Iranian official calls for negotiations with Washington in Iraq

[jg1]

6 hours ago, DetroittoAZ said:

If Iran keeps using the dinar it's value will go up. We want the demand for dinar💰💰💰

yes so true. The only problem is didn't I just hear Iraq printed another 40 trillion dinar and handed it over to the ministry of finance. I could be wrong.

[eighty227]

Washington: Bill to punish those who threaten the security of Iraq

 

The US House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday demanding that the US administration impose sanctions on terrorist organizations and countries that threaten Iraq's security and stability, led by Iran.

The bill stipulates that the US president should identify individuals and groups in Iraq that should be included in the list of terrorist organizations and impose sanctions on them, as well as submit a report to Congress detailing these groups.

The bill also imposes on the US State Department a list of armed organizations supported by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

The sanctions range from freezing funds and resources to not granting visas to enter the United States and canceling any previous visas.

The Senate should also approve a copy of the draft before it is sent to the White House.

 

https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ar&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.alhurra.com/a/%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A8-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B6-%D8%B9%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82-/469849.html&xid=17259,15700002,15700023,15700124,15700149,15700186,15700190,15700201&usg=ALkJrhgT-vctGy00YlxHAOxzyjBEgqy4DQ

 

 

 

 

[3n1]

welp thats gonna go over like a lead balloon to the iranian loving iraqis ...

[Donziman]

We all know that the volume of money stolen via the auction could

not be spent even by the richest politicians. These funds are used by the

supporters of iran terrorist groups to keep things stirred up and the leaders

in power. I say it's about time the leaders of the coalition start calling it like

it really is.  Tighten the screws   imho

[normala rashid]

yahooo!!! 

[yota691]

Iran's oil minister: Some countries are trying to damage the manipulation of the oil market

12:46 - 28/11/2018

 

 

 

- 
Iran's oil minister, Begin Zangane, was quoted as saying on Wednesday that some countries were trying to damage Iran by manipulating the oil market. 
Zangane did not name any country, but Iranian officials have accused Saudi Arabia of trying to acquire Iran's share of the oil market in recent months. The United States has re-imposed sanctions targeting Iranian oil, banking and transport sectors this month. 
"Some countries are trying to strike Iran by intervening in the oil market and its supplies," Zanganeh said

[nannab]

Good afternoon Butifldrm and DV 

[Butifldrm]

The Iranian Regime's Transfer of Arms to Proxy Groups and Ongoing Missile Development

 

Special Briefing

Brian Hook 
Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State and Special Representative for Iran 

Joint Base Anacostia - Bolling

Washington, DC

November 29, 2018

---

 

MODERATOR: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for waiting. Your excellencies, members of the diplomatic corps, and members of the press, we’re very pleased to welcome Special Representative Hook, who will be briefing today on the Iran Materiel Display. We will have brief remarks followed by questions. This event is on the record for the press. Let me turn it over to Special Representative Hook for his remarks. Thank you.

MR HOOK: Good morning, and thank you all for coming. I want to thank Secretary Mattis and the men and women of our armed forces for their brave service to our nation and for making this display possible. I want to recognize members of the diplomatic corps from several countries, including South Korea, Japan, Israel, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

I want to also extend a special welcome to His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE ambassador; to Ambassador Ron Dermer of Israel; and to His Excellency Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed Al Khalifa of Bahrain. The United States deeply values our partnerships with the UAE and Bahrain and Israel, and I thank all of you for coming today.

In December of last year, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley stood here to highlight the dangers posed by Iran’s dangerous proliferation of missiles across the Middle East. She highlighted how Iran was illegally providing weapons to Houthi militants in Yemen. It was a clear violation of UN resolutions then, and it remains so today. She also spoke of the threat these weapons pose to peace and security and to the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

Today, the United States is unveiling new evidence of Iran’s ongoing missile proliferation. The Iranian threat is growing and we are accumulating risk of escalation in the region if we fail to act. In the time since Ambassador Haley’s remarks, Iran’s support of the Houthi militants has deepened. Its backing of terrorist activities across the world has increased, and its efforts to undermine regional stability have expanded.

The inventory in this display has expanded since December. This is a function of Iran’s relentless commitment to put more weapons into the hands of even more of its proxies, regardless of the suffering. Iran has been prohibited by several UN resolutions from exporting arms for a decade. These restrictions were in place starting in 2006 under UN Security Council Resolution 1737 and 1747, which I helped to negotiate. The prohibitions have continued since 2015 under UN Resolution 2231. This display and the items we have added to it reveal an outlaw regime exporting arms as it pleases.

Today we are unveiling Iran’s Sayyad 2C surface-to-air missile, which you see behind me. This missile was designed and manufactured in Iran, and the writing in Farsi on its side translates as “the hunter missile.” The conspicuous Farsi markings is Iran’s way of saying they don’t mind being caught violating UN resolutions. The Sayyad 2C is one of two identical systems interdicted by Saudi Arabia in Yemen earlier this year. The Iranians wanted to deliver this to the Houthis, who would have used it to target coalition aircraft up to 46 miles away. Given the Houthis’ reckless use of other advanced weapons provided by the Iranians, these missiles pose a clear and present danger to civil aviation in the region.

We are also unveiling anti-tank guided missiles. On display in front of me are two of the three types of anti-tank guided missiles that Iran produces and transfers: the Toophan and the Tosan. One of the Toophan rockets that is newly added was seized in an arms cache aboard a dhow in the Arabian Sea. The other was found by Saudi Arabia during a raid in Yemen.

The Tosan rocket on display is also new, and is one of five that were seized in a stockpile by Saudi forces in Yemen. These missiles enhance the Houthis’ capabilities and further intensify the conflict in Yemen.

Fajr rockets have also been added to the display and are located next the anti-tank guided missiles. These weapons were recovered in Helmand, near Kandahar Air Field, by the Afghan National Army from the Taliban. Iran has been providing materiel support to the Taliban since at least 2007. These same rockets have been used by Hamas in the past.

To my left is a new unmanned aerial system: the Shahed 123. We have debris from a Shahed which was recovered by coalition forces in Afghanistan after it crashed, as well as Shahed components that were interdicted in Yemen in early 2018. This missile system is primarily designed to conduct covert reconnaissance and surveillance missions, potentially putting American and coalition forces at risk. There are several new small arms of Iranian origin included here, such as sniper rifles, RPGs, AK variants, and hand grenades. These have been provided to us by Bahrain. Iran gave these weapons to Shia militant groups to carry out attacks against the government. I would like to thank Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Hahmed Al Khalifa for his commitment to exposing the Iranian regime’s activities.

In 2016, senior Iran Revolutionary Guard commander Saeed Qassimi publicly called Bahrain an Iranian province and said Iran is a base, quote, “for the support of revolution in Bahrain.” In a microcosm, this is exactly how Iran destabilizes the Middle East. But the United States stands with Bahrain to protect its sovereignty, and we will continue to work together to identify and intercept arms shipments in the region. This ongoing collaboration with Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, is critical to the safety of the region.

I want to also highlight the recovered pieces of an Iranian Qiam missile fired by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia, which Ambassador Haley unveiled last December. The missile’s intended target was the civilian airport in Riyadh, a G20 airport through which tens of thousands of people travel each day. Imagine a missile of this size and power hitting a civilian aircraft or terminal one at the airport.

The new weapons we are disclosing today illustrate the scale of Iran’s destructive role across the region. The same kind of rockets here today could tomorrow land in a public market in Kabul or an international airport. As the Bahraini victims of attacks carried out with some of the weapons here could tell you, the Iranian regime uses arms to export revolution, prolong crises, and inflict death and suffering. The tools of Tehran’s foreign policy are here before you today. Tehran is intent on increasing the lethality and reach of these weapons to deepen its presence throughout the region.

This is why it is especially important that we get the de-escalation of conflicts in places like Yemen right. Secretaries Pompeo and Mattis have called for a ceasefire in Yemen, and the United States is committed to the efforts led by UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths. Iran has no legitimate interest in Yemen, other than to expand its sphere of influence and to create a Shia corridor of control. Although Iran’s role in Yemen has been underreported by the media, there is no question Iran has intensified the humanitarian catastrophe and prolonged the conflict. Iran has been funding, arming, and training the Houthis, which has allowed them to continue to fight well beyond what would have made any sense at all.

The United States and our coalition partners have provided billions in aid to the Yemenis, while Iran has provided nothing but weapons and fighters. Just today Houthi rebels fired missiles into Saudi Arabia. This strike is an example of the destabilizing agenda the Houthis are pursuing in partnership with Iran. They act in this way even as UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths is exerting maximum effort with our full support to bring the parties together for talks.

In the months ahead, we must be careful not to affirm Iran’s role as a legitimate political actor in Yemen. The clerics in Tehran will exploit any opening to gain a foothold in Yemen, a place where it has no business being in to begin with. Historically, there has not been a religious connection between Iran’s Twelver Shiites and Yemen’s Houthis, who are Fiver Shiites. In fact, Iran’s religious authorities have long been dismissive of the Fiver Shiites.

Just imagine what Yemen would look like in the future with an entrenched and enduring Iranian presence. We already know how this movie ends, and we cannot watch a new version of Lebanese Hizballah slowly emerge in the Arabian Peninsula. Since the end of 2006, Iran has supplied Hizballah with thousands of precision rockets, missiles, and small arms. It now has more than 100,000 rockets or missiles in its stockpile. If Iran were allowed to operate with similar freedom in Yemen, we can expect the Lebanization of Yemen. The Houthis have launched Iranian-origin missiles at Riyadh, with an estimated range of 560 miles. Iran has funded the Houthis with hundreds of millions of dollars since the conflict broke out. With Iran’s ongoing help, the Houthi threat will grow as their capabilities steadily expand.

Iran could use such newfound influence as a power broker and arms dealer to threaten our allies and partners in the region and unravel the stability that we have worked so hard to achieve in the Gulf. It could also create challenges in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in much the same way Tehran leverages its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz. An estimated 4.5 million barrels of oil per day transits through the Bab al-Mandab, while about 17 million barrels a day flow through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has threatened repeatedly over many years to close the Strait of Hormuz. Give Iran a free hand in Yemen and it can threaten to close both straits and commit acts of maritime aggression with impunity. Just as we must constrain Iranian expansion in Syria, the Golan Heights, and in Iraq, we must also prevent Iran from entrenching itself in Yemen.

I want to now highlight the Iranian regime’s investment in missile testing and development. It is increasing. The regime’s pace of missile launches did not diminish after implementation of the Iran nuclear deal in January of 2016. Iran has conducted numerous ballistic missile launches and space launches since this time as it continues to prioritize missile development as a tool of revolution. We assess that in January of 2017, Iran launched a medium-range missile, believed to be the Khorramshahr. It can carry a payload of more than 500 kilograms and could be used to carry nuclear warheads. Its suspected range is over 1,200 miles, which is far enough to target some European capitals. Iran’s ongoing missile development puts Europe in its range.

Iran has the largest ballistic missile force in the region, with more than 10 ballistic missile systems either in its inventory or under development. Any environment where Iran is able to operate freely can become a forward-deployed missile base for such systems and for many other kinds of weapons that you see here today. This threatens Israel and other partners, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Just this month, rockets rained down on Israel from territory controlled by Iran’s Palestinian partner Hamas. In Lebanon, we have evidence that Iran is helping Hizballah build missile production facilities. In Iraq, credible reports indicate that Iran is transferring ballistic missiles to Shia militia groups. This comes as these militias carried out highly provocative attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Baghdad and Basra in September, which we know that Iran did nothing to stop.

Iran is also dumping cash and forces into conflict zones to support its proxies from the Levant to the Arabian Peninsula. It has extended $4.6 billion in lines of credit to the Assad regime, provided more than $100 million to Palestinian groups including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and manages as many as 10,000 Shia fighters in Syria, some of whom are children as young as 12 years old.

As the world strives toward peace and security in the Middle East, we are working to reverse advances made by Iran and its proxies over the last several years. In fact, we are using the full scope of our sanctions authorities to inflict real costs on Iran. In July of 2017, we sanctioned 18 key individuals and entities for supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program. In January, the U.S. designated four additional entities. In May, we designated five Iranians for providing missile expertise to the Houthis. These individuals were also responsible for transferring weapons to Yemen on behalf of the Qods Force.

While we are sanctioning Iran’s missile activity and weapons transfers, our economic pressure is much broader. Earlier this month, the United States reimposed the remaining sanctions that were lifted by the Iran deal. This is the largest ever single-day action targeting the Iranian regime. Our sanctions went back into place on more than 700 individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft. This sanctions campaign puts us in a much stronger position to be confronting the same threats that I have described to you today. Our maximum pressure campaign will continue until Iran – the Iranian regime – decides to change its destructive policies. The regime can change its policies, or it can continue to watch its economy crumble.

For 39 years, the Iranian regime has shaped events in the region through illegal weapons transfers, proxies, and terror – a deadly trifecta. President Trump has made it clear that the United States will no longer tolerate the status quo. We seek a new and comprehensive deal with Iran that addresses the full range of Iran’s destructive activities in the region. As Secretary Pompeo said in his speech announcing our new strategy in May, Iran must stop testing and proliferating missiles, stop launching and developing nuclear-capable missiles, and stop supporting militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen. Iran needs to start behaving like a normal country and surrender its title as the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism.

As the special representative for Iran, I have met with partners and allies across the globe to share the concerns that I have shared today and explain the purposes of our pressure campaign. Most of the countries I meet with share our assessment of the Iranian threat, and I invite any who remain on the fence to visit this weapons display to see the evidence for themselves. Delegations from nearly 70 countries have already visited here, and we welcome more.

Despite this clear evidence, not all countries are convinced of the need to take action. Too many remain on the sidelines, arguing that now is not the time to pressure the regime. But this approach has enabled – and will continue to enable – Tehran to expand its presence in the region and become a more destructive force in the Middle East, to say nothing of Europe. The current international environment has created unacceptably low expectations for the regime in Tehran. If, as some people argue, the demands of the United States for the Iranian regime seem too many, it is because Iran’s malign activities are too numerous. If our demands seem too unrealistic, it is because the world’s expectations are too low. We cannot simply admire the Iranian threat any longer.

The United States has a positive vision for the Middle East, where every state retains the right to defend itself. But no outlaw regime, like the one in Tehran, can freely undermine the sovereignty of other nations. This is not foreign policy; it is state-sponsored, revolutionary terrorism. The Middle East will be best served when an Iranian Government respects the rule of law, abides by fundamental standards and commitments, and rejects terrorism.

It is now up to the supreme leader to do something out of character and act in the interests of the Iranian people. Is it better to remain isolated from the world as an international pariah or to benefit and prosper from inclusion in the international community? It should not be a difficult choice. There is nothing noble about driving a great and proud nation into the ground.

The Iranian people have a rich legacy and a culture dating back to Cyrus the Great, and they deserve a government that represents their interests and not just the interests of their corrupt leaders. This room could just as easily been used to display the artifacts from Persian history or renowned contemporary artists from Iran, but instead we see only missiles, rockets, and small arms. The clerical regime in Iran has chosen this path, but the Iranian people are not destined to follow it. If Tehran changes its policies, a better future awaits the Iranian people.

History shows us clearly that America has no permanent enemies. Throughout our history, enemies torn apart by conflict often become the best allies united in peace, as Japan and others can attest. We hope for the same future with the Iranian people. The choice is now for their government to make. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. We have time for a few questions. May I ask please that you wait for a microphone, that you state your name and outlet, and please – so that we can get as many questions as possible – limit to one question. And I’ll also say that if you have very technical questions about the equipment, we may take those for later. And we’ll start with Reuters please.

QUESTION: Idrees Ali from Reuters. One of the missiles that you mentioned here was launched five days after Ambassador Haley gave her presentation last year. What benefit do you think there is of showing these weapons publicly, and how do you respond to critics who say this is simply a political stunt and propaganda that actually increases tensions in the region?

MR HOOK: I haven’t heard anybody say this is a political stunt. This is simply putting out in broad daylight Iran’s missiles and small arms and rockets and UAVs and drones. That missile right there landed right next to Riyadh’s international airport, and it’s very important for nations to see with their own eyes that this is a grave and escalating threat. We are one missile attack away from a regional conflict. These missiles – we’ve been very lucky – for the most part have not hit their intended target. But luck is not a strategy, and the international community needs to do more to get after the proliferation of Iran’s missiles.

The Iran nuclear deal has created a climate where so long as Iran is in compliance with a nonproliferation deal of modest gains and temporary benefits, that so long as Iran is in compliance with this deal, somehow they’re in compliance with all sorts of international norms and standards.

The fact of the matter is, is that during the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, Iran has expanded its threats to peace and security in almost every category: terrorism, terror finance, cyber attacks, maritime aggression, human rights violations. And so we are now out of the deal and it gives us a great deal of freedom and leverage to address the entire range of Iran’s threats to peace and security.

And so our pressure campaign that the President and the Secretary have put in place really yield two very, very concrete benefits: One, it will starve the regime of the revenue it needs to destabilize the Middle East and terrorize other nations. We need to starve these militias of funding. The other thing it does is it creates pressure on the regime to come back to the negotiating table so that we can get a new and better deal that doesn’t just address the nuclear threat that Iran presents, but also addresses the entire range: the terrorism, the nuclear threat, the cyber aggression, maritime aggression, the entire range. And we are very confident that we have the right strategy with the right diplomacy in place.

MODERATOR: Nadia, please.

QUESTION: Thank you. Nadia Bilbassy with Al Arabiya. Now that you’re showing us an expanded evidence of Iran involvement, what mechanism do you have to stop these weapons from reaching proxies, in particular the Houthis in Yemen? And what leverage do you have on allied countries like Iraq, for example? You just said that there’s weapons that goes through to the Shiite militias in Iraq, and Iraq is a close ally of the United States.

MR HOOK: Right.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR HOOK: Now that our sanctions are back in place, the President and the Secretary of State will be resolutely focused on sanctions enforcement, and we are doing everything we can to deter and discover sanctions evasion. All of our diplomatic posts in the region, especially in the Middle East and in Europe, are putting in place strategies to detect and to prevent sanctions evasion, and that includes the missile proliferation, the missile shipments that you described.

It also is very much going after the money. Eighty percent of Iran’s revenue comes from oil exports. We have taken over a million barrels of oil off of Iran’s export list and many more barrels will be coming off very soon. And so we have – our maximum economic pressure campaign is focused on the economics. We also need to be restoring deterrents. This display today helps educate people on this clear and present threat that we face. And we urge all nations, especially the European Union, to move missile sanctions through the European Union so that we can start managing the risk of a regional conflict through missile proliferation.

MODERATOR: Let me take VOA, please.

QUESTION: Hi, I’m with the VOA, Farhad Pouladi, Persian Service. Two questions: First of all, are there more actions coming in the way towards the Iranian authorities to stop their malign activities? If you can go briefly over that, whether they are from Treasury or from the Pentagon. And what leverage do you have to convince others to join the campaign of maximum pressure against Iran? Thank you.

MR HOOK: Well, on the first question, we never give advance notice on our sanctions. That’s something which is held very closely until they’re announced. What I can say is that since we have reimposed our sanctions on November 5th, we have already done two rounds of designations targeting individuals and entities who are trying to evade sanctions, and that we worked very closely with Secretary Mnuchin at Treasury on these efforts. And so yes, there will be more sanctions. We have already done two rounds just since we’ve restored the sanctions lifted under the Iran nuclear deal.

In terms of leverage, I think we’ve been very successful so far with putting in place an economic pressure that is going to drive the Iranian economy into a place that’s going to really force the regime to decide: Is the cost-benefit of their revolutionary behavior in their favor? Our policy in the Middle East is to reverse the balance of power in favor of our friends and our partners. Iran has had a really good run over many years, partly enabled by the cover that the Iran nuclear deal provided.

And so I think now we are in a much better position with our regional partners, with the United States. We have had enormous cooperation from European companies. Over 100 major firms have announced that they are ending business in Iran and, if given the choice between doing business in the United States and doing business in Iran, it’s the fastest decision you’ll ever make as an executive. And so we have been very pleased with the progress we’ve made so far on our sanctions.

MODERATOR: Let me take AFP, and then I will take one last over here.

QUESTION: Thank you. Tom Watkins, AFP. Can you explain a little bit about the timing of today’s presentation? Why now, why today? As you know, there’s obviously been a tremendous amount of criticism in the media recently about Saudi Arabia. Is this to try and sort of shift the narrative a bit, or can you just talk about why you’re doing this again? Thank you.

MR HOOK: Well, we’re doing it again because our inventory has expanded. That’s just the nature of this regime. As this regime continues its aggressive and revolutionary foreign policy, we interdict more and more equipment. And so at some point, we hope to have this room no longer build its inventory. We need to reduce the inventory here. And so it’s just a function of Iran’s campaign to export arms in violation of UN embargoes across the Middle East.

In terms of the timing, it’s – there isn’t anything tied to what’s happening in Saudi Arabia. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense testified yesterday before Congress, had a very fulsome discussion about Saudi Arabia. Secretary Pompeo published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal yesterday explaining our policy. And so today, of course it’s related. Many of the missiles here were interdicted by Saudi Arabia, which illustrates just how much of a threat it’s under and how much of a threat UAE and Bahrain and Israel are under because of these kinds of weapons, whether it’s in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, or Yemen. And we need to get serious about going after this stuff.

MODERATOR: So our last question is Al Hurra.

QUESTION: Hisham Bourar, Al Hurra TV. First I have a question, but I want to follow up on the AFP question first. To what extent the vote yesterday in the Senate to sort of stop the support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen hurt your efforts to curb these Iranian activities?

And my question is: You spoke about the risk accumulating if you fail to act. What would that look like? Would it look like a military strike at some point? And given that you have tried the sanctions and the maximum pressure, could anything short of a military strike against Iran stop Iran from continuing its proliferation?

MR HOOK: On the first question about Yemen, abandoning Yemen right now would do immense damage to U.S. national security interests and to those of our partners in the Middle East. Right now in Yemen we are carrying out three vital missions. We are trying to assist the coalition in fighting Iranian-backed Houthi fighters, we are decapitating al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, and we are promoting Americans – we are protecting Americans who are working in Saudi Arabia or transiting the strategic waterways around Yemen.

We definitely want to bolster the conditions for peace in Yemen. We have a number of goals which I would describe as working in parallel tracks. Secretary Mattis has talked about the need to build capacity of legitimate Yemeni security forces. We need to strengthen the defensive capabilities of our regional partners. We need to support our partners’ right to defend themselves against Houthi attacks supported by the Iranian regime. And at the same time, we are calling for an urgent end to the fighting, and we hope that all parties will attend the consultations next month in Sweden under the good offices of UN Special Representative Martin Griffiths.

What was the second part of your question?

QUESTION: The other question, you spoke about, if the risk is actually accumulating if you fail to act...

MODERATOR: Please wait for the mic, sir.

QUESTION: ...would that take the form of a military strike? Is it – is the – going to war with Iran an option given that the sanctions and the maximum pressure policies have failed so far to curb Iran and to stop it from smuggling weapons to these militias?

MR HOOK: After the Shia militia attacks on our diplomatic facilities in Basra and Baghdad, the President put out a statement that promised swift and decisive action if any of our diplomatic facilities or diplomats are attacked or injured. And so we have been very clear with the Iranian regime that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are threatened. I think they understand that. I think they understand that very clearly. I think right now, while we have the military option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools at our disposal diplomatically. And as I said earlier, being out of the Iran deal has given us a great deal of diplomatic freedom to address the full range of Iran’s threats.

And so we are working very closely with partners around the world. We have had road show teams from State and Treasury that have visited I think almost 40 countries now, and that’s helping to explain our sanctions regime and its purposes. And we’ve been very pleased with the progress that we’ve made so far. There’s a lot of work that remains to be done, and one of the messages that we’ve been consistently delivering is that preserving the Iran nuclear deal cannot come at the expense of regional stability, and just because Iran is in compliance with the deal does not mean that everything else is fine. And as we see here today and the missile here behind me, this is a grave and escalating threat that we must do more to address.

Thank you very much.

MODERATOR: Thank you. That is the conclusion of our press conference. I want to thank Special Representative Hook and also want to thank the Department of Defense and our hosts here at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. If I could ask the media please to hold your seats for a moment, we’re going to have some instructions for you, and then we can allow the dip corps to depart. Thank you.

https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/11/287661.htm

[Butifldrm]

Kinzinger-Suozzi Bill Passes House Floor   f t # e Washington, November 28, 2018 | Maura Gillespie (2022253635) | 0 comments   Yesterday, the House passed H.R. 4591, the Preventing Iranian Destabilization of Iraq Act, which Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) and his colleague Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced in December 2017. Washington, DC – Yesterday, the House passed H.R. 4591, the Preventing Iranian Destabilization of Iraq Act, which Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) and his colleague Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced in December 2017. In applauding the passage of his bill, Congressman Kinzinger released this statement: “It’s no surprise that Iran is actively trying to gain influence in Iraq, and sow seeds of chaos to destabilize U.S. peacekeeping efforts in the region. We cannot and must not allow this tyrannical regime to obtain the power they seek, and that’s why this legislation is so important. H.R. 4591 will impose sanctions on all those who threaten peace and stability in Iraq. Thank you to Rep. Suozzi for his work on this bill, and to my colleagues for supporting its passage on the House Floor.”   Prior to its passage by voice vote, Congressman Kinzinger spoke on the House Floor in its favor and urged support from his colleagues. The Congressman’s floor speech can be found on his YouTube page, and his remarks as written can be found below: “Mr. Speaker, I rise today  in strong support of H.R. 4591, the Preventing Iranian Destabilization of Iraq Act, which I proudly introduced with my colleague Rep. Suozzi. “Since the toppling of Saddam Hussein, Iran has been working to gain access and influence in Iraq by dismantling American efforts to stabilize the country and the region. It is abundantly clear that Iran is working to gain influence in Iraq to further their radical agenda, and we must do everything in our power to counter their tyrannical regime and provide hope for the Iraqi people. “I am troubled by the growing influence of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which are being set up as a parallel military structure to undermine the Iraqi security forces. Just this week we saw the head of a powerful PMF, which would be sanctioned under this legislation, demanding that the Iraqi government allow these militia to secure the border with Syria. Not only would this legitimize the PMFs, but it would also give the Iranians one of their greatest desires – a secure land bridge to supply weapons and troops from Tehran to the Mediterranean. “Over the past few months, we have seen the security situation in Iraq slip further into despair. The U.S. compounds in Baghdad and Basra were attacked by Iranian backed groups, resulting in the latter shutting its doors. I believe retreating will only hurt the Iraqis and make the region a more dangerous place by allowing Iran to further destabilize the country, creating the conditions for the next generation of terror. “Following the elections in Iraq this year, we saw Iranian proxies and militias, as well as Iraqis working on behalf of the Iranians, attempting to form a coalition government in Baghdad. That is why passing this bipartisan legislation is so timely. “The Preventing Destabilization of Iraq Act, which passed the Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously, would impose sanctions on Iranians or any other person who threatens the peace and stability of Iraq. It will also sanction several terrorist organizations as well as their leaders, many of which are trained and funded by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Passage of this legislation ensures the Iranians are not given a free pass to meddle in the affairs of the Iraqi people.” “I must stress: Doing nothing only strengthens the Iranians and their proxies. The United States of America must always must take a stand against tyrannical regimes, oppression, and poverty. Ensuringthat the Ayatollah in Tehran does not continue to destabilize the Middle East is part of our mission, and I will continue to do what I can in support of that mission.   “I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4591, the Preventing Destabilization of Iraq Act. Andwith that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.” https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399949

[Butifldrm]

Baghdad Post Friday, 30 November 2018 02:40 AM

 

Brian Hawk: Washington will respond militarily if Tehran attacked its interests in the region

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Brian Hook

US special envoy to Iran Brian Hook said on Thursday that his country would not hesitate to respond militarily to Tehran if the latter attacked Washington's interests in the region. 

This came in a speech during his participation in a seminar on the behavior of the Iranian regime, organized in Washington, DC. 

Hawk spoke of his country's assurance that groups fighting on behalf of Iran would use Iranian weapons in Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. 

He warned of a heightened risk of tension in the region in the absence of action against Iran's growing threat . 

He said there was an increase in Iranian support for terrorism around the world, warning that this undermines regional stability.

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https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/ar/Story/134791/بريان-هوك-واشنطن-سترد-عسكريا-حال-هاجمت-طهران-مصالحها-بالمنطقة

[yota691]

29-11-2018 11:41 PM

Washington "threatens" the military response if Iran attacks its interests in the region

 

 

 

 

Baghdad / News:

US special envoy to Iran Brian Hook said on Thursday that his country would "not hesitate to respond militarily" to Tehran if the latter attacked Washington's interests in the region.

This came in a speech during his participation in a seminar on the behavior of the Iranian regime, organized in Washington, DC.

Hawk spoke of his country's assurance that groups fighting on behalf of Iran would use Iranian weapons in Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

"There is a growing risk of tension in the region in the absence of action against Iran's growing threat," he warned.

He said there was "an increase in Iranian support for terrorism around the world," warning that it "undermines regional stability."

[yota691]

US accusation of the Iranian regime to provide armed factions in Iraq with ballistic missiles

 

 

 

Number of readings: 2785 29-11-2018 11:25 PM

 

 

29-11-2018 11:25 PM 

 

The US special envoy on Iran, Brian Hawk, accused the Iranian regime of supplying ballistic missiles to armed factions in Iraq

Pointing out that Washington has new evidence that Tehran is involved in destabilizing security and stability in the entire region. Hawk  stressed  that the United States will not allow the return of Hezbollah's model in Yemen or transfer it to another Lebanon, pointing out that Tehran is always seeking to supply its agents of militias and terrorist groups The Iranian regime is seeking to export its revolution through the export of weapons to increase the suffering of the region and pointed out that Iran has the largest ballistic missile capability in the region, he stressed that one Iranian missile attack would cause a conflict to be unmarked after Hawk and stressed The sanctions aimed at drying the Iranian regime 's resources used to destabilize the region

[Butifldrm]

Baghdad Post Saturday, 01 December 2018 03:15 AM

 

Sources reveal the deterioration of Khamenei's health .. and a state of anxiety among his sons and the General Command

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Ali Khamani

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian leader Ali Khamenei's health has deteriorated since Wednesday after meeting with Iranian army commanders and commanders, Iranian sources said on Friday. 

"The health situation of the latter has deteriorated rapidly since last Wednesday, prompting Khamenei to cancel all meetings scheduled for Thursday, " the Iranian news website Amade News quoted sources in the office of Supreme Leader Khamenei as saying . 

The sources pointed out that the forces of the Revolutionary Guards and intelligence began to spread around the office and the house of Khamenei, which is located in the Republic Street east of the capital Tehran. 

It is forbidden to fly in the area of Al-Gomhuriya Street, where the office and house of the guide Ali Khamene'i, or the Persian "house of the monks", ie the "leadership office", is located.

The Iranian sources said that all the military and security forces are ready and in case of any emergency happens in the event of the announcement of the death of the Supreme Leader Khamenei, adding that "a concern spread between the sons of Ali Khamenei and the leadership in the office of the guide. 

Khamenei has suffered years of cancer and other health problems, prompting him in early August 2014 to undergo surgery to treat prostate cancer in a Tehran hospital, and described the process in a timely manner successful. 

In April 2017, medical sources said that the treatment provided to Ali Khamenei against cancer has become useless, and Khamenei's body no longer responds to the treatment of prostate cancer, after the failure of medical personnel to reduce the spread of cancer all over his body.

The 78-year-old Khamenei is the highest-ranking jurist in Iran and has broad powers as defined by the Iranian constitution after the revolution following the fall of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 

In recent years, several names have been put forward to take over the succession of Khamenei in the event of his death, including the Chairman of the Expediency Council, Mahmoud al-Hashemi Shahroudi, who also suffers from health problems for months paid him not to attend the meetings of the Council. 

Iranian media and experts have begun asking the head of the judiciary, the hard-line cleric, "Sadiq Larijani" to succeed the guide, especially as the end of his term of office as the judiciary.

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[nannab]

The vulture's are a circling !  Maybe Iran will have a long overdue civil

war. 

[Hotcurl]

4 hours ago, Butifldrm said:

Baghdad Post Saturday, 01 December 2018 03:15 AM

 

Sources reveal the deterioration of Khamenei's health .. and a state of anxiety among his sons and the General Command

FacebookTwitterGoogle+EmailWhatsApp

 

Ali Khamani

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian leader Ali Khamenei's health has deteriorated since Wednesday after meeting with Iranian army commanders and commanders, Iranian sources said on Friday. 

"The health situation of the latter has deteriorated rapidly since last Wednesday, prompting Khamenei to cancel all meetings scheduled for Thursday, " the Iranian news website Amade News quoted sources in the office of Supreme Leader Khamenei as saying . 

The sources pointed out that the forces of the Revolutionary Guards and intelligence began to spread around the office and the house of Khamenei, which is located in the Republic Street east of the capital Tehran. 

It is forbidden to fly in the area of Al-Gomhuriya Street, where the office and house of the guide Ali Khamene'i, or the Persian "house of the monks", ie the "leadership office", is located.

The Iranian sources said that all the military and security forces are ready and in case of any emergency happens in the event of the announcement of the death of the Supreme Leader Khamenei, adding that "a concern spread between the sons of Ali Khamenei and the leadership in the office of the guide. 

Khamenei has suffered years of cancer and other health problems, prompting him in early August 2014 to undergo surgery to treat prostate cancer in a Tehran hospital, and described the process in a timely manner successful. 

In April 2017, medical sources said that the treatment provided to Ali Khamenei against cancer has become useless, and Khamenei's body no longer responds to the treatment of prostate cancer, after the failure of medical personnel to reduce the spread of cancer all over his body.

The 78-year-old Khamenei is the highest-ranking jurist in Iran and has broad powers as defined by the Iranian constitution after the revolution following the fall of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 

In recent years, several names have been put forward to take over the succession of Khamenei in the event of his death, including the Chairman of the Expediency Council, Mahmoud al-Hashemi Shahroudi, who also suffers from health problems for months paid him not to attend the meetings of the Council. 

Iranian media and experts have begun asking the head of the judiciary, the hard-line cleric, "Sadiq Larijani" to succeed the guide, especially as the end of his term of office as the judiciary.

a S

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/ar/Story/134994/مصادر-تكشف-تدهور-صحة-خامنئي-وحالة-من-القلق-بين-أبنائه-والقيادة-العامة

 

 

Perhaps Rouhani will also suffer the same medical fate and then we all can move on to a more stable and more prosperous future.

 

Semper Fi

RV there yet ? 

[yota691]

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Wednesday. Photo by: Lea Meliz - Reuters.

 

US Secretary Of State Denounces Iran's Test Of Medium-Range Missile

By Reuters one hour ago
 8
Participate
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday condemned what he called Iran's test of a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying several warheads in violation of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program.

Amid tension between Washington and Tehran over ballistic missiles, Pompeo warned in a statement on Twitter that Iran was increasing the "testing and deployment of missiles" and called on the Islamic Republic "to stop these activities."

US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in May and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran, criticizing the pact for not including restrictions on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or support for pro-war groups in proxy wars in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.

Iran says its missile program is purely defensive, but has threatened to block shipments of oil in the Gulf's Strait of Hormuz if the United States tries to halt Iranian oil exports.

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander said last month that US bases in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as aircraft carriers in the Gulf, were under Iranian fire.

The statement did not include details of the missile test, conducted by Iran.

"The Iranian regime tested a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads," he said on Twitter.

"This test violates the United Nations Security Council resolution, which was issued to support the international nuclear agreement," he said. "We condemn this action."

Iran has ruled out negotiations with Washington over its military capabilities, especially its missile program, overseen by the Revolutionary Guards.

[nannab]

 

Why there is nothing from the rest of the world about this is

mind boggling. 

 

Thanks Yota 

[Butifldrm]

Maliki: We will not keep silent on the survival of Iraq within the American axis

13:22 - 02/12/2018

0

 

  

Information / Baghdad ..

The head of a coalition of state law, Nuri al-Maliki, on Sunday, that political alliances will not keep silent on the survival of the Iraqi government within the American axis, America seeks to be Iraq in a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, a challenge to Baghdad.

"The Iraqi government will not be a member of any alliance with the US and Saudi Arabia against Iran and will not allow its territory to be used against its neighbor, Iran," Maliki said in an interview with Iran's Radio and Television.

"Iraq will never be part of any Saudi-led coalition because Saudi Arabia, by supporting other terrorist groups, has only brought war and destruction to Iraq," he said.

Maliki pointed out that "America seeks to be Iraq within the alliance led by Saudi Arabia," adding that "this is a challenge to Baghdad."

The former vice president called on the new Iraqi government to "get out of the American axis, because Iraqi political alliances will not remain silent about the survival of Iraq with this axis."

"The US embargo against Iran is immoral," he said, stressing that Iraq would not be part of the US embargo against Iran. Ending / 25

https://www.almaalomah.com/2018/12/02/369487/

[yota691]

Maliki: Iraq will not be in the American axis, but will be under the Iranian cloak

Last updated: 2 December 2018 - 2:46 pm

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday that political alliances would not keep the Iraqi government on the US axis, saying that the United States wants Iraq to be part of a Saudi-led coalition, challenging Baghdad. "The Iraqi government will not be a member of any alliance with the United States and Saudi Arabia against Iran and will not allow the use of its territory against its neighbor Iran," the Islamic Republic of Iran said in a statement. "Iraq will never be part of any alliance it leads Saudi Arabia, because Saudi Arabia through its support of The most noble terrorist groups have not only brought war and destruction to Iraq. "Maliki said that" America seeks to be Iraq within the alliance led by Saudi Arabia, "adding that" this is a challenge to Baghdad. "

[yota691]

Report: Failure of US sanctions on Iran because of Iraqi support

Last updated: 2 December 2018 - 1:46 pm
BAGHDAD / A news website reported on Sunday (December 2, 2018) that Washington has failed to "rip" Iran economic sanctions imposed on it, especially as Iraq stands in support of the economy of Tehran. The site said in a report that "with the entry of the second package Of the US sanctions on Tehran, aimed primarily at the oil and banking sectors to take effect on the fourth of November, but with the start of sanctions, Washington excluded eight temporary countries of these sanctions, namely China, India, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Taiwan, Greece , And Turkey, before the addition of Iraq later. " P:. "Although the American exception of Iraq sanctions regime came for a period of only 45 days, but the following lines, we read in Iraq options to counter US sanctions against Tehran in light of Iranian pressure" He pointed out that "the exception of Iraq from the US sanctions signed by Tehran on the tongue of the US special envoy came to coordinate US sanctions against Iran, Brian Hawk, provided that is not dealing with the US currency," noting that "Iraq will open a pipeline to transport oil from Kirkuk, "This exception, a temporary exception, the United States has given Iraq since 8 November 2018, 45 days to stop the import of natural gas from Iran, after the entry of the second package of sanctions against Tehran to take effect; it imports Iraq natural gas from Iran To operate power plants in the country. "
The US sanctions on Tehran include 50 Iranian banks, nearly 200 individuals and a ship in the official Iranian shipping sector, as well as the official Iranian Airlines and more than 65 aircraft from its air fleet. But apparently, the Iraqi government headed by Adel Abdul Mahdi is still studying The consequences of the end of the US deadline, in the first official response from the Iraqi government to start implementation of the package of US sanctions against Iran, the Iraqi Prime Minister said that "Iraq is not part of the system of US sanctions imposed on Iran," in a statement is the first of Abdul Mahdi in terms of relations the outside Iraq ".
The site pointed out in his report that the statement of the Prime Minister was followed by another statement from President Barham Saleh, who called on the United States from Kuwait to take into account Iraq's political and economic status at a time when the countries - Iraq and the United States - to exempt Baghdad from US sanctions on Iran, Pointing out that "Iraq does not want to bear the burden of US sanctions on Tehran." He noted that "many analyzes presented how Iraq is dealing with US sanctions against Iran," as well as the Iraqi parliament speaker Mohamed Halbousi to reject the US sanctions against Iran, T national. There is a question about the ability of Baghdad to control the balance required and satisfactory and agreed upon between the parties - Iraq and Iran - without the involvement of Baghdad itself in flagrant violation of US sanctions will bear the consequences, with the prior recognition that Washington has the power of economic decision, while Tehran has the authority of the security decision in Iraq " .
And that "the use of any of these options may lead to a new disaster in Iraq," and "Iraq's confusion in dealing with US sanctions is the price resulting from the inability of the Iraqi political systems successive to the need to maintain the national sovereignty of Iraq, even at the minimum," and For his part, the appearance of Mohammed Saleh, financial adviser to the former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi, that "US sanctions on Tehran will affect the Iraqi economy, The Iraqi market Which consume heavily Iranian agricultural commodities, as well as foodstuffs, cars and building materials, "Saleh said.
The trade balance between Iraq and Iran is in favor of the latter. Trade between the two countries in 2017 amounts to about $ 7 billion, of which only $ 77 million is the volume of Iraqi exports to Iran. Iran is the second country after Turkey in the volume of trade with Iraq. It also quoted the Iraqi economic expert Mohammed Abdul Wahab al-Hamdani, that "did not accelerate the pace of Iraq to find alternatives to Iranian goods that will be prevented from entering Iraq under US sanctions, the country is on the verge of a real crisis, especially with regard to the import of energy derivatives, Used by Iraq in the operation of power plants, which the country suffers from a real crisis in providing to the Iraqis.
He added that "the energy sector is the only one that will be affected significantly under the sanctions, as the US sanctions will prevent goods from entering the official, according to Hamdani, who pointed out that Iraq has a common border with Iran up to more than 1100 kilometers, and therefore, "The border has also played a bigger role in the Iranians getting the dollar, and in this way the United States will not be able to limit the presence," Hamdani said. The An Iranian economist in Iraq; no one has the ability to control these borders in the presence of cooperation by the militias and their parties seized power and control of the Iraqi markets. "
Al-Hamdani concluded by saying that "oil will not be an exception to the smuggling, as Iran has considerable experience in the processes of circumventing the US sanctions prior to the nuclear agreement," pointing out that "Iran was using a fleet of ships stealth to sell its oil to various countries of the world at attractive prices, That Iran will also seek to smuggle its oil through Iraqi territory, to sell on the black market or to pass it to Iraq and ship it with what runs from Iraqi oil to other countries.

[yota691]

TEHRAN: We will continue testing and developing missiles

By Rudao 2 hours ago

A spokesman for the Iranian Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Abu El Fadl Shikarji

TEHRAN (Reuters) - 

Iran will continue testing and developing missiles in response to Washington, the Iranian chief of staff said on Sunday. 

This came in a statement to the spokesman of the Chief of Staff Brigadier General Abu Fadl Shikarji, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday that Iran had violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231 by testing a medium-range ballistic missile. 

The Iranian spokesman pointed out that the goal of Iran's test of missiles, increasing the deterrent and defense capabilities of the country. 

He added that his country did not covet the interests of any country in the region. 

He stressed that Iran "will continue testing and development of missiles, and will not take permission from any country in this matter." 

Iran's test of the missiles "affects Iran's national security and is not negotiable," he said. 

He warned the United States and its allies in the region not to commit a "strategic error". 

"If they make a mistake, they will take a lesson they will never forget, but we are confident that the United States and its allies will not make such a mistake," he said, without elaborating. 

In his statement on Saturday, Pompeo said the Iranian medium-range missile was capable of carrying many ballistic warheads. 

He said that "this missile, able to hit part of Europe and anywhere in the Middle East from Iran." 

"We call on Iran to immediately stop all its work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons," Pompeo said. 

[Butifldrm]

Baghdad Post Monday, 03 December 2018 04:48 p

 

Because of US sanctions .. Iran is trying to save its economy by reducing its military budget

 

 

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TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's cabinet has voted to cut the budget for militaryformations and institutions by a large percentage compared to last year, according to Iranian reports on Sunday, pointing out that the budget for the next year 2019 will be about seven billion dollars. 

The total budget of the Iranian military institutions last year about $ 44 trillion, equivalent to the dollar set by the Central Bank of about $ 13.5 billion, and comes the budget reduction of the military next year on the impact of severe US sanctions against Tehran after Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and decline Oil prices. 

A spokesman for the Iranian parliament Bahruz Nemati, on Sunday evening, said the budgetFor the next year set the price of oil at $ 54 per barrel, while setting the exchange rate of one dollar against the Tuman by 570 thousand riyals. 

For his part, criticized the Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy of the Parliament Hishmatullah Fallah Bash, the lack of interest of the Iranian government to the military budget, adding that the budget does not match the level of defense budget with the country's security and defense indicators. 

He Flaan Bhh expressed concern if passed parliament a draft budget sent by the government to parliament on Sunday, and said : "It is worrying," adding that the reduction in the share of defense spending in the next year 's budget, contrary to the general policies of the system and programs developed by the military institutions.

He stressed that the defense budget is one of the main pillars of the budget and a very important topic for the country. 

The size of the Iranian budget allocated to military issues amounted to 4 percent of the total budget of the country for the current year 2018. The 

head of the Security and Defense Committee of the Iranian parliament, after a meeting with the President of the Planning and Budget Planning Mohammad Baqir Nubkt last week, pledged to be a satisfactory budget for military institutions , But what was adopted today in the Council of Ministers is contrary to the promises made by the Iranian government . Military

institutions , including the Revolutionary Guard, will press a bloc within parliament to prevent passage of the country's approved budgetThe government until private institutions and military formations budget amendment.

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[yota691]

Maliki opens fire on Saudi Arabia and strongly defends Iran and reason

2 hours ago

 01, 442 less than a minute

 

 

Eighth electronic newspaper

Today attacked the head of the coalition of state law Nuri al-Maliki, Saudi Arabia again accused of "supporting extremism," explaining that Iraq will not be a member of any alliance against neighbor beloved Iran.

"Iraq will not be a member of any alliance within America and Saudi Arabia against neighbor Iran, and will not allow the use of its territory against its neighbor Iran," he said in an interview with Iran's Radio and Television today.

He said in an interview that "Iraq will not be part of an alliance led by a state supportive of the party, such as Saudi Arabia, which brought war and destruction to Iraq," noting that "America seeks to be Iraq within the alliance led by Saudi Arabia."

He pointed to the need to "the importance of the departure of the government of Abdul Mahdi, from the American axis, the fact that the Iraqi political alliances will not pass the survival of Iraq in this axis and fall into the Iranian embrace."

[Butifldrm]

 

 

Spiritual: If we do not export oil, no country can export it from the Gulf

Twilight News    

 3 hours ago

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani on Tuesday threatened to halt Gulf oil exports if the United States decided to stop Iran from selling its oil. 
"We will continue to sell our oil and no one, including the United States, will be able to prevent us," Rowhani said in a speech to a crowd of residents of Shahroud city in the northeastern province of Semnan. 
He added that the United States must know that unless Iran can export oil, no country will be able to export oil from the Gulf. 
The Iranian president accused America of seeking to overthrow the regime in his country, pointing out that these efforts will not succeed and will fail the Iranian people steadfastness, he said, noting that "the United States was looking for a coup in our country, did not succeed."
The United States says the aim of its sanctions against Tehran, which came into force in early November, was to cut Iranian oil exports to zero in an effort to curb Iran's missile program and its destabilizing regional influence in the region.

Keywords: 

 

http://www.shafaaq.com/ar/Ar_NewsReader/187192e2-2519-4ca3-8ea1-470508c8ac05

[Butifldrm]

Iran Again Threatens To Block Key Oil Transit Choke Point As U.S. Aircraft Carrier En Route

by Tyler Durden

Tue, 12/04/2018 - 10:35

8

Here we go again: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has once more threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital to up to one-third of all global oil shipping as it's a key transit choke point in the Persian Gulf. 

On Tuesday Iranian state broadcasts carried his words, saying “if someday, the United States decides to block Iran’s oil (exports), no oil will be exported from the Persian Gulf.” He further vowed that the United States will not be able to prevent Iran from exporting its crude — something the White House has repeatedly pledged to take down to zero exports through international allies and economic blockade through sanctions. 

A prior Iranian Navy drill off the Strait of Hormuz, RFE/RL

 

The threat comes less than 24 hours after US officials told the Wall Street Journal that an aircraft carrier group led by the USS John C. Stennis is set to arrive in the Persian Gulf "within days" — which will bring a close what's been described as the longest period in two decades that a carrier group was absent from the region. Specifically the unnamed officials identified the purpose as to "exhibit a show of force against Iran".

The carrier deployment, though previously scheduled, was announced after the US condemned Iran's test firing a medium-range nuclear capable ballistic missile on Sunday.

“The United States should know that we are selling oil and we will sell our oil and it cannot block Iran’s oil export,” he said on Tuesday addressing the people of Shahroud in Semnan province broadcast live on state TV. 

The United States and the Israeli regime cannot stand the idea of a powerful and dignified Iran, and the Iranian nation will not bow to them, Rouhani highlighted, adding, “the United States failed in launching a coup in our country. They were after separating Khuzestan province, imposing sanctions against the country, and undermining Iran’s power, but they failed. It should be studied why the US is angry with Iran and Iranians.” —MEHR News Agency

Though it's not the first time such a threat was made, tensions have never been higher as less than a day prior Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Brussels to discuss “ways to halt together Iranian aggression in the region”. Hours after the meeting the Israeli Defense Forces launched 'Operation Northern Shield' along the Lebanese border to “expose and thwart” what officials have dubbed "terror tunnels" stretching from Lebanon into northern Israel 

According to the AP, President Rouhani's threat was welcomed by hardline clerics and military officials, including Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.

USS John C. Stennis nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, via Defence Blog

In early November, for example, a prominent hardline cleric told a Friday prayer gathering in Mashhad, considered Iran's spiritual capital, that Iran has the power to "instantly" create conditions for $400 a barrel oil prices if it decides to act in the Persian Gulf. 

Shia cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda grabbed headlines at the time by declaring, "If Iran decides, a single drop of this region's oil will not be exported and in 90 minutes all Persian Gulf countries will be destroyed."

And during the prior summer, after similar threats were issued from Tehran the spokesman for the US military's Central Command, Captain Bill Urban, told the Associated Press that US sailors and its regional allies "stand ready to ensure the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce wherever international law allows".

It appears the presence of the USS John C. Stennis is aimed at preventing such a possibility of Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz from happening. Officials also said the carrier group will support the US war in Afghanistan as well as operations against remnant ISIS pockets in Iraq and Syria. But despite current tensions with Iran, Pentagon officials have underscored that the carrier mission was previously scheduled, while also touting its Iranian deterrent mission. 

In recent comments over Iran's developing ballistic missile program, the State Department's special representative on Iran, Brian Hook, said the "military option" is on the table. 

“We have been very clear with the Iranian regime that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are threatened. I think they understand that. I think they understand that very clearly,” Hook said late last week.

“I think right now, while we have the military option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools that are at our disposal diplomatically,” he added.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-04/iran-again-threatens-block-key-oil-transit-choke-point-us-aircraft-carrier-deployed