If this is a sabotage campaign, it is amazing. But maybe the source of animosity is not a country but a group. Or from within the government. It is time to think beyond Israel and the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. “Bushehr port: Seven ships ablaze in latest Iran mystery fires,” BBC, July 15, 2020.
A new report that shows how the Quds Force operates in Syria under and through various organizations (smuggling weapons, arms, and cash) and calls on the U.S. to designate three organizations as terror organizations. The report was authored by Yossi Mansharof, an arms tracking expert and an Iran and Shiite analyst at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and at the Alma Center. The three organizations are the Iranian Red Crescent, the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, and the Reconstruction Organization of the Holy Shrines. … “Iran is making sophisticated and cynical use of associations, charities and humanitarian organizations to export the Islamic revolution,” he added. “It has two objectives: to make strategic regions across Syria as Shi’ite as possible, and to turn Syria into a forward base for Israel, which would provide access for Hezbollah and meet Iran’s aspiration to reach the Mediterranean coast.”” See “How Iran uses charities and humanitarian organizations as cover to export its revolution,” Yaakov Lappin, Cleveland Jewish News, July 15, 2020.
“Iran’s Ghaani says ‘Zionist regime’ has difficult days ahead,” Seth Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, July 15, 2020.
“Iran’s impregnable regime,” Micah Levinson, op-ed, Washington, Examiner, July 15, 2020. Levinson takes the position that “Iran’s Islamist regime is thoroughly entrenched. American strategy for curbing Tehran’s destabilizing activities, which include attacks on Saudi oil-processing facilities and support for militias across the Middle East, should therefore prioritize containment. That consists of limiting Iran’s access to advanced weapons and the cash necessary to bankroll its regional proxies.” Where I would differ with Levinson and Hong (below, and not his real name) is limiting the West to accepting containment for another bad actor. And in the process ignoring the wishes of the people and the countries near Iran.
“No, Iran isn’t going to be a Chinese client state,” Brendon Hong, op-ed, IranSource, July 15, 2020.
The entire article is quoted here for the shock value. “A radio presenter and expert was lashed 74 times on June 27 for disclosing information on “receiving a bribe in one of the oil transactions”. Sajjad Sadeghi was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence last year for disclosing information about receiving a bribe in an oil deal and was sentenced to three sentences of 74 lashes upon the complaint filed by a member of the regime’s parliament, Hossein Afarideh. According to the verdict issued by the Criminal Court of Shahid Ghodoosi in Tehran, Sajjad Sadeghi was lashed 74 times, according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which allows defendants to be punished with the maximum sentence in cases involving multiple convictions. The MP Hossein Afarideh had received a house in Tehran’s Zaferanieh neighbourhood and an apartment in Dubai for brokering an oil deal. The appeals court was supposed to be held in July 2020, but Branch 31 of the Tehran Appeal Court was held in absentia in June this year and convicted Mr. Sadeghi. Sajjad Sadeghi has been banned from working for the Radio and Television since June 2019, as well as writing or talking about political issues. Iran recently moved down three places to 173 as one of the worst violators of press right in the latest Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2020 press freedom index. The RSF report says Iran has been one of the world’s most repressive countries for journalists for the past 40 years. According to the press freedom group’s report, at least 860 journalists and citizen-journalists were imprisoned or executed in the last four decades.” See the article at “Radio Presenter Lashed For Disclosing Info Against Iran MP,” Iran-HRM, July 15, 2020.
“For the first time, an accredited Iranian diplomat – alleged also to be a senior official in the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) – is going on trial directly accused of involvement in terror on European soil. A court in Antwerp on Wednesday confirmed charges of “attempted murder of a terrorist nature” and “taking part in the actions of a terrorist organization” against Assadollah Assadi” and three co-accused. See “Iranian Diplomat Goes on Trial for Foiled Bomb Plot in Europe,” Patrick Goodenough, CNS, July 15, 2020.
Quote of the Day candidate. “It is about safeguarding international law and multilateralism,” Pres. Rouhani said in reference to the October expiration of the Iran arms embargo. Of course, Iran’s sale of weapons for nefarious purposes is the antithesis of the peace aimed for by international law and multilaterialism. “Rouhani warns against extension of Iran arms embargo,” Al Monitor, July 15, 2020.