How Congress Can Fix the Iran Nuclear Deal

Iran Focus

London, 30 Oct – It is now time for the US Congress to get on with the task of fixing the flawed Iran nuclear deal and amend any loopholes that the Iranian Regime can exploit in it.

This is perfectly within the remit of the US without violating the deal as it stands.

Some will argue that the deal is “working” and Iran is “complying”, while accusing Donald Trump of not decertifying Iran solely on their noncompliance with the nuclear deal.

Actually, they are half right. The deal is not working and there are numerous instances where Iran clearly violated the term or the agreement without being punished, but Trump did not decertify them for this reason alone.

Iranian Rulers, Afraid of Cyrus the Great or People?

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On Sunday October 29, 2017. Iranian authorities prevented a gathering at the tomb of ancient Persian king Cyrus the Great and arrested a number of suspects. A statement from the National Council of Resistance of Iran said that officials have taken repressive measures since a few weeks ago “To prevent people from entering Pasargadae, Revolutionary Guards, Basij, police and plain-clothed forces were sent from neighboring provinces and cities to Fars province and the surrounding areas of Pasargadae.

Blacklisting the IRGC Will Have a Major Impact on Iran’s Economy

Iran Focus

London, 28 Oct – The blacklisting of Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Treasury Department after President Trump’s October 13th Iran policy speech, was a major blow to Tehran.

Hessam-edin Ashena, an advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, remarked to a state daily, “Sanctions against the IRGC are nothing new… The IRGC is not an economic entity for them to attempt to impact its future through sanctions. The IRGC is a military entity that will negotiate with no one regarding its duties.”

The Iranian Resistance Welcomes the New US Iran Strategy

Iran Focus

London, 28 Oct – On October 13th, President Trump announced the new US strategy towards Iran. The reaction to this strategy have been varied. Those who advocate the for continuing the JCPOA condemned it, claiming it will cause a loss of trust in America. Others believe the new strategy will serve both the interests of the US as well as the Iranian people.

US Congress Passes Bills Aimed at Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program and Support of Hezbollah

Iran Focus

London, 27 Oct – According to Bloomberg’s report, the US House of Representatives passed new sanction bills this week that target Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for Hezbollah.

The nearly unanimous vote of 423-2, displayed bi-partisan support from Congress against Iran — the first such, since US President Trump refused to certify Iran’s compliance with the terms of the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), earlier this month.

Special Rapporteur’s Report on Iran Human Rights Situation

Iran Focus

London, 26 Oct – Ms Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, compiled a report for the seventy-second session of the General Assembly.

She raised some very troubling issues regarding the behaviour of the Iranian regime and made suggestions on how this can be resolved.

The report covers the period from January to June 2017 and is based on sources inside and outside the country.

Iran Could Recruit Al-Qaeda to Launch Terror Attacks Against the US

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Iran Focus

London, 26 Oct – Many people will dismiss the idea of a pact between the Iranian Regime and al-Qaeda because of the Shiite/Sunni divide but Iran has often sided with Sunni terror groups against the enemy it calls “the big Satan”; the US.

In fact, many of the commanders in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) believe that they would be able to persuade al-Qaeda to fight alongside them in any future conflict against the West by simply offering them money or weapons or access to the IRGC’s network of terrorist groups across the world (including Hezbollah).

Iran Preparing to Leave Nuclear Deal?

Iran Focus

London, 26 Oct – The Iranian Regime may be beginning the process to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal by filing a claim to the European Union that the US has violated the deal on 18 separate occasions, including continued sanctions and withholding revenue.

If the claim is accepted, then Iran could leave the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and save face by laying the blame on the Donald Trump administration.

Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, an Iranian member of parliament, told state-run media: “The recent report is specifically about the Americans’ efforts to derail the JCPOA, so much so that the foreign ministry has delineated 18 blatant cases of breach of the agreement made by the US.”

Three US Aircraft Carriers in West Pacific for First Time in Ten Years Because of Iran and North Korea

Iran Focus

London, 26 Oct – The United States Navy now has three aircraft carriers and their assorted missile-carrying vessels deployed to the western Pacific Ocean for the first time in a decade, as tensions with rogue nuclear states North Korea and Iran continue to rise.

On Wednesday October 25, the USS Nimitz and its strike group entered the Western Pacific region, fresh from deployment in the Middle East, according to a press release from the Navy.

This deployment, which the US Navy says is part of a previously planned cycle, coincides with Donald Trump’s visit to Asia next week.

We Must Stop Iran and Hezbollah From Starting a Third Lebanon War

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Iran Focus

London, 25 Oct – There is one clear winner in the Syrian Civil War, the Iran-backed Lebanese terror cell Hezbollah, which has made significant advances in its military capabilities.

This, along with the Iranian Regime’s destabilising efforts, poses a serious threat to stability and security of the Middle East. If the international community does not constrain this threat, they could soon be faced with a third Lebanon war, far worse than those that have come before.

Since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Hezbollah, which now takes pride of place among Iran’s terrorist proxy groups, has been vying to show itself as a feasible military force in Lebanon by suppressing the Lebanese people and infiltrating the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).