Veggie Tales makes Iran’s hit list.  Fars News Agency “published an antisemitic attack last week on the VeggieTales animated children’s movie “Esther: The Girl Who Became Queen.”  Nayime Movahed, writing for Fars News, argued that the show about Esther was “a Zionist hero [who] has infiltrated our streaming services.”  See “Iran stokes antisemitism about ‘Esther, The Girl who became Queen’,” Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post, July 25, 2020.

Agreements with Russia, China part of Iran’s balanced policy – diplomat,” TASS, July 25, 2020.

“Allowing Iran Snapback Sanctions to Expire Would Be a Security Disaster,” Thomas Spoehr, National Interest, July 25, 2020.

“195 More Iranians Die of COVID-19 in 24 Hours,” IFP, July 25, 2020.

And while they’re at it, the passengers on the Mahan Air flight can also sue the pilot who strayed from the flight path, did not identify himself when called, and over-reacted when realizing an American jet was about 1,000 feet away.  Regardless, passenger claims under these facts, and international law under sovereign immunity, cannot proceed.  See “Iran says airline passengers can sue US after near collision with American jets,” Middle East Eye, July 25, 2020.

A fascinating analysis.  Apart from the Ministry of Intelligence not knowing what country(ies) are responsible for the explosions, this op-ed provides an explanation of the possibility that many of these explosions are due to internal competition in Iran.  “Iran regime grapples with its worst crisis, hamstrung by internal power struggle,” Avi Issacharoff, Times of Israel, July 25, 2020.