By Jubin Katiraie
Iran has become quite isolated in the region because of its belligerence. It has been involved in some horrific conflicts and has spread chaos further and further afield.
It now seems that relations between Iran and Russia are starting to rapidly deteriorate. It has been reported that Russian military police carried out a raid on militiamen that are backed by Iran. The raid took place a week ago at the international airport in Aleppo, Syria.
By Pooya Stone
The buildup of tensions between the US and Iran are reaching their peak, as American lawmaker, Representative Michael McCaul, ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee has pointed out.
McCaul refers to recent intelligence regarding Iran’s threat to US interests in the Middle East, that he says was extremely detailed. He told USA Today, “To the extent I can discuss it, it was human intelligence.” He added, “One of the Hezbollah cells is known for its kidnapping and killing operations, and their directive was to go in and kill and kidnap American soldiers.”
By Jubin Katiraie
The Iranian rulers’ internal disputes continue to grow, even as domestic and global crises increase. In fact, at a Saturday night meeting with reporters, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani called political rivals who have attacked him and his allies, “traitors”.
London, 26 May – A group of 30 men and women were arrested for taking part in a private yoga class in the city of Gorgan, north of Iran.
The city’s police force said men and women were wearing inappropriate clothes!
Mixed sports are illegal in Iran while yoga is allowed so long as classes are single-sex and the teacher is licensed.
Iranian police have arrested 30 people for taking part in a private yoga class in the city of Gorgan, in the north of the country, according to an official news agency.
The group of men and women were stopped for wearing inappropriate clothes, the Young Journalists Club said.
A member of Golestan Province’s Crime Prevention Unit was reported as saying that the yoga teacher was among the arrested, and had been referred to the regional prosecutor.
It is claimed the man teaching the class had advertised it on social media and that he did not have a license to teach.
Justice Department official Massoud Soleimani told Arab News they were arrested for wearing ‘inappropriate outfits’ and had ‘behaved inappropriately’.
He also revealed that the residence where the arrests took place has been monitored for some time beforehand.
Yoga schools in Iran advertise their services online and publicize that they have instructors.
In 2017, Ali Majdara, president of Iran’s Sports For All Federation announced a ban on activities that use ‘rhythmic motions’ and ‘dance’ including Zumba.
By Pooya Stone
The US and its Arab allies are edging towards a confrontation with Iran in a contested waterway through which 20% of the world’s tradeable oil passes daily.
In synchronization with its Arab allies, notably Saudi Arabia, and with Israel, the US is intensifying pressure on Iran to wind back its support for what it terms “bad actors” in the region.
London, 25 May – Washington, May 24, 2019 – The US administration is warning the Syria of a “quick and appropriate” response for the possible use of chemical weapons against its own civilians.
Reuters cited a US State Department statement saying that Washington sees signs the Syrian government may be using chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack on Sunday in northwest Syria. The Trump administration is warning that Washington and its allies would respond “quickly and appropriately” if this were proven.
“Unfortunately, we continue to see signs that the Assad regime may be renewing its use of chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack in northwest Syria on the morning of May 19,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
“We are still gathering information on this incident, but we repeat our warning that if the Assad regime uses chemical weapons, the United States and our allies will respond quickly and appropriately,” she said.
Ortagus said the alleged attack was part of a violent campaign by Syrian government.
President Bashar al-Assad’s forces violating a ceasefire that has protected several million civilians in the greater Idlib area.
“The regime’s attacks against the communities of northwest Syria must end,” the statement said. “The United States reiterates its warning, first issued by President Trump in September 2018, that an attack against the Idlib de-escalation zone would be a reckless escalation that threatens to destabilize the region.”
The State Department statement accused Russia and Assad’s forces of “a continuing disinformation campaign … to create the false narrative that others are to blame for chemical weapons attacks.”
“The facts, however, are clear,” the statement said. “The Assad regime itself has conducted almost all verified chemical weapons attacks that have taken place in Syria — a conclusion the United Nations has reached over and over again.”
In January, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton warned the Syrian government against using chemical weapons again.
By Jubin Katiraie
The U.S. think tank Washington Institute released an interactive map showcasing Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East by detailing the whereabouts, operations and force deployments of Iran-backed militias in the region. Al Arabiya reported.
The institute said that the information and sources used to create the map was compiled mainly from primary source data, including contacts within militia circles and social media analysis collected for nearly ten years.
By Pooya Stone
It is reported that U.S. plans to dispatch thousands of troops to Middle East, the Pentagon will brief Trump administration officials on a plan to increase America’s troop presence in the region. It’s unclear exactly how many service members might be deployed, but reports put the number somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000. Of course, they won’t go anywhere unless President Donald Trump approves the plan, a still unclear outcome.
By Jubin Katiraie
Tensions between the United States and Iran have been escalating over the past month. The USS Abraham Lincoln was sent to the Gulf, as was the USS Arlington warship that was loaded with amphibious vehicles and aircraft. The Trump administration also deployed B-52 bombers to the region.
By Pooya Stone
As the public session of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) goes into its second day, many of its members are discussing the economic and political crises that mullahs are facing. They are also acknowledging the explosive mood of the Iranian people, and what that may mean in terms of another popular uprising.
