Iran Focus
London, 17 May – Right now, we are in the final days before the Iranian elections and as such, there has been quite a lot of debate over the future President in Western media. The analysts and journalists have asked what this will mean for Iran and the world as a whole; far too many have peddled the false narrative of moderates and hardliners, while far too few have gone so far as to say that it doesn’t matter who the President is because the Regime will not allow change.
Iran Focus
London, 17 May – The upcoming Iranian election may look similar to what you’d expect in a democracy, with its televised debates, catchy campaign slogans, and endorsements from former leaders, but an NGO has warned that this is all an act.
Dennis B. Ross, co-founder of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and special assistant to President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011, and Jason M. Brodsky, the policy director of UANI, wrote and op-ed for Time in which they make clear that this election will change nothing for the Iranian people or the world.
Iran Focus
London, 17 May – Iran is the second biggest nation in the middle east in terms of the economy, according to the Daily Mail. The only country ahead of it is its Sunni rival Saudi Arabia. The reason for this supposed wealth? Oil and Sanctions Relief.
The Iranian economy was revived by the lifting of international sanctions against it, when the 2015 nuclear deal was put into place. Then, a recent deal between Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran allowed Iran to up its oil production significantly.
However, despite these boosts, the economy is still not working for anyone outside the elite.
Iran Focus
London, 16 May – In April, US computer security experts had to combat a threat from a gang of hackers, believed to be Iranian, who were trying to hack into the network of a military contractor.
Had the hackers been successful, it could have been a major problem for US national security, but luckily, the defenders managed to block them at every turn.
Iran Focus
London, 16 May – The Iranian Regime’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has a long history of corruption, whether it’s plundering the public purse or taking control of government jobs, but the Iranian election has shed more light on the scope of their corruption.
Iran Focus
London, 16 May – Donald Trump will be the first US President to make his first state visit to an Arab or Muslim country, when he visits Saudi Arabia later this month, a move he branded as “historic”.
While in Saudi Arabia, Trump will be meeting again with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Saudi Royal Family. He will also meet members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and selected members of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He will not be meeting with delegates from Iran or Syria.
Iran Focus
London, 16 May – The Head of the Iranian Regime’s Judiciary has become the latest Regime member to attack incumbent President Hassan Rouhani for his comments about other candidates standing in Friday’s ‘election’.
In a speech on Monday, May 15, Sadegh Larijani said: “Unfortunately some of the candidates acted in such a way as if they were [the Regime’s] opposition, blackwashing and questioning [the] state’s legal entities, a measure that is definitely against [the] Regime’s interests.”
Iran Focus
London, 16 May – This Friday, the Iranian Regime will hold its Presidential election but the outcome, much like the vote itself, will not mean much for the Iranian people.
These ‘elections’ could never be considered democratic because they are not free and fair. The Regime chooses the candidates, as opposed to the public who should, and opposition candidates are not allowed to run.
Iran Focus
London, 16 May – A former CIA agent has said that he believes that Iran is aiding North Korea in its nuclear programme following the latest North Korean missile test.
On Sunday, North Korea launched a mid-range intermediate ballistic missile and it is believed that it could have the capability to reach U.S. military bases on Guam, which is why intelligence experts believe that the North Koreans and Iranians are collaborating on weapons development.
Iran Focus
London, 15 May – As Donald Trump prepares for his first state visit to Saudi Arabia, a move which should help repair the relationship between the US and its Gulf ally, there have been some debates regarding the unity of the area and what Trump’s visit will bring.
Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi wrote an op-ed for the Saudi Gazette, argued that Trump’s visit has increased cooperation in Arab countered and that Trump’s visit will help to communicate the US policy to the Muslim world and combat terrorism. He also said that countries like Iran, who attempt to break up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must suffer the consequences.
