Imprisoned in Iran, British-Iranian London Resident, Woman, Continues to Hope

Iran Focus

London, 9 Oct – In London, vigils are held for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe outside the Iranian Embassy. When asked if the vigils help, Nazanin’s husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said, “It doesn’t matter. I know it’s what Nazanin wants. She needs to know that I’ve stood by her side.”

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian London resident in her thirties, is serving time for “non-specific charges” in a Tehran prison. She was arrested at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport by members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as she was boarding a flight home to London with her two-year-old daughter.

New US Policy on Iran Targets IRGC and Hezbollah

Iran Focus

London, 7 Oct – The White House is preparing a series of tough measures targeting Iran and its affiliates. In the coming days the new action is expected to be announced that will focus on two entities: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah.

Two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, and someone familiar with the unfolding policy on Iran, but not authorized to speak about private conversations, described the measures, which have not been officially announced. They said that financial sanctions on those doing business with the Revolutionary Guard are expected to be announced, as well as rewards for information leading to the arrest of two operatives of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Cotton’s View on the Iran Nuclear Deal

Iran Focus

London, 6 Oct – On October 5, Republican Senator Tom Cotton told the Washington Post that military action against the Iranian Regime was “a credible option” and the renegotiation of the nuclear deal should be a discussion between the United States, European partners, Israel, and Arab allies.

This came just ten days before Donald Trump must decide whether or not to recertify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear agreement — which places restrictions on the Iranian Regime’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iranian Hackers Catfish a Cybersecurity Employee

Iran Focus

London, 6 Oct – A team of Iranian hackers used Facebook to target Deloitte, one of the world’s biggest accounting firms, according to Forbes.

One Deloitte employee fell victim to the scam in late 2016 at roughly the same time as a separate hack which affected Deloitte data in Microsoft’s Azure cloud-hosting service.

The hacking group known as OilRig, which as Forbes pointed out in July were believed to have been working for the Iranian Regime, created a fake Facebook profile for a beautiful, charming woman using the name Mia Ash.

New US Campaign on Hezbollah Expected

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Iran Focus

London, 6 Oct – Donald Trump is set to introduce a new campaign to crack down on the Lebanese terrorist group, Hezbollah, which is backed by the Iranian Regime, as part of the new US policy on Iran.

Reportedly, this will include offering cash rewards for the most-wanted Hezbollah operatives, increasing efforts by the US intelligence service and law enforcement, and working with allies to undermine the group’s global terror network.

Hezbollah, a powerful section of the Lebanese government, is an enemy of Israel and has been responsible for many attacks on the US and other Western countries for years. It was designated as a terror group by the US in 1997.

Trump Is Ready to Destroy the Iran Nuclear Deal

Iran Focus

London, 5 Oct – There are many reports that Donald Trump looks set to decertify the Iran nuclear deal at the October 15 deadline, despite certain advisers trying to stop him.

A White House source, who has been briefed on deliberations in the Pentagon and State Department said that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is reportedly still trying to convince Trump, and others who disagree with decertification “are now adjusting to the reality it is going to happen”.

The source also said that they are negotiating the wording Trump will use for decertification, which will likely be accompanied by the new US policy on Iran.

Tillerson: Trump Will Have Many Options on Iran Deal

Iran Focus

London, 5 Oct – US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Donald Trump would be presented with several options for the future of the Iran nuclear deal ahead of the October 15 certification deadline.

When Tillerson made this announcement, on Wednesday October 4, he did not reveal any details about the options that would be presented to Trump and declined to answer whether he shared the view that Defense Secretary James Mattis shared with Congress on Tuesday that Iran was “fundamentally” in compliance with the nuclear deal and Trump should stick to the deal.

Trump to Speak on Iran Nuclear Deal and Policy Next Week

Iran Focus

London, 5 Oct – Donald Trump is set to announce his decision on the future of the Iran nuclear deal along with the new US policy on Iran, on Thursday, October 12.

In this speech, he is expected to state that the 2015 nuclear agreement, which provides sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for restrictions on their nuclear programme, is not in the best interests of US national security.

By October 15, Trump will have to tell Congress whether the Iranian Regime is in compliance with the deal and if it aligns with US interests. Considering that Trump has already referred to the deal as one of the “worst and most one-sided transactions” ever, it is unlikely that he would choose to certify Iran’s compliance for a third time this year.

Has Iran Imprisoned yet Another Dual National?

Iran Focus

London, 5 Oct – One of the lead negotiators for the Iranian Regime on the 2015 nuclear deal has reportedly been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of spying, according to a Regime-affiliated news agency.

While Wednesday’s report did not name the person convicted, the only negotiator known to be facing charges was Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, who holds dual Iranian-Canadian nationality.

If Esfahani is the person, he would be the latest in a long line of dual-nationals to be arrested and detained on dubious national security charges since the deal was signed, in what the United Nations described as an “emerging pattern”.

British Parliamentarians Call for Investigation Into 1988 Iranian Massacre

Iran Focus

London, 4 Oct – More than thirty British MPs and Lords have called for justice over the 1988 Iranian massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners in a recent statement.

During the Liberal Democrat party conference, held in Bournemouth in September, a delegation from the Iranian Resistance was invited to take part and to meet with MPs, Lords, and high-ranking members of the Lib Dems to discuss ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, particularly the executions of children.

The statement read: “We are deeply concerned over the deterioration of human rights situation in Iran and in particular the increasing number of executions which has surpassed 3200 during Rouhani’s tenure with over 200 reported executions since July 2017.”