TOP STORIES
US Sees Imminent Missile Strike On Israel By Iran, Proxies | Bloomberg
The US and its allies believe major missile or drone strikes by Iran or its proxies against military and government targets in Israel are imminent, in what would mark a significant widening of the six-month-old conflict, according to people familiar with the intelligence. The potential assault, possibly using high-precision missiles, may happen in the coming days, the people said, requesting anonymity to discuss confidential matters. It is seen as more a matter of when, not if, one of the people said, based on assessments from US and Israeli intelligence. Brent crude, the global benchmark, spiked more than 1% to trade above $90 a barrel following the news. Oil is up 16% this year, buoyed by war risk premium since the conflict in the Middle East began. Iran has threatened to hit Israel in retaliation for an attack on a diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital of Damascus last week that killed senior Iranian military officials.
UK Foreign Secretary Reacts To Iran International TV Anchor Stabbing | Iran International
Britain has taken “strongest” measures against those hired by Tehran to target Iranians on British soil, UK foreign secretary David Cameron said Wednesday in the first government reaction to the stabbing of Iran International's presenter Pouria Zeraati. Zeraati, who hosts a show on the UK-based broadcaster Iran International, was stabbed earlier this month as he left home for work. He survived the attack with leg injuries and chose to go back on air after a few days in hospital. The attack raised further questions about the ability of the UK government to protect its citizens of Iranian origin against a state that seeks to intimidate or kill them because they dare to speak against it. “We've taken the strongest possible steps against these thugs that get hired by the Iranian regime and attack people on British soil,” UK foreign secretary David Cameron told Fox News in an interview Wednesday. “We not only have arrested and prosecuted people, but also we've called it out very publicly."
Blinken Tells Gallant That US Will Stand With Israel Against Iranian Threats | Times Of Israel
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a call with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, made clear that the United States will stand with Israel against any threats by Iran, the State Department says. Blinken and Gallant also discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all hostages through an agreement for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the State Department says. “Secretary Blinken welcomed Israel’s recent announcements of urgent steps to facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to improve humanitarian deconfliction and coordination, reiterating that incidents such as the strike on World Central Kitchen workers must never reoccur,” the US readout says. “The secretary emphasized that the United States expects Israel to quickly implement its commitments on humanitarian assistance and deconfliction and that those commitments must be sustained over time.” There is no immediate statement from Gallant’s office on the call.
UANI IN THE NEWS
Kasra Aarabi Discusses The Stabbing Of Iranian Journalist Pouria Zeraati | GB News
Kasra Aarabi, UANI’s Director for IRGC Research, joined former UK defense secretary Michael Portillo on GB News to discuss the attack on UK-based Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati and the increasing the terror threat posed by the IRGC in the UK. Kasra stated Khamenei’s regime thinks it can use terrorism to silence Iranians at home and abroad. But Iranians will not be intimated and will only double-down in their efforts to make sure the Iranian people’s voice is heard
Second Illicit Iranian Oil Shipment En-Route To Bangladesh | Iran International
…According to reports from NGO United Against A Nuclear Iran (UANI), the oil originated from Kharg Island, Iran, and was transferred in United Arab Emirates waters before being sent for delivery to Bangladesh.UANI has urged Bangladesh to take a stand against the transaction and return the oil to Iran. The organization highlighted concerns over the use of ship-to-ship transfers by Iran to avoid detection of the destination of its cargo. This method involves turning off vessel transponders at sea and covertly transferring oil cargos. The Islamic Republic employs various mechanisms, involving a network of entities and organizations, to sell its oil via third parties and evade sanctions. Additionally, Iran has reportedly begun providing oil to state organizations, including the IRGC, as a means to bolster their budgets without direct financial allocation.
US Urged To Deny Visa To Iran FM, Delegation | Iran International
As calls to designate the IRGC grow, US lobbyists are pushing to ban Iran's foreign minister and delegation from the upcoming United Nations meeting on the Gaza war. Among those leading the calls is Mark Wallace, the CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), who said, “April 18 will mark the 41st anniversary of Hezbollah’s bombing of the US Embassy in Lebanon. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian’s presence on US soil would be an outrageous insult to the victims and their families,” in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to reports, Amir-Abdollahian is scheduled to travel to the US to attend a United Nations meeting on the Gaza conflict on April 18, coinciding with the anniversary of the 1983 US Embassy bombing in Beirut which claimed the lives of 63 people, including 17 Americans. Citing Amir-Abdollahian’s repeated meetings with Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah, the UANI ambassador also pointed to his complicity in the October 7 onslaught, which marked the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, sparking the current Gaza war.
On April 10, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace called on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to deny a visa for Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and his delegation ahead of their anticipated visit to New York next week. Amir-Abdollahian is expected to attend a United Nations meeting on the Israel-Hamas conflict on April 18, 2024. However, recent revelations of his involvement in planning the October 7 attack on Israel and the IRGC’s training of Hamas terrorists have raised concerns. April 18 also marks the 41st anniversary of the Iran-backed Hezbollah bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983, which killed 63 people, including 52 Lebanese and American Embassy employees, and injured 120.
NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iran Nears Nuclear Capabilities Amid Unraveling Nuclear Deal – Report | Jerusalem Post
Iran’s nuclear has surged ahead, with its highly secretive and highly guarded Fordow facility now producing enriched uranium that is just shy of being weapons-grade, a Washington Post report uncovered. Reports have emerged that in factory chambers that, under the 2015 accord, had halted enriching uranium, now have newly installed equipment that could potentially double the nuclear plant’s enriched uranium output, the Washington Post noted. This development underscores the unraveling of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which imposed strict limits on Iran's nuclear activities. The 2015 accord was negotiated as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by the United States under Barak Obama’s presidency and the European Union, which in all technicalities, is in effect, though not abided by.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Lufthansa Suspends Tehran Flights, Middle East On Alert For Potential Iran Attacks | Reuters
German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), opens new tab said on Wednesday it had suspended flights to Tehran due to the situation in the Middle East, which is on alert for possible Iranian retaliation for a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's embassy in Syria. An Iranian news agency briefly stoked tensions when it published an Arabic report on social media platform X saying all airspace over Tehran had been closed for military drills. The agency then removed the report and denied it had issued such news. Countries in the region and the United States have been on high alert and preparing for a possible attack by Iran since April 1 when Israeli warplanes were suspected of bombing the Iranian embassy compound in Syria. Lufthansa said it suspended flights to and from Tehran from April 6 until probably April 11. "We are constantly monitoring the situation in the Middle East and are in close contact with the authorities. The safety of our guests and crew members is Lufthansa's top priority," a spokesperson for the company told Reuters.
Oil Holds Advance As Traders Brace For Iran Strike On Israel | Bloomberg
Oil held the first gain in three sessions as traders watched for a potential attack on Israel by Iran or its proxies, which could spark a significant escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. Brent futures traded above $90 after closing 1.1% higher on Wednesday, while West Texas Intermediate was near $86. The US and its allies believe a strike is imminent, according to people familiar, which would follow a threat by Iran to hit Israel for an attack on a diplomatic compound in Syria last week. Oil is up around 17% this year as geopolitical tensions combine with OPEC+ supply cuts to drive prices higher. Still, there are headwinds in the form of swelling US crude stockpiles — now at the highest since July — and a hot US inflation print, which may delay rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS
US Envoy Asked Middle East Foreign Ministers To Mediate With Iran | Reuters
The U.S. Middle East envoy called the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Iraq to ask them to deliver a message to Iran urging it to lower tensions with Israel following a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's embassy in Syria, a source with knowledge of the situation said. White House Middle East czar Brett McGurk asked the officials to contact the Iranian foreign minister to convey a message that Iran should de-escalate with Israel, which they did, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Iran's foreign ministry said on Wednesday the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iraq spoke on the phone with Iran's foreign minister and discussed regional tensions.
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Students In Iran Threatened With Prosecution For Graduation Dance Video | The Guardian
A group of Iranian students have been threatened with prosecution after a video of them dancing after their graduation emerged on social media this week. In the now viral video, a group of about 11 female students from Al-Zahra University in the coastal city of Bushehr, in south-west Iran, were seen dancing and riding a motorcycle. The university’s president, Zahra Hajiani, told the Iranian Students news agency (ISNA) that the video had been made “without coordination and obtaining permission from the university” and was an “illegal activity”. She said the university would pursue legal action against the students. “This matter is under investigation by the university’s security. The student who produced this video has been identified and is supposed to be accountable for this action along with his father tomorrow.” Human rights lawyers said the university was likely to have made the legal threat under pressure from authorities in Iran.
Iran Court Summons 15 Baha'i Women Amid Rise In Harassment | Iran Wire
In an escalation of harassment against religious minorities, a Revolutionary Court in central Isfahan province summoned 15 Baha'i women on Wednesday. The summons indicate they are being called to trial. However, specific charges against them remain unknown. The development follows a period of surge in the harassment of Baha'i citizens in Iran. In April 2021, authorities raided the homes of the same women, confiscating religious items and books. Eleven of them were arrested, only to be released on bail after a month. Over a hundred Baha'i women have been arrested or imprisoned in the past year alone. Baha'is have been systematically persecuted in Iran for 44 years because of their faith and are often accused of being spies or opposed to the Iranian government.
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
Scoop: Senior U.S. General To Visit Israel To Coordinate On Iran Attack Threat | Axios
The senior U.S. military commander in charge of the Middle East is expected to go to Israel Thursday to coordinate around a possible attack on Israel by Iran and its proxies, two Israeli officials said. Why it matters: Iranian officials have publicly threatened to retaliate against Israel for an attack in Syria last week that killed a top Iranian general. An attack on Israel or its bases could lead to another regional escalation. Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of the U.S. Central Command, is expected to meet Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior Israel Defense Forces officials. Israeli officials say they are preparing for a possible unprecedented direct attack from Iranian soil using ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles against Israeli targets. In such a scenario, Israel will retaliate with a direct attack against Iran, the officials said. A U.S. defense official said it was Department of Defense policy to "not discuss flag officer travel for operational security."
Israel’s foreign minister threatened Wednesday that his country’s forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel. His comments came amid heightened tensions between the rival powers following the killings of Iranian generals in a blast at the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month. “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Israel Katz said in a post on X in both Farsi and Hebrew. Earlier Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated a promise to retaliate against Israel over the attack on its consulate in Damascus. Their comments came after a congressional official and a former senior U.S. official confirmed that Iran has been sending weapons to the occupied West Bank through criminal networks operating in Jordan and elsewhere.
IRANIAN REGIONAL AGGRESSION
How Iran Is Causing Chaos Beyond Just Israel And Palestine | Daily Beast
Iran presents itself as the sponsor of the “liberation of Palestine,” and thus arms proxies and allies in four Arab countries—Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen—as well as the Palestinian Territories. In reality, Tehran is deploying what experts call its “proxy fleet-in-being,” an old tactic used by weaker navies against mightier ones. Iran deploys the proxy fleet to dominate what it imagines as the “Wider Persian Gulf,” an area that—in addition to its Gulf coast—includes the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Tehran’s domination necessitates the ejection of America and the weakening, or even annihilation, of Israel. Israel has been hitting back. In addition to its pledge to destroy the Iranian proxy Hamas in Gaza, and an ongoing war with another Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, across its border with Lebanon, Israel also managed to kill seven top Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officers in a strike on Syria.
Sudan Civil War: Are Iranian Drones Helping The Army Gain Ground? | Reuters
A year into Sudan's civil war, Iranian-made armed drones have helped the army turn the tide of the conflict, halting the progress of the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Force and regaining territory around the capital, a senior army source told Reuters. Six Iranian sources, regional officials and diplomats - who, like the army source, asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information - also told Reuters the military had acquired Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past few months. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) used some older UAVs in the first months of the war alongside artillery batteries and fighter jets, but had little success in rooting out RSF fighters embedded in heavily populated neighbourhoods in Khartoum and other cities, more than a dozen Khartoum residents said. In January, nine months after fighting erupted, much more effective drones began operating from the army's Wadi Sayidna base to the north of Khartoum, according to five eyewitnesses living in the area.
CONGRESS & IRAN
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., joined 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss her take on the looming threat from Iran as it threatens Israel again and why she voted no on a House bill to renew the FISA spy program.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Kremlin Calls On Iran And Israel To Exercise 'Restraint' | AFP News
Moscow on Thursday called on Iran and Israel to exercise restraint after Tehran issued fresh threats against Israel over a strike earlier this month that killed two Iranian generals. "It is very important for everybody to exercise restraint in order not to destabilise the region, which is already not gifted with stability or predictability," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Lebanese Man Linked To Hezbollah And Hamas Found Dead Near Beirut | The National
A Lebanese man, who was the subject of US sanctions for allegedly funnelling money from Iran to Hamas, was found shot dead at a villa outside Beirut. The body of Mohammad Ibrahim Srour was discovered in the village of Beit Meri, a Lebanese security source told The National. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported late on Tuesday that the body of a man, 57, was found in an area near Beit Meri, an affluent town that overlooks Beirut. The man had three bullet wounds, it added. He was found in possession of an undisclosed sum of money, a security source told AFP. n a press conference, at which two Hezbollah MPs were present, his family said Mr Srour had been missing for a week before his body was discovered. The family said he was a money changer who had "never hurt anyone". They called for a full investigation into the circumstances of his death but did not accuse any individual, group or government.