The way to start July! A “hard-line cleric sanctioned by the West” is the country’s new judiciary chief, taking the place of Ebrahim Raisi who will be the next Iran President. The new chief judge (executioner, for they order those) is Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi. Please also notice current Pres. Rouhani’s praise for this appointment. See “Iran’s supreme leader appoints new hard-line judiciary chief,” Isabel Debre, AP, July 1, 2021.
This is the first time I’ve read in depth the effect of throwing a match has on that Iranian athlete. Very interesting. “‘They Teach You to Hate’: Iranian Athletes Share Traumatizing Experiences of Being Forced to Forfeit Matches With Israeli Opponents,” Shiryn Ghermezian, Algemeiner, July 1, 2021.
If this article is accurate in saying “The 2018 accord does not specify exactly how lines from border points between two countries on the coast are to be drawn out to the limit of national exclusion zones.” then Iran is correct. Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and general international law on the subject of treaties, if the subject of the treaty (the lines) were never drawn, then they are the foundational purpose for the treaty does not exist—for example, you can’t have a boundary/border treaty between two countries unless the line has been demarcated. But I’ve not read this treaty, and it sounds suspicious that something signed three years ago and on as important a subject as the Caspian to not have this codified before the parties signed and ratified. Something’s up. “Iran Won’t Ratify 2018 Caspian Delimitation Treaty Until Key Issue Is Clarified,” Paul Goble, op-ed, Eurasia Review, July 1, 2021.
“US Airstrikes on Proxy Militias Unlikely to Deter Iran, Says Defense Think Tank,” Algemeiner, July 1, 2021.
“Iran tightens control over social media, IRGC in charge of the Internet,” Iran HRM, July 1, 2021.
“Iran restricts IAEA access to main enrichment plant after attack–diplomats,” John Irish and Francois Murphy, Reuters, July 1, 2021.
“International Olympic Committee is coming under pressure over the alleged torture and arrest of Iranian athletes,” Don Riddell, CNN, July 1, 2021.
“Kuwait and Iran exchange fugitive citizens wanted for financial crimes,” MEMO, July 1, 2021.
“International Olympic Committee is coming under pressure over the alleged torture and arrest of Iranian athletes,” Don Riddell, CNN, July 1, 2021.
“Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah held talks this week in Beirut about last month’s 11-day war with Israel. Political sources in Lebanon told The Arab Weekly that talks between Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah were part of an effort to underline the links between Hamas and the Iranian regional agenda.” See “Iran brings Haniyeh and Nasrallah together,” Times of Israel, July 1, 2021.