UANI

New UANI Investigation Reveals Iran’s IRGC Using Swedish Universities to Procure Research and Technology for its Military Programs

dcayabyab — Mon, 06 May 2024 18:24:57 +0000

New UANI Investigation Reveals Iran’s IRGC Using Swedish Universities to Procure Research and Technology for its Military Programs

New research by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has revealed for the first time that:

A strategic agreement – unknown to Swedish authorities and which UANI is revealing today – provides the IRGC with “maximum use” of all collaborations between Iranian universities and Swedish universities to procure research and technology for the Iranian regime’s military programs.
Eight Swedish universities have formed partnerships with Iranian universities that the IRGC – the Iranian regime’s paramilitary organization – is using to procure research and technology to advance its hard and soft power capabilities and that could be used against Sweden, especially given its status as a NATO member state.

The academic fields on which all eight Swedish universities are collaborating with Iranian universities are on topics specifically listed as “main science and technology priorities for defense and security” for the regime and IRGC in the strategic agreement.

Despite new UANI evidence and the IRGC’s extensive surveillance of Iranian universities and control over students’ lives, Lund University maintains a joint master’s program with the University of Tehran, paid for in part by Erasmus+ funding.

A new investigation by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) can, for the first time, reveal the IRGC and other armed elements of the Iranian regime are using partnerships between eight leading Swedish universities and Iranian universities to procure research and technology to advance the Islamic Republic’s military programs, not least to further develop the IRGC’s hard and soft power capabilities.

Partnerships discovered by UANI include those between:

· Lund University and three Iranian universities: University of Tehran, Malayer University, and the University of Torbat Heydarieh (UTH);
· Lulea University, Mid Sweden University, and the University of Guilan;
· Malmö University and Chabahar Maritime University;
· the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Ilam University;
· the University of Boras and Chabahar Maritime University;
· Uppsala University and Golestan University; and
· Linnaeus University and University of Tehran’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Co-signed by the IRGC’s commander-in-chief and Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (among others), the strategic agreement uncovered by UANI – entitled “The Comprehensive Act on Science and Technology in the Defense and Security Field of the Islamic Republic of Iran” – was unveiled by the Khamenei-run Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution (SCCR) – the highest authority over educational affairs – in February 2021. It has since been implemented across all universities in Iran.

Since its implementation, all Iranian universities are required to transfer the intellectual property and rights of all research and academic materials to the IRGC and other armed elements of the regime. In the agreement, this policy is described as “maximum use of all national academic [and] research capacities” to acquire “soft, semi-soft and hard defense and security sciences and technologies.” These are to be acquired from both “national” and “international” university departments – transforming international university partnerships into a means “for achieving regime objectives.”

The agreement further states that this research will be used for “hostility with enemies in the path of achieving the scientific defense goals of the Islamic Revolution,” meaning that it may be used against Sweden, especially given its status as a NATO member-state.

The SCCR agreement explicitly states the regime’s “main science and technology priorities for defense and security,” which include: “Automated and unmanned equipment (drones),” “aerospace propulsion systems,” “artificial intelligence,” “advanced warfare software and military science and technology,” “advanced electronics,” “energy,” “cyberelectronics,” “guidance and navigation,” “logistics and vehicles,” “infrastructure,” “energy,” “chemistry,” “geology,” “computer processing,” “environmental science,” “economic security,” “food and agriculture,” “environmental science,” “physical sciences,” and “biology and health.”

The eight Swedish university collaborations with Iranian universities are precisely in academic fields that are listed in the strategic agreement as the IRGC’s “main science and technology priorities for defense and security”:

Malmö University and the Chabahar Maritime University (“guidance and navigation,” “logistics and vehicles,” and “infrastructure”)
University of Borås and Babol Noshirvani University of Technology (lists “process engineering” and “chemical engineering” – both of which are dual use technologies)
Lund University’s partnership agreements with Malayer University, UTH, and the University of Tehran (“geology,” “computer processing,” and “environmental science”)
Luleå University of Technology and Guilan University (“economic security,” “food and agriculture,” “energy,” and “environmental science”)
Mid Sweden University and Guilan University (“economic security,” food and agriculture,” “energy,” and “environmental science”)
Uppsala University and Golestan University (“geology,” “physical sciences,” and “environmental science”)
Linnaeus University and University of Tehran (“biology and health,” “food and agriculture,” and “environmental science”)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Ilam University (“energy,” “food and agriculture,” and “environmental science.”)

Additionally, all student exchanges or joint conferences facilitated by these partnerships are used to further these aims, in accordance with the strategic agreement. The strategic agreement explicitly states that all “professors, researchers, [and] students” affiliated with Iranian universities are used to “build capabilities and create capabilities in responding to defense needs.”

In addition to the above, Lund University maintains a joint master’s program with the University of Tehran. The Swedish university also has partnerships with two further Iranian universities, Malayer University and UTH, paid for in part by Erasmus+ funding.

This strategic agreement should not be considered dormant or aspirational. In June 2023, it was revealed that at least 11 British universities, including Imperial College and Cambridge, were involved in long-standing academic collaborations with Iranian universities relating to dual-use technology. The implication of this strategic agreement is that it confirms that the IRGC has “maximum use” of, and access to, all Swedish University collaborations with Iranian universities. Thus, any intellectual property that is discussed, shared, or conducted in collaboration with representatives of Iranian universities should be considered forfeited to the IRGC.

UANI’s investigation comes at a time where Sweden’s security intelligence service, Säkerhetspolisen, has repeatedly warned of Tehran’s large-scale industrial espionage operations and campaigns of intimidation targeting minority groups on Swedish soil. Swedish security services have repeatedly neutralised threats from IRGC agents including a recent assassination plot against Aron Verständig, chair of the Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities. Partnerships with academic entities and other ostensibly soft-power institutions serve as entry points for the IRGC, facilitating its hard-power objectives – including surveillance, radicalization efforts, assassination, and other acts of terror.

There is also a considerable risk of Swedish universities providing access to Iranian universities—and unwittingly the IRGC—to technology which has military applications, at a time when the Iranian regime is arming Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

UANI has written to all Swedish universities involved, outlining its concerns and calling on them to immediately sever any ties with these Iranian universities. UANI has also informed the Swedish government of these links and requested they take action to fully investigate these partnerships and ensure that they are immediately terminated.

On Tuesday 7 May 2024 at 13.00 CET, UANI, the European Jewish Association (EJA), and Europe Israel Public Affairs, in collaboration with Swedish MP Alireza Akhondi, Swedish MP Magnus Berntsson, and MEP David Lega, will host an event on Iran’s Infiltration in Sweden in first chamber room at Riksdag, Parliament of Sweden to outline its findings.

UANI’s letters to Swedish universities can be found here.

Members of the media who wish to view the event in Stockholm on May 7 virtually can contact [email protected] for a Zoom link.

dcayabyab Mon, 05/06/2024 - 18:24

Teaser Image

Iran Says Crew Of Israel-Linked Ship Freed

dcayabyab — Fri, 03 May 2024 17:15:05 +0000

Iran Says Crew Of Israel-Linked Ship Freed

Iran has released the crew of a seized Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israel, but remains in control of the vessel itself, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the container ship MSC Aries, with a crew of 25, in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, days after Tehran vowed to retaliate for a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus. Iran had said it could close the crucial shipping route.

U.S. Shuffles Military Assets In Middle East After Gulf Pushback | Wall Street Journal

The Pentagon is shifting jet fighters, armed drones and other aircraft to Qatar, repositioning its forces to get around restrictions on conducting airstrikes from an air base long used by the U.S. in the United Arab Emirates. The U.A.E. informed the U.S. in February that it would no longer permit American warplanes and drones based at Al Dharfa air base in Abu Dhabi to carry out strike in Yemen and Iraq.

New York's Last GOP Gov Condemns Biden's Inaction, Says Iran State TV Is Playing Scenes Of US 'Anarchy' | Fox News

New York State's last Republican governor condemned President Biden Thursday for his relative inaction on antisemitic protests enveloping college campuses in the Empire State and warned Iran is using images of the chaos as propaganda. Former Gov. George Pataki, who left office at the end of 2006 upon the election of Eliot Spitzer, told Fox News the protests constitute "acts of anarchy" at this juncture and should have been halted on "day one." "This is just disgusting and it shouldn't be tolerated. These are not acts of free speech or protest," he said on "The Story."

UANI IN THE NEWS

Iran’s Oil Exports Robust In April But Sanctions May Yet Bite | Lloyd’s List

…The US Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned 25 tankers totalling about 3.4m dwt since January for Iran links, far surpassing the number of tankers blocked in all of 2023 under the same auspices. But preliminary figures from US lobbying group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) indicate Iran exported almost 1.7m bpd of crude and condensates in April, continuing its robust start to the year despite US regulators’ renewed focus on Iran’s commodity exports. UANI’s chief of staff Claire Jungman said several factors are behind Iran’s export resiliency, but that sanctions could start biting in the coming weeks, when banned tankers conclude their voyages and return to Iran. “Iran has been adept at circumventing these sanctions by acquiring new tankers to replace those that have been designated, thereby maintaining their export capabilities,” she told Lloyd’s List. “Additionally, some of the contracts and purchase orders for oil were fulfilled despite the sanctions because they had been placed prior to the implementation of these sanctions.”

Iran Bans 5 US Entities, 7 Individuals Over Supporting Israel | Iran International

…Also included is Brad Cooper, a US Navy vice admiral, Gregory J. Hayes, the CEO of RTX defense corporation, and Jason Brodsky, Policy Director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), who has been a vocal critic of Tehran.

SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS

Sanctions And A Hobbled Economy Pull The Rug Out From Under Iran’s Traditional Carpet Weavers | Associated Press

The historic Kashan bazaar in central Iran once sat on a major caravan route, its silk carpets known the world over. But for the weavers trying to sell their rugs under its ancient arches, their world has only unraveled since the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers and wider tensions with the West. Rug exports, which exceeded $2 billion two decades ago, have plummeted to less than $50 million in the last year in the Persian calendar that ended in March, according to government customs figures. With fewer tourists coming and difficulties rising in making international transactions, Iranian rugs are going unsold as some weavers work for as little as $4 a day.

MISSILE PROGRAM

CNN Got A Look At Iran’s Drones And Missiles, What Did It Show? | The Jerusalem Post

Iranians boasted to CNN about their missile and drone program recently, providing a tour of an exhibit that shows off Iran’s capabilities. The goal for Tehran is to showcase the weapons it used against Israel in the April 13-14 attack. This is also a way for Iran to show it has the ability to launch missile and drone attacks on other countries, with virtual impunity. Iran, now in the fifth decade of its regime, believes it is at a turning point and on the verge of becoming a premier military-technology power in the region.

U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS

USCIRF Urges US Government To Support Iranian Protesters | Iran International

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urged the US government to assist Iranians amid worsening crackdowns on minorities and dissidents. In its annual report, the USCIRF stated in Iran, “officials systematically harassed, arrested, detained, sexually assaulted, raped, and tortured protesters, including minors.” The USCIRF also emphasized the increased enforcement of compulsory hijab laws throughout 2023, along with increased surveillance and secret funding of a morality patrol to “harass uncovered women.”

Campus Protests Give Russia, China And Iran Fuel To Exploit U.S. Divide | The New York Times

An article on a fake online news outlet that Meta has linked to Russia’s information operations attributed the clashes unfolding on American college campuses to the failures of the Biden administration. A newspaper controlled by the Communist Party of China said the police crackdowns exposed the “double standards and hypocrisy” in the United States when it comes to free speech. On X, a spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Kanaani, posted a cartoon of the police arresting a young protester in the guise of the Statue of Liberty. “Imprisonment of #freedom in the U.S.A.,” he wrote.

PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS

Rapper Toomaj Salehi Became An Icon In Iran. It Could Cost Him His Life. | The Washington Post

In the video posted to Telegram, a banner emblazoned with the face of rapper Toomaj Salehi hangs from a highway overpass in Tehran. “Forced officer, forced executioner, one who just follows orders, go find a rat hole,” says a woman off camera, quoting lyrics from Salehi’s 2021 breakout hit. On April 24, the day before the video was shared online, Salehi was sentenced to death on charges of “spreading corruption on the Earth” in connection with his support for the anti-government uprising that erupted in the fall of 2022. A rare and unapologetic voice of defiance inside Iran, Salehi was an inspiration for the protest movement, and among the most high-profile figures to be caught up in the state’s brutal crackdown.

Iran Charges Journalists After BBC Report On Teen Protester's Death | BBC

Iran's judiciary has filed charges against "a number of journalists and activists" after the publication of a BBC report alleging men working for the security forces sexually assaulted and killed a 16-year-old protester. The judiciary-run Mizan news agency described the BBC Eye investigation into Nika Shakarami's death in 2022 as "fake, incorrect and full of mistakes.” It did not identify the individuals summoned for allegedly "disrupting the psychological security of society".

Iran's Judiciary Makes New Claims About Murdered Teen In Latest Denial | Iran International

In a bid to deny the latest revelations about the state murder of teenager Nika Shakarami, Iran's judiciary released new pictures and claims about her death. On Thursday, the judiciary's news agency, Mizan, released pictures of a woman's torso, concealing the head, without specifying the exact location, and claiming it belonged to Nika Shakarami. The so-called report cited the judge assigned to the case, who said that a day after Shakarami went missing, they got a call about a body found in a courtyard.

MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS

The Latest | Hamas Will Send A Delegation To Cairo To Keep Up Cease-Fire Talks | Associated Press

Hamas said Thursday it will send a delegation to Cairo as soon as possible to keep working on cease-fire talks, in response to Egypt’s latest proposal. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said he spoke to Egypt’s intelligence chief and “stressed the positive spirit of the movement in studying the cease-fire proposal.” His statement did not say when the delegation would travel. Across the United States, tent encampments and demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war have spread across university campuses in a student movement unlike any other this century. More than 2,000 protesters have been arrested over the last two weeks as students rally against the war’s death toll and call for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza.

CONGRESS & IRAN

Senators Press Biden Administration On Iran Crypto Mining | The Hill

Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Angus King (I-Maine) pressed the Biden administration for information Wednesday on how it is addressing Iran’s use of cryptocurrency mining to evade sanctions. “Iran has raised millions of dollars through mining crypto—a steady revenue source that allows it to purchase imports, move funds domestically and internationally, and fund Hamas and other terrorist organizations,” the senators said in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN

Iran's Axis Of Resistance Claims New Front Against Israel | Newsweek

A militia based in the Arab island nation of Bahrain has claimed its first-ever attack on Israel, marking what would be a fifth front opened by forces of the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance coalition since the beginning of the nearly 7-month-old war in the Gaza Strip. The group, known as the Al-Ashtar Brigades and styling itself as the Islamic Resistance in Bahrain, issued a statement Thursday announcing that it had targeted the headquarters of the Israeli company Trucknet Enterprises—said to be "responsible for land transportation in the Zionist entity"—in the southern Israeli port city of Eilat, also called Umm al-Rashrash, last Saturday with a drone.

Billboards Promising The End Of The Ayatollah Regime Cover Israeli Cities, Stir Rumors In Iran | The Jerusalem Post

In the past couple of weeks enormous billboards were seen around Israel showing an hourglass with the flag of the Islamic Republic and promising that the end of the Ayatollah regime in Iran is nearing – setting the date for a mysterious October 28, 2028. Some of the billboards also featured a plight reassuring that “hundreds of millions of evangelicals have Israel’s back,” signed by a mysterious “Jerusalem Prayer Team.” The billboard reminded many in Israel of the reminiscent of the well-known countdown clock placed in Palestine Square in Tehran which counts the days left until Israel’s alleged “fall” in 2040. Nevertheless, while Israelis attempted to decipher the meaning of the messages and guess who was behind them, the billboard gained much traction in Persian-speaking outlets, especially those that oppose the Islamic Republic regime, such as Iran International and Radio Farda, which shared its images with hundreds of thousands of followers and stirred heated debates.

dcayabyab Fri, 05/03/2024 - 17:15

Iran sanctions Royal Navy captain shooting down Houthi drones

dcayabyab — Thu, 02 May 2024 19:19:37 +0000

Iran sanctions Royal Navy captain shooting down Houthi drones

Source Link

https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2024/05/02/iranian-red-sea-sanctions-hit-captain-of-hms-diamond-as-it-battles-houthi-drones/

dcayabyab Thu, 05/02/2024 - 19:19

Iran’s oil exports robust in April but sanctions may yet bite

dcayabyab — Thu, 02 May 2024 18:21:12 +0000

Iran’s oil exports robust in April but sanctions may yet bite

Source Link

https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1149033/Irans-oil-exports-robust-in-April-but-sanctions-may-yet-bite

dcayabyab Thu, 05/02/2024 - 18:21

Iran Bans 5 US Entities, 7 Individuals Over Supporting Israel

dcayabyab — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:22:55 +0000

Iran Bans 5 US Entities, 7 Individuals Over Supporting Israel

Source Link

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202405021170

dcayabyab Thu, 05/02/2024 - 17:22

CNN Gets A Rare Look At The Iranian Missiles And Drones That Hit Israel

dcayabyab — Thu, 02 May 2024 16:59:18 +0000

CNN Gets A Rare Look At The Iranian Missiles And Drones That Hit Israel

“You have to ask the Israelis,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Brigadier General Ali Belali says with a smirk when asked how many ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired towards Israel in its April 14 strike. But he’s more than happy to show the missiles and drones Iran used in its first ever attack against Israel launched directly from Iranian soil. “It was a punitive measure,” Belali says, as he uses a laser pointer to indicate the missiles deployed, towering above him in the exhibit. Two weeks after the Middle East came to the brink of an all-out war, with Iran firing hundreds of projectiles toward Israel in retaliation for a suspected Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, Tehran is keen to show the world that it is capable of fighting a wider conflict should it be faced with one. On April 19, Israel responded with a suspected attack inside Iran’s borders. Both the Iranian and Israeli actions resulted in minimal damage and appeared by both sides to be aimed at restoring deterrence. That situation de-escalated, but the threat of war continues to loom large over the region as Israel’s offensive in Gaza grinds on.

Iran University Offers Scholarships To Expelled US Students | Newsweek

The head of a university in Iran is reportedly offering scholarships to students in the U.S. who have been expelled for taking part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses. Mohammad Moazzeni, head of Shiraz University in the southern region of Fars, extended his proposal to those protesting Israel's actions in its war against Hamas, following clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement across America. "Students and even professors who have been expelled or threatened with expulsion can continue their studies at Shiraz University and I think that other universities in Shiraz as well as Fars Province are also prepared [to provide the conditions]," he said, according to Irainian state-owned outlet Press TV. U.S. students have been facing arrest or expulsion following their actions in support of a ceasefire in Gaza and the divestment of their universities from companies which support Israel.

Iran Denies Banning IAEA Inspectors Ahead Of Grossi Visit | Iran International

Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, again denied that Iran has restricted International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors from entering the country. Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Eslami asserted that “over 130 inspectors are currently permitted to conduct their activities in Iran.” The statement comes amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the IAEA, which escalated in September when Tehran opposed the appointment one third of the inspectors. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said at the time that Iran’s “unprecedented” actions had hindered the agency’s inspection capabilities. “Iran has effectively removed about one third of the core group of the Agency’s most experienced inspectors designated for Iran,” Grossi stated, adding that this impacts the IAEA’s ability to perform effectively. However, Eslami claimed the barred inspectors exhibited "extremist political behavior," justifying Iran’s decision to ban them.

UANI IN THE NEWS

The Gaza Student Protestors Have Emboldened America’s Enemies | UANI Policy Director Jason Brodsky For The Spectator

For the past few weeks, protests have rocked college campuses across the United States over Israel’s war against Hamas. Last night, police raided Columbia University to remove students occupying one of its buildings, while violence has broken out between protesting groups at UCLA in California. The pro-Palestine demonstrators portray themselves as defenders of human rights and social justice – viewing Israel through the warped lens of anti-colonialism and intersectionality. But in reality they have been amplifying the messaging of US-sanctioned terrorist organisations like Hamas. These entities have the blood of Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians on their hands. But none of this seems to bother the protestors. Nor do they seem concerned about the plight of people living under the most repressive governments in the world. Take Iran. A United Nations fact finding mission this year ‘found cases of women and girls subjected to rape and other forms of sexual gender-based violence, including gang rape, rape with an object, electrocution of genitalia, forced nudity, and groping’ during Woman, Life, Freedom protests against the Islamic Republic.

Iran Sanctions Royal Navy Captain Shooting Down Houthi Drones | The National

… Also on the list are Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United against Nuclear Iran. Iran unveiled the punitive measures in a statement from its foreign ministry. The ministry said the sanctions include "blocking of accounts and transactions in the Iranian financial and banking systems, blocking of assets within the jurisdiction of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as prohibition of visa issuance and entry to the Iranian territory".

Analysis | US Wants To Toughen Sanctions On Iran's Missile Program – It Won't Stop Them | Israel Defense

…According to estimates, Iran manages to launder at least 3 billion dollars annually just from the sale of prohibited oil, according to a report by The New York Times. The report stated that sanctions have failed to prevent billions of dollars worth of oil from leaving Iran in the past year. According to the website United Against Nuclear Iran, Iran exported 141.7 million barrels of oil in the first quarter of 2024, marking a 28% increase compared to the same period last year. Increased oil exports boost Tehran's foreign currency reserves and enable it to support its military industry. In addition to oil, which sustains the Iranian missile industry, one can add cryptocurrency theft through cyber attacks. Oil, arms sales, and cyber are revenue channels that Israeli intelligence struggles to confront.

Why Is EU Parliament’s Call To List The IRGC As A Terror Organization Not Addressed Yet ? | European Jewish Press

…According to Kasra Aarabi, an expert on Iran, ”putting IRGC on the EU terror list is an important step to protect the national security, to protect our communities, particularly the Iranian diaspora and the Jewish community because there is a genuine terror threat and because they are not only targeting and conducting terror plots but theyr are also nurturing homegrown Shia islamist radicalization, using the Isis and Al Qaeda methods.” ”However, because IRGC is not proscribed (as a terror group), these activities are not outlawed. The current sanctions regime doesn’t prohibit ther IRGC’s ability to disseminate jihadist propaganda. Proscribing IRGC would help on that front but it is not going to change IRGC’s calculus. The only thing that will change the IRGC’s calculus at this point is targeted strikes against IRGC’s mlitary intelligence assets in the region and inside of Iran,” added Aarabi, a director of IRGC research at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) in London.

NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Iran Files Charges Over BBC Report On Teen Girl Allegedly Killed By Security Forces In 2022 Protests | Associated Press

Iranian prosecutors filed criminal charges on Wednesday targeting activists and journalists following a BBC report that alleged security forces had “sexually assaulted and killed” a 16-year-old girl during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Nika Shakarami's death also sparked widespread outrage at the time. Amini died after being detained by police over allegedly not wearing her mandatory hijab, or headscarf, to their liking. U.N. investigators have said Iran is responsible for the “physical violence” that led to Amini's death. In Shakarami's case, authorities said she died after falling from a tall building, something immediately disputed by her mother, who said her daughter had been beaten.The BBC report published on Monday — relying on what it described as a report written for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard — said Shakarami was detained by undercover security forces who molested her, then killed her with batons and electronic stun guns after she struggled against the assault.

Borrell Urges Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Regional De-Escalation In Call With Iran FM | Iran International

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell urged the need to keep working on nuclear non-proliferation in a phone call with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Iran’s ongoing nuclear program continues to pose one of the world's biggest threats to peace. In April, Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, announced that Iran has significantly moved towards the threshold of being able to produce a nuclear bomb in days rather than weeks. According to his account on X, Borrell also stressed “the importance of restraint and de-escalation in the region,” which has witnessed intense tensions in recent weeks following tit-for-tat military attacks between Israel and Iran. “I explained EU’s sanctions on Iran’s UAVs and missiles,” Borrell wrote on X in reference to the recent bans against Tehran following the regime’s April 13 missile and drone offensive on Israeli territory. Further in his conversation with Iran’s top diplomat, Borrell discussed the case of EU citizens who have been detained in Iran, including a Swedish EU representative, one of multiple diplomatic hostages held in Iran.

U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS

University Of Tehran Professor Says Protesters At US Colleges Will Support Iran In American Conflict | Fox News

A University of Tehran professor said in an interview that Iran likes seeing protests on U.S. college campuses, adding those are their supporters if there is ever a conflict between the two countries. Professor Foad Izadi, who, according to the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy, earned his master’s degree from the University of Houston, was seen in a video published to social media and translated by MEMRI.org, being interviewed about the protests in the U.S. "Sooner or later, this kind of support for the Zionist regime by the American regime will diminish. It might not stop completely, but its diminishing is important," he said in the MEMRI video. "This is why the demonstrations [on U.S. campuses] are important." Izadi spoke as a member of the Islamic Republic, and oftentimes said, "we," referring to him and the republic. "We are watching the demonstrations and like what we see, but it should not end with this," Izadi said. "If not for the Islamic Republic, the case of the Palestinian idea would have been closed years ago. The idea of resistance belongs to Iran, but on the operational level, when it comes to recruiting connections and building networks, the [Iranian] state has not been involved in a sufficient level.

PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS

Women Join Iran's 'Ambassadors Of Kindness' Who Snatch Other Women From The Streets | Sky News

In Tehran's Revolution Square, two women clad in long black full hijab approach another woman, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and a hijab, or head scarf. She tries to walk away, but one of the women in full hijab grabs her by her sleeve and pulls her back, yanking her onto the ground. She is surrounded, wrapped in a blanket and bundled into a white van. The scene is from one of many videos that have been circulating widely on social media in recent weeks, showing incidents of the latest crackdown by Iran's so-called morality police. But this time, another enforcement group is more visibly working alongside the regime - and they are also women. Sky News has analysed dozens of videos showing incidents of authorities' renewed campaign targeting women for not properly wearing their hijab in accordance with the regime's strict sharia law. "Before this new wave of attacks started, I was planning to get rid of some of my longer clothes, because I don't feel comfortable in them," said Leila, an Iranian woman in her 20s living in Tehran. She spoke to Sky News on condition of anonymity.

Iran Commutes Billionaire Babak Zanjani's Death Sentence | BBC

An Iranian billionaire convicted of stealing nearly three billion dollars has had his death sentence commuted to a 20-year jail term. Babak Zanjani was convicted in 2016 of pocketing money from the oil ministry to circumvent US sanctions on Iran. He said he had been unable to hand over the cash because of sanctions on him. The news comes after Iran's judiciary said Mr Zanjani had agreed to work with authorities and his overseas assets had been transferred to Iran. The announcement was made by a spokesperson for Iran's judiciary, Asghar Jahangir, on Tuesday, according to the judiciary-run Mizan News Agency. Mr Jahangir said the decision was taken after a request by the head of Tehran's justice department, and approved by Iran's judiciary chief and the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian media have been speculating over Mr Zanjani's possible release after the judiciary announced in February that Mr Zanjani had agreed to work with the authorities, and that his assets abroad had been identified and transferred to Iran.

Nobel Laureate Pays Tribute To Murdered Iranian Teen | Iran International

The Instagram page managed on behalf of imprisoned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi released a video memorializing Nika Shakarami, a 16-year-old murdered by the Iranian security forces. Shakarami became an icon of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising after her death in 2022 amid the nationwide protests after she was filmed burning her hijab. The post by the Iranian Nobel laureate condemned the actions of the Iranian regime, stating, "Brave Nika, your stature embodies the power of the protesters and the brutality of the aggressors. “What a scandalous regime the Islamic Republic is, arresting and imprisoning women under the pretext of their hair, and sexually assaulting the same women.” A recent BBC investigation unveiled a "highly confidential" document implicating three security personnel in the direct assault and murder of Shakarami. The report detailed a disturbing account of the events leading to her death, including an officer forcefully restraining her while others sexually assaulting her and beating her with batons. Despite her resistance, the sexual assault ended fatally, with the regime later falsely claiming she had committed suicide.

Four Baluch Prisoners Executed In Iran On Drug Charges | Iran Wire

Four Baluch prisoners were executed on April 30 at Birjand Central Prison in South Khorasan Province of Iran. The prisoners have been identified as Mehdi Eshterak, Mohammad Shah Bakhsh, and Mahmoud Gorgij, all from Zahedan. A fourth individual, a woman, remains unidentified. Human rights group Hengaw reported that all four had earlier been sentenced to death for drug-related offenses. The Baluch Activists Campaign confirmed that the Iranian judicial system handed down these sentences. According to a report by Amnesty International, Iran has reached its highest level of death sentence execution in the last eight years, with the judiciary of the Islamic Republic executing 853 people in 2023 alone. The report indicates that 481 executions, more than half of the total, were related to drug crimes. This marks an 89 percent rise in death penalties compared to 2022 when 255 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS

Iranian Hackers Impersonate Journalists In Social Engineering Campaign | Cybersoop

Hacking group linked to the intelligence wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps impersonated journalists and human rights activists as part of a social engineering campaign, according to research released Wednesday by Mandiant and Google Cloud. The news organizations impersonated in the operation include The Washington Post, The Economist and The Jerusalem Post, and Mandiant’s researchers assess that the campaign was carried out by the hacking crew known as APT42. The group also spoofed prominent Washington think tanks, including the Aspen Institute, the McCain Institute and the Washington Institute. According to Mandiant, the Iranian hackers spoofed these organizations in order to send phishing lures to targets meant to harvest their credentials. In other cases, the attackers masqueraded behind generic login pages, file hosting services, and legitimate services like YouTube, Gmail, Google Meet and Google Drive.

Israel’s Iran Strike Bore Some Similarities To Tehran’s 2019 Saudi Arabia Attack | Forbes

Israel’s April 19 strike on Iran’s central Isfahan region was clearly aimed at demonstrating its capability to knock out some of Iran’s most advanced air defense missile systems. Ironically, the way Israel sent this message wasn’t wholly unlike how Iran executed a previous unclaimed attack against Saudi Arabia in 2019. Iran brushed off Israel’s attack on Isfahan, deriding the appearance of quadcopter drones swiftly downed by Tehran’s air defenses. Iran’s foreign minister even dismissed the drones as mere “toys,” stressing they caused no damage whatsoever and the attack was unworthy of any response. However, post-strike analysis confirmed much more than Tehran was letting on. Satellite imagery reviewed by The Economist revealed that an air-launched Israeli ballistic missile had directly hit a 30N6E2 Tombstone radar of a long-range Iranian S-300PMU-2, the most advanced Russian air defense system in Iran’s arsenal, at an Isfahan base. Iran swiftly swapped out the radar for another, which the Economist report notes isn’t interchangeable with the 30N6E2.

IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS

Khamenei Likely To Lose Grip On Parliament In Battle Over Speakership | Iran International

With an approaching run-off election to fill the final 32 parliamentary seats, and three weeks until the new Iranian parliament convenes, a fierce contest ensues among conservatives for the coveted Speaker's position. Like most other developments in Tehran, the battle over the Speaker's seat is seen as a crucial aspect of the broader preparation for the post-Khamenei era. Yet, no one knows for sure why Iranian conservatives are so confident that Khamenei's days are numbered. On one hand, conservative politicians vie fiercely for leadership, yet individual Iranians show apathy towards Majles leadership, evident in their lack of participation in the March 1 election, indicating their distrust in the system. However, the outcome is crucial for Ali Khamenei, who risks losing control if a dissenting figure like ultra hardliner Hamid Rasaei replaces incumbent Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is a relative of the Supreme Leader. Among the candidates for the seat, Ghalibaf, Paydari Party leaders Morteza Agha-Tehrani and Sadeq Mahsouli, as well as outspoken Hamid Rasaei have been pushing their own campaign for the election of the Speaker in the Majles (parliament).

CONGRESS & IRAN

Senators Press Biden Administration On Iran Crypto Mining | The Hill

Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Angus King (I-Maine) pressed the Biden administration on Wednesday for information on how it is addressing Iran’s use of cryptocurrency mining to evade sanctions. “Iran has raised millions of dollars through mining crypto—a steady revenue source that allows it to purchase imports, move funds domestically and internationally, and fund Hamas and other terrorist organizations,” the senators said in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and National security advisor Jake Sullivan. “This ongoing activity by the Iranian government threatens our national security,” they added. Crypto mining, the process of verifying crypto transactions and minting new tokens, has become “increasingly lucrative” for Iran, which is subject to numerous U.S. and international sanctions over its nuclear program, Warren and King said. Bitcoin mining, in particular, funneled more than $186 million onto Iranian crypto platforms between 2015 and 2021, and Tehran was one of the top eight Bitcoin producing countries as of 2021, the pair noted in their letter.

GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN

Sheikh Mansour Discusses Trade With Iranian Minister | The National

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, received Mehrdad Bazrpash, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The two men discussed UAE-Iran co-operation, particularly in terms of expanding bilateral trade, state news agency Wam reported. The meeting, held at Qasr Al Watan, came as the UAE-Iran joint economic commission convened from Tuesday to Wednesday. It comes as the two countries continue to re-engage diplomatically, following the return of the UAE ambassador to Tehran in 2022 after the downgrading of ties in 2016. Iran imported $20.8 billion of goods from the UAE in its last fiscal year, ending in March 2024, according to the country's customs body. Re-engagement with Iran has also been positive across the Gulf, with analysts saying that Saudi Arabia has reaped the benefits of rapprochement.

Iran’s Khamenei Pooh-Poohs Arabs Normalizing With Israel | Times Of Israel

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that efforts underway to forge a normalization of ties between Israel and Arab countries will not resolve the crisis in the Middle East. “Some people think that by forcing neighboring countries to normalize their ties [with Israel] the problem will be solved,” said Khamenei. “They are wrong.” “Palestine should be returned to [Palestinians],” Khamenei said. “They should form their own regime, their own system, then that system should decide how to deal with the Zionists.” Khamenei’s remarks came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said Washington is nearly ready with a security package to offer Saudi Arabia if it normalizes relations with Israel. In Riyadh on a diplomacy trip to the region that also took in Jordan and Israel, Blinken said that the US and Saudi Arabia had done “intense work together” over the past few months towards a normalization accord between the kingdom and Israel, a deal that includes Washington giving Riyadh agreements on bilateral defense and security commitments, as well as nuclear cooperation.

Iran Worried About US Tying Up Saudi Arabia And Israel | Iran International

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned about ‘normalization with Israel’ Wednesday, as US and Saudi Arabia got closer to a bilateral deal that might help Washington's parallel efforts to normalize ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv. The Biden administration has been trying to push Saudi Arabia and Israel to sign a peace agreement for months. A deal was said to be close last summer but it fell apart and effectively died on 7 October 2023, when Iran-backed Hamas rampaged Israeli border areas, killing several hundred civilians, and Israel began its onslaught on Gaza, which has killed at least 30,000 people. Now in his last six months in office, Joe Biden seems eager to somehow revive the pact with Saudi Arabia, even though Israel has rejected any notion of a Palestinian state, which is central to Saudi Arabia’s offer of ‘normalization.’ A trilateral deal, therefore, seems unlikely. But President Joe Biden is hoping that a second-choice bilateral deal with Saudi Arabia would help restrain the Israeli government, further isolate Iran, and keep the door open to a potential deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia at a later date.

dcayabyab Thu, 05/02/2024 - 16:59

Risky Business: U.S. Defense Companies Participate In DIMDEX Alongside Sanctioned Iranian Entities

dcayabyab — Thu, 02 May 2024 15:18:04 +0000

Risky Business: U.S. Defense Companies Participate In DIMDEX Alongside Sanctioned Iranian Entities

(New York, N.Y.) — In March, the Qatar Armed Forces “hosted and organized” the biannual Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) that paradoxically featured major U.S. defense contractors alongside U.S.-sanctioned Iranian officials and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) responsible for the deaths of hundreds of U.S. military personnel – and the U.S.-sanctioned Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

The Iranian entities displayed a variety of drones, missiles, and other arms capabilities that are routinely deployed against the U.S. and its allies. It is unclear whether any of drones or missiles used by Tehran to attack Israel on April 13 were of the variety showcased at DIMDEX.

According to press reports, U.S. allies including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates declined to sponsor a country pavilion. The U.S. did, however, and had its largest ever showing at DIMDEX, which opened its pavilion with remarks from U.S. Charge d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker.

United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) contacted each of the 16 U.S. companies in attendance at the U.S. pavilion including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon, inquiring whether they were aware of the sanctioned Iranian entities’ presence at the conference prior to attendance and would commit to declining sponsorship of any future event where an Iranian delegation is invited and consulting with the U.S. government about the growing threat of Iranian officials gathering sensitive military technology information and intelligence at conferences like DIMDEX.

UANI has yet to receive a response from any of the companies.

Mohammad Ashtiani (in uniform), Iran’s U.S.-sanctioned defense minister, at DIMDEX 2024 (IRIB News)

The letters detail myriad concerns surrounding U.S. companies’ potential interaction with these entities. The U.S. Department of Treasury has noted that “entities affiliated with MODAFL help produce Iranian weapons systems, including UAVs, many of which are transferred to Russia or are provided to Iran’s web of proxy and partner groups to use against U.S., allied, and partner interests throughout the Middle East.”

Tehran reports having sold about $1 billion in weapons from March 2022 to March 2023. These sales are made possible thanks to the international community’s failure to extend the international arms embargo imposed on Iran beyond an arbitrary sunset of October 2020 as prescribed by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). At the time, UANI warned that “France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China have decided to allow Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism and regional aggressor, to lawfully acquire advanced weapons systems from abroad. Restrictions on Iran’s export of arms will also expire. In doing so, they undermine the essential peacekeeping mission of the United Nations.”

To read copies of UANI’s correspondence, please click here.

dcayabyab Thu, 05/02/2024 - 15:18

Teaser Image

IAEA Chief To Visit Iran Next Week As Anxiety Grows Over Nuclear Program

dcayabyab — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:10:36 +0000

IAEA Chief To Visit Iran Next Week As Anxiety Grows Over Nuclear Program

United Nations nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi will visit Iran next week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday, amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and Israel that have led to fears of an attack on a nuclear facility. “We can confirm that Director General Grossi will be in Iran on May 6-7 for meetings with senior Iranian officials,” a spokesman of the International Atomic Energy Agency told AFP. His visit next week comes weeks after a reported Israeli strike in the central province of Isfahan in retaliation for Iran’s first-ever direct attack on Israel. On April 13-14, the Islamic Republic fired a barrage of hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in response to Israel’s alleged killing of Revolutionary Guard generals in Syria. srael, in response, was reported to have struck an airbase near Isfahan in central Iran, damaging a radar defense system. Iran downplayed the attack, saying no link to Israel was found, thus allaying fears of a wider regional war. The IAEA and Iranian officials also said there was “no damage” to nuclear sites in the province.

Iran Summons Crew Of Film Set To Be Shown At Cannes, Bars Them From Leaving Country | Times Of Israel

Iran’s authorities summoned for questioning crew members and actors of an Iranian film due to be shown in the main competition at next month’s Cannes Film Festival, their lawyer said on Tuesday. The people working on “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” by acclaimed director Mohammad Rasoulof were pressured to have it withdrawn from the festival, while the actors were banned from leaving the country, lawyer Babak Paknia posted on social media site X. Rasoulof, who won the Golden Bear, the Berlin Film Festival’s top prize, in 2020 with his anti-capital punishment film “There Is No Evil,” was detained in July 2022. He was released in late 2023 after anti-government protests that began in September 2022 subsided. Paknia wrote on X that some crew members had been “interrogated” this week and last week, while actors on the film had also been questioned and barred from leaving the country.

The Houthis Are Ready To Play Their Part In A Total Iran-Israel War | Newsweek

A senior official of the powerful Yemeni movement already engaged in direct confrontation with Israel and United States forces has revealed to Newsweek that the group is committed to coming to the aid of its Iran-aligned alliance in the event that the ongoing conflicts surrounding Gaza spiral into a major regional war. "As for our defense of ourselves, our region, and those with whom we have alliances, such as the Axis of Resistance," Nasreddin Amer, deputy information secretary for Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, told Newsweek, "we will certainly never stand idly by in the face of any foreign, Western aggression against any country in our Islamic world." Other Axis of Resistance factions, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, have also entered the fray since the conflict in Gaza began nearly seven months ago. Tensions soared significantly earlier this month, however, after Israel conducted a deadly airstrike on a building attached to Iran's embassy in Syria, killing several military personnel, and Iran launched a major direct missile and drone attack on Israel.

UANI IN THE NEWS

Princeton’s Mousavian Mocks Protesters Calling For His Resignation | Iran International

…Omid Iravanipour, a human rights advisor for United Against a Nuclear Iran, also spoke at the rally, slamming the ongoing employment by Princeton of a man so closely linked with a regime that the US says is the world's number one state sponsor of terror. He said “It is appalling that a person that loudly and proudly has praised Qasem Soleimani, one of IRGC’s major commanders who was not only a part of oppression and murder machine of IRGC against Iranian citizens but also responsible for countless murders, injuries and kidnappings of Americans and American allies.” Iravanipour said that under Mousavian's watch as ambassador in Germany, Iranian Fereydoun Farrokhzad was murdered in his apartment in Germany following his involvement in producing an opposition radio program and reportedly, receiving death threats.

Inside Iran’s Deadly Drone Army From Missile-Carrying ‘Messenger Of Death’ UAV To Bomb-Laden Weapon Dubbed ‘Gaza’ | Gist News

…A report last year by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) described Iran’s drones as “a symbol of national pride of resilience” – a propaganda tool to inflate Iran’s military might. “The advancement of its drone program represents a technological triumph for the Islamic Republic,” the report added.

NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM

IAEA Chief Grossi To Visit Iran May 6-8, Mehr Says | Reuters

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is scheduled to visit Iran to take part in a nuclear conference from May 6-8 and meet Iranian officials, Iran's Mehr news agency said on Tuesday. "Grossi will meet Iranian officials in Tehran before participating in the International Conference of Nuclear Sciences and Technologies held in Isfahan," the agency reported. The IAEA chief said in February that he was planning a visit to Tehran to tackle a "drifting apart" in relations between the agency and the Islamic Republic.

SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS

Iran Says Crew Of Seized Portuguese-Flagged Ship In ‘Perfect Health’ | Iran International

The deputy director of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization announced that the crew of the seized Portuguese-flagged container ship MSC Aries is "in perfect health." The ship, linked to an Israeli-owned company, was intercepted by the Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13 amidst heightened tensions with Israel. Ali Akbar Marzban claimed, "all 24 crew members of the ship are in perfect health, and there is no concern regarding their health, hygiene, welfare, and safety." One female crew member from India, initially part of the crew, has been allowed to return home. On Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told his Portuguese counterpart, Paulo Rangel, that consular access has been granted and the crew is expected to be released soon and turned over to their ambassadors in Tehran. The IRGC claims the MSC Aries was violating maritime laws and maintains its seizure was due to the vessel's associations with the country's archenemy, Israel. The ship is reportedly leased by MSC from Gortal Shipping, connected to Zodiac Maritime, which is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.

Iran's Economy Is A Total Mess After Decades Of Sanctions — And Offers A Warning To Putin's Russia | Business Insider

Escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have driven up commodity costs, reignited worries about a flare-up in inflation, and sparked renewed fears of wider conflict in the Middle East. One factor that might avert a regional war is the dismal state of Iran's economy. The country has borne the brunt of Western sanctions for decades, making it tough for Tehran to finance any war effort — and that could be a warning sign for Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine drags on. The US first imposed sanctions on Iran after students seized the American embassy in Tehran in 1979, and has stepped up its efforts considerably more recently. In 2018, Donald Trump decided to pull out of a nuclear agreement between the US and Iran. The then-president said he would put "maximum economic pressure" on Iran, setting the stage for sanctions packages that have pummelled the Iranian economy.

Biden Admin Sanction Waivers Give Iran Access To Billions In Funds To Keep War Efforts Going, Expert Says | Fox News

The Biden administration has allowed billions in sanctions waivers that benefit Iran, with estimated billions more in unsanctioned oil sales, which allows the Iranian government to continue diverting money to its drone factories and funding proxy groups, an expert told Fox News Digital. "What happens when you end up releasing that money is that it goes into the general funds, which can then be used in lots of different ways," Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), explained. "If they are using the sanctions relief to fund their general budget, then ultimately [they] are to the benefit of the IRGC because the IRGC partakes in that regular budget," Schanzer said, noting the Biden administration has often argued that any waivers do not ultimately and directly benefit the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM

UK Committee Examines Counter-Terrorism Policy With Iran Focus | Iran International

The UK Foreign Affairs Committee convened a session Tuesday where experts provided insights on threats posed by Iran as part of the Committee's inquiry into the UK’s international counter-terrorism policy. Those testifying included Younger and University of St Andrews Professor of Iranian History, Ali Ansari. During the initial panel, former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger discussed the evaluation of the UK's counter-terrorism policy, focusing on the global threat landscape and factors contributing to terrorism. Leveraging his experience in intelligence and security matters, Younger emphasized the intricate nature of the global threats and underscored the pivotal role of state sponsorship in amplifying the impact of terrorist activities. When questioned about the complexity added by Iran's involvement with organized crime, Younger emphasized the significant challenge posed when a state supports such activities. “I think all of these do take on a different character if you've got the state behind them.”

U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS

US Voters Reject Iran Nuclear Talks, Blame Tehran For Oct. 7 – Poll | Iran International

A large majority of US voters say Iran is responsible for the attack on Israel, including Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, according to the latest Harvard CAPS-Harris poll. This month's poll, conducted by The Harris Poll & HarrisX, highlighted several issues regarding Iran, with the results reflecting a nationally representative sample. Answers from over 2,000 registered American voters show that the majority see US negotiations with Iran to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions as futile. While a strong majority agreed that Iran is a danger globally and should be stopped from having nuclear weapons, about 67% (2 in 3 voters) said that negotiating with Iran would not work, as Tehran will violate any deal. Notably, skepticism over a deal with Iran over its nuclear program increased with age, with 83% of those above the age of 65 saying that Tehran would violate any deal. Almost 70% of voters believe that sanctions and isolation are the best way to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS

The Guardian View On The Women Of Iran: Still Resisting Repression | The Guardian

The protests that exploded across Iran following Mahsa Amini’s death in custody in September 2022 were a turning point. The young Iranian-Kurdish woman had been detained by the “morality police” for “improper hijab”. Not only did young women take to the streets and cast off their scarves in fury, but parents and grandparents came too. The protests were strikingly socially diverse. Critically, men joined the cries of “woman, life, freedom”. The regime reacted with predictable fury, killing hundreds and arresting thousands. It succeeded in suppressing the demonstrations. But many women refused to return to obeying the strict dress code. It was inevitable that the Iranian leadership would strike back. Its quarrel is not only with women’s liberties, but with the precedent set for defiance. It is determined to crush opposition as it crushed the street protests, with a court sentencing a popular rapper to death – not for violence but simply dissent. Toomaj Salehi, courageous in supporting the nationwide protests in 2022, was found guilty of “corruption on Earth”. He had previously been sentenced to six years over his role, before being freed by a court citing a technicality.

Iran Commutes A Tycoon's Death Sentence To 20 Years In Prison | Associated Press

Iran’s judiciary said Tuesday that it commuted a death sentence for a tycoon to 20 years in prison after he returned around $2.1 billion in assets from illegally selling oil abroad, the official IRNA news agency reported. Babak Zanjani, 48, was sentenced to death in 2016 over a number of charges, including money laundering, forgery and fraud that disrupted the country’s economy. IRNA quoted judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir as saying that an appeal for amnesty by Zanjani was reviewed and his death sentence was "commuted to a 20-year prison term after approval by the Supreme Leader.“ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all state matters and occasionally issues pardons. Jahangir said as part of Zanjani's 2016 sentence, he had the right to an amnesty or commutation of his death sentence if he returned the assets, compensated for damages and expressed regret for wrongdoing.

Iran Executes Two Kurdish Prisoners | Iran Wire

The Islamic Republic has carried out the executions of two Kurdish prisoners, amid a significant increase in the country's use of death penalty. On April 30, Kurdish prisoner Faramarz Moradi, 31, was executed in Ardabil Central Prison, according to HANA Human Rights Organization. Moradi was arrested on drug-related charges four years ago and sentenced to death by the Iranian judicial system. Anwar Khezri, a Kurdish religious prisoner from Mahabad, was also executed on April 30 in Ghezelhesar prison after 15 years of imprisonment. This follows the recent executions of his co-defendants, Davood Abdollahi, Qasim Abeste, Ayoub Karimi, and Farhad Salimi, who were all held in the same prison. Khezri's family was denied a final meeting despite being notified at the last minute about his transfer to solitary confinement on the day before his execution.

MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS

Iran Conducts Naval Drills With Missile-Corvette Amid Gulf Maritime Tensions | Al-Monitor

Iran's armed forces carried out a series of naval drills on Monday, in what officials said was a show of "power and preparedness" in safeguarding the Persian Gulf waters. Dubbed the "Parade of Authority," the exercise marked Persian Gulf National Day and involved the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the regular army and the national police, as their units came together in the strategic Khor Musa channel, near the southwestern energy-rich port city of Mahshahr. During inauguration speeches aired by the national broadcaster, commanders and local officials referenced Iran's mid-April attack on Israel, in which the IRGC launched over 300 drones and missiles in retaliation for an Israel-blamed strike that killed seven senior officers inside the Iranian Consulate in Damascus earlier in the month. "Our forces will not allow any foreign country, especially the Zionist regime, to make an appearance in the Persian Gulf area," warned IRGC Adm. Mohammad Sharif Shirali, while another commander spoke of "darkness and hardship befalling any aggressor who takes any wrong step in the Persian Gulf."

Ex-Unit 8200 Senior Officer: Israel Still Trouncing Iran In Real-World Cyber Impacts | Jerusalem Post

Israel is still routing Iran in the real world impacts of cyberattacks, even if the Islamic Republic has rallied to cause increased harm to Israeli websites and through its social media influence campaigns, former IDF Intelligence Corps Unit 8200 Col. (res.) and Team 8 Chief Ideation Officer Bobby Gilburd said. Speaking to The Jerusalem Post following Team 8’s recent report relating to artificial intelligence (AI) and business issues, he said, “We need to separate the psychological campaign” from the campaign to damage actual physical world functions. Gilburd had been asked to address a series of Iranian cyberattacks discussed in comprehensive detail by former deputy National Security Council chief Chuck Freilich in his INSS book The Iranian Cyber Threat.

NORTH KOREA & IRAN

US And EU Eye North Korea-Iran Military Cooperation | Voice Of America

The United States and the European Union say they are keeping their eyes on Pyongyang and Tehran for any possible military cooperation between the two as Iran confirms a North Korean delegation's visit to the country. The U.S. "will use all available tools, including interdiction and sanctions, to address such activities," a State Department spokesperson said in an email to VOA's Korean Service on Friday. An EU spokesperson on the same day told VOA Korean that it is also "following closely Iran-DPRK relations and their potential cooperation that could indeed be concerning on certain issues if it violates existing U.N. sanctions." North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Pyongyang announced through its state-run KCNA that it sent a delegation led by its External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong Ho to Iran on April 23. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that a North Korean delegation visited Tehran last week to discuss bilateral trade, according to Reuters.

RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN

Iran's Hold On Syria Strong Despite 'Withdrawals' After Israeli Attacks | Al-Monitor

Iran has pulled some of its forces out of bases in Damascus and southern Syria, according to various media outlets and war monitors, as a precautionary measure in the wake of the Gaza conflict and the corresponding escalation in Israeli attacks on Iran and its allies. The reports have in turn spurred speculation over a shift in Iran’s broader Syria policy that may create opportunities for the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to revive normalization with fellow Arab states. Many analysts, however, say that the reports are exaggerated and that Iran has merely pulled out top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders who are being targeted in Israeli precision strikes. If anything, Iran’s dependence on its Shiite militia allies in Syria has increased, and Assad shows few signs, if any, that he can afford an Iranian withdrawal, and as such, the potential for a wider conflagration of the Gaza conflict that would suck in Syria cannot be discounted. The reports of a thinning of the Iranian presence, notably around Daraa and Quneitra close to the Golan Heights, follow the suspected April 1 Israeli attack in Damascus on what Iran said was a diplomatic compound that was therefore protected by the Vienna Convention.

OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Cameron Warns Diplomatic Break With Iran Would Weaken Diplomacy With Tehran | The National

Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said that Britain must not label Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorists as this would end diplomatic relations and would result in him sending messages to Tehran “via France”. Lord Cameron also stated that indirect messages sent to Iran from countries which did not have diplomatic relations, including America, led to him frequently being requested by the Iranians to explain what they meant. Asked by the House of Lords international relations committee if the IRGC should be proscribed as a terrorist group, Lord Cameron said this would immediately end diplomatic relations. He argued that in times of crisis, especially with the Israel-Gaza war, it was vital that he could pick up the phone and speak to Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

dcayabyab Wed, 05/01/2024 - 20:10

The Gaza student protestors have emboldened America’s enemies

dcayabyab — Wed, 01 May 2024 17:59:39 +0000

The Gaza student protestors have emboldened America’s enemies

Source Link

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-gaza-student-protestors-have-emboldened-americas-enemies/

dcayabyab Wed, 05/01/2024 - 17:59

Princeton’s Mousavian Mocks Protesters Calling For His Resignation

dcayabyab — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:32:14 +0000

Princeton’s Mousavian Mocks Protesters Calling For His Resignation

Source Link

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404305145

dcayabyab Wed, 05/01/2024 - 15:32