How to survive? Why not act as a regular country? “Iran’s strategic limbo,” IISS, 12-4-24.
The NYTimes has to be careful it is not helping make reality instead of reporting the news. I am always leery of news saying something has been secret for months but now we are going to tell you. Instead, I prefer to not think about this as a choice of Assad’s, but his being forced by Iran to do its bidding. It is not his staying in power. It is Iran telling Syria what to do, on pain of …. And this is what the NYT article does say finally at the end. BTW, the article also helps the reader know the mess that present Syria is—“Syria is now territorially divided among Mr. al-Assad, Islamist militants, U.S.-backed Kurdish groups and Turkish-backed rebels.” See “With Assad Challenged, a Push to Cut Syria’s Ties to Iran Grows More Unlikely,” NYT, 12-4-24.
“Iran’s jailed Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi allowed to leave prison for 21 days after surgery,” CNN, 12-4-24.
“According to the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, there have been 798 executions in Iran as of December 1, 2024. With at least 310 executions in the past two months, “the Islamic Republic has begun the most extensive wave of executions in Iranian prisons in the last two decades.” See “Worldwide Monthly Roundup: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Vietnam,” DPIC, 12-4-24.
“Iran’s deputy FM warns of possible withdrawal from NPT in case of snapback activation,” Press TV, 12-4-24.
“Iran sees record divorce rates as couples blame economic hardships,” Iran International, 12-4-24.
“Nobel committee calls for ‘permanent’ release of Iran’s Mohammadi,” AFP, Times of Israel, 12-4-24.
Iran is No. 1 in terror incidents, and No. 2 in disinformation. “Meta: Russia tops disinformation ops, followed by Iran and China,” SC World, 12-4-24.