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TOP STORIES
China is cutting some of its oil trade with Iran after
vowing for months to resist U.S. sanctions on the exports, providing
Washington with an unexpected boost to its efforts to isolate the
Islamic Republic.
Washington has imposed sanctions on the militant group
for decades. But a new wave this year appears to be more serious
about targeting Hezbollah's top leadership as well as businessmen and
companies that Washington says are funding the group.
UN inspectors are examining more than 2,500 AK-47 rifles
and other guns seized by the crew of a U.S. destroyer off the coast
of Yemen to determine whether the weapons originated in Iran or
Somalia. U.S. authorities said they invited the UN inspectors on
board on October 25 to determine whether the weapons provide proof
that Iran is smuggling arms to allied Shi'ite Huthi rebels that are
battling the Yemeni government in a four-year civil war.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC
NEWS
At many banks, November 5 will be a scary day. That's
when broad US sanctions are set to be re-imposed on Iran, thereby
placing new pressure on its struggling economy and increasing the
regime's desperation for hard currency. A crucial side effect of this
effort has gotten too little attention: Iran will likely attempt to
skirt these sanctions through cyber enabled money laundering - and
banks will be a prime target.
The Trump administration, days before imposing sanctions
aimed at the heart of Iran's economy, is wrestling with a decision
critical to its pressure campaign: How hard to push European allies
to cut off the country from the global banking system. Treasury
Secretary Steven Mnuchin signaled that the U.S. may not force
Belgium-based financial-messaging service Swift to disconnect Iranian
banks from the global banking network.
The international group that monitors money-laundering
worldwide said on Friday Iran had until February to complete reforms
that would bring it into line with global norms or face consequences.
The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force said after a meeting of
its members that it was disappointed that Tehran had failed to act on
nine out of 10 of its guidelines despite pledges to make the grade.
Iraq will prioritise its own interests and independence
when it comes to helping the United States enforce sanctions against
Iran, new Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Thursday.
China's government has told at least two of its state
oil companies to avoid purchasing Iranian oil as the U.S. prepares to
impose sanctions on the Persian Gulf state, according to people with
knowledge of the matter.
Crippling sanctions on one of the Middle East's largest
economies has major ramifications for businesses in the region
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
While marking the 35th anniversary of a horrific
Hezbollah bombing in Beirut, President Trump thrilled the military
crowd in attendance by extolling his crackdown on Iran
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
When journalist Pouyan Khoshhal penned an article about
the potential health risks to Iranians of a major Shi'ite pilgrimage
to neighboring Iraq, he might not have guessed that it could cost him
his job and land him in jail. Yet the text has apparently drawn
criminal blasphemy charges over a reference to Shi'ite Islam's Third
Imam for Khoshhal, who has previously been a target of hard-line ire.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation
in Iran, Javid Rehman, presented his report in his first mission, in
front a UN panel in New York on Wednesday, with the United Kingdom,
United States and the European Union criticizing the increase in
executions and suppressions inside the Islamic Republic.
UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and
Expression David Kaye slammed Iran for its treatment of journalists
in a speech before the UN Third Committee October 23.
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS
US President Donald Trump has said all sanctions against
Iran lifted by the 2015 nuclear deal will be back in "full
force" from November 5 and promised more in the future to
prevent Tehran from developing the world's deadliest weapons. In May,
the Trump administration withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear
deal and re-imposed a series of tough sanctions on Iran, citing the
Islamic nation's 'malign activities'.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Iranian authorities are considering to permits for
street performers, but musicians say it goes against the very
spontaneous nature of their work.
As the economy has continued to slide under renewed US
sanctions, Iranians have found a smattering of products, like diapers
and tomatoes, in short supply. But perhaps the most difficult of all
items to get one's hands on? A European visa. From taxi drivers to
university students, more Iranians are thinking of leaving the
country for a better life free from the pressure of sanctions.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
President Donald Trump has signed legislation imposing
new sanctions against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist group
behind the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings.
In a recent report on the implementation of UN Security
Council Resolution 1559, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
expressed "deep concern" that Hezbollah militias still
retain significant military capabilities beyond the control of the
state and called on the Lebanese government to take all necessary
measures to prevent the party from acquiring more weapons.
It is unacceptable that Lebanon would abandon Nizar
Zakka, a Lebanese national held in Iran on sketchy charges, while the
world's countries have rallied over the case of Jamal Khashoggi, who
isn't even their citizen.
CYBERWARFARE
Twitter has published an archive of over 10 million
posts originating from just a few thousand anonymous Russian and
Iranian accounts, which included attempts to promote Jeremy Corbyn to
UK audiences by disparaging British Jews' fears about antisemitism.
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