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Top Stories
AP:
"U.N. inspectors looking into allegations Iran worked on nuclear
arms cautioned Monday that - despite progress this weekend - their
long-stalled probe still had a long way to go to determine whether such
suspicions are valid. Iran says it does not want such arms, and agreed
Sunday to answer some questions on suspicions that it worked on a
detonator that could set off a nuclear charge. But senior inspector Terjo
Varjoranta said Tehran's concession was only 'the first step,' with many
issues remaining. Varjoranta's International Atomic Energy Agency raised
concerns about detonator development three years ago. Back then, the
agency said such technology had 'limited civilian and conventional
military applications' and was a matter of concern 'given their possible
application in a nuclear explosive device.'" http://t.uani.com/1f9DUzr
NYT:
"Iran's government committed to providing information on detonators
for the first time on Sunday as part of a new series of
confidence-building measures it agreed to with the United Nations'
nuclear watchdog. The measures include additional inspections of known
nuclear sites and clarifications on questions the watchdog organization,
the International Atomic Energy Agency, has asked Iran for years, the
semiofficial Iranian Students' News Agency reported. Under the agreement,
Iran will provide more access to and information about uranium mines near
the city of Yazd, a facility near the city of Ardakan, laser production,
and its heavy-water reactor near Arak... The agreements, made between
Iran and the agency over the weekend, need to be completed by May 15.
However, the agency failed to negotiate access to the Parchin military
facility, south of Tehran, where the United States suspects explosives
have been tested. In 2006, Iran twice allowed inspectors access to the
site, but refused entry after that. In an interview with state
television, one of Iran's top negotiators, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi, emphasized that a nuclear deal would in no way mean a
normalization of ties with the United States. 'We have problems with the
U.S.A. over dozens of issues, such as the Palestinian issue, issues
related to the Middle East, the Syrian issue, human rights, seeking
hegemony, global hegemony, and issues related to excessive demands and
bullying,' he said. 'All these are still there. Nothing has changed. The
U.S.A. is still the Great Satan in our view.'" http://t.uani.com/1fTzyOy
TradeWinds:
"They say money can't buy happiness but it turns out there are a lot
of things it can buy, like a public pardon from a US advocacy group
called United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). Well, kind of. TradeWinds has
learned that affiliates of Greek mogul Victor Restis recently agreed to
make a $400,000 donation to the US non-profit under a broader effort to
repair the damage caused by a name and shame campaign aimed at
Enterprises Shipping & Trading (EST). In exchange, under the terms of
a tentative settlement struck late last month on the back of meetings
with UANI chief executive Mark Wallace in Manhattan and Abu Dhabi the
organisation planned to issue a press release stating the Greek operator
and its subsidiaries: 'Have in place a comprehensive written compliance
policy which strictly prohibits them from doing any business in or with
the Islamic Republic of Iran or its agents and instrumentalities.'
According to documents tied to a defamation lawsuit against UANI and
emails between its lawyers, Wallace and George Sarris, president of EST
affiliate Golden Energy, the organisation walked away from the settlement
soon after the parties agreed on the size of the tribute and other key
provisions. In a letter sent to the judge assigned to the case the
non-profit's attorneys said their client pulled the plug after finding
evidence that some of the plaintiff's vessels recently called on Iran,
which led it to believe the 'representations' about the compliance policy
were 'utterly untrue'. In addition, had the parties proceeded with the
settlement UANI claims it would have been forced to "falsely
represent" that EST and its affiliates commissioned an internal
audit in which investigators determined that Restis and his associates
had never violated international sanctions." http://t.uani.com/1ge5i2I
Nuclear Program & Negotiations
Politico:
"Rand Paul wants President Barack Obama to seek congressional
approval of any further nuclear deal with Iran. While Paul is a rare
Senate Republican that has declined to antagonize the president
legislatively on the issue, the Kentucky lawmaker wrote Obama on Thursday
seeking answers on what Congress's role will be as diplomatic negotiations
continue with Iran. 'On a foreign policy issue of this magnitude, it is
my strong belief that any further agreement - be it interim or final -
that lifts statutory sanctions on Iran should require approval by the
Congress before taking effect. Please let me know if it is your intent to
seek this approval for any subsequent interim or final deal,' Paul said
in the letter, which was also addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry
as well as the leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
'The intent of Congress was not simply to allow the President to waive
all the sanctions in perpetuity at his behest,' Paul said in the letter.
'Like you, I am hopeful a peaceful resolution can be reached. However, in
the course of those negotiations, it is both my hope and expectation that
the Congress will continue its role as an integral participant in our
foreign policy toward Iran.'" http://t.uani.com/1dC8T6k
AFP:
"Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei renewed his
confidence in President Hassan Rouhani Saturday, demanding tolerance from
opponents who have criticised him over talks with world powers on
Tehran's controversial nuclear programme... Without touching directly on
the nature of those disagreements, Khamenei said 'critics must exercise
tolerance when it comes to the government.' 'It has only been a few
months since the government has taken the reign,' Khamenei told
commanders of Iran's air force in remarks reported by one of his
websites, leader.ir. 'The statesmen must be given time to push forward
strongly with their plans,' said the supreme leader, who has the final
say on all key state affairs, including the nuclear dossier." http://t.uani.com/1oaTx1n
Bloomberg:
"Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the U.S. of
hypocrisy and of seeking to undermine his country's independence in a
speech to air force commanders in Tehran, the state-run Fars news agency
reported. 'The Iranian nation should pay attention to the recent
negotiations and the rude remarks of the Americans so that everyone gets
to know the enemy well,' Khamenei said as the Islamic Republic prepares
to celebrate the 35th anniversary of its formation on Feb. 11... 'The
Americans speak in their private meetings with our officials in one way,
and they speak differently outside these meetings,' Khamenei added. 'This
is hypocrisy and the bad and evil will of the enemy.'" http://t.uani.com/1ehUBYu
Times of Israel:
"Iranian state TV on Friday ran a documentary featuring a
computerized video of Iran's drones and missiles bombing Tel Aviv, Haifa,
Ben Gurion Airport and the Dimona nuclear reactor in a hypothetical
retaliation for an Israeli or American strike on the Islamic Republic.
Iranian drones and missiles are also shown carrying out simulated strikes
on the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, downing American
aircraft and striking American military targets in the Persian Gulf. The
clip was broadcast amid a clear escalation of anti-American rhetoric and
even action by Iran: On Saturday, an Iranian admiral announced that Iran
had despatched warships to the North Atlantic, while Iran's spiritual
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced the Americans as liars who, while
professing to be friends of Iran, would bring down his regime if they
could. He also said it was 'amusing' that the US thought Iran would
reduce its 'defensive capabilities.'" http://t.uani.com/1d7mC9r
Free Beacon:
"A top Iranian naval commander threatened to destroy U.S. warships
and kill American soldiers just a day after Iranian vessels approached
U.S. waters for the first time in history. 'The Americans can sense by
all means how their warships will be sunk with 5,000 crews and forces in
combat against Iran and how they should find its hulk in the depths of
the sea,' Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the commander of the elite Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, was quoted as saying Sunday in the
regional press. Fadavi issued these threats just a day after Iranian war
vessels were reported to have approached U.S. maritime borders. 'Iran's
military fleet is approaching the United States' maritime borders, and
this move has a message,' Iranian Admiral Afshin Rezayee Haddad was
quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars News Agency. Iran dispatched
the war fleet in 'response to Washington's beefed up naval presence in
the Persian Gulf,' where American ships are stationed to help keep
international shipping lanes safe, according to the report." http://t.uani.com/1h4be1F
Sanctions
Relief
WSJ:
"The U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions enforcement office issued
an amended general license on Friday that widens the authorization to
export communication tools and services to Iran... The amended license
expands on rules granted in May 2013 that allowed Americans to export 'to
persons in Iran' things such as mobile phones, satellite phones, radio
equipment, modems, laptops, anti-tracking software and anti-censorship
tools, along with support systems for their use. Under the amended
license, the exports can be made by foreigners and 'to Iran,' rather than
merely to Iranians, according to an FAQ page. 'We are committed to
promoting the free exchange of information in Iran and to enabling
individuals in Iran to communicate with each other and with the outside
world,' said a Treasury spokeswoman in an email. 'We'll continue to
support our commitment to promoting freedom of information while
continuing to aggressively enforce our Iran sanctions.' The amended
license allows for exports of certain fee-based hardware and software by
a U.S. company located outside the country to Iran, so long as it's not
subject to export control regulations. It also clarifies an
authorization, allowing someone traveling between Iran and the U.S. to
carry certain items, like smartphones. Lastly, the license added a new
authorization for certain no-cost software to be able to reach the
Iranian government." http://t.uani.com/M5eXyi
AFP:
"Iran's oil ministry said Sunday it is preparing a new type of
contract that would be more attractive to major oil companies in case of
the lifting of international sanctions... A committee formed at the oil
ministry to iron out the new type of contracts is expected to finish its
work by May or June, ministry official Mehdi Hosseini who heads the team,
told reporters. The new contracts would replace buyback types under which
contractors funded projects and got paid in the form of an allocated
production share -- a system applied for more than 20 years in Iran. 'The
reality is that these contracts were one-sided and only beneficial to
Iran. Foreign companies were complaining,' Hosseini said. Without giving
out details, he said the new contract would be 'very close to what is
practiced at international level to provide maximum flexibility in all
areas, including operation, cooperation and bureaucracy.' Once ready, the
new contract would be presented to international companies at a major
conference expected to be held in London in November, he said." http://t.uani.com/1bNFw4v
Bloomberg:
"OAO Lukoil, Russia's second-biggest oil producer, is in talks with
Iran's Oil Ministry about returning to the Islamic Republic to develop
assets, Moscow's envoy to Tehran said, according to Iran's Mehr News
Agency. Russian Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan said Lukoil was ready to
resume work in Iran's oil and gas sector after economic sanctions are
removed, state-run Mehr reported today. Moscow-based Lukoil abandoned its
work in Iran in March 2010, citing pressure from U.S.-imposed economic
sanctions... Dzhagaryan was addressing reporters in a meeting with the
head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce when he made the comments, according
to Mehr." http://t.uani.com/1dC5Uus
Sanctions
Enforcement & Impact
WSJ:
"A trade show on this Iranian resort island in the Persian Gulf
underscores the challenges facing businesses hoping to re-engage with the
world after the easing of sanctions. The International Energy Exhibition,
held over four days last month, was decidedly un-international: One
Italian executive mingled with mostly Iranian exhibitors, many of whom
were trying to buy or sell Western-made oil-field equipment. 'It's just
us Iranians,' said one exhibitor. 'There's hardly any foreigners.' Much
of the equipment on display was obtained in violation of international
sanctions, so it commanded exorbitant prices, having made its way through
various countries to get to Kish." http://t.uani.com/1ehKgM1
FT:
"US warnings against doing business with Iran have left companies
confused about whether they can work in the Islamic republic, even in
sectors where international sanctions have been loosened, according to a
senior official in Tehran. Abbas Sha'ri, Iran's deputy oil minister and
head of National Petrochemical Company, said foreign banks and insurance
companies were uncertain about which transactions were allowed... 'Our
understanding is that there is no obstacle to the transfer of money and
technology [to the petrochemical sector], but US politicians keep saying
sanctions are still in effect, which makes those who wish to work with us
hesitate,' Mr Sha'ri told the Financial Times. 'A gate has partially
opened, but no one knows how to navigate through the new route. Each side
has a different interpretation.' ... Iran's petrochemical exports to
Europe were about 3 to 4 per cent of total exports before the imposition
of sanctions but were now negligible, Mr Sha'ri said. He added that sales
to other countries were continuing but, because of sanctions, about 50
per cent of the foreign exchange revenues from our exports were 'stuck in
the banks of countries such as India, China, South Korea and Japan.' ...
Currently the only foreign production partner is SCG, of Thailand, which
has a contract with a polyethylene company worth about €300m." http://t.uani.com/1oaOTQK
Terrorism
WashPost:
"Scores of bodies have been dumped in Iraq's canals and palm groves
in recent months, reminding terrified residents of the worst days of the
country's sectarian conflict and fueling fears that the stage is being
set for another civil war. In the latest sign of the escalating attacks,
the heads of three Sunnis were found Sunday in a market in northern
Salaheddin province, while six Shiites were shot dead in the province
after being questioned about their religious affiliation, officials said.
The carnage has raised concerns that the Shiite militias that stalked
members of the minority Sunni population in the dark days of 2006 and
2007 could be remobilizing, in response to attacks by Sunni extremists.
Members of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, an Iranian-backed Shiite group responsible
for thousands of attacks on U.S. forces during the Iraq war, admit they
have ramped up targeted killings in response to a cascade of bomb attacks
on their neighborhoods... Michael Knights, an analyst with the Washington
Institute, said it was obvious that Shiite militias played a role in the
security forces. 'They can bring a very sectarian approach to security,
but within the cover of the security forces, which is more worrying than
militias that operate openly and illegally,' he said. The Badr
Organization, formed by exiled Iraqis who fought on Iran's side during
the Iran-Iraq war, is particularly active in the security forces' ranks,
Knights said. An Iranian proxy known as Kataib Hezbollah is also
increasingly active, he said." http://t.uani.com/Ntvpta
Human Rights
ICHRI:
"At a February 4 speech at a gathering of university chancellors and
heads of educational and research centers, Iran's President Hassan
Rouhani asked the Iranian academic world, 'Why is the university silent?
Why should a bunch of illiterate individuals who get paid from certain
sectors talk, but the eminent, the academics, and our professors are
silent? Why is it that when an international event takes place, the
professors write private letters to the president? Why don't you shout?
Why don't you enter the scene? We need a Socrates-like attitude. Those
who participated in the Geneva talks and negotiated are also from among
the academics and are considered our university professors.' The next
day, February 5, Mohammad Maleki, the 80-year-old former Chancellor of
Tehran University, wrote an open letter to Hassan Rouhani, stating that
his practice of not keeping silent has brought the wrath of Iran's
Intelligence Ministry not only on himself, but also on his family, who
have been persecuted and deprived of social rights due to his years of
political activism." http://t.uani.com/1bETDG7
Domestic
Politics
WSJ:
"When Iranians tuned into state television for a day of special
holiday programming recently, they were treated to a remarkable sight-for
the Islamic Republic, anyway. There, for all to see, was a performance by
Avaye Parsian, a traditional Persian music band. It was the first time a
full band had played instruments on state TV since 1979, when the Iranian
revolution ushered in an arch-conservative Islamist regime that deemed
such displays too irreverent for television. Before the day was out there
was more: The Pallett, a popular contemporary music band, appeared on a
late-night show called Radio 7 in an equally daring way for a jazz or
rock band. They didn't actually play instruments, but they did
exuberantly pretend to-air band style... In subtle ways, Iranians said
Mr. Rouhani's government has tried to ease the most zealous enforcement
of Islamic codes and create space for more personal expression in
public... His new culture minister, Ali Jannati, is the son of one of the
Islamic Republic's most powerful hard-line clerics. But he, nonetheless,
is widely credited with helping promote the new atmosphere of tentative
experimentation and cautious envelope-pushing. Building on Mr. Rouhani's
small steps will be one important measure of his ability to maintain
popular support while negotiating the removal of sanctions in return for
reining in Iran's nuclear program." http://t.uani.com/Ntm4S2
Reuters:
"The first state budget proposed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
has sailed through parliament, handing him a political victory as he
seeks to build domestic support for international negotiations on the
country's nuclear program. Parliament approved on Sunday a budget bill
worth 7,930 trillion rials ($319 billion at the official exchange rate)
for the next Iranian calendar year, which starts on March 21, official
media reported. The budget slows growth in spending in an effort to
repair state finances that have been ravaged by economic sanctions.
Expenditure is to rise about 9 percent from the original budget plan for
the current year - not nearly enough to keep pace with inflation, which
is running near 40 percent." http://t.uani.com/MFcxpV
Reuters:
"The article on Iran's semi-official Fars news agency appeared
routine: the minister of roads and urban development said the ministry
does not have a contract with construction firm Khatam al Anbia to
complete a major highway heading north from Tehran. Two things made it
stand out: Khatam al Anbia is one of the biggest companies controlled by
the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and company head Ebadollah
Abdullahi had said just three days earlier that it did have the contract.
The December report was one of a series of signs that President Hassan
Rouhani, who came into office last August, is using the political
momentum from a thaw with the West over its nuclear program to roll back
the Guard's economic influence. Existing government contracts with the
Guards have been challenged by ministers and some, like the highway
contract, that were left in limbo when Rouhani succeeded the more
hardline Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have been rebuffed." http://t.uani.com/1npFrG0
AP:
"Hard-line Iranian lawmakers are accusing President Hassan Rouhani
of halting a scheduled missile exercise, the state news agency said
Sunday. IRNA reported that 24 members of parliament said in a statement
that the Supreme National Security Council, headed by the president,
stopped the annual test and did not approve its budget. In a separate
letter, the lawmakers accused Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of
preventing foreign experts to assist Iran with its missile technology,
the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. It did not elaborate.
Western officials in the past have accused Iran of obtaining missile
technology from North Korea." http://t.uani.com/1iR3D3i
Foreign Affairs
Reuters:
"Iran's Supreme Leader said on Saturday the United States would
overthrow the Iranian government if it could, adding Washington had a
'controlling and meddlesome' attitude towards the Islamic Republic,
Iranian media reported... 'American officials publicly say they do not
seek regime change in Iran. That's a lie. They wouldn't hesitate a moment
if they could do it,' he was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars
news agency... He added: 'Our (hostile) stance toward the United States
is due to its controlling and meddlesome attitude.'" http://t.uani.com/1eJBVHb
AFP:
"US diplomats on Friday walked out of the ceremony to celebrate
Tunisia's new constitution after Iran's representative made 'false
accusations' about Washington undermining the Arab Spring uprisings, the
embassy said. In his address to the National Constituent Assembly (NCA),
Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani accused arch foes the United
States and Israel of seeking to thwart the pro-democracy uprisings that
swept the region in 2011. 'What was intended to be a ceremony honouring
Tunisia's achievements was used by the Iranian representative as a
platform to denounce the United States,' the embassy said in a statement.
'The US representatives present at the NCA departed the ceremony due to
the false accusations and inappropriate comments made by the Iranian
representative present regarding the United States.'" http://t.uani.com/MFdK0n
AP:
"The U.S. delegation to the ceremony celebrating Tunisia's new
constitution walked out during remarks from the speaker of Iran's
parliament. While congratulating Tunisia on its constitution, Ali Larijani
slammed the U.S. and Israel for working against Arab Spring revolutions
and called the Jewish state a 'cancerous tumor' in the region. The U.S.
statement said its delegation departed because Larijani's remarks were
'false accusations and inappropriate comments.'" http://t.uani.com/1f9AlcL
AFP:
"Iran on Sunday denounced what it called Pakistan's inability to
secure its own borders after five Iranian soldiers were kidnapped and
taken into its eastern neighbour by Sunni extremists. 'We are unhappy
with the Pakistani government over the abduction of our guards and their
transfer to Pakistan,' Fars news agency reported quoted police chief
Esmail Ahmadi-Moghadam as saying. Jaish-ul Adl, the rebel group formed in
2012 whose name in Arabic means Army of Justice, has said it was behind
the kidnapping in Iran's restive southeast province of
Sistan-Baluchestan. The group posted pictures on its Facebook page it
said were of the soldiers, handcuffed and being held in an unknown
location." http://t.uani.com/1ggDOJI
Opinion &
Analysis
Camelia
Entekhabifard in NYT: "Last March, I sublet my
Manhattan apartment. A woman called Shireen answered my ad, and when she
came to visit I was surprised to learn that, despite her traditionally
Persian name, she was Indian. Mentioning this, Shireen replied, 'But I am
Persian! I'm Zoroastrian.' In India, she explained, Zoroastrians are
called Parsis (literally, 'Persian') in reference to their Persian
ancestry. Zoroastrianism was Iran's primary religion until the
mid-seventh century, when Islam was imposed on the country by conquering
Arabs. Many Zoroastrians fled to India to avoid forced conversion and
discrimination. Today, Iran counts some 30,000 Zoroastrians; those who
practice openly face persecution and are considered second-class
citizens. Still, I urged Shireen to visit Iran and explore her heritage.
But my encouragement was a painful reminder that I, born and raised in
Iran, hadn't been back in 14 years. After being arrested and jailed in
1999 for reporting critically on the government, I fled to write and work
freely. I wasn't certain I could visit anytime soon. Feb. 11 marks the
35th anniversary of the revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi, in power since 1941, and established an Islamic state. Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the revolution and subsequently became Iran's
religious and political leader for life, promised justice, democracy and
the rule of law. In an attempt to eliminate what he perceived as Western
corruption, Ayatollah Khomeini mismanaged the economy, setting back
development and widening the gap between rich and poor - while engaging
in a devastating eight-year war with Iraq. The missteps continued under
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who beat the anti-Western drum despite
harsh sanctions that left many Iranians impoverished. In the 35 years
since the revolution, millions of Iranians have emigrated. Some left
seeking freedom of expression, others to escape religious persecution or
even execution. Of the approximately 100,000 Jews in Iran at the time of
the revolution, only 20,000 remain. They, like Shireen's ancestors, no
longer felt welcome in their homeland. Today, despite promises by the new
president, Hassan Rouhani, to protect the freedom of ethnic and religious
minorities (and the appointment of an aide to focus on their affairs),
the persecution continues. Baha'is, the country's largest non-Muslim
religious minority, are widely referred to as infidels and prohibited
from practicing openly; their children can not attend university." http://t.uani.com/1bNQsz4
Christopher
Griffin in RCW: "Director of National Intelligence
James R. Clapper warned Congress last Tuesday that Iran's technical
progress toward building missile-deliverable nuclear weapons 'makes the
central issue its political will to do so.' President Obama issued his
own warning that evening, telling Congress that he would veto legislation
imposing new sanctions if Iran continues its nuclear program. Although
Obama promised that he will be 'the first to call for more sanctions and
stand ready to exercise all options' if diplomacy fails, the United
States is quickly losing ground in its contest of wills with Tehran.
Under the Joint Plan of Action announced in November 2013, Iran is
committed to only a tactical pause at the nuclear threshold, no more than
two months away from a nuclear weapon. A recent report found that even if
Tehran irreversibly dismantled 80 percent of its 19,000 installed
centrifuges as part of a final agreement, Tehran could still be just six
months away from the bomb. For his part, Iranian President HassanRouhani
has rejected even these lenient terms, declaring that Iran will not
dismantle any of its centrifuges 'under any circumstances.' The interim
deal has also allowed Iran to catch its breath from crippling
international sanctions. Ignoring the U.S. position that 'Tehran is not
open for business,' Iran hosted more trade delegations during the first
two weeks of 2014 than all last year, and its economy is showingmarked
signs of recovery. As both Iranian and European negotiators propose
extending the interim period envisioned by the Joint Plan of Action,
Tehran's leaders are confident that they can bank on at least a year to
erode sanctions. Iran is cashing in on its growing prestige. In the
months since the Joint Plan of Action was announced, Iran has developed
more capable next-generation centrifuges to enrich uranium, worked with
its proxy Hezbollah to smuggle anti-ship missiles into Lebanon, continued
its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's war against the Syrian
people, and attempted smuggling weapons to militants in Bahrain. As
Iran's leaders prepare for the next round of talks, American diplomatic
missteps risk bolstering their confidence as much as the lenient terms of
the interim deal. Iran is fully engaged in Syria, where President Obama's
2013 'red line' debacle over Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons attacks
has come full circle. It is now clear that Assad will neither meet the
deadlines set in the U.S.-Russian plan for destroying his chemical
weapons, nor relent from his slaughter of Syrian civilians. While even
Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly admitted that U.S. policy is
failing in Syria, the administration has not articulated any meaningful
response toAssad's rope-a-dope strategy toward Washington's diplomatic
outreach. Tehran can also see Washington's tepid response to Russia's
apparent violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
by flight testing a new ground-launched cruise missile. The White House
has avoided publicly acknowledging this violation of a keystone arms
control agreement for fear of jeopardizing future talks to reduce nuclear
arms with Russia - talks that the Russians have already rejected. As long
as Iran believes that the White House values diplomatic process over
real-world outcomes, there is little reason for it to believe that Obama
has the political will to 'exercise all options to make sure Iran does
not build a nuclear weapon.' The American critics of this failing policy
must develop their own plan of action, committed to rolling back Iran's
nuclear program... Congress should also articulate the minimum acceptable
terms for a comprehensive agreement. Even if Iran yields from its
no-dismantlement position, the United States should not accept a bad deal
that leaves Iran just several months from the bomb. One immediate step
that Congress can take is to call on the Obama administration to define
Iran's 'practical needs' for a civil nuclear program, and why uranium
enrichment is as uneconomical for Iran as it is dangerous for the
world." http://t.uani.com/1jqdocn
Bill Roggio in The
Long War Journal: "The US Treasury Department added
to its list of global terrorists today three Iranian Revolutionary Guard
Corps-Qods Force officers and one 'associate' who are involved in the
'use of terrorism and intelligence operations as tools of influence
against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.' The
designations of the Iranian Qods Force officers were among a series of
sanctions by Treasury today that targeted 'a diverse set of entities and
individuals located around the world for evading U.S. sanctions against
Iran, aiding Iranian nuclear and missile proliferation, and supporting
terrorism.' In addition to the four Qods Force officers and facilitators,
the US also added an Islamic Jihad Union facilitator based in Iran who
supports 'Qaeda's Iran-based network' and its leader, Yasin al Suri. [See
LWJ report, Treasury Department identifies another Iran-based facilitator
for al Qaeda.] The designation of the four Qods Force operatives
'underscores Tehran's use of terrorism and intelligence operations as
tools of influence against the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan,' Treasury stated in its press release. The Qods Force officers
were identified as Sayyed Kamal Musavi, Alireza Hemmati, Akbar Seyed
Alhosseini, and Mahmud Afkhami Rashidi. While not directly stated, the
four men are likely members of the Qods Force's Ansar Corps, the command
that is assigned to direct operations in Afghanistan. In August 2010, the
Ansar Corps was identified by Treasury as supporting Iranian operations
in Afghanistan. Musavi is described as an 'Afghan associate' who served
as a 'facilitator and operational planner' to help Qods Force 'plan and
execute attacks in Afghanistan.' He is currently held in custody,
presumably by the International Security Assistance Force. The date and
location of his arrest was not disclosed. 'Musavi assisted the IRGC-QF
[Qods Force] in conducting surveillance and planning terrorist attacks in
Afghanistan in 2010 prior to his arrest,' Treasury stated. 'Musavi
operated in Kabul and was part of an attack cell targeting an Afghan
official and was apprehended with associates, who were at the time
carrying large quantities of explosives and detonators.' Hemmati was
described as 'an IRGC-QF chief for Afghanistan-focused operations
conducted by the IRGC-QF, who provided key logistics support' for and
'worked closely with' Musavi. 'Hemmati worked closely with Musavi while
Musavi plotted attacks in Afghanistan, having sent supplies from Iran to
Musavi and arranged travel documents for him,' Treasury stated. 'Hemmati
is pressing for Musavi's release from detention.' Alhosseini is
identified as 'a key IRGC-QF officer who oversees the group's activities
in Afghanistan' and who once served as Qods Force's 'chief' of its Herat
office. He provided 'travel documents and logistics' for other Qods Force
officers, including Musavi. Rashidi is 'a high-ranking IRGC-QF official
within the elite IRGC-QF operations unit working in Afghanistan' who was
designated for his attempts to influence 'Afghan politicians who are
sympathetic to Iran to strengthen the Iranian power base in Kabul.'
Iranian officials are known to bribe Afghan politicians. In 2010, Afghan
and Western officials accused Iran's ambassador to Afghanistan of
supplying President Hamid Karzai with 'cash by the bagful,' according to
The New York Times. The US has previously designated other Qods Force
officers, including General Hossein Musavi, Colonel Hasan Mortezavi, and
General Gholamreza Baghbani, for aiding the Taliban. General Musavi is
the commander of Qods Force's Ansar Corps, 'whose responsibilities
include IRGC-QF activities in Afghanistan,' Treasury stated in the Aug.
3, 2010 designation. 'As Ansar Corps Commander, Musavi has provided
financial and material support to the Taliban.' Colonel Mortezavi, who
was designated the same day as General Musavi, was described as a senior
Qods Force officer who 'provides financial and material support to the
Taliban.' General Gholamreza Baghbani, the head of Qods Force's branch in
the Iranian city of Zahedan, was added to the US' list of Specially
Designated Narcotics Traffickers on March 7, 2012 for supporting heroin
and opium smuggling in Iran and Afghanistan 'as part of a broader scheme
to support terrorism.' The Iranian general supported the drug smugglers
in order to arm the Taliban in Afghanistan." http://t.uani.com/1npKN42
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