TOP STORIES
Iranians Indicted In Connection With Trump Campaign Hack | Politico
A grand jury has indicted multiple Iranians on charges related to hacking Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The federal charges stem from an Iranian operation that allegedly stole internal Trump campaign communications this summer, according to three people familiar with the investigation who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it. Stolen materials from the Trump campaign were later sent to journalists and individuals associated with President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign before Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee.
US Says Ready To Engage With Iran If It Changes Behavior | Iran International
The United States will judge Iran’s new president by actions, not words, a senior State Department official told Iran International on Thursday, in the first US reaction to Masoud Pezeshkian’s debut address at the United Nations. "While Iran speaks of change and diplomacy, its actions on the ground—especially its military support for proxies—remain unchanged," US Assistant Deputy Secretary for Iran and Iraq Victoria Taylor said in an interview. "We are prepared to engage, but Iran has to show it is serious by changing its behavior," she added. "We will continue to use all available tools to hold Iran accountable."
Iran Treads Carefully, Backing Hezbollah While Avoiding War | Al-Monitor
As violence between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, Iran is walking a tightrope by supporting Hezbollah without being dragged into a full-blown conflict and playing into its enemy's hands. With a focus on easing its isolation and reviving its battered economy, Iran is aware that war could complicate efforts to secure relief from crippling sanctions. Cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah, sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, has intensified, especially after last week's sabotage of Hezbollah's communications that killed 39 people. Israeli air strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon followed, killing hundreds. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket barrages.
UANI IN THE NEWS
The low-intensity war of attrition that was fought between Hezbollah and Israel for the past 11 months is over. After dismantling much of Hamas' central command and control capabilities, reducing the organization to a tactical guerrilla challenge for the remaining Israeli forces in Gaza, Israel has turned its focus to Hezbollah and the northern front. With a shrinking cadre of the core commanders comprising its Jihad Council, which is responsible for its military operations, Hezbollah may attempt to compensate for its loss of deterrence by fomenting terrorism against Israeli and Jewish targets abroad.
A coalition of nations, including the U.S., EU, and nine other countries, issued a joint call on Wednesday for a 21-day ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border... Critics, such as Jason Brodsky from United Against Nuclear Iran, highlighted the flaw in the statement, emphasizing that it disregards Hezbollah’s significant control in Lebanon. “The government of Lebanon has no real agency over this conflict,” Brodsky remarked. Similarly, Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted that the proposal ignored the roles of Hezbollah and Hamas, key actors in the conflict.
Hezbollah has long been a secretive organization. In 2006, when Israel invaded southern Lebanon, an Israeli officer said the Iran-backed militia "rigorously maintained a high level of encryption" to avoid interception of radio and phone calls…According to United Against Nuclear Iran, an NGO, their Icom IC-V82 radios – reportedly Chinese copies of the Japanese brand – had been in service with the group’s elite Radwan Force commandos for two years.
NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
The world must recognize that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons and pursue dialogue despite its violations of U.N. sanctions and international law, the United Nations’ nuclear chief said Thursday... As for Iran, its new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has said Tehran didn’t want to enrich uranium at near-weapons grade levels but had been forced to when the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between his country and six major powers. In his first speech on the world stage, Pezeshkian told the General Assembly on Wednesday that Iran is “ready to engage” on the 2015 nuclear deal if all participants act in good faith.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Iran's Electricity Deficit Halves Steel Production | Iran International
Iran's crude steel production last month declined to 1.4 million tons, which is less than half of the country's monthly nominal steel production capacity. This summer, Iran faced a 25% power deficit, severely limiting electricity supply to industries, including steel mills, which are heavily dependent on electrical power. The sharp decline in steel production during the hot season is due to power shortages, a situation mirrored in winter months when gas shortages also lead to significant drops in production.
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS
US Defense Secretary Plays Down Any Red Lines On Aid To Israel | Reuters
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday that the U.S. would continue to provide military aid to Israel, playing down the idea of "red lines," even as he warned that an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah would be devastating. Israel rejected global calls for a ceasefire with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah on Thursday, defying its biggest ally, the U.S. and pressing ahead with strikes that have killed hundreds in Lebanon and heightened fears of a regional war.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Israel Strike Kills Head of Hezbollah Drone Unit | The Defense Post
An Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday killed the head of Hezbollah’s drone unit, the militant group and the Israeli military said. The Iran-backed Hezbollah said in a statement that the strike killed Mohammed Srur, born in 1973. The Israeli military earlier said in a statement that its fighter jets had “targeted and eliminated” Srur, identifying him as “the commander of Hezbollah’s air unit.” It was the fourth attack in a week targeting Hezbollah commanders in the densely populated area, one of the group’s strongholds.
Backed Into Corner, Hezbollah Must Make A Fateful Decision | Wall Street Journal
Hezbollah is dealing with disagreement among its ranks over how to respond to a series of devastating attacks on the Lebanese militant group, according to people familiar with the group’s deliberations. With no good options available, the group faces one of the most consequential decisions in its four-decade history.
GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN
Russia In Weapon Transfer Talks With Yemen's Huthis: US Envoy To AFP | Al-Monitor
The United States has accused Russia of discussing weapon transfers with Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, whose attacks on Red Sea shipping are holding hostage a vital commercial waterway. Speaking to AFP on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking said Moscow was "cutting its own deals" with the Huthis to allow their ships to sail through the Red Sea unharmed. "We don't know that weapons are being transferred as we speak, but it's come to the point that we're all sounding the alarm bell to make sure that this does not happen," he added.