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The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Tuesday he’s hopeful that meetings this week with Iranian officials, including the country’s new president, can lead to a breakthrough in monitoring the country’s nuclear program, a longstanding issue that has gained new urgency as Israel has twice struck Iran amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will travel to Iran on Wednesday to meet for the first time with President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was elected in July. Grossi said he hopes to build on positive discussions he had with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during the U.N. General Assembly in September.
Netanyahu Says Iran’s Government Fears Its People More Than Israel | Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a direct message to Iranians on Tuesday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's government feared the people of Iran more than Israel. "That's why they spend so much time and money trying to crush your hopes and curb your dreams," he said in a video message. "Well, I say to you this: Don't let your dreams die. I hear the whispers: Women, Life, Freedom. Zan, Zendegi, Azadi," he said, referring to the women's rights movement in Iran. "Don't lose hope. And know that Israel and others in the free world stand with you," Netanyahu said. In his message, he referred to Iran's Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel, saying it cost about $2.3 billion of "your precious money" but caused marginal damage in Israel.
Iran Hangs Man ‘For Second Time’ After Previous Execution Halted: NGO | Barron’s
Iran hanged a 26-year-old man for a second time Wednesday months after a previous execution was halted half a minute in, an NGO said. Ahmad Alizadeh was arrested in October 2018 on a murder charge, which he denied, and was sentenced to death, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), which tracks executions in Iran, said in a statement. His death sentence was carried out on April 27 in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj outside Tehran. But just 28 seconds into the hanging he was brought down from the gallows when the victim's family suddenly shouted "forgiveness". His "lifeless" body was successfully resuscitated and the execution was halted, IHR said.
UANI IN THE NEWS
Since the war between Israel and Hezbollah began to escalate this September, the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist organization has stopped announcing its casualties through public relations channels. Experts tell The Algemeiner this is likely because of the breakdown of Hezbollah’s command and control structure or in order to help control narratives around the conflict... Israeli assessments suggest that over 2,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since October 2023, said Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). This number includes upwards of 1,000 terrorists killed since the situation in northern Israel, which borders Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Lebanon, began to escalate just under two months ago.
US President-elect Donald Trump moved to build out his national security team Tuesday, announcing he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defense secretary and former director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to lead the Central Intelligence Agency... Hegseth has also taken hawkish positions toward Iran, and is listed as a member of the group United Against Nuclear Iran’s veterans advisory council.
President-elect Donald Trump announced he’s nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be his secretary of defense, an unexpected selection that sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill... Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran, said, citing recent comments by Hegseth, that observers should “expect more U.S. support for Israel and covert action and sabotage operations,” calling Hegseth’s approach “Ayatollah Khamenei’s worst nightmare.”
Trump Reportedly Plans To Name Rubio, Mike Waltz, Stephen Miller To Roles | Israel Today
President-elect Donald Trump plans to name Sen. Marco Rubio(R-Fla.) secretary of state, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) as national security advisor and Stephen Miller, an adviser to the former president, as deputy chief of staff, according to multiple media outlets... With the reports about Rubio and Waltz, “Iran’s regime’s supreme leader is in for a difficult morning,” wrote Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran.
Trump Picks Marco Rubio As Secretary Of State | i24 News
UANI Policy Director Jason Brodsky joined i24 News to discuss President-elect Trump’s choices for his national security team and how they will impact U.S. Iran policy.
NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
'Help Us,' UN Nuclear Watchdog Chief Tells Iran Ahead Of Visit | Reuters
U.N. atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi appealed to Iran's leadership on Tuesday to take steps to resolve longstanding issues with his agency a day before he arrives in the Iranian capital for crunch talks over its nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency head has for months sought progress with Iran on issues including a push for more monitoring cooperation at nuclear sites and an explanation of uranium traces found at undeclared sites. But little has come from Grossi's efforts and with the return of President-elect Donald Trump, who is widely expected to restore a maximum-pressure policy on Iran, Grossi's trip on Wednesday should provide indications of how Iran wants to proceed in the coming months.
IAEA Chief Warns Of Shrinking Diplomatic Space For Iran Nuclear Deal | Iran International
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned on Tuesday ahead of a visit to Tehran that the diplomatic space to achieve another international deal over Iran's disputed nuclear program was shrinking. “The Iranian administration must understand that the international situation is becoming increasingly tense,” Rafael Grossi said in an interview with AFP, “and that it is imperative to find ways to reach diplomatic solutions.” Speaking on the sidelines of the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Grossi was due to travel to Tehran as tensions between Israel and the Islamic Republic mount and the hawkish new administration of President-elect Donald Trump begins to take shape.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Iran Ready For Possible Oil Export Curbs After Trump Election | Reuters
Iran has made plans to sustain its oil production and export and is ready for possible oil restrictions from a Trump administration in the U.S., Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Wednesday, according to the oil ministry's news website Shana. In 2018, then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact with Iran and re-imposed sanctions which hurt Iran's oil sector, with production dropping to 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) during his presidency.
Iran Needs Power Cuts To Avert Winter Crisis, Says Pezeshkian | Iran International
Iran’s president has defended nationwide rolling blackouts for residential and commercial areas, warning that without these measures, the country faces significant risks in winter due to fuel shortages. Speaking briefly to reporters on the sidelines of the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Masoud Pezeshkian said, “Since our [fuel] reserves are low and we may face problems in the winter, we have to adjust the reserves of power plants now to avoid future problems. If we don't think about this now, we might face a significant risk in the winter.”
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS
What To Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick For CIA Director | Associated Press
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he would appoint John Ratcliffe to serve as CIA director in his new administration. Here are four things to know about the Republican tapped to lead the U.S. government’s premier spy agency: Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence for the final months of Trump’s first term, leading American spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic and as the U.S. government contended with foreign efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
President-elect Donald Trump has named Pete Hegseth, an Army veteran and Fox News host, as his choice for secretary of defense and John Ratcliffe, a hawkish former House lawmaker, to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, placing loyalists in two key national security positions. The selection of defense secretary continues Trump’s practice of turning away from civilians with high-level national security experience to run the Pentagon or to retired officers, which he tried early in his first term when he chose retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis to run the department.
Trump Appoints Real Estate Exec Steven Witkoff As Middle East Envoy | The Hill
President-elect Trump said Tuesday that he picked real estate executive Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East in his next administration. “Steve is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy, who has made every project and community he has been involved with stronger and more prosperous,” he said of the Witkoff Group chairman, chief executive officer and founder. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Rival Factions In Iran Condemn Pezeshkian’s Record At 100-Day Mark | Iran International
Iranian politicians and media from rival factions have criticized President Masoud Pezeshkian on his 100th day in office, accusing him of doing little to address the economic, political, and social impasse or fulfill his campaign promises. The criticisms come amid mounting crises: the country faces intermittent blackouts due to fuel shortages; protests by teachers, pensioners, and others fill major city streets daily; the parliament has admitted the Social Security Organization is bankrupt; the stock exchange experiences near-weekly crashes; the currency is at a historic low; and a winter fuel shortage looms as Turkmenistan has halted natural gas sales to Iran, citing unpaid bills.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Russia Appears to Have Struck Own Civilian Building with Iranian Drone | Newsweek
Russia may have inadvertently struck one of its own civilian buildings in Belgorod with an Iranian-supplied Shahed drone, according to reports and security footage shared on social media. The attack injured two people and caused extensive damage, impacting 40 apartments across three buildings, 24 vehicles and a shop. The strike appeared to originate from the Russian side, directed toward the border with Ukraine. Pepel, an independent Russian news outlet, analyzed video evidence showing a drone with distinctive features that closely matched the Shahed model typically deployed by Russian forces in Ukraine. "Only this combat drone has a characteristic nose and triangular wings with blunt ends, which are clearly visible in the surveillance video," Pepel reported.
U.S. Military Says It Strikes Iran-Backed Militia Facility In Syria | Reuters
The U.S. military said on Tuesday it had conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed militia group's weapons storage facility in Syria. "These strikes were in response to a rocket attack on U.S. personnel at Patrol Base Shaddadi. There was no damage to U.S. facilities and no injuries to U.S. or partner forces during the attack," the U.S. military said in a statement.
Trump Picks Mike Huckabee To Serve As US Ambassador To Israel | CNN
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to serve as United States ambassador to Israel, a strong defender of Israel who once argued that there was “no such thing as a Palestinian.” “Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years. He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!” Trump said in a statement. Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, served as Trump’s press secretary during his first administration.
GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN
Houthis Attack US Warships After US Strikes In Yemen | BBC
A multiple-missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on two US warships has been thwarted, the Pentagon has said. At least eight drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles were aimed at the USS Stockdale and the USS Spruance on Monday. The vessels shot down the projectiles and were "not damaged and no personnel were hurt," Pentagon press secretary Air Force Major Gen Pat Ryder told reporters on Tuesday. The attack followed a series of airstrikes made by the US Central Command against Houthi weapons storage bases in Yemen.