He’s not a spy, he’s a hostage.  “Family of Swede imprisoned in Iran fear death penalty verdict is imminent,” Guardian, 2-9-24.

“Revolutionary Iran’s goals are and always have been to chase America out of the Middle East, annihilate Israel, and dominate its Sunni neighbors. Nuclear weapons are a game changer in that respect, and they will be here much sooner than you think.”  …  “Iran is not a rational state actor in the Western sense, but its behavior is logical if you put yourself in the mindset of the hegemonic Shiite Islamist power. American foreign policy experts forget that Iran’s Achilles heel is its need to survive indefinitely at all costs.”  See “The question we are forgetting to ask: How will we handle this once Iran is nuclear?,” The Hill, 2-9-24.

“Iran’s Calculated Approach to Regional Tensions,” RFE/RL, 2-9-24.  “Iran has refrained from direct military action against Israel and the US, prioritizing its regime’s survival amid internal challenges, including civil unrest and economic crises.  …  Iran’s military capabilities, while advanced in areas such as drones and missiles, do not match the conventional and nuclear capabilities of Israel, leading Iran to rely on asymmetric warfare and proxy forces to avoid direct confrontation.”

Iran is not developing.  It is stagnant, in essence going in reverse.  Other countries move on ahead, bettering their people and region.  “On 45th Revolution Anniversary, Iran Resembles North Korea, Not Japan,” Iran International, 2-9-24.