Iran Nation or Cause

Not the first time the Supreme Leader (in Iranian media) has implied a call for all-out war.  “Iran calls for collective action by Muslim states to stop Israeli genocidal war on Gaza,” Press TV, 6-17-24.

“Repairs completed to South Pars gas platform offshore Iran,” Offshore, 10-17-24.

“USCIRF Condemns Severe Medical Mistreatment of Imprisoned Gonabadi Sufi in Iran,” USCIRF, 6-17-24.

This issue won’t bring many people to the polls.  They know it doesn’t matter who wins with regard to this issue.  “Hijab Debate Heats Up in Iran’s Presidential Race,” Iran Wire, 6-17-24.

“Iran sees surging suicide rates among medical staff,” Ynet, 6-17-24.

Quote of the Day.  Candidate Amirhossein Hashemi, said, “Under this administration, we have eliminated food poverty completely.”  See “Iran Candidates’ Bold Claims Debunked,” Iran Wire, 6-17-24.

Edward Said wrong again, Samuel Huntington correct.  “The Iran-Israel War And The Clash Of Civilizations – Analysis,” Eurasia Review, 6-17-24.

Thank you NYT for highlighting that no other country (a cause, not a country) uses hostage diplomacy as much as Iran.  It is an enshrined strategy of dealing with other states.  “A Brief History of Iran’s Hostage Swapping,” NYT, 6-16-24.  Quote of the Day:  “And on Saturday Iran gained the release of its most prized target: the first Iranian official to be convicted of crimes against humanity. In the exchange, Sweden released Hamid Nouri, a former judiciary official who was serving a life sentence in Sweden for his role in the mass execution of 5,000 dissidents in 1988. In return, Iran freed two Swedish citizens: Johan Floderus, a diplomat for the European Union, and Saeed Azizi, a dual-national Iranian. Left behind was a third, a Swedish scientist who is a dual citizen, Ahmadreza Djalali, who has been jailed in Iran and sentenced to execution on murky charges of treason. Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has made detaining foreigners and dual citizens a centerpiece of its foreign policy, trading them for money and people.”  There is only one thing the NYT leaves out—the Supreme Leader timed these releases.  If you put them on a timeline, you will see what I mean.  They align with Iran’s national interests, and are almost predictable when they might occur.  Oh, there’s another aspect the NYT doesn’t cover—there are employees in the Leader’s bureaucracy (he has about 500 employees) whose job it is to keep track of all the hostages held in Iran’s prisons from various states, and to advise the Leader on when it may be time to use the bait and not let it rot too long.

This is about defending SA from Iran.  “As November elections near in the US, Saudi Arabia works to finalize defense treaty,” JPost, 6-16-24.  The U.S. would defend Saudi Arabia if attacked, and SA would allow the U.S. to use Saudi territory and airspace.  There would be a civilian nuclear pact and weapons sales, and China could not build bases in SA.  It sounds like the U.S.-SA deal will come first, then SA-Isr recognition will accompany a Palestinian Plan.

The Supreme Leader, through the media, is pushing Ghalibaf, Pezeshkian and Jalili.  It think (remember the Iranian President is a passive position, malleable to the IRI’s wishes) that the Leader wants Ghalibaf/Qalibaf.  “Three Candidates Dominate Iran’s Presidential Elections,” Iran International, 6-16-24.

More than 150,000 missiles, and well-trained and real terrorist army.  Only constrained by Iran.  “Hezbollah bigger challenge than Hamas to Israel: ‘Crown jewel in the Iranian empire of terror’,” Fox, 6-16-24.

This is so true.  Iraq will not be Iraq until Iran is not Iran.  “U.S. Ambassador Nominee: ‘Iran-aligned Militias’ are ‘Primary Threat’ to Iraq; Will Strengthen U.S. Partnership with Kurdistan Region,” Kurdistan24, 6-16-24.

They have come to Lebanon from several countries.  “Israeli media: Taliban assures Iran of sending fighters to support Hezbollah,” Khaama Press, 6-16-24.

“Iran signs contracts worth $2bn to develop oil industry,” Iran Front Page, 6-16-24.

Low-level criminals pardoned, an annual event about the time of hajj.  “Iran pardons, commutes sentences of 2,654 prisoners on Eid al-Adha,” MEMO, 6-16-24.

Said v. Lewis, again.  “From the Iranian Mullah State to American Campuses: The Woke’s Failed History Lesson,” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 6-16-24.

“Iran and Sweden to swap prisoners, including convicted war criminal,” The Hill, 6-15-24.

“Iran to launch two more satellites in near future,” Mehr, 6-15-24.

Thank you Barron’s highlighting those seized by Iran.  “The Europeans Still Held In Iran,” Barron’s, 6-15-24.

Bad news.  “Iran and Iraq reportedly discuss opening Hamas media office in Baghdad,” Times of Israel, 6-15-24.

“Iran Continues Importing Drone Parts Despite Sanctions,” Iran International, 6-15-24.

“Iran installing and starting cascades of advanced centrifuges as tensions high over nuclear program,” WPost, AP, 6-14-24.

“US Welcomes Iran’s Release of French Hostage; Calls on Tehran to End All Terrorism,” Kurdistan24, 6-14-24.

“Iranian Candidates’ Campaigns Fail to Invigorate Presidential Vote,” Iran International, 6-14-24.

“UN watchdog says Iran has activated new advanced centrifuges, plans to install more,” Times of Israel, 6-14-24.

Shamkhani is a long-time close advisor to the Supreme Leader.  “Iran’s Nuclear Point Man : We Won’t Bow to Pressure,” Iran International, 6-14-24.

“The Iranian ‘Godfather’ and his mafia-style sham elections – opinion,” JPost, 6-14-24.

“IRAN Update,” Institute for the Study of War, 6-14-24.

I’m not sure they understand AI.  Well, maybe they do when you read the story.  More good reporting from Iran International.  “Iran Seminary Urges Candidates to Use AI to Influence Voters,” Iran International, 6-14-24.

Don’t let the source (USG) fool you.  There are traditional media outlets carrying the same story.  “US Navy Faces Its Most Intense Combat Since World War II Against Yemen’s Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels,” Military.com, 6-14-24.  In short, does the world want to let Iran dictate world trade through Bab el Mandeb?  Does the world/Israel want seven months of missiles from Hezbollah to empty northern Israel of its towns?

“US says will turn up pressure on Iran if it doesn’t cooperate with UN nuclear watchdog,” Times of Israel, 6-14-24.

“Over 3 Million Child Laborers in Iran, Activist Warns,” Iran International, 6-13-24.

“Hardliners dominate Iran presidential candidates,” BBC, 6-10-24.

We’ll ask the question again, in a different context.  In what other country does this happen?  Of a culling of candidates?  80 applied, 6 were chosen as acceptable.  “Iran Approves Parliament Head, Five Others As Presidential Candidates,” RFE/RL Radio Farda, 6-9-24.  The candidates approved by the Guardian Council (by the Supreme Leader) for the June 28 election are Parliament leader Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Reformist lawmaker Masud Pezeshkian, nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani (he will come in second I think), Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi, a Conservative deputy to former Pres. Raisi, and hard-line interior and justice minister Mostafa Purmohammadi.  My money is on Qalibaf because he is former IRGC.  BTW Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Larijani were struck.

Iran, whose foreign policy relies on hostage taking, lost this one.  “IDF rescues 4 Israeli hostages from Gaza: Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov,” I24, 6-8-24.  Note also that Hamas was holding the hostages in civilian housing, inside a refugee camp, both violations of the laws of war.  But, after all, this is a terrorist/proxy organization.

 

“IRGC Operatives Enter European Ports with Concealed Identity,” Iran International, 6-7-24.

“Middle East’s Biggest Space Center Under Construction In Iran,” Eurasia Review, 6-7-24.

Good idea?  Probably part of SA thought.  “Bahrain sent message through Russia to normalise ties with Iran: Official,” Al Jazeera, 6-7-24.

One of the very few articles that has (finally) had the courage and list the 17 countries that Hamas/Iran on Oct. 7 took hostages from.  They are Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand and the United Kingdom, and United States.  Note, amazingly, that the CNN article and maybe the joint statement itself say nothing about Israel’s hostages.  Note, also, that there is no listing in the press of country hostages that Iran is currently holding inside Iran, nor are regularly media stories about hostages worldwide that are held.  They are forgotten by the world press.  See “US and 16 other countries whose citizens were taken hostage urge Hamas and Israel to ‘close this deal’,” CNN, 6-6-24.

Where else in the world would you find this?  “Iranian Intelligence Warns: Presidential Candidates Under Surveillance,” Iran International, 6-6-24.

“Europeans detail Iran’s nuclear violations in diplomatic gambit,” Reuters, 6-6-24.  “Three European powers have written to the U.N. Security Council detailing Iran’s violations of its 2015 nuclear deal, a step diplomats said on Thursday aimed to pressure Tehran to resolve the issue diplomatically and to avoid reimposing U.N. sanctions. The British, French and German letter did not explicitly threaten to “snap back” United Nations sanctions but it noted that U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal and provided that power, expires on Oct. 18, 2025. In its own letter, Iran rejected the European stance, noting then-U.S. President Donald Trump reneged on the nuclear deal in 2018 and re-imposed U.S. economic sanctions on Iran, arguing they were within their rights to expand their nuclear work. The effort by Britain, France and Germany, known informally as the E3, to ramp up pressure was also visible this week at the International Atomic Energy Agency, where they successfully pushed a resolution critical of Iran despite U.S. reservations. The E3 letter, which was dated June 3, referred to a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog last month that cited Iran’s nuclear advances violating the 2015 deal, including by expanding its stockpile and production rates of high enriched uranium.”

“Yemen’s Houthi rebels unveil solid-fuel ‘Palestine’ missile that resembles Iranian hypersonic,” AP, 6-6-24.