Iran Nation or Cause

First, the Iran PMUs tried to take the Green Zone, now they try to kill the PM with drones at his house.  Will Kadhimi reconsider any cooperation with the Regime in Iran?  See “Is Iran behind the drone attack against Iraqi PM? – analysis,” Seth Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, November 7, 2021.

Mossad stopped multiple attacks in three African countries, Tanzania, Senegal and Ghana.  Note the other countries, all widespread, mentioned in the article.  “Mossad thwarts Iranian attacks on Israelis in Africa – report,” Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post, November 7, 2021.

“Iran sentences gay couple to death for adultery,” AFP, November 7, 2021.

“Backers of Iran-linked militias try to storm Baghdad’s Green Zone after election losses,” Louisa Loveluck and Mustafa Salim, Washington Post, November 5, 2021.

“Iran says has enriched over 210 kilograms of uranium to 20%,” AP, November 5, 2021.  “Under the historic 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the World Powers, Iran was not meant to enrich uranium above 3.67 percent. Enriched uranium above 90 percent can be used for nuclear weapons. … Kamalvandi also said that so far his agency has also produced 25 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, a level that only countries with nuclear weapons have the physical capabilities to produce.”

I’m not aware yet of any facts that support Iran’s declaration that the U.S. Navy tried to take an Iranian oil tanker.  “Iran claims it thwarted a U.S. attempt to “steal” a tanker full of oil,” Tucker Reals, CBS, November 3, 2021.

“Video Shows U.S. Destroyer’s Very Intimate Standoff With Iranian Vessels Over Seized Oil Tanker (Updated),” Joseph Trevithick, The War Zone, November 3, 2021.  “Iran’s raid on an oil tanker resulted in an incredibly close encounter between its gunboats and a U.S. Navy destroyer.”

One of the facets of the ongoing dispute between Iran and the world is the NYT’s (and some other major media) refusal to look at the track record of Iran’s claims.  Instead, the NYT portrays this story and many others, especially as they unfold, as conflicting stories between Iran and the U.S.  The reader doesn’t know who to believe.  But if the NYT would run a story or remind its readers of Iran’s very long history of duplicity in these types of matters it would give better context and understanding to readers.  See “Iran Seizes an Oil Tanker, but Whose Tanker Is Disputed,” Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt, New York Times, November 3, 2021.

Hossein Amirabdollahian is ill.  See “Iran’s FM tests positive for COVID before nuclear talks,” Al Jazeera, November 2, 2021.

“Iran Won’t Back Down:  As Nuclear Talks Resume, Tehran Isn’t Looking to Compromise,” Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, November 2, 2021.

“Iran-affiliated hackers demand $1 million, threaten to release Israelis’ data,” Guy Levy, JNS, November 1, 2021.

“Iranian Kurds Allege Secret Detentions Centers Torture Inmates,” Maryam Sinaee, Iran International, November 1, 2021.

“Iran Wants New Nuclear Deal By March 2022,” Simon Watkins, OilPrice.com, November 1, 2021.

Quote of the Day:   ‘Iran is a rotten regime.  They can’t even supply clean water to their citizens, but invest their resources in nuclear development’.  PM Naftali Bennett.  “Israel’s Bennett inspired by Reagan in fight against Iran nuclear program,” Lahav Harkov, Jerusalem Post, October 31, 2021.

As a message to Iran, a B-1 flew over the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Arabian Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal.  Fighter jets from Israel, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt flew alongside.  “American B-1B bomber flies over Mideast amid Iran tensions,” Jon Gambrell, AP, Yahoo, October 31, 2021.

“Iran May Become Gas Importer Despite Its Massive Reserves,” OilPrice.com, October 29, 2021.  “Reserves” in the Regime’s Farsi Dictionary appears to be “Mismanagement and/or Corruption.”

Israel has eliminated “Midhat Saleh, a former member of the Syrian parliament and head of the Syrian Golan Heights Affairs Office, … [who was apparently Quds] shot dead by an Israeli sniper on October 16 in a Syrian village on the border with Israel. Saleh was born in Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the contested Golan Heights on Israel’s side of the border, and previously spent 12 years in an Israeli prison after being convicted of acting against Israel’s security forces. He left for Syria after he was released from prison in 1998. Israeli media reported that Saleh was considered by Israel the middleman between the Assad regime, Iran, Hezbollah and Iran-backed militias in the Syrian Golan, assisting the Iranian entrenchment on Israel’s borders.”  “Israel, Russia working against Iran with Syrian reconstruction in mind,” Media Line, 10-29-21.

Women in Iran have been banned from attending soccer games by the Regime for 40 years.  “Iranian Parliament May Decide Soon On Allowing Women Into Soccer Stadiums,” RFE/RL, October 29, 2021.

Brig. Gen. Saeed Aghajani, who oversees the IRGC’s Aerospace Force UAV Command, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for his leading the attack on the Mercer Street in July, and was responsible for the 2019 UAV attack against the Saudi Arabian oil refinery.  “US sanctions commander of Iranian drone program that attacked shipping vessel,” Jennifer Hansler, CNN, October 29, 2021.

“Iranian press review: The slap heard across the Islamic Republic,” Middle East Eye, October 28, 2021.

“Opinion: Iran is suffering from an epidemic of torture,” Washington Post, October 28, 2021.

“Iran agrees to resume nuclear talks before the end of November,” Mostafa Salem, CNN, October 27, 2021.  So, we’ll see.  So far the Regime is delaying, delaying, delaying the talks while it works on its nuclear program.

Quote of the Day:  “The only way to fix this country, is for those people to go away and for this country to be liberated.”  Javad Lal-Mohammadi, a teacher and human rights activist from Mashhad, speaking of the Supreme Leader, President, Defense Minister, and others.  See “Teacher flogged by Iran’s regime is re-arrested,” Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post, October 27, 2021.

A retaliation attack by the U.S. most likely for Iran’s attacking At Tanf.  “Iran gas stations reportedly hit by massive cyberattack,” Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post, October 26, 2021.

The number for the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was displayed at gas stations and on electronic bulletin boards nationwide.  A very interesting article.  “Iran Says Cyberattack Paralyzed Gas Stations Nationwide,” Maryam Sinaee, Iran International, October 26, 2021.

“Eyeing drone threat from Iran, Israel working to boost radars, air defenses,” Judan Ari Gross, Times of Israel, October 26, 2021.