January 30, 2020. Iran (and Turkey) now find
themselves in the minority in the Middle East when it comes to their support of
the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. In
fact, amid impeachment, a major trade agreement with China, and a major trade
agreement with Canada and Mexico, we shouldn’t lose sight that an amazing thing
just happened—a plan for peace between Israel and a new Palestinian state, and
supported by the countries of the Middle East (not counting Iran and Turkey). These past two weeks have been so surprising
and important, and may harbor a turn from the last ten years of growing world
authoritarianism. For the point about
the other Middle East states not reacting loudly or violently to the
announcement two days ago, see stories such as, “Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, UAE welcome Trump peace plan,” Omri Nahmias, Jerusalem Post, January 29, 2020. Finally,
we’ll see how Iran responds. Based on
the past 40 years, they won’t turn, and won’t release their support of
terrorism. Or at least cut back, yet.
January
30, 2020. Iran abused the rule and role of
INTERPOL and put out a red notice to arrest one of Iran’s most popular rappers,
who was in Turkey, after he began criticizing the Iran government. See “Iranian Rapper Detained in Turkey Faces Deportation,” Carlotta Gall, New York Times, January 30, 2020.
January 30, 2020. For all those persons out there who didn’t
know much about the Quds Force or its real activities (malign), including
ordinary Iran people, here is a great story about how the Regime is finally
lifting the veil on Quds and Soleimani. “Iranian Media Confirm Quds Force Involvement In Foreign Conflicts,” Golnaz Esfandiari, Radio Farda, January 30,
2020. Here is part of the story: “Concerning also are the images being
released by the Supreme Leader’s office, including one in this story, about the
slain Soleimani being embraced after death by Hussein, grandson of Muhammad, in
essence thanking him for his murderous acts and embracing him in the Islamic
heaven. Here is part of the story: “Iran’s hard-line establishment is trying to
ensure through a state propaganda campaign that the foreign operations branch
of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its assassinated commander
are not forgotten. Major General Qasem
Soleimani -- the late commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force -- was targeted and
killed by a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on January 3. Since then, Tehran’s conservative clerics and
hard-line media have been paying tribute to the memory of “Martyr Soleimani,”
as he’s now referred to in Iran. One
apparent part of the campaign is a recent report published by the hard-line,
semiofficial Fars News Agency -- which is affiliated with the IRGC. It details some of the origins and operations
of the once highly secretive Quds Force that Soleimani had commanded from 1998
until his death. The two-part report
focuses on the so-called “fighters without borders,” a term used by Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to refer to the elite Quds Force and its work as
the IRGC’s foreign-operations branch. Significantly,
the report outlines the secret involvement of the Quds Force in a series of
foreign conflicts that Tehran previously has been discreet about. Those conflicts include the 1992-1995 war in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, described by Fars as the “first serious battlefield” of the
Quds Force. These also include conflicts
in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and Syria. Fars reported that the Quds Force has had “an
impact” upon what it called “the axis of resistance” against Israel in
countries that include Yemen. successes,”
said Afshon Ostovar, an assistant professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in
Monterey, California. “In order to make
Soleimani’s legacy meaningful, they have to expose some of what he was involved
in,” Ostovar told RFE/RL. Ostovar
concludes that the Fars report marks “an interesting turn for Iran and the IRGC
because, just five years ago, some of this stuff was not acknowledged at all.” It says the Quds Force countered the Taliban
in Afghanistan during the 1990s and then worked against U.S.-led forces in
Afghanistan after the collapse of the Taliban regime in late 2001. It also claims that in 2008 during a
three-week conflict between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Quds
Force provided militants from groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad with
“rocket parts” that were smuggled through Sudan and Egypt. The report also includes a rare admission
that the Quds Force, widely credited in Iran with fighting Islamic State extremists, helped Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad suppress street protests against his government. “With the coordination of Quds Force
officials, experts from the [Iranian] police became involved in teaching and
educating Syrian police in how to deal with street riots,” the report said. “Some equipment” also was given to Syrian
police to help control crowds of anti-Assad demonstrators, it says. An online information campaign that boosted
Soleimani’s profile during his life and contributed to his image as an Iranian
national hero has continued since his death.”
January 29, 2020. Here is an example of taking a
fake narrative and trying to spread it widely. The lie was spread that he chief CIA agent overseeing U.S. efforts against Iran, including the killing/stopping of Quds Force General Soleimani, was on the crashed plane in Afghanistan. “Iranian media: CIA agent behind Soleimani killing shot down in Afghanistan,” Seth Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, January 29, 2020. But see “US recovers remains from Afghanistan plane crash, verifying identities: Defense official,” Reuters, CNBC, January 28, 2020.
January 28, 2020. Smart. The Iran-backed militias and parties are smart to say "I didn't do it" after they saw how Soleimani was held to account. “Pro-Iran Parties in Iraq Distance Themselves from Latest US Embassy Attack,” Hamza Mustafa, Asharq Al-Awsat, January 28, 2020.
January 27, 2020. I’m not against Prince Charles
going to Iran, as long as he asks the Iranians in a public appearance there to
release the following UK-related hostages:
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Morad Tahbaz, Kamal
Foroughi, Aras Amiri, Kameel Ahmady, and Anousheh Ashouri. So, we’ll see if the trip is for pleasure,
history, the environment, or if an attempt is made to save the lives of
hostages. “Britain's Prince Charles wants to visit Iran: Sunday Times,” Reuters, January 25, 2020. See
“Iran’s ‘hostage diplomacy': All the known detainees with British links,” The
Telegraph, October 5, 2019, for a list and description of these particular
hostages.
January 27, 2020. “Why chameleon cleric Muqtada al Sadr has abandoned Iraqi protesters for Iran,” Tom
Rogan, Washington Examiner, January 27, 2020.
So why is al-Sadr switching sides (again)? It probably partly because he sees an
opportunity, partly because the lynchpin Soleimani is removed, and probably due
to large amounts of financial corruption. “In
one of the latest developments in Iran's relations with Muqtada al-Sadr,
"Following the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani and Hashd
al-Sha'bi deputy head Abu-Mahdi al-Muhandis in early January, Iran is following
a new plan to strengthen its influence in Iraq in collaboration with Lebanon's
Hezbollah," Fararu wrote, adding that Sadr will be one of the pillars of
this new arrangement. The report says, "The reason for the change in
Iran's policy about its relations with some Iraqi groups were the developments
in Iraq during the past months, particularly the events that took place
following the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. During this period,
some political figures who were close to Iran or were Iran's allies, including
Nuri al-Maliki, Hadi Ameri and Massoud Barzani were not able to play an
effective role in guiding or controlling developments in Iraq." They were
also not able to play an effective part in the crisis about electing a new
Prime Minister after Abd- al-Mahdi's resignation. "Not only these figures
and some other groups were not able to shape the developments, but they also
were another factor leading to the continuation of the protests," the
report said.” See “Iran Forming New Alliances In Iraq As Al-Sadr Realigns His Policy Toward Tehran,” Radio Farda, January
25, 2020.
January 26, 2020. The NYT provides a helpful investigation into what happened during the three days of lying to the world by Iran about the downing of the commercial airplane, such as the Tehran airport (answerable to the IRGC) turning planeloads of unsuspecting travelers into human shields because they kept the airplanes arriving and departing when expecting the U.S. to maybe attack. But the article fails in two large ways. First, it does not explain why Pres. Rouhani refused to visit the crash site, just 30 miles outside of Tehran, during those three days. He could have easily seen the truth with his own eyes. Second, and most telling, the NYT correctly points out that the Supreme Leader was told the very first day that the plane had been shot down by the IRGC. BUT the NYT does not discuss nor explain the Leader being the perpetuator of the lie. NYT does point out that after three days the Leader tells the IRGC to make their announcement, but the NYT does not point out that the Leader is the keeper of the lie and directed that the truth not be told for as long as possible. He would have allowed it to continue except for growing internal domestic pressure from the masses and from accurate information coming from the U.S. and the international community. Finally, Pres. Rouhani had threatened to resign unless the IRGC revealed the shoot-down--the article does not explore how the Leader responded to this threat. What was discussed on this behind multiple closed doors in Tehran? See “Anatomy of a Lie: How Iran Covered Up the Downing of an Airliner,” Farnaz Fassihi. New York Times, January 26, 2020.
January 26, 2020. But what journalist Gilbert does not report was that it didn’t really matter that the President didn’t know—the Supreme Leader did know, from the first day. A president in Iran has very little power—it is the Supreme Leader who is supreme, and he allowed the lie to go on for three days and would have allowed it to continue but for strong international growing questions and condemnation, and the Iranian people beginning to grow restless. “Iran's military knew it accidentally shot down a passenger plane moments after it happened, and a stunning new report details how it was covered up — even from Iran's president,” Ben Gilbert, Business Insider, January 26, 2020.
“Three rockets hit US embassy in protest-hit Iraqi capital,” AFP, January 26, 2020.
January 25, 2020. Another example of Iran being willing to
negotiate (per the FM, not the Supreme Leader), but only if the U.S.
will change first. Which means stopping
sanctions. “Iran's Zarif Says Tehran Still Willing to Negotiate With the U.S.,” AP, Haaretz, January 25, 2020. The article says, “Iran is not ruling
out negotiations with the United States even after an American drone strike
that killed a top Iranian general, the country's foreign minister said in an
interview released Saturday. Mohammed Javad Zarif told Germany's Der Spiegel
magazine that he would “never rule out the possibility that people will change
their approach and recognize the realities,” in an interview conducted Friday
in Tehran. There has been growing tension between Washington and Tehran since
in 2018, when President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the
nuclear deal with Iran. The U.S. has since re-imposed tough sanctions that have
crippled Iran's economy. But Zarif suggested Iran was still
willing to talk, though reiterated his country's previous demand that first the
U.S. would have to lift sanctions. “For us, it doesn’t matter who is sitting in
the White House, what matters is how they behave,” he said, according to Der
Spiegel. “The Trump administration can correct its past, lift the sanctions and
come back to the negotiating table. We’re still at the negotiating table.
They’re the ones who left.”
January 25, 2020. “Iran has capacity to enrich uranium at any percentage: nuclear agency," Reuters, January 25, 2020. Here is the story—“Iran has the
capacity to enrich uranium at any percentage if Iranian authorities decide to
do so, the deputy head of the country’s nuclear agency said in a report posted
on its website on Saturday. “At the moment, if (Iranian authorities) make the
decision, the Atomic Energy Organization, as the executor, will be able to
enrich uranium at any percentage,” Ali Asghar Zarean said. Iran said earlier
this month it would scrap limitations on enriching uranium, taking a further
step back from commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers, but
pledged to continue cooperating with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Since Iran took
the latest step in reducing commitments to the accord, the country’s stock of
uranium produced has passed 1,200 kilograms and it will quickly be added to the
stock of enriched uranium, Zarean said.”
January 25, 2020. Let’s think about this. Iran complains that the U.S. turns away at
Logan Airport a college student and puts them pack on a plane toward Tehran. But these complaints of “inhuman” treatment
come from a regime that shoots its own citizens point blank during protests, downs
an airliner due killing almost 200 to incompetence, and jails its own citizens
of minority religions and those of foreign nationality in Evin Prison. Who is acting “inhuman” here? On top of that, Abadi’s immediate family has
close ties to the IRGC. See “Iran condemns 'inhuman' US treatment of its nationals,” Al Jazeera, January 25,
2020.
January 24, 2020. Another statement from a national figure that
aligns with the stated message and purpose of this blog. “Iran has to act like a ‘normal country’ if it wants to be treated like one, says Saudi foreign minister,”
CNBC, January 24, 2020. Adel al-Jubeir, Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia, said at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland, that Iran has to change its behavior before Saudi Arabia would be
willing to sit down and have a dialogue with them. “The Iranians have to show good faith, the
Iranians have to change their behavior and their policies.” … “They
can’t give missiles to terrorist groups and they can’t attack facilities in
other countries and expect the world to deal with them in a rational manner. If they want to be treated as a normal
country, they should act as one. … “They’re the ones who’ve attacked ships,
they’re the ones who attacked oil facilities in the Kingdom.”
“Iran’s regime sentences Christian convert to prison for “insulting Islam”,” Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post,
January 24, 2020.
January 24, 2020. Systemic discrimination against religious
minorities including Baha’is continues in Iran.
The Regime has removed the option for "other religions" from
the new application forms for the Smart National ID cards. Thus, Baha'i citizens
are being denied obtaining ID cards. Article
13 of the Constitution states that "Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian
Iranians are the only recognized religious minorities, who, within the limits
of the law, are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies, and to
act according to their own canon in matters of personal affairs and religious
education." So, Baha’is are now a
target, again. See “Iran Eliminates 'Other Option' Of Religious Affiliation For Citizens' IDs,” Radio Farda, January 24,
2020.
January 24, 2020. I will agree with Pres. Rouhani and some of
the “reformers” that the Guardian Council’s striking of applicants for the
upcoming Parliament elections is bad for democracy. But Iran, of course, doesn’t have a
democracy. Here are two articles. “High turnout in Feb. election will depend on competitive atmosphere: Rouhani,” Tehran Times, January 24, 2020, and “Iran’s Reformists Criticize Guardian Council for Disqualifying Election Candidates,” Asharq Al-Awsat, January 24,
2020.
