January 17, 2020.  Question of the day—“What did the Supreme Leader know, and When did he know it?”  We can ask this question because the Leader has now led Friday Prayers for the first time since 2012, and we can read his text from today.  Specifically, on Day One of the plane shoot-down, did the IRGC tell him?  Did he stay silent, lying to his people and the world?  Or did he not find out about it until after Day Three?  Al Jazeera has the relationship correct—“After denying a role in the plane crash, the Revolutionary Guards, an elite military force answering directly to Khamenei that acts as guardian of the Islamic Republic, admitted on January 11 that one of its air defence operators mistakenly shot down Ukraine Airlines International flight 752.”  Because the IRGC answers directly to the Leader, if they lied to him you would think that he would dismiss and arrest the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps officials involved, including the Chief of the IRGC Hossein Salami.  “Iran’s Khamenei defends Revolutionary Guard in Friday sermon,” Al Jazeera, January 17, 2020.

“‘Make Iran Great Again!’: Trump hits back after Khamenei’s gibe,” Matthew Choi, Politico, January 17, 2020.

“Analysis An Iranian Nuclear Breakout? Not So Fast,” Amos Harel, Haaretz, January 17, 2020.

“Iran and its allies still claim, without proof, that scores of U.S. troops were killed in missile strike,” Adam Taylor, Washington Post, January 17, 2020.

“‘You are lying’: Iran’s top leader slams U.S. in rare appearance,” Amir Vahdat and Joseph Krauss, AP, Christian Science Monitor, January 17, 2020.

“Khamenei Says Iran’s Strikes at U.S. Targets Show ‘Hand of God’,” Reuters, New York Times, January 17, 2020.  The quote is "The fact that Iran has the power to give such a slap to a world power shows the hand of God."  

“Iran’s supreme leader called Trump a ‘clown’ as he delivered Friday prayers for the first time in 8 years amid growing unrest over the Flight 752 disaster,” Mitch Prothero, Business Insider, January 17, 2020.

“Iran says it’s been banned from hosting international soccer,” AP, January 17, 2020.