TOP STORIES
Iran Is Developing Plans For Faster, Cruder Weapon, U.S. Concludes | The New York Times
New intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program has convinced American officials that a secret team of the country’s scientists is exploring a faster, if cruder, approach to developing an atomic weapon if Tehran’s leadership decides to race for a bomb, according to current and former American officials. The development comes even amid signals that Iran’s new president is actively seeking a negotiation with the Trump administration. The intelligence was collected in the last months of the Biden administration, then relayed to President Trump’s national security team during the transition of power, according to the officials, who asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive details.
A former British soldier convicted of spying for Iran after an audacious three-day escape from a London prison was sentenced Monday to more than 14 years behind bars for betraying his country. Daniel Khalife, 23, was convicted in November of violating the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act for providing restricted and classified material to Iran. “As a young man you had the makings of an exemplary soldier, however, through the repeated violations of your oath of service, you showed yourself to be instead a dangerous fool,” Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said. Jurors in Woolwich Crown Court had rejected his testimony that he was trying to work for the U.K. as a double agent.
The Trump administration has made its first comment on Western media reports that Iran is trying to ship a missile propellant ingredient from China, telling VOA it is aware of the reports published last month, while declining to confirm their veracity. Responding to a VOA query about the purported Iranian scheme, a State Department spokesperson said in a Jan. 30 statement, “We are aware of the press reports. However, we do not comment on intelligence matters.” Britain’s Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal in the United States published reports on Jan. 22 and 23 respectively, citing unnamed Western officials as saying Iran-flagged ships Golbon and Jairan were in the process of being loaded with 1,000 metric tons of sodium perchlorate near Ningbo on China’s eastern coast.
UANI IN THE NEWS
Iraq Denies Allegations Of Purchasing Or Re-Exporting Iranian Crude Oil | Iran International
Iraq’s oil ministry denied on Monday allegations about purchasing, receiving or re-exporting Iranian crude oil, saying that export operations are subject to strict controls. Energy-rich Iran faces obstacles to getting its crude oil and fuel to the global market and has for years used complex routes and shadow fleets to disguise its flows and skirt mostly Western sanctions. Iran exported nearly 1.98 billion barrels of oil over the four years when US President Joe Biden was in office, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) said in its annual Tanker Tracker report released in January. Iran's oil industry is in the midst of a crisis as approximately 80% of its active oil fields are in the latter stages of their life cycle, experiencing productivity declines.
How European Companies Feed The Global Shadow Fleet | Dialogue Earth
On 19 July 2024, the oil tanker Hafnia Nile was nearing its top speed when it collided with the supertanker Ceres I, off the east coast of Malaysia. Within minutes, flames engulfed both vessels, sending thick plumes of toxic smoke into the air. Several crew members were airlifted to safety, while others remained on board Ceres I to battle the blaze alongside tugboats… In late summer 2022, the Ukraine-based crewing agency, Alpha Marine Service, posted a tanker job on Telegram without including the vessel’s International Maritime Organization identification number. The details provided – such as the ship’s Panamanian registry and precise deadweight tonnage – matched a vessel named Glaucus, which had featured on United Against Nuclear Iran’s list of shadow fleet ships. It was later sanctioned by the US government for smuggling Iranian oil.
NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Money Is No Object For Iran's Nuclear Program, Atomic Energy Chief Says | Iran International
The costs of Iran’s nuclear program are negligible compared to the achievement of gaining nuclear technology despite sanctions, the country’s atomic energy chief said on Sunday. "We shouldn’t focus on weighing costs against benefits. While we are paying a heavy price due to sanctions, the emphasis is not on the costs," said Mohammad Eslami, an Iranian vice president and head of the Atomic Energy Organization. When asked by a state TV interviewer to explain how the expenses are justified, he underscored the importance of acquiring advanced technology that so-called arrogant global powers seek to deny other nations, particularly Iran. Eslami argued that evaluating the program’s costs and benefits should occur only after what he described as the required technological capabilities were achieved.
Iran Has Never Sought Nuclear Weapons And Never Will, Khamenei Aide Says | Iran International
The Islamic Republic has long ruled out developing nuclear weapons, a top political advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said, in dovish remarks pointing to a potential openness to reviving talks with the United States. "Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and never will," said Ali Shamkhani during a visit to the Atomic Energy Organization in Tehran on Monday. "However, we will fully defend our legal rights in political and technical aspects with all our strength," the former security chief added. Western powers say Tehran's expansion of its nuclear program lacks any credible peaceful purpose. As economic malaise in Iran has deepened, renewed talks with the United States over the disputed nuclear program are widely viewed as the best avenue to ease sanctions.
MISSILE PROGRAM
Iran Building North Korean-Designed Nuclear Missiles Capable Of Hitting Europe | New York Post
Iran is secretly developing nuclear missiles that can reach Europe based on North Korean designs, according to a new report. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has accused Tehran of expediting its alleged nuclear weapons program, with two facilities rushing to complete a working warhead capable of traveling more than 1,800 miles, according to their latest report. Soona Samsami, a US representative of the NCRI, said Tehran is desperately working to keep the international community out of Iran and maintain the status quo as a means to buy time to fulfill its nuclear ambitions. One of the facilities the NCRI flagged as a nuclear weapons site was the Shahrud missiles facility, which is being run by Iran’s Organization for Advanced Defense Research and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
IRGC Says Its Missiles Can Strike Any Enemy Target | Iran International
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander-in-chief said that the force’s missile systems "can hit any enemy target in the region and overcome enemy anti-missiles" as the country rebuilds its defences after Israel's October aerial barrage. Hossein Salami told Tasnim News Agency Monday: “The IRGC today is much more advanced in the field of weapons and much more experienced in skills.” He described Iran’s military strength as a key factor in deterring adversaries, pointing to past missile strikes as proof of the IRGC’s capabilities. The comments come just months after an aerial attack from Israel severely damaged Iranian military infrastructure. The Institute for the Study of War said of the October strike: "The IDF [Israeli military" conducted precision strikes targeting around 20 locations across Iran, including facilities tied to the Iranian drone and missile programs and air defense network."
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS
Iran Denies FM Discussed Possible US Talks During Qatar Trip | Iran International
Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that its senior diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, did not discuss negotiations with the United States during a recent visit to Doha. Esmail Baghaei said the trip was within the framework of Iran-Qatar relations, emphasizing that Araghchi met with senior Hamas officials to review developments in Palestine. “No specific discussion was raised regarding any other issue,” Baghaei said during a press conference on Monday, as reported by ILNA. Iran and the US have not had diplomatic ties since 1980. Araghchi traveled to Qatar last week, where he had discussions with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.
ECONOMIC WARFARE
Ismail Baghaei, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, dismissed on Monday claims that Iran provides funds to Hezbollah in Lebanon as merely Israeli-driven rumours aimed at hampering Lebanon's reconstruction. Citing a US defence official, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) had reported Friday that Israel had filed a complaint to a multi-national committee overseeing the ceasefire deal alleging that Iranian diplomats were delivering "tens of millions of dollars in cash" to Hezbollah through Turkish citizens to help with the group’s revival. Hezbollah denied the reports that it was receiving funds from Iran via Beirut airport. A Hezbollah lawmaker told The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed last week that these reports were "Israeli and American attempts" to justify Israel’s ongoing attacks and violations of the ceasefire deal, as well as the committee’s inability to stop Israel from not meeting the terms of the agreement.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iranian President Admits Some Economic Problems Beyond His Control | Iran International
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that certain economic difficulties are beyond governmental control, stressing the need to be transparent with citizens regarding such limitations. "The current situation of high prices and livelihood problems that are putting pressure on the people is unacceptable," he said. "Some of it is in our hands, and some of it is not," he added without elaborating. Pezeshkian made the remarks during a joint meeting with Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and other senior legislative and judicial officials. Iran's current economic crisis stems from both US and European sanctions, as well as systemic mismanagement linked to the government's bureaucracy and its dominant role in the economy.
Talks With Even ‘Infidels’ Are Possible, Iran’s Security Chief Says | Iran International
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has suggested that negotiations with those deemed "infidels" (kuffar) are possible, but only under the guiding principle of resistance against the demands of adversaries through non-violent means. Ali Akbar Ahmadian argued on Tuesday that dialogue and resistance are not mutually exclusive, leaving unclear whether he was referring to the contentious issue of possible talks with the United States. "It is even possible to negotiate with infidels," he said, "but based on what principle? It is possible to negotiate based on the principle of resistance." He emphasized that resistance forms the foundation for understanding the Islamic concept of jihad (struggle) in its various forms.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
The Prime Minister’s Office denies a Channel 12 news report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to ask US President Donald Trump to carry out a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and close a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia before moving on to the second stage of an ongoing hostage release-ceasefire agreement with Hamas. “It is a total lie that harms the families of the hostages,” says the PMO. The report had claimed that the plan would entail postponing the second stage of the deal with Hamas, currently in its initial phase, for several months, and that Netanyahu’s reported deliberation over removing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar from the Gaza negotiating team is related.
Iran Warns Syria’s New Leadership: ‘The Situation Will Not Remain This Way’ | Al Arabiya News
In the latest hostile remarks from Iranian authorities against Syria’s new leadership, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Monday that while Iran’s “enemies” have succeeded in Syria, the situation will change. “In Syria… the enemies have achieved their objectives, but the situation will not remain this way,” state media quoted Hossein Salami, the IRGC’s chief commander, as saying. “Our missiles can strike any enemy target in the region and overcome the enemy’s anti-missile defenses,” he added. Iran was a key ally of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled by opposition forces in December after 13 years of war. His fall marked a major setback for Tehran, which had backed his regime with financial and military aid since the conflict began in 2011, following a brutal crackdown by the regime on peaceful protests.
GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN
Yemen’s information minister recently visited the US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Florida, to discuss countering Iran-backed Houthis, according to the US military. “Regional and international interests will remain threatened as long as the Houthi militia possesses military capabilities,” Moammar bin Mutahar Al-Eryani said. CENTCOM said the visit was part of an effort to combat the Houthi’s “systematic use of disinformation and propaganda to destabilize Yemen and the broader region.” The Trump administration redesignated Yemen’s Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), reversing the Biden administration’s decision to revoke the designation. Trump originally made the decision in his final days of office during his first term.