Iran Focus

London, 27 Dec – A new study is soon to be published by Collin Anderson and Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It is called “Iran’s Cyber Threat” and it describes a country that, although not high on the cyber threat matrix, can still do considerable damage.

America and its allies exist in a dangerous electronic ecosystem. The media highlights Russia’s alleged hacking of the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign on a daily basis, but less attention is focused on the weapons available to dozens of smaller countries. With its relatively open systems, the US can be an easy target.

Iran Focus

London, 27 Dec – Announcing the revival of IRGC street patrols “to fight thugs and theft” was a surprising move by Iranian Brigadier-General Mohammad Reza Yazdi , deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The patrols that had been routine during Iranian Revolution of 1977-79, and in wartime would be back.

A debate about public safety and the IRGC’s role in Iran ensued. People reportedly asked, “Is the country so unsafe that it needs armed IRGC soldiers to roam the streets?” They wondered why, if the country is so unsafe, the police weren’t addressing the problem. Allegedly, some worried that the IRGC street patrol might be an example of its rivalry with other government entities.

Iran Focus

London, 27 Dec – On December 24th, at his weekly press conference, judiciary spokesman, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei accused former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of being mentally ill.

Ahmadinejad’s aide retaliated by describing Mohseni Ejei as a mentally ill person. As well, his former deputy in executive affairs, Hamid Baghaei, compared the judiciary’s spokesman to Heinrich Himmler, of the Third Reich. Baghei noted, “His motto was also ‘send the others to forced labor camps or sanatoriums’.” He said further, “It is true that the SS has been buried and Himmler is waiting to be severely punished for his actions in the world beyond ours, but, his thoughts and mottos are still alive and kicking among some people who follow his footsteps.”

Iran Focus

London, 26 Dec – A state-owned media revealed that Kermanshah province (western Iran) has the highest rate of kidney sales due to poverty and unemployment in this region.

The Jamaran government website under the title of “Kermanshah has the highest rate of kidney sales!” wrote: “In the past days, the name of Kermanshah was tied up in the news with the earthquake, but it seems that the cities of this province suffer from many other problems, which is not related to sudden incidents. Last year Kermanshah had the first unemployment rate in the country.”

Iran Focus

London, 21 Dec – Iran has been labeled “the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism.” Its regime has now established a major land force in Syria, which is seen by some as a threat to Israel.

Claiming to be assisting Syrian President Bashar Assad defeat domestic insurgents, Tehran has stationed what is estimated at 125,000 troops in Syria, outnumbering its own army, in addition to thousands of Iranian militia. Allegedly Iran is helping Iraq forces extinguish ISIS threats there.

Last week, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley outlined the way Iran is flouting United Nations resolutions by supporting and arming Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who recently fired what was identified as an Iranian missile into Saudi Arabia.

Iran Focus

London, 20 Dec – Tehran, 20 Dec – A magnitude 5.2 earthquake jolted a town near the Iranian capital on Wednesday, according to state television.

The quake caused people in buildings to pour out into the streets in fear.

The quake hit Malard, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Tehran, at 23:28 Wednesday local time. Its depth was 7 kilometers, according to the Associated Press. While Iranian state TV put its magnitude at 5.2, the U.S. Geological Survey later said it was a 5.0 quake.