Eye on Iran: Iran's Secret Weapons-Smuggling Air Routes to Lebanon Revealed by Intel Sources

TOP STORIES Iran's Secret Weapons-Smuggling Air Routes to Lebanon Revealed by Intel Sources | Fox News An Iranian civil aviation company is suspected of smuggling arms into Lebanon, destined for the militant group Hezbollah and Iranian weapons factories -- and western intelligence sources said Monday they've uncovered the unexpected routes that Iran apparently took to try avoiding detection. U.S. Throttles Iran Oil Flows to Buyers Who Vowed Resistance | Bloomberg The world's top oil buyers are discovering that U.S. sanctions on Iran will squeeze their trade flows whether they agree with America or not. Iran Considers Rationing, Distributing Food Coupons, As Sanctions Bite Harder | Radio Farda Iran may be considering a plan to ration foodstuffs and other essential commodities, according to reports of developments at the Iranian Parliament. NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM Europe Demand for More Talks Does Not Help Iran Nuclear Deal: Cleric | Reuters Europe is not helping preserve an accord on Iran's nuclear program by asking for additional talks on issues like missiles, powerful anti-Western cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said on Tuesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.  Trump Slams John Kerry as 'Father' Of Iran Deal Amid 2020 Speculation | Fox News President Trump slammed John Kerry on Monday, labeling the former Massachusetts senator and secretary of state the "father" of the Iran nuclear deal amid speculation that Kerry could challenge Trump in the 2020 election.  UK Minister Holds Talks in Iran in First Visit Since US Quit Nuclear Deal | Reuters A junior British minister held talks with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on Saturday, Iran's television reported, the first visit by a UK minister since US President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.  SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS India Allows State Refiners to Use Iran Tankers, Insurance for Oil Imports | Reuters India is allowing state refiners to import Iranian oil with Tehran arranging tankers and insurance after firms including the country's top shipper Shipping Corp of India (SCI) (SCI.NS) halted voyages to Iran due to U.S. sanctions, sources said. New Delhi's attempt to keep Iranian oil flowing mirrors a step by China, where buyers are shifting nearly all their Iranian oil imports to vessels owned by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC).  Iran Rial Resumes Drop as Oil Sales Sink Ahead of Sanctions | Bloomberg Iran's rial dropped sharply and foreign-exchange traders shut shop as concerns grew that authorities may be powerless to defend the currency as U.S. sanctions bite.  Secret Oil Shipments Could Help Iran Cushion U.S. Sanctions Blow | Bloomberg Discounts, bartering and smuggling are among the tactics Iran may lean on to keep almost 800,000 barrels a day of its oil exports flowing after U.S. sanctions resume in November. Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh alluded to this toolbox, which was used in the past, when he said Iran will find "other ways" to keep its crude in the market. Iran Will Exert `Every Effort' to Export Oil as Sanctions Loom | Bloomberg Iran will keep selling oil in spite of an expected resumption of U.S. sanctions on the country's crude shipments, President Hassan Rouhani said. U.S. Should Sanction Judge of Iran's Brutal Kangaroo Court | Tzvi Kahn for the Weekly Standard By sanctioning [Iranian judge Mohammad] Moghiseh as part of its larger maximum pressure campaign against Iran, it can make clear that Washington will not relent until Iran becomes, in the words of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a "normal country" that respects its people's rights. Iran: Stuck Between A Political Rock and An Economic Hard Place | Garth Friesen for Forbes Precarious. That is the best word to describe the current situation in Iran. MISSILE PROGRAM Iran Says It Plans to Boost Ballistic, Cruise Missile Capacity | Reuters Iran plans to boost its ballistic and cruise missile capacity and acquire modern fighter planes and submarines, the Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted a senior Defence Ministry official as saying on Saturday.  Pompeo Concerned By Reports of Iran Moving Missiles to Iraq | Bloomberg The U.S. is deeply concerned over reports of Iran moving ballistic missiles into Iraq, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. Baghdad: Reuters Report of Iran Moving Missiles to Iraq Is 'Without Evidence' | Reuters Iraq's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday it was "astonished" at a Reuters report that Iran had moved missiles to Iraq and that the article was "without evidence", but stopped short of denying its contents.  PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS British Mother Jailed in Iran Threatens to Go On Hunger Strike After She Was 'Cruelly' Given Three-Day Release Only to Be Dragged Back to Prison | Daily Mail (U.K.) The British mother who has been jailed in Iran since 2016 threatened to go on a hunger strike, her husband has said. MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS Khamenei Says War Unlikely But Urges Boosting Iran's Defenses | Reuters Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday war was unlikely but called on Iran's armed forces to boost their defense capacities, according to his official website, as the country faces increased tension with the United States. IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS Iran Parliament Drops Plan to Impeach Education Minister | Agence France-Presse Iran's parliament called off a planned vote to impeach the education minister on Sunday, Iranian media reported, offering some respite for the embattled government of President Hassan Rouhani.  RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN. Trump Warns Syria, Russia and Iran sgainst 'Reckless' Attack on Idlib | Guardian (U.K.) Donald Trump has warned Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian president's allies Iran and Russia not to "recklessly attack" in the rebel-held Idlib province, warning that hundreds of thousands of people could be killed.  Convoy of Iranian Forces Was Bombed Near U.S. Base in Syria, Report Says | Haaretz (Israel) A convoy of Iranian forces was hit by air strikes near the U.S.' Al-Tanf base in Syria, as reported on Monday by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors victims of the fighting.  Iran FM Says 'Terrorists Must Be Purged' from Syria's Idlib | Associated Press Iran's foreign minister said at the start of a visit to Damascus on Monday that "terrorists must be purged" from Syria's Idlib and the entire northwestern province returned to government control. Mohammad Javad Zarif's comments in Damascus were reported by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency and came as Syrian forces and their allies are preparing for an assault on Idlib, the last opposition stronghold in the country. Iran Foreign Minister Arrives in Damascus for Talks With Syrian Officials | Al Arabiya Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to Damascus on Monday for talks with Syrian officials, the Tasnim news agency reported. IRAQ & IRAN Israel Signals It Could Attack Iranian Weaponry in Iraq | Reuters Israel signaled on Monday that it could attack suspected Iranian military assets in Iraq, as it has done with scores of air strikes in war-torn Syria. Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 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