Iran Nation or Cause

“Live updates: Israel says it has completed strikes on Iran; Tehran says damage is limited,” NBC, 10-26-24.  NBC should contrast the 200 Iranian ballistic missiles versus the targeted airstrikes by Israel–which country is acting more in line with international law and within the requests by the international community–to first ask will this become a larger regional war (apparently not thanks to Israel’s actions) but more importantly whether the instigator (Iran) will curb its revolutionary ways.  Iran still has time to act more like a normal state, but the Supreme Leader and the 40-plus year system created will have difficulty backing down.

“Israel attacks Iran military targets, Tehran says damage ‘limited’,” Reuters, 10-26-24.

What normal countries do, well extraordinary countries do.  Iran can take note.  “Israel structured Iran strike so that Tehran could deny damage done – report,” JPost, 10-26-24.

“Israel strike crippled Iran’s missile production, sources say,” Axios, 10-26-24.  “Israel’s retaliatory strike against Iran took out a critical component in Iran’s ballistic missile program, according to three Israeli sources.  Why it matters: The destruction of the equipment severely damages Iran’s ability to renew its missile stockpile and could deter Iran from further massive missile strikes against Israel, the sources said.  The sources said Israel hit 12 “planetary mixers” used to produce solid fuel for long-range ballistic missiles, which make up the bulk of Iran’s missile arsenal. A senior U.S. official confirmed that the strike cripples Iran’s missile production capability.  Between the lines: The Israeli sources said the mixers are highly sophisticated equipment that Iran cannot produce on its own and must purchase from China. Remanufacturing the mixers could take at least a year, the sources said. While Iran still has a big stockpile of ballistic missiles, Israeli sources say the fact that Iran can’t produce new ballistic missiles would also limit its ability to replenish the ballistic missile stockpiles of its proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis. Driving the news: Israeli sources said the attack also hit four S-300 air defense batteries that were in strategic locations and protected Tehran and nuclear and energy facilities in Iran. The Iranian military said in a statement that the Israeli strike was conducted from Iraqi air space and added that several radar systems suffered limited damages that are in the process of being repaired. … Israeli sources confirmed the strikes were conducted from Syrian and Iraqi air space, some of them close to the Iraqi border with Iran. The sources said the Israeli air force attacked a factory for the production of drones and conducted a “symbolic” strike on a facility in the city of Parchin that was used in the past for the research and development of nuclear weapons.”

“Israel launches attacks on Iranian military targets,” Politico, 10-25-24.  “Israel has launched a series of airstrikes on military targets inside Iran in the latest exchange in the escalating conflict between the two countries. The airstrikes, announced by the Israel Defense Forces as they were still taking place early Saturday local time, came in response to an Oct. 1 Iranian attack on Israel with around 200 ballistic missiles that struck military bases and civilian infrastructure this month. The IDF said in a statement that its strikes are “in response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel.”

“Iran and Saudi Arabia hold joint naval exercise in Sea of Oman,” Times of Israel, 10-24-24.  It appears from open sources that these short drills along with at least one Russian and Oman vessel were minor in reality, but the type of thing that allows communication, etc.

“Fire breaks out at Iranian power plant, Iranian media silent – report,” JPost, 10-24-24.  Either mismanagement, or part of Israel’s retaliation.

An attempted assassination of the Israeli PM by “agents of Iran.”  “Gallant at IAF base: After we strike in Iran, world will understand all our training,” Times of Israel, 10-23-24.  Do I have to write what this means for the Supreme Leader?

“Why Is Israel Poised to Attack Iran?,” NYT, 10-23-24.

“Hezbollah confirms death of Nasrallah’s heir apparent,” BBC, 10-23-24.  You read the headline, and then the story and really learn the connections with Iran.  The IDF said “it killed Hashem Safieddine in a strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut. …  Safieddine was head of the group’s executive council and was a cousin of its late secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike on the Lebanese capital on 27 September. … Hezbollah is a military, political and social organisation that wields considerable power in Lebanon. It is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel as well as the US, the UK and other countries. Safieddine himself was designated a “global terrorist” by the US and Saudi Arabia in 2017. He undertook religious studies in Iran and his son was married to a daughter of Gen Qasem Soleimani, the powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander who was killed in a 2020 US air strike in Iraq.”

“Iran, TZ seek to expand partnership in, petro-chemicals, tourism,” IPP Media, 10-22-24.  Tanzania both facilitates Iran’s misadventures and mismanagement and the spread of the Shia Crescent and terrorism, either wittingly (through corruption) or unwittingly.  There is still time to reverse, but Tanzania needs to come to the realization that other countries have.  See also from yesterday’s news:  “Tanzania and Iran Sign Seven MOUs for Cooperation in Various Sectors,” Chanzo, 10-21-24.

“Federal prosecutors charge Iranian Revolutionary Guards official in assassination plot on US soil,” CNN, 10-22-24.  IRGC Brigadier General Ruhollah Bazghandi is at large; the three East European crime members are arrested.  The plot was to kill journalist Masih Alinejad in NYC.  “Alinejad posted on X Tuesday that “the revelation that the assassination plot against me in July 2022 was orchestrated by Ali Khamenei’s IRGC is a stark reminder of the brutal lengths to which the Islamic regime will go to silence dissidents, even those far beyond Iran’s borders.” She vowed to “continue advocating … for the rights of the Iranian people to secure democracy and free themselves from dictatorship, no matter the risks.”  “Despite moving 21 times between safe houses, I have a message for @khamenei_ir,” Alinejad wrote, tagging Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the post.  “Know this – the day of reckoning is coming, and no matter how far you run, justice will find you.  Your regime will face accountability for the suffering it has inflicted.  You may have driven me from my home, but now it is your turn to face the consequences of your crimes.  Go to hell,” Alinejad wrote.”

“Israel arrests second group of alleged Iran spies,” BBC, 10-22-24.

“Iran insists its nuclear program is strictly peaceful but has accelerated its enrichment of uranium to up to 60 percent fissile purity, close to 90% of weapons-grade, a level of purity experts say has no practical use except to make a bomb.”  Then, Iran insists that it can protect that nuclear weapons program under international law.  That takes hutzpah.  “Iran complains to UN watchdog, alleging Israeli threats to hit its nuclear sites,” Times of Israel, 10-21-24.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-complains-to-un-watchdog-alleging-israeli-threats-to-hit-its-nuclear-sites/

This is also an interesting article because on my Oct. 17 entry I wrote that Sinwar should have jumped at the chance when he had it.  I wonder if Iran told him to stick it out, or if this was an Iran-free decision by Sinwar?  Well, he signed his own death warrant.  “Report: Sinwar was offered a chance to leave Gaza for Egypt during war, but refused,” Times of Israel, 10-21-24.

“Iran insists its nuclear program is strictly peaceful but has accelerated its enrichment of uranium to up to 60 percent fissile purity, close to 90% of weapons-grade, a level of purity experts say has no practical use except to make a bomb.”  Then, Iran insists that it can protect that nuclear weapons program under international law.  That takes hutzpah.  “Iran complains to UN watchdog, alleging Israeli threats to hit its nuclear sites,” Times of Israel, 10-21-24.

“Misinterpret Iran’s signals of restraint at your peril,” The Hill, 10-20-24.

Iran, Russia, Oman.  “Joint naval exercise serves to increase Iran’s legitimacy – analysis,” JPost, 10-20-24.

This is out of left-field, but my theory is that with the heavy investing China is doing in Tanzania, and how the Tanzanian government will be caught up in that debt trap, that China has also encouraged or arranged or even forced Tanzania to also trade with Iran, because Iran needs trading partners.  “Iran to establish tractor assembly plant in Tanzania,” Daily News, 10-19-24.

“Lebanon issues rare rebuke to Iran over ‘interference’,” Reuters, 10-18-24.

Iran has lost another proxy head.  “IDF source confirms Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in Gaza,” I24, 10-17-24.  He should have negotiated when he had the chance.

“Iran remembers Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a ‘martyr’ and ‘model for the youth and children’,” Fox, 10-17-24.  No comments from me needed on this article.

The U.S. is bombing Iranian weapons used against international shipping.  UN Sec. Gen., it is time to speak up against Iran.  “US B-2 bombers strike Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen,” CNN, 10-17-24.

“Sinwar’s death will hurt Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ – analysis,” JPost, 10-17-24.