,” RFE/RL, 10-8-25.

How strong is Iran?  How much of a threat to the West?  “The 12 Days of War That Didn’t Ignite the Middle East or the World,” War on the Rocks, 10-8-25.

Detailed story.  But will Iran really learn to fly them well?  “Russia’s Su-35 deal gives Iran wings–but not backing,” Asia Times, 10-8-25.

“Iran Update, October 7, 2025,” ISW, 10-7-25.

“Iran’s Sanctions Trap: Missiles Over Medicine,” National Interest, 10-7-25.

“Anything Could Happen in Iran,” The Atlantic, 10-7-25.

“’Iran is developing a nuclear missile to hit the US,’ Netanyahu warns in Ben Shapiro interview,” JPost, 10-7-25.

“Araghchi says Netanyahu fabricated Iran missile threat to drum up new war,” Iran International, 10-7-25.  Quote of the Day:  ““Israel … finally managed to deceive the US into attacking the Iranian People,” Araghchi said in response on X, referring to Israeli and US attacks on Iran in June. “With the failure of that action, Israel is now trying to make an imaginary threat out of our defense capabilities.””

This is so unusual, to be released so soon, and not held for at least two years.  That tells us that something is afoot.  Even blackmail is accepted that quickly.  See “UPDATE: German-French Cyclist Monterlos Cleared of “Espionage” Charge in Iran,” EA Worldview,” 10-7-25.

“BBC finds Russian guards, Iranian trucks and rusting railway on Trump’s Caucasus peace route,” BBC, 10-6-25.  “A formal peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia has not yet been signed, but one thing is clear: since the Washington meeting, not a single shot has been fired on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.”

“Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.”  See “Group Hanging of 3 Men for Murder in Rasht,” Iran Human Rights, 10-6-25.

You don’t want to read this.  “Goli Kouhkan; Undocumented Baluch Child Bride to be Hanged Due to Inability to Pay Blood Money,” Iran Human Rights, 10-6-25.

“Iran’s strategy, setbacks for Hezbollah, and the Chinese economic lifeline,” FDD, 10-6-25.

“Iran Boosts Natural Gas Reserves with New Discovery,” Oilprice.com, 10-6-25.  A huge, new field.  Plenty for the Regime to build highways, hospitals, etc.  But it’s history is not one of wise use of available funds….

Pulitzer material.  “How China Secretly Pays Iran for Oil and Avoids U.S. Sanctions,” WSJ, 10-5-25.  “The barter-like system works like this, according to current and former officials from several Western countries, including the U.S.: Iranian oil is shipped to China—Tehran’s biggest customer—and, in return, state-backed Chinese companies build infrastructure in Iran. Completing the loop, the officials say, are a Chinese state-owned insurer that calls itself the world’s largest export-credit agency and a Chinese financial entity that is so secretive that its name couldn’t be found on any public list of Chinese banks or financial firms. The arrangement, by sidestepping the international banking system, has provided a lifeline to Iran’s sanctions-squeezed economy. Up to $8.4 billion in oil payments flowed through the funding conduit last year to finance Chinese work on large infrastructure projects in Iran, according to some of the officials.  …  The system through which Iranian crude is exchanged for Chinese-built infrastructure involves two primary players: China’s large state insurance company Sinosure and a China-based financing mechanism that the officials all referred to as Chuxin. The officials pieced together their understanding of the system through financial documents, intelligence assessments and diplomatic channels. In the arrangement, some of the officials said, an Iranian-controlled company registers the sale of oil to a Chinese buyer controlled by state-owned oil trader Zhuhai Zhenrong, a U.S. sanctions target. The Chinese buyer, in return, deposits hundreds of millions of dollars each month with Chuxin, officials said. Chuxin then delivers the funds to Chinese contractors that perform engineering work in Iran, in projects whose financing is insured by Sinosure. Sinosure serves as the financial glue that holds the projects together.”

“Iran says nuclear cooperation with IAEA ‘no longer relevant’,” Al Jazeera, 10-5-25.

“Zeros” don’t have the same connotation there as they do here.  So, No, the news is not about Rafsanjani, Ahmadinejad, Rouhani, and Raisi.  “Iran’s parliament approves plan to remove four zeros from national currency,” Iran International, 10-5-25.

“China’s Customs Reports Over 3 Tons of Gold Exported to Iran in Early 2025,” WAWA, 10-5-25.

“Iran says Cairo agreement for cooperation with IAEA ‘no longer valid’ after sanctions reimposed,” MEMO, 10-5-25.

“Iran needs to move capital from Tehran due to water shortages, President Masoud Pezeshkian claims,” JPost, 10-4-25.  Not because of shortages, because of massive mismanagement by the Regime.  Victimology 101.  But they won’t take Israel up on its offers to save 90%.  Pride.  Corruption.

“Oct. 4: Trump: Israel agreed to Gaza withdrawal line, ceasefire in effect once Hamas ‘confirms’,” Times of Israel, 10-4-25.

“Iran’s Su-35 Fighter Order Spotted on Russian Documents,” TurfDef, 10-4-25.  Iran will supposedly receive 48 Su-35 fighters.

Note that throughout the news of whether Hamas will finally agree to peace, that right now there are no stories about what Iran says.  That is because Iran continues to tell Hamas to choose chaos, to keep the hostages, to continue the war against Israel.  The last thing the Regime wants is for peace, relations, trade, law, order, economics.  They want to pressure Israel, the Middle East countries, and the U.S.  Here’s the story, “Qatar says it began coordination with Egypt, US to continue talks on Trump’s Gaza plan,” Reuters, 10-3-25.

“Iran expands it ‘shadow empire’ across Middle East as Trump pulls troops from Iraq, Syria,” Fox, 10-3-25.

If Hamas, then Iran?  We will learn.  “Mossad, German security services bust Hamas-linked terror cell planning attacks on Jewish, Israeli targets,” I24, 10-3-25.

“Israel and Iran on the brink: Preventing the next war,” Europa, 10-3-25.

“Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi launches ‘We Take Back Iran’ system on Mehregan, rallying opposition,” JPost, 10-3-25.  But is he the one?  He won’t say.  The U.S. would be wise to distance.

“Iran may release hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees into Iraq and Turkey,” Guardian, 10-2-25.

“Iran signals ‘strategic patience’ after rejecting latest US proposal – IRNA,” Iran International, 10-2-25.

“Family of British couple detained in Iran express alarm over ongoing trial,” Guardian, 10-2-25.

The Supreme Leader tells Hezbollah to keep its weapson, and to rebuild.  Iran cannot afford to lose another proxy, and its most important one.  “Iran’s Larijani pushes Hezbollah to rebuild, in warning to Israel and US – analysis,” JPost, 10-2-25.  An argument can be made that once Hezbollah is lost, the entire Revolution is lost.

Important.  And Turkey does something right.  “Turkey freezes assets linked to Iran’s nuclear program,” Iran International, 10-2-25.

Not may be.  Is.  “Iran may be Hamas’s last lifeline,” The Hill, 10-2-25.  The issue is whether Iran is willing to lose another proxy.  Iran doesn’t actually care about Palestinians, but whether the Revolution continues.