Let's talk Iran - Feb 11, 2021
NUCLEAR
Iran Has Started Producing Uranium Metal, in Violation of 2015 Accords, IAEA Says
Iran has produced a material that is banned under the 2015 nuclear accords & could be used to form the core of a nuclear weapon, as it seeks to step up pressure on the Biden admin to lift economic sanctions on Tehran. LINK
France warns Iran against further nuclear breaches, jeopardising diplomacy
France warns Iran against further 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) breaches, referring to an IAEA report saying Tehran had produced uranium metal. Iran has also warned it could block later this month short-notice inspections of its nuclear facilities. LINK
Russia urges Iran to show ‘restraint’ over production of uranium metal
Moscow says that while it understands Tehran’s motives and the ‘reasons prompting’ further step away from 2015 nuclear deal, it wants Iranians to be ‘responsible’ LINK
Iranian Official Confirms Regime’s Propaganda Strategies Along With Nuclear Objectives
State media quoted Iran's Intel Minister Mahmoud Alavi as saying that if Western powers “push Iran in that direction, then it wouldn’t be Iran’s fault” if it acquires nuclear weapons capability. LINK
TERRORISM
Arab Coalition intercepts Houthi drone targeting Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait
The Arab Coalition announced late Wednesday night that its forces had intercepted and destroyed an explosives-laden drone launched by the #Iran-backed Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia. LINK
The Arab Coalition also reported it has intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militia targeting Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia. LINK
US to continue pressure on Iran-backed Houthis for attacks in the region: Report
“We condemn the Houthi attack today at the Abha International Airport, a Saudi Arabian civilian airport. The attack coincides with Special Envoy Lenderking’s first trip to the region,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at the White House.
“The Houthis, meanwhile, continually demonstrate a desire to prolong the war by attacking Saudi Arabia, including attacks on citizens,” Psaki said. LINK
Iranian diplomat nabbed over dissident murder plot in Turkey
Astaff member of the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul was arrested for helping the mastermind of the murder of Masoud Molavi Vardanjani in 2019 in the city, Sabah newspaper reported. Muhammad Reza Naserzadeh, 43, is accused of forging travel documents for Ali Esfanjani, the alleged mastermind of the killing, to smuggle him to Iran. LINK
State-Run Media Reflect Mullahs’ Infuriation and Desperation Over Assadi’s Conviction
In recent days, Iran’s state-run media have been reflecting the regime’s desperation, failure, and infuriation over the conviction of mullahs’ incarcerated diplomat-terrorist Assadollah Assadi. LINK
MEDDLING
Beirut was 'lucky', says German firm clearing blast-hit port
After a blast of historic proportions at Beirut's port last year, Lebanon only escaped a second chemical inferno by chance, the German company clearing the dockside has said.
Michael Wentler, a chemical expert managing Combi Lift's Beirut operation, said thousands of litres of dangerous substances stored in decaying containers for more than a decade at the port had turned the area into a minefield of chemical hazards. LINK
HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran’s January Executions Reaffirm the Longstanding Need for Pressure on Human Rights
In the first month of 2021, Iran's regime carried out the execution of at least 27 prisoners in line with its 40 years of human rights violation. Statistics on this topic are often incomplete, as the Iranian judiciary is notorious for its secrecy and it tends to formally acknowledge only a portion of the total number of executions. LINK
Two female activists in Iran receive 10 years for their activities
Two female activists in the cities of Tehran and Sanandaj received a total of ten years in jail for promoting human rights in Iran. Faranak Jamshidi and Soha Mortezai were sentenced for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression. LINK
ECONOMY
Iran’s Economic Crisis – What Is the Cause?
The economic crisis in Iran has been the focus of media attention around the world, with the regime and its apologists blaming foreign sanctions, but the Iranian Resistance states that the problem lies with the regime itself and even some regime officials have backed up the stories of economic mismanagement and institutionalized corruption. LINK
Iran Labor Union: workers can’t afford meat, rice and legumes
A representative of a state-affiliated labor union in Iran said workers could not afford meat, rice, and other basic foods even if their wages were increased 100-fold.
Yet the regime continues to fund, Assad, Hezbollah, Hamas, and its nuclear/missile programs. LINK
A look at Rouhani’s “economic breakthrough”
When Iran 's government officials try to divert the public outrage toward “foreign enemies” and things such as U.S. sanctions—as President Hassan Rouhani claimed in September saying “the root of the problem is in Washington, D.C., and called on the people to “turn their rage toward the White House”— fed up Iranians rightfully answer by saying: “Our enemy is right here, they’re lying that it’s the U.S.” LINK
PROTESTS
Iranians Continue Protests; at Least Four Rallies and Strikes on February 10
On Wednesday, February 10, people across Iran held at least four rallies and protests in various cities. Residents of Lorestan province staged two gatherings, venting their anger at the regime in its entirety. LINK
Round up of Iran Protests: February 6-8
Reports from Iran show protests have continued within the last few days. These protests once again indicate the Iranian society’s restiveness & indicate how people consider the regime as the real source to Iran’s economic & social crisis. LINK
OTHER
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Truth behind killing of Iran nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh revealed
Top nuclear expert was killed by the Mossad, who used a one-ton remote-controlled gun smuggled into Iran piece by piece over eight months. Jacob Nagel, one of Israel’s most senior defence officials who acted as Benjamin Netanyahu’s national security adviser, said: “The Mossad had documents proving that Fakhrizadeh had worked on several nuclear warheads, each one able to cause five Hiroshimas.
“He was serious. He still meant to do what he planned. So someone decided that he had had enough time on earth.” LINK