Iran Focus

London, 18 Jun – There is huge controversy surrounding the decision by the Lebanese Security General not to stamp the passports of Iranian travellers as they enter the country, instead issuing them landing slips.

While, the Security General has said that these decisions are “entirely within its jurisdiction” and do not mean that any Iranians have entered the country illegally, you have to wonder what the justification was for changing their policy.

After all, this would be a controversial decision to make at any time, but it is especially troubling considering the rising pressures on Iran from the US and the West, since Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal citing Iranian cheating.

Iran Focus

London, 18 Jun – The US government rejected a request by the UAE to provide support in intelligence, aerial photography, and mine scanning to the Arab Coalition to restore the legitimate government in Yemen, but this might be for the best.

If the Donald Trump administration had approved the support, then the Arab Coalition’s successful fight to liberate Hodeidah from the Iran-backed Houthis might have been undermined by those who oppose Trump. Now, the Arab Coalition has sent 21,000 fighters in and cleared thousands of mines in the surrounding area, even keeping the port open while doing so to receive humanitarian aid.

Iran Focus

London, 15 Jun – An analysis of the debris from five missiles fired at Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen since July 2017 shows evidence of Iranian manufacture, according to United Nations chief Antonio Guterres.

In a confidential June 12 report to the Security Council, Guterres wrote: “[The missiles] share key design features with a known type of [Iranian-made] missile.”

However, he went on to say, in his biannual report on the implementation of UN sanctions on Iran, that the UN has not been able to fully determine when the missiles, components or related technology were transferred from Iran or if Iran violated UN restrictions.