Trump says US ‘moving forward’ with additional sanctions on Iran

[10 YEARS LATER]

5 hours ago, dinarin said:

Next news from propaganda insanian could be  something like this  : " IT WAS  THE MOTHER OF THE BATTLE  ...AND WE WON ¡¡¡   

 

Buuuuut ..... how do we explain a Quarter of a Million POWs ? Wait a minute-I think I can answer my own question.... GPS Navigational error and ... oops there they were ? 

[nannab]

Love it !!!!  

 

2 minutes ago, 10 YEARS LATER said:

 

Buuuuut ..... how do we explain a Quarter of a Million POWs ? Wait a minute-I think I can answer my own question.... GPS Navigational error and ... oops there they were ? 

 

[10 YEARS LATER]

3 hours ago, Half Crazy Runner said:

 

🤣 what a buffoon! 🤣

 

Thats Funny right there 😂 ....without a doubt he was not in attendance for “ Bomb Iraq into the 12th Century episodes “ during the the Gulf War (s). 

[6ly410]

Turkey suspended import of Iranian oil to 'respect' US sanctions - report

By Rudaw 3 hours ago

126Viewshttp://www.rudaw.net/mobile/english/business/23052019

         

A tug boat pulls an oil exploration platform through the Bosporus in Turkey on December 12, 2018. File photo: AA

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A senior Turkish official told reporters on Wednesday that Ankara stopped buying Iran's oil in early May out of "respect" for the United States.

“We don’t believe in sanctions, but as a strategic ally we respect the U.S. decision ... We don’t believe isolation of Iran will be helpful,” Reuters quoted the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying. 

Ankara has abided by the sanctions since its waiver ended this month, according to official. The remarks were made during Turkish Deputy of Foreign Affairs Yavuz Selim Kiran’s visit to Washington, D.C.

“We are not getting any oil from Iran now,” the unnamed source added. 
 

In 2017, Iran accounted for only about 4.9 percent of Turkey's oil imports. Saudi Arabia was first at 14 percent, followed by Iraq at 7.3 percent, and the Emirates at 5 percent, according to statistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

US-Iran relations have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump announced his countries withdrawal from the nuclear deal — formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — and the continued imposition of sanctions against Tehran.

The United States ended waivers for eight countries in April, including Turkey, waivers which allowed oil transactions with Iran to continue.

A senior Turkish official also told Reuters on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan may meet soon in Turkey or during the G20 meeting in Japan from June 28-29, adding that Erdogan has invited Trump to Ankara.

"We are working on the calendar now," said the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "They may meet on the margins of G20 in Japan as well. For a bilateral visit, we are waiting for an exact date.”

A US Congressional bill introduced on May 10, “Expressing Concern for the US-Turkey alliance,” was heard before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

The resolution supports the sale of Patriot air and defence systems to Turkey, and would terminate Turkey’s participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program, if they did go forward with the S-400 deal with Russia. 

 

Turkey has vowed to produce S-500s jointly with Russia after finalizing the S-400 purchase. 

Moreover, if Ankara does go through with the purchase, the bill calls for “full implementation of sanctions” under the ‘Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017.’  The bill would still need to be passed before committee, both chambers, and signed by President Trump before it would take effect.
 

Turkey responded on Wednesday following the bill’s hearing in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“We observe that the anti-Turkey circles in the United States have recently intensified their activities in the US Congress,” said Hami Aksoy, the spokesperson for Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Aksoy went on to describe Turkey and US relations as “deep rooted” and based on “common values and mutual interests.” “They work together to contribute to the peace and security in various regions of the world,” said Aksoy.

Resolutions such as the one brought before the committee hearing on Wednesday, “are inconsistent with the allied relationship between our countries,” he added.

Turkey has suggested establishing a joint working group to lessen US concerns over its purchase of S-400 system, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Speaking at a press conference with Polish and Romanian counterparts in Ankara on Wednesday, Cavusoglu claimed they have received an affirmative response from NATO but were still awaiting a response from the United States.

US-Turkish relations have come under recent strain. Ankara is frustrated with US military support for Kurdish forces in northern Syria fighting against the Islamic State (ISIS) and the US refusal to extradite Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating the attempted 2016 coup. 
 

The US meanwhile, has been weary of Turkish attempts to purchase the S-400 missile system from Russia, which it deems incompatible with the NATO system. Additionally, the arrests of Turkish nationals employed at US embassies and consulates have been points of contention among the strategic NATO allies. 

 

[Butifldrm]

Pentagon plans to send more troops to Middle East amid Iran threat

 

US Army commandos move train in desert warfare in this file picture. (Shutterstock image)

Updated 8 sec ago

AFP

May 23, 201901:21

Tehran and Washington have this month been escalating rhetoric against each other

The US military deployed a carrier strike group, bombers and Patriot missiles to the Middle East earlier this month

WASHINGTON: The United States is considering deploying more troops to the Middle East as it looks for ways to enhance the protection of its forces in the turbulent region, acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Thursday.
Shanahan denied news reports that plans call for the deployment of as many as 10,000 more troops to the region, where tensions between the US and Iran are on the rise.
"What we're looking at, are there things that we can do to enhance force protection in the Middle East?" he said, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon. "It may involve sending additional troops."

Earlier, two US officials told Reuters that the US Department of Defense is considering a US military request to send about 5,000 additional troops to the Middle East amid increasing tensions with Iran.
Tehran and Washington have this month been escalating rhetoric against each other, following US President Donald Trump’s decision to try to cut Iran’s oil exports to zero and beef up the US military presence in the Gulf in response to what he said were Iranian threats.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the request had been made by US Central Command, but added that it was not clear whether the Pentagon would approve the request.

OPINION

Mohamed Chebaro

Saber-rattling alone will not scare Iran 

READ ARTICLE

The Pentagon regularly receives — and declines — requests for additional resources from US combatant commands throughout the world.
One of the officials said the requested troops would be defensive in nature.
This appeared to be the latest request for additional resources in the face of what US officials have said are credible threats from Iran against US forces and American interests in the Middle East.
The Pentagon declined to comment on future plans.
“As a matter of longstanding policy, we are not going to discuss or speculate on potential future plans and requests for forces,” Commander Rebecca Rebarich, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said on Wednesday.

 

Shanahan said on Tuesday that while threats from Iran in the Middle East remained high, deterrence measures taken by the Pentagon had “put on hold” the potential for attacks on Americans.
The US military deployed a carrier strike group, bombers and Patriot missiles to the Middle East earlier this month in response to what Washington said were troubling indications of possible preparations for an attack by Iran.
Trump had warned on Monday that Iran would be met with “great force” if it attacked US interests in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday, that Iran will not surrender to US pressure and will not abandon its goals even if it is bombed.
Earlier in the day, Iran's top military chief said the standoff between Tehran and Washington was a "clash of wills", warning that any enemy "adventurism" would meet a crushing response, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1500911/middle-east

[Butifldrm]

Iran, US tension is a ‘clash of wills’: Guards commander

 

Iran said additional US forces in the region are a threat to their troops and interests. (AFP/File)

Updated 23 May 2019

REUTERS

May 23, 201910:52

The commander said they will have a “hard, crushing and obliterating response” for their enemies

Tensions between Iran and US escalated after Trump restored sanctions

GENEVA: The standoff between Iran and the United States is a “clash of wills,” a senior commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday, suggesting any enemy “adventurism” would meet a crushing response, Fars news agency reported.
Tensions have spiked between the two countries after Washington sent more military forces to the Middle East in a show of force against what US officials say are Iranian threats to its troops and interests in the region.
“The confrontation and face-off of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the malicious government of America is the arena for a clash of wills,” Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri said.
He pointed to a battle during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war where Iran was victorious and said the outcome could be a message that Iran will have a “hard, crushing and obliterating response” for any enemy “adventurism.”
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump tweeted: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!“
Trump restored US sanctions on Iran last year and tightened them this month, ordering all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.
Trump wants Iran to come to the negotiating table to reach a new deal with more curbs on its nuclear and missile programs.
Reiterating Iran’s stance, the spokesman for its Supreme National Security Council said on Thursday that “There will not be any negotiations between Iran and America.”
Keyvan Khosravi was also quoted as saying by the state broadcaster that some officials from several countries have visited Iran recently, “mostly representing the United States.”
He did not elaborate, but the foreign minister of Oman, which in the past helped pave the way for negotiations between Iran and the United States, visited Tehran on Monday.
“Without exception, the message of the power and resistance of the Iranian nation was conveyed to them,” he said.
In Berlin, a German diplomatic source told Reuters that Jens Ploetner, a political director in Germany’s Foreign Ministry, was in Tehran on Thursday for meetings with Iranian officials to try to preserve the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and cool tensions in the region.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1501086/middle-east

[DoD]

What they really mean is on paper we have stopped receiving oil from Iran but in reality we are secretly still smuggling it in. Being they don't have ISIS or Al Quada to buy their oil from anymore Iran is the next terrorist organization to get it from. 

The crooked thieves in Kurdistan I'm sure are still selling it to them black market but hey they need to show Trump their abiding by his sanctions...LMAO 

 

[Laid Back]

The “potential” war on Iran and the reshaping of the map of the Middle East

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In the light of heightened tension and escalating fears of war eruption between the USA and Iran, Deputy US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said on Tuesday that the administration of US President Donald Trump was trying to deter Iran rather than ignite a war against the Islamic Republic, after briefing members of Congress on developments related to the case. “This is about deterrence, not war, we are not about to go to war,” he told reporters after leaving a closed-door meeting with Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo. The US defense secretary added, the United States had prevented possible Iranian attacks by deploying troops in the Middle East. “We have prevented attacks by redeploying our fleet, we have prevented potential attacks on US forces,” he told reporters in Congress. “Our biggest focus at this stage is to prevent Iranian misjudgment.” He stressed that the strengthening of the military presence in the Middle East was aimed at deterrence.
In a move that as not surprising, Washington sent huge military reinforcements to the Middle East, including the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and five other warships, and deployed B52 strategic bombers at Qatar’s base of some 10,000 US troops, and redeployment of Patriot batteries, and reinforced its forces with an amphibious attack ship.
The great review of US power has not stopped at this level, there is a vast network of military bases stationed in the region since the first Gulf War in 1991, including a base for the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and the third US military base in Kuwait, which has 16,000 US troops, and other forces at the Dhafra base in the UAE with about 5,000 troops, along with its own forces in Yemen, in addition to having an agreement to use Omani ports, facilities and airports.
The United States is stepping up its military presence in the Middle East through ships capable of carrying land landings on Iranian shores. One of the US aircraft carriers makes its way into the sea water in the area. Strategic attack fighters and bombers and Patriot batteries have recently arrived, as if preparing for a decisive battle.
Tehran also threatens the interests of Washington and its allies, and threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz, if it could not export its oil. And one of its tools to implement this threat is missile arm that can hit Saudi and Emirates territories and Israel also and a military force that will be able, despite its weakness, to close the strait when needed, apart from its agents deployed in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

In a tense atmosphere like this, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh announce sabotage incidents involving a few ships and tankers. What has been leaked from both sides of the details of those operations is small enough to raise a lot of questions, and not to point the finger to anyone who makes the scene more foggy! While Washington seems reluctant even to hold Tehran agents responsible for the attacks!
The fingers may point to terrorism, especially al-Qaeda, or Iran and its allies. The organization wants to take advantage of the tense atmosphere, perhaps with the interest of a war involving the United States, and the strongholds of extremism on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite rift line that has been burning for more than a decade, it is possible but weak!
Tehran is carrying out its threats by blocking – not preventing – the export of crude across the Strait. Likelihood seems more likely! Attacks such as the latter make it easier for Tehran to deny responsibility for it, while at the same time not embarrassing Washington – and its allies in the Gulf – or forcing them to respond militarily if the latter has no desire to escalate. The evidence for that is the recent targeting of the Houthis to the pipeline, which allows the export of nearly half of Saudi oil production, across the Red Sea, without the need to cross the Straits of Hormuz. As if Tehran threatened through its agents to raise the cost of any military escalation. Not only on Riyadh, but Washington in the first place, as a result of the dramatic rise in prices of crude after the exit of the entire Saudi production in addition to other Gulf countries from the markets.

This is enough to arouse the fury of America’s allies and enemies alike, and raise the political and economic costs of any military adventure of this magnitude, especially since they do not enjoy international legitimacy either through a decision of the Security Council or an alliance of those interested. As for the majority of the European powers are not hiding its opposing attitude for any reckless escalation with dire consequences .
Some might see the American fleet as an expression of political will to carry out a small attack on Iranian territory, starting with fabricated pretexts, followed by a surgical strike limited to the destruction of some nuclear reactors and nuclear research laboratories of Iran to delay the Iranian nuclear program for decades without eliminating it completely but taking into account the boredom of America and its people from wars, Trump’s electoral promises and his tendency to withdraw US troops deployed in some hot spots, the focus of the US National Security Strategy and the Pentagon to mobilize energies in the face of the rapid rise of the Chinese dragon and deter the Russian bear who has been waken up from his coma , the chances of this hypothesis diminish .
A Katyusha rocket that exploded near the US embassy in the Green Zone in Baghdad, where the ministries of the Iraqi regime and foreign embassies are concentrated, once turned Iraq into a new focus for the collision course between the United States and Iran. With an automatic response, the shooting was attributed to the pro-Iranian forces or Shi’ite militias centered around Baghdad, which apparently wanted to send a message to the US administration and the Iraqi government not to be under American pressure.
As in previous operations against Saudi ships in the Arabian Gulf, there is no information about who is in charge, but it is clear who is being targeted. American pressure works in two tracks, the first wants to separate Iraq’s economy from Iran’s economy, and thereby closing the expected gap in sanctions on Iran .Thus trying to enable US forces to use Iraqi territory as a launching pad for attacks against Iran in the event of a violent confrontation.
The US blockade of Iran began by making the economic benefits of the nuclear deal zero, officially known as the “Common Comprehensive Action Plan”, by withdrawing from it, re-imposing economic sanctions, and then moving to work on making Iran’s oil and gas exports zero, and then it was extended to include Iranian Iron, steel, aluminum and copper sectors to be added to the sanctions list.
The economic siege was followed by a military siege that began to classify the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. This was a painful blow to the Iranian regime where the IRGC controls the Iranian state and holds about a third of the Iranian economy. The military blockade then developed to mobilize a striking naval and air force, in line with the Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy to counter what it sees as an Iranian threat.

On August 16, 2018, the Trump Administration set up a working group, called the Iranian Working Group, headed by Brian Hook, director of planning at the State Department, to implement the strategy.
As for the goals of the US escalation against Iran, the administration has declared that it does not want war with Iran, but will respond “quickly and firmly” to any “attack” by Tehran or any of its allies on American interests.
It is clear that the aim of the current escalation is to drag Iran to a negotiating table under the American ceiling. But that will not be as easy as Trump imagines, as Tehran wants negotiations on its own terms and in its own way, through preparation and output appropriate to the rhetoric of resistance, determined by Tehran itself.
What strengthens Tehran’s position is American behavior with North Korea, where Tehran has studied that experience and absorbed its lessons. There is no concession except in return for a concession, which means a series of bargains may take longer than the Americans imagine. The Iranians are adept at maneuvering and procrastination.
The US administration knows that all the international powers, from Russia and China to the European Union, most of Latin America and Africa, do not favor Donald Trump’s policies, but rather generally reject them. Tehran knows that its chances of facing such a large volume of US bases, equipment and arsenal in direct military confrontation with America are very weak, especially given the blockade and the impact of the accumulated economic sanctions on Iran, the war can not be a realistic option for the Iranian political leadership, both conservative and reformist.
However, this imbalanced military equation did not prevent Tehran from showing its ability to confuse its opponents and surprise them with methods, tactics and tactics they did not reckon with, including many attributed to Tehran of carrying out attacks on commercial ships in the Gulf or inciting Houthis to hit oil pipelines in Saudi Arabia.
Tehran, on the other hand, knows very well that rejecting the American approach will not only bring more support from Washington’s enemies than condemnation. But it may be imagining that it can turn some international positions to its own advantage and might imagine that it can emerge strong and victorious in a limited military confrontation if it happens, depending on its extended arms and multiple options, it spreads over a geographical area that includes the Middle East and part of Africa, which grant Iran additional capability on initiative and surprise.
Despite the statements of the US and Iranian parties that indicate no desire for war, the Iranians are trying to show that they are ready for war, and that they have surprises that confuse opponents. On the other hand, there are reports of American preparations for the war, including the arrival of the American military hospital Mercy Class, which includes 1000 beds to the Gulf, and military and security measures and raise the readiness of US forces in the region, will the competition take place between American arrogance and Iranian savvy ?
Unbalanced military spending with resources has had a negative impact on economic growth, with inflation rising from 11.9% in 2014 to 34.9% in 2018. Unemployment also rose to 25% of the population, while 40 million Iranians live below the poverty line ; half the population in a country with 10 percent of the world’s oil reserves.
Iran’s military budget in 2018 rose by 33 per cent from 2017, while the health budget fell by 23 per cent and the education budget dropped to 8.4 per cent of the country’s total budget.

The budget deficit for the year 2018, presented by the Iranian president before the parliament by 28 percent, and the budget of 2019, which was to be sent to the Iranian parliament is still in consultations to change on the basis of “reforms of ” Khamenei.

The exchange rate of the Iranian currency to its lowest level ever, losing more than 85% of its value against the dollar to 43,166.90 Toman against the dollar.
The main reason for the economic situation in Iran is the IRGC’s control of about 55% of the country’s GDP and the use of these funds to support armed sectarian militias operating outside Iran.
The rise in debt, the rise in taxes, the decline in the productivity of the private sector, and the decline in savings and investment rates have led the Iranian people to go to the streets to express their discontent and internal protest in angry demonstrations that took place months ago in most Iranian cities.
Without Iranian support, the Assad regime falls, it would be a term long repeated by Iranian officials. No one would deny that without Iranian support for the Assad regime, it would have been possible to fall, whether it was through direct military intervention through Hezbollah and Shiite militias brought by Iran from various countries, or through economic support, especially with regard to oil supplies.
In exchange for its support, Iran has signed many agreements with the Assad regime, through which it obtained some material gains, but all these future gains can cover only the little part of what Iran spent in cash in Syria. Especially since the Assad regime signed the sale / rent of some government institutions to the Russians and Iranians at one time.

In a joint press conference between the foreign ministers of America and Russia, it was clear that the Russian side was indifferent to the American mobilizations and threats against its Iranian strategic ally, suggesting that there was an agreement between Washington and Moscow on Iran.
More striking is the statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin when he blames Iran: “Iran would rather not withdraw from the nuclear agreement and we can not save everyone. He added ” Once Iran takes the first steps as a reaction, and declare its withdrawal from the deal, the next day everyone will forget that the United States was the initiator of the collapse of the agreement, and will blame Iran. Public opinion, and the world, will take action in this direction. ”

“Russia is not a fire brigade and we are unable to save everyone,” Putin said. The last sentence seemed to be an open message to Washington that Moscow was ready to swap Tehran if necessary.
If Washington does not want war, why are all these huge military buildup and this show of force, and if Iran is ready for negotiations, why not sit on the table so far? If it is a deal of the century , most of it has been accomplished , does the little remaining section need for all this noise ? An American engineering process that redefines the Middle East region has been cooking for some time. Has Trump’s management begun before its maturity?
The American escalation through the policy of the big stick is aimed at forcing the Iranian regime to engage in dialogue with the United States, but the Trump administration wants this dialogue in its own way and in accordance with the twelve terms announced by Mike Pompeo before and include the three files which are the cessation of Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile program and support terrorism, It is not the Obama-style dialogue, which has focused on a fragile nuclear deal and the ignorance of other files such as ballistic missiles and Iran’s support for terrorism.
On the other hand, Iran does not have the capabilities to engage in a direct war with Washington, which can not bear it and has no interest in such an issue. The two sides’ statements are high-ceilinged, but they come loaded with emphasis on the lack of intent to collide. Last month, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, for the first time in Iran’s history, offered to publicly negotiate with the United States about detainees. In return, Trump declared his intention to negotiate openly, pointing out that the goal was to reach a better nuclear agreement and not to harm Iran, he wants to see it as a strong country with a strong economy. The clear message is that any step in the wrong direction will lead to war, the initiator will be responsible for it, the realization by both parties of these facts makes the likelihood of a war weak – unless one of the parties is mistaken – and makes the negotiations a common interest of the two parties.

The biggest question that arises after the “review” this week is where is the US “extreme pressure” strategy? It seems clear that the Iranians are feeling the pressure and are looking for ways to respond to it, including what Tehran announced on Wednesday about its intention to suspend commitments in the nuclear agreement. Iran is in a state of confusion over the positions of the US administration, and what its ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Rawanji has said, was an evidence for that. When he was asked about Tehran’s willingness to sit down with the current US administration to renegotiate, Rwanji replied: “So suddenly, Trump says I do not want the agreement and let us sit down and talk about a new round of negotiations. What are the guarantees that he will not return and retreat from the new negotiations? ”
A direct US military attack on Iran could trigger a multi-party war in the region that is unlikely to be confined to the two countries’ forces, with international and regional forces on both sides of the conflict pushing for such military confrontations.

Western political analyzes believe that the war on Iran will be the prelude to redrawing the map of the Middle East. Iran’s geopolitical rise is the most dangerous and important development of this century. “While President Trump’s new national security strategy underscored Iran as one of the most important challenges to US national security, it did not offer any coherent strategy in which steps were taken to counter the growing Iranian threat in the region.

Trump must imitate President Ronald Reagan, who followed an offensive policy to weaken the former Soviet Union. Through this strategy, Reagan supported the local anti-communist forces around the world .Today, America must support the forces that want independence and freedom from Iranian influence .Therefore, the United States must maintain a military presence and provide military support to local forces in Iraq and Syria. At the same time, it needs to support its regional allies, especially Jordan and Israel, which must contain provocative actions by Iran and its proxies. However, this offensive stance will not be enough to contain Iran as well as change the course of events.

The United States must recognize Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon in their own situation: artificially failed entities under Iranian hegemony. Tehran has benefited from the collapse of the Caliphate in order to strengthen its power over these four countries. Makovsky believes that maintaining the status of these countries in the current form will serve only Iran and nothing sacred about the borders of these countries, which apparently drawn by the drunken maker and blindfolded. Certainly, the lack of respect by the organization of “Da’ash” and Iran for these borders has shown chaos and insignificant.
Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon are not Qatari countries, but are artificial entities in the post-war period. They originated from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in a huge and failed experiment by world leaders. “These countries are characterized by ethnic-sectarian divisions, they were united in one entity under one dictator ruler and suffered a lot from Sectarian Crimes. Hence Iran’s weakness stems from its reliance on repressive regimes that control regions plagued by ethnic-sectarian divisions. Therefore, the United States must exploit this vulnerability, focus and support forces that oppose Iran’s hegemony and want independence from the capitals of their countries. The result will be open confederations or new states based on natural sectarian boundaries.

Western political analysis recognizes the difficulty of redrawing political relations and borders and the inability of the United States to control outcomes but can influence them. Hence, there is a need to go deeper in the history of each country and study its own characteristics and consult with allies before adopting this policy. It is an example of support for the establishment of a Kurdish state in Iraq and the cessation of military support for Baghdad, which will govern federalism without Kurdistan. For Syria, an ethnic confederation or separate states can be established that are equivalent to each other: Alawite state under the domination of Iran on the coast, a Kurdish state in the northeast and a Sunni Arab state in the heart of Syria. And America to show that it is not anti-Shiite, it may improve its relationship with Azerbaijan, a predominantly Shiite and secular state close to Iran. A good outcome of this approach is its impact on Iran itself, where large-scale Kurdish and Azeri minorities live, weakening the state itself. Some may argue that this approach is not practical and affects the stability of the region and gives Iran new opportunities. The author states that the course of the region is dangerous and America will face the burden of adapting to the new borders and responding to Iranian aggression. In the opinion of the writer that Tehran is not a hegemonic force satisfied with the status quo, but an expansionary force that wants to destroy Israel, the only country that the author did not mention that it has no borders and expansion ambitions greater than Iran. The writer also calls for confronting Iran’s nuclear project and ballistic missiles that could reach American soil. Makovsky goes on to discuss his idea that artificial countries have been divided or broken up with certain successes, referring to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Bosnia is administered specifically through a confederation. The writer finally calls for Trump to practice a new havoc in the region in his war with Iran by explaining that the Middle East political structure serves Tehran and Trump must dismantle it.

International Studies Unit
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies

[yota691]

Iran openly threatens and negotiates the United States

- 34 Minutes Ago

KUWAIT: The Sultanate of Oman is mediating talks with Washington to ease tension between the two countries, and Tehran appears to have reacted positively to the Omani move to make the Iranian regime aware that it is incapable of further escalation, confrontation with the United States and the prospect of a losing war.

Tehran has pursued a policy of intimidation and intimidation through statements made by its officials since tensions with Washington escalated for local consumption and marketing of the regime in the form of Western arrogance, while secretly trying to calm the situation in the region and push Oman as an intermediary with the United States to enter negotiations and respond to US pressure.

The Omani foreign ministry said that Oman is seeking "with other parties to calm the tension" between the United States and Iran.

The Sultanate has entered the serious mediation line between the United States and Iran in order to avoid any military confrontation in the Gulf.

Western diplomatic sources revealed that Yusuf bin Alawi, minister in charge of foreign affairs in the Sultanate, conveyed to the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif an American message.

She explained that the content of the message reflected the seriousness of the US to go to the limit of escalation with Iran in the event of any hostile action against the United States or its allies in the region. In the letter, Washington expressed willingness to negotiate with Tehran on certain conditions.

Iran has been playing the game in the same way: the public escalation with betting on the Omani channel to move in parallel and secret to cool the row with Washington.

Politicians have suggested there will be negotiations between Washington and Tehran to ease tensions in the region.

"The negotiations between Tehran and the United States have begun," said Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid al-Jarallah. "The talks between the United States and Iran have begun," he said.

"We have confidence that calm is the master of the situation and that there is no clash in the region.

Al-Jarallah added that the American side expresses its unwillingness to enter the war and the Iranian side also expresses its desire not to enter the war.

Al-Jarallah stressed that Kuwait is ready to make any efforts aimed at calm and avoid confrontation in the region.

He pointed out that there are Gulf, Arab and Islamic summits will be held next week, hoping that the situation will be addressed through and issued from these meetings, which contributes to calm the situation in the Middle East.

The absence of a threatening tone of US President Donald Trump's comments Thursday on the possibility of strengthening US forces in the Middle East to deter Iran gives an opportunity for talks to reduce the escalation between the two countries and engage in serious talks.

Trump said he saw no need for additional US troops in the Middle East to confront Iran.

Observers see Trump's remarks as a last chance for Tehran to reduce escalation and respond to US conditions and avoid confrontation.

Oman has previously played the role of mediator in more than one file, including the file of the Yemeni crisis and before it the Iranian nuclear file signed by Tehran with the six major powers in 2015. It also hosted many secret and public talks.

Oman is one of the Gulf states that has good relations with Tehran despite the Gulf-Iran tensions. But these good relations do not prevent Muscat from distancing itself from Iran's policies that threaten regional security.

Muscat maintains strong relations with the United States and Britain, and is always seen as the channel to be resorted to in times of need to resolve differences out of sight.

The Arabs

[yota691]

Trump: I do not see the need to send new troops to the Middle East

- 8 Hours Ago

US President Donald Trump said he believed there was no need to send additional US troops to the Middle East because of Iran, but said he was willing to take the move when necessary.

Trump described Iran as a "dangerous player" and accused it of terrorism. He said the nuclear deal signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, was "a terrible play".

The US president said that Iran had "taken a wrong course" after Washington withdrew from the agreement, noting that Tehran "is now experiencing significant financial problems."

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Chanahan said his country was considering sending additional troops to the Middle East, while Russia warned of what it called provocation by Iran, whose officials said their country would not give in and refused to negotiate at the moment.

"What we are looking at is: Is there anything we can do to strengthen the protection of forces in the Middle East? It may include sending additional troops. " 
But in statements to reporters outside the Defense Department, the US official rejected reports that specific numbers of troops were under investigation at this stage.

For its part, said the Russian Foreign Ministry that Washington deliberately provoke Tehran, saying that this is a dangerous path.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on Washington to consider the consequences of what it called aggressive behavior towards Iran.

Iranian responses 
in contrast, Iranian President Hassan Rowhani said on Thursday that his country would not succumb to US pressure and will not abandon its goals even if it had been bombed, with the escalation of the war of words between Tehran and the United States.

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said that his country has the ability to confront any military aggression by force, but in the right circumstances able to negotiate and cooperation also, adding that Tehran will not face a dead end.

Earlier, the Fars news agency quoted a senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard today as saying that the confrontation between Iran and the United States is a "conflict of wills," pointing out that any "adventure" of enemies will face an overwhelming response.

Iran has revealed that it has received foreign secret delegations on the tension with the United States, while setting its position on negotiations with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

"Some delegations that visited us secretly told us that our current position is not to negotiate," the Iranian National Security Council said.

Tension between Iran and the United States has grown since Washington pulled out of a nuclear deal in 2015 and re-imposed tough sanctions on Tehran.

Tensions have doubled in recent days after the Pentagon announced the dispatch of aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and B-25 bombers to the Middle East, allegedly for intelligence about possible preparations by Iran to carry out attacks against US forces or interests.

But the two sides have repeatedly stressed their unwillingness to enter into a military war.

Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies

[yota691]

24-05-2019 10:33 AM

Iran stockpiles its oil on land and at sea with exports falling

 

 

Baghdad

According to data and sources in the sector, Iranian oil stocks are increasing on land and sea due to US sanctions on exports, Tehran's strenuous efforts to keep its aging fields operational and the flow of crude.

In May, Washington announced an end to the sanctions that it had granted to some of Iran's top oil importers, earning Tehran's biggest source of income.

With a weak infrastructure and an aging fleet because of its increasing isolation, Iran will need to store unsold oil until it finds buyers.

It is vital for Tehran to keep oil flowing because any disruption will damage its activities in the future because of the high costs and complications associated with the resumption of production.

Data from the Kayros, a company that tracks oil flows, showed that Iran's ground reserves stood at 46.1 million barrels, from a total of 73 million barrels, to its highest level since mid-January.

According to data from tankers and sector sources, Iran's oil exports fell in May to 500,000 bpd or less, or more than half the level recorded in April.

According to data from the MARIN TRAFFIC automated identification system, 16 Iranian tankers, carrying about 20 million barrels, are used for floating storage after two to four weeks' stay.

And 10 of these carriers, carrying about 11 million barrels, remained static for four weeks.

By comparison, there were about 12 tankers carrying at least 13 million barrels of oil in March, remained between two weeks and four weeks, according to data from "Marine Traffic".

Sources in March said Iran was seeking to boost its fleet by secretly buying used tankers after talks to buy new ships stopped, leaving less options for Tehran.

Although Iran can try to hire tankers from the global market, the growing sanctions trap, lack of insurance, and funding means that few shipping companies will want to break Washington's restrictions in light of fears of heavy fines or isolation from the US financial system.

Close the tracking devices

Gibson estimates that eight Iranian tankers, each capable of carrying two million barrels, are used to store oil, as well as two other non-Iranian vessels.

"Unlike these ships, there has been an increasing trend in recent days to close the Iranian tankers of the automated identification system on board," said Gibson chief market analyst Svetlana Lubasova. "At this stage, however, we can not say with any certainty whether those The units are empty, or are they stored or continue to trade? "

The global analytics company, Global Data, said Iran had planned to invest about $ 900 million to increase capacity through new storage projects between 2019 and 2023.

According to Global Data estimates, Iran plans to increase storage capacity from 69.1 million barrels in 2019 to 79.9 million barrels in 2023 at an average annual growth rate of 3.6 percent.

But other analysts say Iran is likely to find it difficult to expand, partly because of budget constraints.

"Iran's oil storage capacity is now limited and only slowly expanding, and ultimately it is a dilemma and they have to find a solution," said Naseemi analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

"There are projects, some ambitious and include underwater storage projects, but none of them will be ready in time."

Analysts estimate that more than 50% of Iran's oil production comes from fields over 50 years old, and that additional energy development will require billions of dollars.

"Iran uses storage facilities in China and may also try to use storage facilities in neighboring Amman, for example, but if the United States targets such external storage options, it will create serious problems and provoke Iran," he said.

[yota691]

24-05-2019 02:03 PM

Deputy Foreign Minister: It seems that negotiations between Washington and Tehran began

 

 

Baghdad

Deputy Foreign Minister of Kuwait Khalid al-Jarallah said: "It seems that negotiations between Washington and Tehran began."

This came in response to a question to reporters on the margin of Al-Ghabqa Ramadan set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the evening of the fifth, in honor of diplomatic missions accredited.

"It seems that the negotiations between the two sides have started, there is movement and contacts," Jarallah said, referring to the visit of Foreign Minister Yousuf bin Alawi to Tehran.

"Kuwait has the confidence that wisdom and reason prevail, and calm will prevail in the region and not be a clash in it," he said.

Al-Jarallah pointed out that "this confidence is derived from the statements, as the American and Iranian sides have expressed their unwillingness in the war." "We are within this circle, and we believe that there is hope and optimism that there will be control that does not pose a threat or a threat to the security of the region."

He pointed out that "Kuwait is always ready and ready to make any efforts aimed at calm and stability and avoid confrontation."

Tension between Iran and the United States has grown since Washington pulled out of a nuclear deal in 2015 and re-imposed tough sanctions on Tehran.

Tension has recently increased, with the Pentagon announcing the dispatch of the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and bomber planes and its intention to send 5,000 troops to the Middle East for alleged intelligence about possible preparations by Iran to carry out attacks against US forces or interests.

For its part, the newspaper "Al-Rai" (Kuwaiti) (private), Friday, there is an open channel of US-Iranian contact on the negotiations between them.

California State Senator Dayan Feinstein met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at a working lunch during the latter's visit to the United Nations in New York a month ago to take part in the International Day for Pluralism and Diplomacy.

She explained that the Feinstein office, said that the meeting got knowledge and coordination with the US State Department, which denied in turn.

 

[Butifldrm]

Allawi presents "contingency plan" to face US-Iranian tension

 

PolicyIyad AllawiTribune IraqiIraqAmericaIran

 2019/05/24 06:43:28

 

The Central Council of the Iraqi Tribune held a deliberative discussion session, which included a number of representatives of political forces, during which they discussed the recent escalation between Iran and the United States and its repercussions and how to face the current crisis. 
The session was chaired by Iyad Allawi, the president of the Iraqi forum, during which he presented an "emergency plan" prepared for this purpose based on the security and safety of Iraq and separated in the financial, economic and food security as well as the media.
After the discussion and dialogue, the meeting came out with a set of recommendations included the formation of a committee of wise leaders of political forces to oversee the emergency plan and coordination with the executive authority and the convening of a general conference includes political blocs to come out of a unified position to ensure the removal of Iraq from the battlefield calls for calm and sedition and puts everyone in front of their historical responsibilities, On the need to restrain and unite the political and media discourse on the neutrality of Iraq as a state vis-à-vis Maidur between Iran and the United States. 
It was decided to form a delegation of the two communities to explain the need to adopt the contingency plan to the government and political forces.

 

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/سیاسة/علاوي-يعرض-خطة-طوارئ-لمواجهة-التوتر-الامريكي-الايراني/

[Butifldrm]

US report reveals the content of a telephone conversation between Sulaymani and the leader of "Al-Uaeib" Qais al-Khazali

 

PolicySoleimaniKhazaliNasrallah ,Iraq ,Lebanon ,Iran ,America 'swar

 2019/05/24 07:10:54

 

The Washington Post reported that Qods Force Commander Qassim Soleimani had made important contacts with Asaib Ahl al-Haq in Iraq and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

Sulaimani, who emerged from an emergency session of the Supreme National Security Council in August 2018, discussed how to respond to the drop in oil sales, due to US sanctions, and began to make a number of important contacts.

 The newspaper added that the first contact was with the leaders of "Asaib Ahl al-Haq" and "Hezbollah Brigades" in Iraq, saying to them: "Brothers, you have permission from me, follow the right track now!", According to the "Washington Post" , Which indicated in the same context that these Iranian fighters in Iraq (Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Hezbollah Brigades) have been seeking, since a defeat, to remove some 5,000 US troops in Iraq.

 Suleiman's second contact was Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "The American-Zionist alliance is building a conspiracy and there is a storm coming," he told him.

 The Washington Post reported that "one week after these calls, an American convoy was heading from the fortified Green Zone to Baghdad airport to blow up, was killed at the time a senior political official at the State Department and three diplomats and a US military officer.

After the attack, an attack took place in Baghdad and another east of Syria, killing two Americans, and then attacks on ships and an electronic attack on Saudi Aramco led to a week-long suspension.

 "The United States and Iran may escalate into war, even though they have declared their unwillingness to do so. History is full of misguided accounts, hidden agendas and incidents of armed conflict that no one wanted. The war between Washington and Tehran.

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/سیاسة/تقرير-امريكي-يكشف-فحوى-مكالمة-هاتفية-بين-سليماني-وزعيم-العصائب-قيس-الخزعلي/

[Butifldrm]

US site displays pictures of an Iranian crossing on the borders of Iraq and Syria to smuggle oil and weapons

 

SecurityIraqSyriaIransmuggling

 2019/05/24 06:53:46

A- A A +

New satellite images indicate that Iran is building a border crossing on the Syrian-Iraqi border, opening a safe route from Iran to Lebanon to smuggle arms and oil, Fox News reported on Western intelligence sources. 
Pictures from Fox News, taken earlier this week, show the construction of a new crossing in the Qaim and Bu Kamal border areas between Iraq and Syria. 
The area is under the control of pro-Iranian factions on both sides, where Iran has intensified its presence in the region since last summer. 
According to ISI analysts, who capture satellite data, the current border crossing is still closed and destroyed during the war. The Iranians have made a lot of effort and resources to build the new crossing. 
The pictures showed an Iraqi army base near the abandoned site.
According to the report, the border crossing will enable Iran to maintain the completion of its land passage to Syria, Beirut and the Mediterranean. 
Fox News quoted regional and Western sources as saying that Iranians were planning to use this new route for smuggling, including arms and oil smuggling, to circumvent US sanctions. 
Experts say that without Syrian or Iraqi supervision, Iran and its allies will have an unprecedented advantage in transferring what they want. 
This development highlights the growing tensions between the United States and Iran, which have escalated as Iranian threats against US forces in Iraq and Syria escalated. 
This comes at a time when the Pentagon announced yesterday that it is considering sending additional troops to the Middle East.

 

 

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/أمـن/موقع-امريكي-يعرض-صورا-لمعبر-إيراني-على-حدود-العراق-وسوريا-لتهريب-النفط-والسلاح/

 

[yota691]

Will international mediation succeed in defusing the crisis of Washington and Tehran?

Reports | 4:17 - 24/05/2019

 

 

 

BAGHDAD ( 
Reuters) - US President Donald Trump has not given up the possibility of dialogue and negotiations with Iran despite his military moves in the region, which has sparked a new war in the region, which has quickly declined when officials reiterated that they were not seeking any confrontation. Military. 
Iranian President Hassan Rowhani said on Monday that US President Donald Trump "retreated from his threats to Tehran, after being warned by military aides to engage with Tehran," adding that "the American administration is composed of junior politicians with naive ideas," according to his description. 
Tension between Iran and the United States has grown since Washington pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2015 and re-imposed tough sanctions on Tehran.
Tension has recently increased after the Pentagon announced the dispatch of the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and bombers and plans to send 5,000 troops to the Middle East for alleged intelligence about possible preparations by Iran to carry out attacks against US forces or interests. 
Several countries have initiated mediation between the United States and Iran to ease tensions between them, which Rowhani himself confirmed when he said that we rejected the mediation of heads of state to negotiate with Washington, believing that "today's conditions are not suitable for negotiation, they are conditions of resistance and steadfastness." 
The Iranian National Security Council revealed on Thursday the visit of some delegations secretly to Tehran, for the offer of mediation with the United States of America, in light of the escalation of tension between the two countries in recent times.
Oman is one of the countries of international mediation, which has announced more than once its willingness to mediate to resolve the conflict between America and Tehran, and in the latest remarks by Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alawi said that his country seeks to calm the tension between the two sides, and that the US and Iranian parties are aware of " Of this limit. " 
Countries of mediation 
as Iraq declared its readiness to mediate, said Prime Minister Adel Abdul - Mahdi said that "his government would send delegations to Tehran and Washington, to end the tension between the two parties," adding that "we are heading to pay for the truce between the two countries, and there is no Iraqi party payment wants things toward the war between them "He said. 
Abdul-Mahdi revealed, on more than one occasion, the efforts of Iraq to calm the atmosphere between Tehran and Washington, stressing that "Iraq has what it can to play this role, because of its relations with the parties."
Russia is also a mediator between Washington and Tehran, along with Oman and Iraq, as well as Qatar, Kuwait, Switzerland and Japan. 
On the possibility of the success of international mediation, says the writer and political analyst Qasim Kassir that "the mere reception of delegations by Tehran and Washington, evidence that there are indirect negotiations, although the two sides are still in their positions," adding that "the transfer of views of the two countries through international delegations of positive". 
"The Iranians have announced that they are receiving mediators, but they are not ready for direct negotiations with the United States," Kassir said in an interview with Arabi21. "Tehran has stipulated that Washington first withdraw from the sanctions, to accept sitting with them." 
Kassir said that "there will be no direct meeting between the Iranians and the Americans, unless Washington provided steps to reassure Tehran," asserting that "
"Tehran does not want war, but it wants to preserve its interests, especially with regard to the continued export of oil," he said, believing that "if there are positive steps from the United States, will resonate positively with the Iranians," according to the assessment of political analyst. 
He stressed that the countries that announced their mediation, contribute to ease the tension and not go to confrontation, expected that "these countries play a positive role in persuading the Americans to provide some positive papers, so that Tehran accepts negotiations." 
A communication channel 
in return, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Khaled Al - Jarallah said that "it seems that the negotiations between Washington and Tehran began, under communications and moves", citing visiting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi to Tehran. 
Al-Jarallah pointed out that "Kuwait is always ready and ready to make any efforts aimed at calm and stability and avoid confrontation."
In the same context, quoted the newspaper "opinion" Kuwaiti newspaper "Politico" US on Friday, there is an open channel of US-Iranian contact on the negotiation between them. 
She noted that US Senator Dianne Feinstein met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, in a working lunch, during the recent visit to the United Nations in New York, a month ago, to participate in the World Day of multilateralism and diplomacy. " 
She explained that Feinstein Office, said that" the meeting got the knowledge and coordination With the US State Department, which in turn denied the matter. "

[yota691]

"Be ready." Newspaper reveals Sulaimani's contact with Nasrallah

Political | 04:05 - 24/05/2019

 

 

 

BAGHDAD - 
The Washington Post published an article in which the Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani made a telephone call to Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. 
Sulaimani, who emerged from an emergency session of the Supreme National Security Council in August 2018, discussed how to respond to the drop in oil sales, due to US sanctions, and began to make a number of important contacts. 
 The newspaper said that "the contact made by Soleimani, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Mr. Hassan Nasrallah, as he told him, according to the newspaper:" American-Zionist alliance is plotting a conspiracy and there is a storm coming .. Be ready. "
 "The United States and Iran may escalate into war, even though they have declared their unwillingness to do so. History is full of misguided accounts, hidden agendas and incidents of armed conflict that no one wanted. The war between Washington and Tehran

[6ly410]

Middle East

Iraqi FM calls on Iran to abide by nuclear agreement

Kurdistan 24 |

3 hours ago

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/ce694633-803a-4184-a8dc-91ad2ad80567

---

An Iranian delegation motorcade parked outside a building of the at Diaoyutai state guesthouse in Beijing as Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meets Chinese state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi, China, May 13, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter)

 

Iraq Iran US USA Washington Tehran

 

 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Foreign Minister Ali al-Hakim on Friday urged Iran to respect the nuclear accord, from which the US decided to withdraw last year, as Tehran warned it would “shift away” from certain commitments.

“We think the JCPOA is a good agreement,” said Hakim, quoted by AFP, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) inked by Iran in 2015 along with Russia, China, Germany, Britain, and the US.

According to the nuclear deal, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency is tasked with regularly carrying out inspections of declared facilities in Iran, such as uranium mines and centrifuge workshops, for up to 25 years.

The purpose of the agreement was to ensure Iran is not holding undeclared stocks of nuclear material and is not developing uranium past a certain level.

“We encourage the Iranian government to stick to the JCPOA and stick to the spirit of the agreement and continue with it,” he told reporters in Oslo during a press briefing at a conference on combating sexual violence during humanitarian crises.

Already strained relations between the US and Iran have worsened in recent weeks, months after a second round of US sanctions in Nov. 2018 came into effect, targeting the Iranian energy and financial sectors.

“The last thing we need is another conflict in the area. We've already had a lot of conflicts in the area,” Hakim lamented.

“I don't think anybody wants $200 per barrel of oil coming soon,” he added.

Iraq has said it is prepared to help de-escalate the situation by playing the role of mediator.

On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi announced that he intended to send delegations to the US and Iran “very soon” in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries.

Editing by Nadia Riva 

[yota691]

 

Qatar and Kuwait are offering Iraq to export their oil through it instead of the Strait of Hormuz

Economie

15:38

Last updated

The time now is 04:32 PM

59

Watch

 

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) -  
Qatar and Kuwait presented a proposal to the Iraqi authorities to use their land to transport their oil to world markets instead of the current market, MP Faisal al-Issawi said Friday.

"The two countries have offered the Iraqi authorities to use their oil pipelines to export their products through its territory and to the Turkish ports, instead of the current route through the Strait of Hormuz, fearing tankers are at risk because of the increasing tension in the region," the Kurdish network 24 said in a report. Between Iran and the United States. " 
"The two authorities in the country are seeking to establish a permanent agreement with Baghdad to secure the pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan if the Strait of Hormuz is to be closed in the future as more than 40 percent of the oil on the world market passes through the strait every day."

 

[6ly410]

Friday، 24 May 2019 06:41 PM

Iraq urges Iran to respect JCPOA nuclear deal

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/40920/Iraq-urges-Iran-to-respect-JCPOA-nuclear-deal

 

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ali al-Hakim on Friday called upon the Iranian administration to respect the nuclear accord as Tehran warned it would “shift away” from certain commitments.

The minister said in press remarks that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) inked by Iran in 2015 along with Russia, China, Germany, Britain, and the US is a “good deal.”

According to the nuclear deal, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency is tasked with regularly carrying out inspections of declared facilities in Iran, such as uranium mines and centrifuge workshops, for up to 25 years.

The purpose of the agreement was to ensure Iran is not holding undeclared stocks of nuclear material and is not developing uranium past a certain level.

“We encourage the Iranian government to stick to the JCPOA and stick to the spirit of the agreement and continue with it,” he told reporters in Oslo during a press briefing at a conference on combating sexual violence during humanitarian crises.

Already strained relations between the US and Iran have worsened in recent weeks, months after a second round of US sanctions in Nov. 2018 came into effect, targeting the Iranian energy and financial sectors.

“The last thing we need is another conflict in the area. We've already had a lot of conflicts in the area,” Hakim lamented.

“I don't think anybody wants $200 per barrel of oil coming soon,” he added.

Iraq has said it is prepared to help de-escalate the situation by playing the role of mediator.

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by 6ly410

[6ly410]

Popular demonstrations began in central Baghdad to reject the option of war between America and Iran

Security | 08:52 - 24/05/2019

https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=48165

BAGHDAD ( 
Reuters) - A popular security source said on Friday that popular demonstrations were taking place in central Baghdad to reject the option of war between the United States and Iran. 
The source said in an interview with "Mawazin News" that "hundreds of people took part in a mass demonstration in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad to reject the option of war between America and Iran." 
It is noteworthy that the security forces cut the bridge of the Republic and the roads leading to Tahrir Square in central Baghdad

[6ly410]

Sadrists launch night demonstrations to distance Iraq from a war in the region

2019/05/24 11:38:15

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/سیاسة/الصدريون-ينطلقون-بتظاهرات-ليلية-للنأي-بالعراق-عن-حرب-مرتقبة-في-المنطقة/

 

Thousands of followers of the Sadrist movement and the civil movement on Friday evening staged demonstrations against the outbreak of war in the region between the United States and Iran.

The central committee overseeing the popular protests in Iraq has called for the middle of this week to come out of demonstrations in all provinces except Najaf to spare the country the "scourge" of an anticipated war between America and Iran.

Demonstrations in Tahrir square in downtown Baghdad were attended by political figures on the two battalions, as well as activists, religious and social figures among thousands of people.

The demonstrators said that their exit from these protests is not directed against a certain party or to defend others, but the aim of them to keep Iraq away from any war that may occur in the region.

The demonstrators said they were fighting the war in large part because they had experienced three destructive wars, two of them at the end of the last century, and the last at the beginning of this century, referring to the Iranian war and the Gulf Wars I and II.

The demonstrators called on the Iraqi government to take the necessary precautions for everything that could endanger the security and economy of the country, and away from the policy of axes in dealing with the parties to the conflict America and Iran.

The leader of the Sadrist movement, Moqtada al-Sadr, warned on Monday of the consequences of a war between America and Iran on Iraq.

Edited May 24, 2019 by 6ly410

[Butifldrm]

US bolsters Middle East force with 1,500 troops as Pentagon blames Iran for tanker attacks

Previous

An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. (Reuters/US Navy)

Next

Updated 12 sec ago

ARAB NEWS

May 24, 201918:50

Donald Trump says the additional troops would serve a 'mostly protective' role

The US began reinforcing its presence in the Arabian Gulf region earlier this month

WASHINGTON: The US will strengthen its force in the Middle East with 1,500 extra troops, Donald Trump said Friday as the Pentagon blamed Iran for an attack on oil tankers off the coast of the UAE.

"We want to have protection in the Middle East," Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to Japan. "We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective.
"Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now. And we'll see what happens."

Shortly after his comments, the Pentagon accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) of being directly responsible for attacks on tankers off the UAE earlier this month, describing it as part of a "campaign" by Tehran driving new US deployments.
"The attack against the shipping in Fujairah we attribute it to the IRGC," said Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, the director of the Joint Staff, adding the Pentagon attributed limpet mines used in the attack to the IRGC. He declined to describe "the means of delivery" of the mines.

The 1,500 extra troops will be made up of a deployment of 900 more forces, including engineers, and the extension of a tour by some 600 personnel manning Patriot missiles.

Officials said earlier that members of Congress were notified following a White House meeting Thursday to discuss Pentagon proposals to bolster the force in the region.
Earlier this week, officials said that Pentagon planners had outlined plans that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners had not settled on a figure.
The US began reinforcing its presence in the Arabian Gulf region this month in response to what it said was a threat from Iran.

*With AP and Reuters

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1501626/middle-east

[DinarThug]

The conflict "American-Iranian" .. Iraqi politicians are distracted from the demand to remove US troops!
Friday, 24 May 2019

 

Special: Written - Nashwa Hefni:

It seems that the escalating tension between the United States and Iran, which may cause the "Iraq" in this conflict, has forgotten the Iraqi politicians what they were demanding, the previous period, the need to remove foreign forces, led by the United States, Which some interpreted as a kind of retreat of Iranian influence in Iraq.

With this decline, Washington supports the presence of its forces even more, as a Hebrew intelligence site said that the United States "doubled" its military forces in an Arab country.

The Hebrew news website (DEBKA) claimed on Wednesday that the US military is increasing its military forces in Iraq, where Washington has doubled the forces of the Marines at two military bases in Iraq.

The Israeli website claimed that American forces would be transferred from Jordan to two military bases in Iraq, the Ain al-Assad Air Base in Anbar, west of Iraq, which is not far from the Iraqi- .

The second American base to be transferred to the US Marines is the Habbaniyah base near the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Adding that US forces will already reach about 10 thousand fighters in the military bases of "Iraq".

In the same context, an Israeli website claimed that the United States was strengthening its military forces in the Middle East.

On Tuesday, Netscape Net claimed that the United States was strengthening its military presence in Iraq with US troops from Jordan.

The Hebrew news site that "Washington" sent more than 60 US military vehicles from "Jordan" to "Iraq", on its way specifically to the city, "Anbar" Iraq, which has the largest US military base on the ground, "Iraq."

The Air Force base in western Iraq will host these new US forces, with the aim of strengthening and strengthening US forces as a whole, to counter any Iranian provocations, on the sidelines of verbal and verbal skirmishes between the two sides, the US and Iran.

Earlier this week, Washington withdrew its diplomatic staff from its embassy in Baghdad following the weekend attacks on four oil tankers in the Gulf.

The relationship between America and Iran has been strained over the last period and there seems to be a close war in the region. But the political leaderships of the two countries, Iran and America, have always stressed that they do not want to enter into any war.

The crisis between the United States and Iran has witnessed a significant escalation during the last period after Washington sent the aircraft carrier, Abraham Lincoln, with a number of bombers to the Gulf before it planted a Patriot missile system. ) Defense in the region.

Relations between Washington and Tehran have become more tense following the Trump decision this month to try to halt Iran's oil exports altogether and to strengthen the US presence in the Gulf in response to what he said were Iranian threats.

Evidence of limited Iranian influence in Iraq

Commenting on the speculation about the decline of Iranian influence, the magazine Foreign Policy, the decline of Iraqi politicians on the issue of the removal of US forces, evidence of the "limited Iranian influence in Iraq," which breaks the common assumption that "Baghdad" belonging to "Tehran."

"Iran is exerting significant influence in Iraq. In the 2018 legislative elections, Iran's allies in the Al-Fateh alliance, the parliamentary umbrella of the Popular Popular Militia, won 48 seats," said Aaron Majid, Or 14.6% of the seats in the Iraqi parliament, becoming the second largest parliamentary bloc, and Iran arming the Shiite militias, which cut off a share of the Iraqi economy and take over security in some areas; even after the defeat of the organization (Daash).

The writer adds: "In late 2018, the US president made a surprise visit to the air base of Ain al-Assad, and protested the deputies of the (Al-Fath), on this visit, which they considered an insult to Iraqi sovereignty, and intensified their efforts to expel 5,200 US troops are still in Iraq.

Blocking the project to remove US forces ..

"Despite the demands of Iran and the Fatah bloc, legislation in this regard has been blocked by parliament. Sunni and Kurdish parties have refused to support the bill, which without some Sunni or Kurdish support is unlikely to be adopted."

The political and parliamentary circles believe that the Speaker of the Parliament, Mohamed Halboussi, played a decisive role in defeating the draft law on the removal of American forces after it was submitted by political forces to parliament to read and legislate it. The latter visited Washington two months ago, The importance of the survival of the forces of "Washington" to support the Iraqi forces, which was considered a coup, then, the agreements that were with the alliance "Fatah", close to "Iran."

Iran seeks appeasement

For his part, said the strategic expert, "Wathiq al-Hashemi," that: "The movement that took place, over the past few days, on US forces was due to external pressure on the deputies and blocks calling for it, but the reality of the case confirms that this trend is complex, Sunni blocs want to keep those forces in their regions, they see it as a factor of balance, and the Kurdish blocs also refuses to issue the removal of US forces, as well as half of the Shiite blocs reject those endeavors.

Adding that "Iran" is seeking, today, to appease, for not being able to pass this trend, and even messages may have reached the Iraqi parties on reducing the rhetoric of ending the American presence.

He pointed out that "Hashemi" that: "Iran's influence in Iraq reaches the stages of deep and large, even related to the arrival of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister and Parliament to their posts, and other joints."

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Demonstration in Baghdad Calls on Iraq to Avoid Iran-US Conflict

 

 Basnews English 25/05/2019 - 01:26 Published in Iraq

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/iraq/522993

 

ERBIL — Thousands of people gathered in Iraq’s capital Baghdad overnight Friday to urge the Iraqi government to stay out of the growing conflict between Iran and the United States.

The protests came after Muqtada al-Sadr, a powerful Shi’ite cleric and the leader of Sairron faction at the Iraqi parliament, called on his supporters to take to the streets.

Protestors chanter “Yes to Iraq… Yes to Peace”.

Similar demonstrations were reported form Iraq’s southern province of Basra.

Reports said security forces were present at the are and they had blocked a road leading to the Green Zone, a heavily fortified area in Baghdad where government buildings, Parliament, and foreign embassies area located.

Earlier the day, US President Donald Trump announced a decision to deploy another 1,500 US troops to the Middle East so to protect US interests against any possible Iranian attacks.