January 20, 2020.  The Iran government needs to speak with one voice on matters of importance such as the downing of the Kiev-bound Boeing 737 by the Russian Tor-M1 missiles launched by Iran.  Here is one clear message—let’s hope the Leader and President downward will agree.  “A Ukrainian passenger plane that crashed after taking off from the Iranian capital on Jan. 8 was downed by two short-range surface-to-air missiles, Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said in a second preliminary investigation report.”  See “Iran Says Ukrainian Jet Was Downed by Two Short-Range Missiles,” Arsalan Shahla, Bloomberg, January 20, 2020.

“Jailed British-Australian Kylie Moore-Gilbert rejected Iran's offer to work as a spy,” Ben Doherty, The Guardian, January 20, 2020.

“Iran’s Bid to Integrate With Globa lEconomy Coming to an End,” Marc Champion, Bloomberg, January 19, 2020.

“The Commander Who Was Behind A Bloody Massacre In Iran,” Morad Veisi, Radio Farda, January 20, 2020.

“Ukraine presses for return of Iran plane black boxes,” Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, January 20, 2020.

January 20, 2020.  Remember, Iran greatly influences the Houthis in Yemen.  “At least 80 Yemeni soldiers attending prayers at a mosque were killed and 130 others injured in ballistic missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen reported Sunday.  The attack happened in the province of Marib on Saturday at a mosque at a military camp, in what Yemen’s President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi condemned as a “heinous” and “cowardly terrorist operation committed by the Houthis.””  See “80 soldiers killed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen,” CNN, Oklahoma News 4, January 19, 2020.

January 20, 2020.  Iran, through numerous authoritative voices, told us the revenge attacks against the U.S. were over.  I guess they weren’t leveling with us.  The new Quds Force leader Esmail Qaani is now on record.  “Iran’s new Quds leader vows ‘manly’ revenge for Soleimani killing,” January 20, 2020.

“The 'Oman File': Inside the Mossad's Alliance With Muscat, Israel's Window Into Iran,” Yossi Melman, The Hill, January 20, 2020.

January 20, 2020.  PM Zarif, on behalf of the Supreme Leader and IRGC, has made a serious threat to the U.S., the UN, and to the Middle East.  Iran is blackmailing the world, that it will back out of nuclear nonproliferation promises it has made if the UN examines whether Iran has violated its agreements under the JCPOA.  See “If nuclear issue is referred to U.N., Iran will pull out of the NPT: Iran foreign minister,” Reuters, January 20, 2020.

See also, “Iran says it will quit global nuclear treaty if case goes to U.N.,” Babak Dehghanpisheh, Reuters, January 20, 2020.

January 20, 2020.  I think this is fairly widely-known among Iran followers, but Iran refuses when convenient to recognize dual citizenship, most often in cases of hostage taking and criminality.  Now it is doing the same to try to avoid paying damages for the Canadians and other persons on the plane shot down by the IRGC.  “Iran considers dual nationals on downed Ukrainian plane to be Iranians – TV,” Reuters, Nasdaq, January 20, 2020.  Similar but with some additional information, “Iran Considers Dual Nationals оn Downed Ukrainian Plane to Be Iranians,” VOA, January 20, 2020.

“Iran's Foreign Minister Cancels Attendance at Davos Summit,” AP, New York Times, January 20, 2020.