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TOP STORIES
Iranian women, who have been banned from soccer stadiums
in the Islamic republic since 1980, have taken their protest to the
globe's biggest sporting event: the World Cup. For the first time in
the tournament's history, female soccer fans staged demonstrations
inside a stadium, hoisting posters against the ban during Friday's
match between Iran and Morocco in Russia's cultural capital.
Iran's oil exports fell sharply in the first two weeks
of June, offering an early signal that U.S. President Donald Trump's
re-imposition of sanctions may be discouraging some buyers.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has blamed foreign
media for the recent economic turbulence in his country and lamented
the fact that Iranians trust foreign outlets more than domestic
ones.
NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iranian President Hassan Rohani plans to visit Austria
and Switzerland next month, the two European countries said on July
18, amid continued uncertainty over the future of the 2015 nuclear
agreement between Tehran and world powers.
Ex CIA Director, retired General David Petraeus said on
Sunday that he welcomes the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear
deal. Speaking at an event in Israel, the former top US spy said the
move will lead to much greater pressure on Iran, not just in areas
covered by the nuclear deal, but also the Islamic Republic's
missile program and Tehran's malign activities across the Middle
East.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
French carmaker Renault will maintain its presence in
Iran despite the risk of penalties for breaching renewed US
sanctions, CEO Carlos Ghosn said Friday. "We will not abandon
it, even if we have to downsize very strongly," he told
shareholders at the annual shareholders' meeting in Paris, since this
would give the company an advantage "when the market
reopens."
In a sign of the 180-degree turn in America's Iran
policy under President Donald Trump, the United States has formed a
joint team with Israel to enforce economic sanctions against Tehran.
The German government has set up a special office to
advise companies worried about their business dealings with Iran amid
fears they'll be targeted for U.S. sanctions.
Even with Iran threatening to block an increase in
OPEC's oil production, Saudi Arabia still has options.
The world's fastest-growing oil consumer is guzzling
down Iranian crude before US sanctions start squeezing supplies from
the Persian Gulf nation.
SYRIA, RUSSIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Syrian state media said on Monday that U.S.-led
coalition aircraft had bombed an army position in the east, causing
deaths and injuries, but the U.S. military denied it was responsible.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told his
weekly cabinet meeting that he spoke over the weekend with both
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo, reiterating to them the importance of booting Iran out of
Syria.
Israel will strike against Iranian efforts to entrench
itself militarily throughout Syria, and not only along the
Syrian-Israeli border, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian
President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over
the weekend.
The recent skirmishes between Israel and Iranian forces
in Syria raise important questions about the "rules of the
game," interests, and red lines of the primary players.
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran has executed a member of a Sufi order who rammed a
bus into police as they tried to disperse a rally, killing three of
them. The official website of the judiciary says Mohammad Salas was
hanged early Monday. Salas had testified in March that he was trying
to get away from the clashes and had not intended to harm anyone. The
clashes broke out in February when supporters of Sufi leader Nourali
Tabandeh rallied outside his home, fearing his possible arrest.
A spate of violent antigovernment demonstrations have
rocked Iran in recent months, challenging the clerical establishment
that has forbidden public dissent and has a history of cracking down
harshly on unauthorized protests... In a move intended to placate
protesters, the government on June 11 approved a proposal by the
Tehran City Council to designate 12 specific locations where
authorized protests can be held in the capital. The initiative,
however, is widely seen as an attempt by the government to control
such protests.
Authorities in Tehran cancelled plans to allow families
to watch Iran's World Cup football opener against Morocco on Friday
in the stadium and public parks of the Islamic republic's capital.
The Islamic republic is thought to be the only country in the world
that refuses to allow fans to gather in open public spaces for the
World Cup, possibly due to opposition to the idea of men and women
watching together.
TERRORISM/EXTREMISM
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was allowed
to use the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport as their base of
operations by Hezbollah, according to a Washington Times report on
Friday. The report stated that the IRGC are playing leading roles in
many of the ongoing wars that are going on in the Middle East, such
as in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN
Arab coalition aircraft bombarded Houthi fighters holed
up at the airport of Yemen's main port Hodeidah on Monday as a senior
alliance official said he hoped U.N. diplomacy could coax the
Iran-aligned movement to cede the city to "save the
population."
The Yemeni army shot down an Iranian-made drone that
belongs to the Houthi rebels over Hodeidah province, reported the
state-run Saba news agency.
Houthi rebels are threatening to blow up the airport
terminals of Yemen's key port city of Hodeidah, said a spokesman with
the government forces. Lt Omar Saleh, spokesman for the Yemeni Army's
former elite Al Amalikah brigades - rebuilt with the help of the
United Arab Emirates - said two Houthis who had been detained during
fighting had admitted that the Iran-backed group was planning to
destroy the terminals if government forces pursued their offensive on
Hodeidah.
OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The U.S. is getting its way through coercive sanctions.
It would be helpful to show the allies some respect.
Reviewing current regional circumstances, Jordan
announced deciding to not send an ambassador to Iran and opt for
operating the Jordanian embassy with minimum staff.
A short video published online by the Fayez family of
Jordan reveals the fragile web of relationships King Abdullah must
balance to keep his throne.
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