Iran Focus
London, 8 May – Thirteen US Senators have signed a letter calling for answers about the prisoner-swap scandal under the Obama administration in which seven Iranian prisoners in the US were exchanged for five US hostages in Iran.
The deal, which also allowed 14 fugitives to evade justice, was one of the most perplexing political deals in the US during Obama’s presidency as it may have jeopardised the non-proliferation effort to stop Iran from getting hold of nuclear weapons.
Iran Focus
London, 8 May – The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into the Obama administration for potentially undermining the U.S. counter-proliferation effort to thwart Iranian weapons trafficking networks, according to Politico.
Additionally, 13 Republican senators have demanded to know whether the Obama administration jeopardised U.S. national security as a result of the prisoner-swap scandal in which seven Iranian prisoners held in the US were exchanged for five US prisoners held in Iran.
Iran Focus
London, 8 May – Following last Wednesday’s deadly mine explosion in Golestan Province, the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani finally saw fit to visit the city, on Sunday, during his re-election campaign tour.
However, Rouhani was met by protesters who were angry that safety concerns had not been addressed prior to the explosion which killed dozens of miners and angry that Rouhani had not appeared beforehand.
The miners, who were still covered in coal soot after searching for their still-missing colleagues, began to assault the armoured SUV as it passed through. The car, which was undamaged, did not stop, proceeding to drive through the crowd and sped away down a hill.
Iran Focus:
London, 8 May – The Consul General of Israel made a shocking statement about the Iranian Nuclear Deal on Sunday.
Dani Dayan gave a speech at The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York, in which he said that while the nuclear deal was bad, it would be worse if Iran were complying with the deal.
While this may sound counterintuitive, Dayan remarked that the deal does not prevent Iran getting nuclear weapons altogether, it just slows their progress and gives them a green light to someday obtain nuclear weapons.
Iran Focus:
London, 8 May – Last month, the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced that Iran was complying with the 2015 nuclear deal which shocked many among the Donald Trump administration and further afield, especially considering Trump’s own statement that it was “the worst deal ever negotiated”.
Iran Focus:
London, 8 May – Angry families and colleagues of those who lost their lives in the recent mine explosion in Golestan Province, Iran, attacked President Rouhani’s car and clashed with the Iranian Regime’s anti-riot police on Sunday, May, 7.
This protest was held five days after the tragic accident which killed dozens of mineworkers to coincide with Rouhani’s theatrical visit to the city.
Iran Focus:
London, 6 May – On Friday, Republican leaders of the House Oversight Committee said that an investigation is being initiated to look into claims that Obama’s administration undermined a US counterproliferation effort to foil Iranian weapon trafficking activities. The administration has been accused of jeopardising national security in an effort to convince Iran to sign the nuclear deal and to carry out a prisoner swap.
Iran Focus:
London, 6 May – Most of Yurt mine’s stock belonged to the repressive organ, Basidj.
According to the report of the board of Yurt coal mine, three of the five members of the board of this mine depend on the Mehr financial group, which belongs to Bassidj, a repressive organ of the regime. This financial institution was founded in 1993.
Iran Focus:
London, 5 May – In 2012, Iranian diplomat Hamid Mohammadi said there were many Iranian-Canadians “working in influential government positions” and called on others to “occupy high-level and key positions.” Now, in Canada, Iran is making an effort to expand its presence, with an aim to use America’s neighbour as a “forward operating base” for influence operations against the American government.
Iran Focus:
London, 5 May – An agreement calling for the creation of four “safe zones” in Syria was signed by Turkey, Iran and Russia, but rejected by opposition fighters, who walked out of a press conference where the deal was announced, in the Kazakh capital, Astana.
The opposition delegation said they would never accept Iran as a guarantor of a peace process, and criticized Russia, claiming that there was a huge gap between its promises and actions. They suggested that the plan may lead to the disintegration of Syria.
