Iran declares its readiness to return to all its obligations under the nuclear agreement

[yota691]

The Qatari foreign minister is visiting Saudi Arabia for the first time since the Gulf crisis

Date of edit:: 2019/11/29 0:00 • 158 times read

Qatari Foreign Minister has made an unannounced visit to Riyadh amid signs that the dispute among Gulf states is easing, two sources told Reuters.

One source familiar with the visit said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani met senior Saudi officials last month, the highest since May when the Qatari prime minister attended the Arab summit in Mecca.
It was not clear if the visit included a direct meeting with the kingdom's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Wall Street Journal was the first to announce the visit.
US Senator Chris Murphy said the minister's visit was "an important step that shows both sides are open to some dialogue."
"At least ... I think the Saudis are sincere in trying to find a way forward," he told Reuters during a visit to Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties and trade ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a charge denied by Doha and accusing neighboring countries of trying to infringe on its sovereignty.
Kuwait and the United States have tried to broker a resolution that has weakened Washington's efforts to counter Iran.
"The United States and Kuwait are keen to resolve this and help rebuild confidence in the Gulf," the first source said.

[horsesoldier]

When has the NOT been in some sort of Crisis....it’s a virtual roller coaster ride of peaks & valleys of one kind of crisis or another. 

Appreciate the post Yota. It’s important to know the mind set of these folks-they’re complicated. 

[yota691]

Tehran: Agreement on Iran's nuclear program in intensive care

By Ali 29/11/2019 01:32 AM | The number of readings: 1

 

 

Ahd News - Tehran

Iran's political aide, Abbas Araghchi, said on Thursday that "the agreement on Iran's nuclear program" in the intensive care room, "holding the European side responsible for maintaining the deal."

Araghchi said, in an interview quoted by the site ' NRC The Dutch published on Thursday, "The nuclear agreement in the intensive care and preservation of hostage to European efforts."

Araghchi said that "Iran has not reaped from its commitment within the deal only more sanctions, adding:" We learned the nuclear agreement a lesson that the resistance of the other party gives more fruit than the desire to cooperate with him.

"Europe has proved that it is incapable of America taking control of its financial system or that it does not want to resist it," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron's attempt. "

Abizaid and Araghchi stressing: "We do not want to negotiate again on the nuclear agreement, as we reject any negotiations on our missile system."

Finished ...

[yota691]

Iran accuses IAEA inspector of carrying "suspicious substance"

Date: 2019/11/30 14:51 • 100 read times

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, said there was evidence that an inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency was recently banned from entering an Iranian nuclear site was carrying "suspicious material."

In an interview with the news agency "Joan" on Saturday, Salehi rejected allegations that security forces arrested the IAEA inspector. .
"Of course IAEA inspectors should be examined as they enter Iran's sites, which is normal when visiting nuclear facilities around the world. This list is not limited to Iran," he said.
The Iranian official pointed out that "during the (security) inspection, the devices discovered that one of the inspectors was carrying suspicious materials," noting: "When asked the inspector about it, his answers were not convincing, in addition, there were other things I can not say in detail , Which are all documented, filmed and recorded. " is over

[yota691]

Iran threatens Europe to change its nuclear obligations

December 1, 2019

 

 

 

Tehran - time   Iran warned Sunday that it could « reconsider seriously » in its obligations to The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the European signatories to the nuclear deal resort to a mechanism to resolve differences that May lead to sanctions.

It faces a nuclear agreement signed in Vienna in 2015 in danger of collapse since the United States withdrew from it Unilaterally last year began to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The three European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - are trying to save it, but their efforts have not been successful Until now

He said the Iranian , Ali Larijani , the speaker of parliament « if fired ( the mechanism ) , Iran will be forced to re jerk seriously its obligations » the international Atomic energy Agency.

He said during a press conference in Tehran « If they thought that it will serve them more , they can go ahead » . A year after Washington withdrew from the deal, Tehran has begun to take a series of steps that are being violated Their obligations under the Agreement.

After its last action this month to renege on its obligations, European countries warned that they would resort to the dispute settlement mechanism In the agreement.

The agreement includes a dispute settlement mechanism that is divided into several stages. A process that could take months could lead to a Security Council vote on the possibility of continuing Iran benefits from the lifting of sanctions passed at the signing of the agreement. Larijani said that the impasse with the United States « will enable resolved » if Washington learned from the past.

He added that before the signing of the nuclear agreement in June / June « wrote ( US President Barack ) Obama a letter and said I agree to the enrichment of Iran 's ( uranium ) , and now let us negotiate » . He continued « If the exercise of US officials in this, to take advantage of past experience, it would be impossible for us to resolve this issue » .

The nuclear deal imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions on Tehran.

[yota691]

Iran says it continues to sell oil despite US sanctions

 

 

 2019/12/02 07:14:55

 

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran is continuing to sell its oil despite US sanctions on Iran's oil exports, state television quoted Vice President Isaac Jahangiri as saying on Monday, adding that Washington's "maximum pressure" on Tehran had failed.

"Despite US pressure ... and sanctions on our oil exports, we continue to sell our oil using other means ... even as friendly countries stop buying our crude for fear of US sanctions," Jahangiri said.

[yota691]

Trump: What Iran is doing to its people is "shocking"

Policy

2019-12-03 | 08:04

 

 

481 views

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of killing "thousands of protesters from its people" and called on the world to pay attention to this.

Trump said during his participation in the NATO summit "NATO" in London, that "Iran is killing thousands of protesters from its people," and called on the world to pay attention to this issue, according to the agency "Reuters".

He described what Iran is doing to its people as "appalling."

 

This comes after Iranian state television acknowledged that "security forces shot and killed what they described as" rioters "in several cities amid protests against raising fuel prices."

The unrest in Iran began in mid-November to protest fuel price hikes, but the protests quickly took a political turn.

[Butifldrm]

 Reports

Thursday، 05 December 2019 02:20 PM

 

Iran used chaos in Iraq to secretly move missile into it, US Officials Say

 

Iran has used the continuing chaos in Iraq to build up a hidden arsenal of short-range ballistic missiles in Iraq, part of a widening effort to try to intimidate the Middle East and assert its power, according to American intelligence and military officials.

The buildup comes as the United States has rebuilt its military presence in the Middle East to counter emerging threats to American interests, including attacks on oil tankers and facilities that intelligence officials have blamed on Iran. Since May, the Trump administration has sent roughly 14,000 additional troops to the region, primarily to staff Navy ships and missile defense systems.

But new intelligence about Iran’s stockpiling of missiles in Iraq is the latest sign that the Trump administration’s efforts to deter Tehran by increasing the American military presence in the Middle East has largely failed.
The missiles pose a threat to American allies and partners in the region, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, and could endanger American troops, the intelligence officials said.

 

Both Iran and Iraq have been gripped in recent weeks by sometimes violent public protests. In Iraq, some are protesting against Iranian influence.
Iraqis “do not want to be led around on a leash by the Iranians,” Representative Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in an interview. “But, unfortunately, due to the chaos and confusion in the Iraqi central government, Iran is paradoxically the best poised to take advantage of the grass-roots unrest.”

 

Iranian officials did not return a request for comment.
Tehran is engaged in a shadow war, striking at countries in the Middle East but thinly disguising the origin of those attacks to reduce the chance of provoking a response or escalating the fight, military and intelligence officials said.
An arsenal of missiles outside its borders gives advantages to the Iranian government, military and paramilitary in any standoff with the United States and its regional allies. If the United States or Israel were to bomb Iran, its military could use missiles hidden in Iraq to strike back against Israel or a gulf country. The mere existence of those weapons could also help deter attacks.

Intelligence officials would not discuss the precise model of ballistic missile Iran has sneaked into Iraq. But short-range missiles have a range of just over 600 miles, meaning that one fired from the outskirts of Baghdad could strike Jerusalem.

Officials said Iran was using Iraqi Shiite militias, many of which it has long supplied and controlled, to move and hide the missiles. The Iranian-backed militias have effectively taken control of a number roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure in Iraq, easing Tehran’s ability to sneak the missiles into the country, officials said.
“People are not paying enough attention to the fact that ballistic missiles in the last year have been placed in Iraq by Iran with the ability to project violence on the region,” said Ms. Slotkin, an expert on Shiite militias who recently visited Baghdad to meet with Iraqi and American officials.
Ms. Slotkin pressed Iraqi leaders on the threat from Iran, telling them that if Iran launched a missile from Iraqi territory, it could threaten the American training effort in Iraq and other support from the United States.
The United States was concerned about potential Iranian aggression in the near future, John C. Rood, an under secretary of defense, told reporters on Wednesday, but he provided no details about what prompted officials’ concerns. CNN reported on Tuesday about American intelligence officials warning about new threats by Iran against American forces in the Middle East.
Tensions in the Persian Gulf have risen since attacks on oil tankers this spring, including off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, as well as a major drone and missile strike on Saudi oil fields in September. The Trump administration and European allies have blamed Iran, which has denied responsibility for the attacks.

Mr. Trump opted against a military strike in response to those attacks, but has authorized the United States Cyber Command to strike targets in Iran, although military and intelligence officials have said such electronic attacks are unlikely to deter Tehran.
Last year, Reuters reported that Iran had moved ballistic missiles into Iraq. In a public report released last month, the Defense Intelligence Agency reported that Iran’s ballistic missiles were “a primary component of its strategic deterrent.”
Tehran has been building up its arsenal to better dissuade the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia from attacking.
While decades of international sanctions have weakened the Iranian military, the agency’s report said Iran had invested in its domestic infrastructure, allowing it to continue to develop capable cruise and ballistic missiles.
In the strike in September, Iran used sophisticated cruise missiles to attack Saudi oil facilities and disguise, at least for a time, where the strike originated. Those missiles were fired from Iran, but flew around the northern Persian Gulf before striking their targets.
Positioning missiles in Iraq as well as in Iran would further allow the Iranian government to create initial doubts about an attack’s origins. Obscuring responsibility, if only for a short time, is a key part of Iran’s hybrid war strategy, in which it tries to keep its adversaries off balance and pressure them without prompting a larger crisis or even war.
Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the head of the military’s Central Command, has said that he does not think that the American defensive buildup has deterred Tehran. Last month, he said that he expected Iran to try to mount additional attacks in the region

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/44951/Iran-used-chaos-in-Iraq-to-secretly-move-missile-into-it-US-Officials-Say

[yota691]

US media: Iran transferred ballistic missiles to secret warehouses in Iraq

Policy

2019-12-05 | 01:55

 

3,836 views

Iran has transferred several of its short-range ballistic missiles to secret warehouses on Iraqi soil, US media reported.

The New York Times , citing military and intelligence sources, said Wednesday that the missiles were in areas controlled by Iraqi militants near the Iranian border, noting that these militants were helping to maintain the secrecy of these missile depots.

 

According to the newspaper, US intelligence officials consider these missiles pose a threat to Washington's allies and partners in the region, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, and may endanger US forces.

In turn, CNN quoted sources from the same institutions that US and military intelligence recorded the movement of short-range ballistic missiles from Iran to Iraq , also pointing to US concern about the possibility of delivery of these missiles to areas that may be used by the armed militants Iran against US forces.

[yota691]

Iran is using the protests to build a "hidden arsenal" in Iraq and Washington responds

2019-12-05

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran is exploiting current events in Iraq to build a secret arsenal of short-range missiles in Iraq, US military officials said on Thursday.

“Iran's efforts to impose its power in the Middle East come at a time when the United States is rebuilding its military presence there, too, to counter emerging threats to US interests, including attacks on tankers and oil installations, which US intelligence officials threw Blame it on Iran. ”

According to the report, "intelligence on Iran's stockpiling of missiles in Iraq is the strongest indication of Trump's failure to deter Tehran by increasing the US military presence in the Middle East."

"Iran's missiles in Iraq pose a threat to US allies and partners in the region and could even endanger US forces stationed there," the newspaper quoted US intelligence officials as saying.

She pointed to the "huge demonstrations sweeping Iran and Iraq in recent weeks, as some people in Iraq protest against the growing Iranian influence and interference in the affairs of the country."

In an interview, Rep. Elisa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat and member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in an interview that Iraqis “don't want the Iranians to lead them, but unfortunately, because of the chaos and confusion in the Iraqi government, Iran was most willing to benefit from Popular unrest. ” Iranian officials had no comment.

In the same context, US intelligence and military officials said that Tehran is fighting a hidden war and targeting countries in the Middle East, but at the same time hide the source of these attacks to reduce the chance to provoke a reaction or escalate the fighting.

Iran's deployment of an arsenal of missiles outside its borders gives the government advantages in any confrontation with the United States and its regional allies.

She predicted that if the United States or Israel bombed Iran, its army may use missiles hidden in Iraq to respond to the attacks, pointing out that the mere presence of these weapons can also help them in response to such attacks.

US intelligence officials did not discuss the exact model of ballistic missiles deployed by Iran into Iraq, but short-range missiles have a range of just over 600 miles, meaning that if a missile is fired from the outskirts of Baghdad, it could hit Israel.

The report concluded that the deployment of missiles in Iraq as well as in Iran would allow the Iranian government to raise initial doubts about the source of the attack. Under control and pressure on them without provoking a larger crisis or even war.

[yota691]

US Navy confiscates parts of Iranian missiles sent to the Houthis

- 10 Minutes Have Passed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A US navy ship has seized sophisticated parts of Iranian missiles destined for a Houthi ship suspected of being destined for the Houthis in Yemen as the Trump administration presses Tehran to curb its regional activities, US officials said.

The United States accuses Iran of smuggling weapons illegally to the Houthis fighting the Yemeni government, and confiscated weapons in smaller quantities and less sophisticated during transit.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the guided missile destroyer Forrest Sherman seized a small boat last week before boarding a detachment from the Coast Guard and finding parts of the missiles.

Officials said the crew of the small boat had been taken to the Yemeni coastguard and that parts of the missiles were currently in US possession.

One official said that according to preliminary information, the weapons were destined for Houthi fighters allied with Iran in Yemen.

In recent years, US warships have intercepted and seized Iranian weapons, most likely destined for Houthi fighters. The official said the difference this time was the nature of the parts.

Under a UN resolution, Tehran is forbidden to supply, sell or transfer weapons outside the country unless it gets Security Council approval. A separate UN resolution on Yemen bans arms to Houthi leaders.

Tension has surged in the Gulf since the attacks on oil tankers this summer, including one off the coast of the UAE and a major attack on energy facilities in Saudi Arabia. Washington has blamed Iran for the attacks, a charge Tehran denies.

Iran appears to be continuing its hostile behavior and threatening the security of the region, including the safety of international shipping in the Gulf, media reports quoted the Pentagon on Wednesday as saying that there is new evidence of an Iranian threat to US forces and interests in the Middle East in the future.

Washington has taken many measures, including deploying thousands more military personnel and equipment, including bombers, in the Middle East, a deterrent against what Washington calls Iran's provocative behavior.

The head of US military operations in the Middle East recently pointed out that the United States expects some kind of Iranian action in response to US sanctions and pressure, which are trying to get the regime to abandon its nuclear program.

One official said part of those concerns was related to Iranian activities inside Iraq, which has seen anti-government protests.

US intelligence officials say Iran has used the current chaos in Iraq to build a secret arsenal of short-range ballistic missiles in the country as part of a broader effort to destabilize the Middle East and expand its influence.

The New York Times quoted unnamed officials as saying the missiles pose a threat to US allies and partners in the region and could endanger US forces.

Officials said Iran was "engaging in a covert war and striking countries in the Middle East but hiding the origin of those attacks to minimize the chances of provoking a response or escalating the fighting."

Officials did not specify what kind of missiles they say Iran had transferred to Iraq, but said they were missiles with a range of more than 600 miles, meaning they could reach Jerusalem if fired from Baghdad.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have risen steadily since Republican President Donald Trump arrived at the White House, especially as Washington unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal between Tehran and the six major powers and again imposed severe economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday his country was still ready to negotiate with the United States if Washington lifted sanctions.

But this US-Iranian dialogue, if it does not, will not be of a direct bilateral nature. Rouhani stressed that any possible meeting with Washington would take place exclusively in a multilateral framework.

The US comments coincide with protests over weeks of rising gasoline prices in Iran, some marred by violence.

The unrest, which began on November 15 after the government suddenly raised fuel prices by up to 300 percent, quickly spread to more than 100 cities and towns and took a political dimension as young working-class demonstrators demanded that the ruling religious elite step down.

The clerics who rule Iran have blamed "thugs" with links to exiles and the country's main external enemies.

The Arabs

[Butifldrm]

PENTAGON

Published 37 mins ago

Last Update 18 mins ago

Pentagon mulls sending up to 7,000 additional forces to Middle East, officials say

By Lucas Tomlinson | Fox News

 

Fox News Flash top headlines for Dec. 5

Fox News Flash top headlines for Dec. 5 are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com

The Pentagon is considering a plan to add up to 7,000 additional forces to the Middle East to counter what it sees as an increasing threat from Iran, two U.S. defense officials tell Fox News, but Defense Secretary Mark Esper has “not made any decision,” according to the Pentagon’s top policy adviser.

“We're watching this situation where the Iranians both have conducted attacks in recent months, and we are concerned about the threat stream that we are seeing,” John Rood, the undersecretary of defense for policy, said during Senate Armed Services Committee testimony Thursday when asked about the Iranian threat.

Rood replied, “yes,” when asked by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., if the Pentagon was considering deploying more forces to the Middle East, without being more specific. Rood added that the U.S. military constantly was considering options for moving troops around, not only to the Middle East, but to and from elsewhere in the world.

The additional American forces being considered are not Army or Marine infantry units, but air and missile defense units, as well as additional warships, officials said. These forces would be similar to the types of reinforcements announced in May. One of a group of a Patriot anti-missile batteries was held in reserve at the time of the announcement last spring.

The aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, delayed for months following an electrical problem this fall, finally went out to sea. It’s currently outside the Mediterranean and is expected to make its way eventually to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, who has been at sea in and around the Persian Gulf since May.

Late last month, Lincoln entered the gulf for the first time in the past six months. Both nuclear-powered aircraft carriers Truman and Lincoln could steam together for a “show of force” to Iran a few days before Lincoln leaves for San Diego, Calif., as part of a long-scheduled port shift.

Truman alone was bringing over 5,000 additional sailors and a full air wing of roughly 80 aircraft, including dozens of F/A-18 Super Hornet attack and fighter jets.

Since May, the Pentagon has deployed over 14,000 additional forces — half aboard warships — to the Middle East to join over 60,000 American troops currently deployed in the region known inside the Pentagon as Central Command, an area stretching from Egypt through Afghanistan.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Pentagon Press Secretary Alyssa Farah pushed back strongly on a report Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal saying as many as 14,000 additional troops were being considered.

"As discussed in the hearing today, we are constantly evaluating the threat situation around the world and considering our options. We adjust our force posture and troop levels based on adversary action and the dynamic security situation. Secretary Esper spoke to Chairman Inhofe this morning and reaffirmed that we are not considering sending 14,000 additional troops to the Middle East at this time," Farah said. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., has been the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

When asked by Blackburn if the Pentagon was considering adding not 14,000 troops but a “lesser number,” Rood replied, “The secretary of defense has not made any decision to deploy additional troops.”

That could change in the coming weeks, according to three officials who spoke to Fox News on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

President Trump was asked Thursday at the White House about the potential to deploy more forces to the Middle East.

"We’ll announce whatever we do, we’ll announce, but certainly there might be a threat and if there is a threat it will be met very strongly, but we’ll be announcing whatever we may be doing — may or may not be doing," Trump said.

In addition to being blamed for slaughtering over 1,000 protesters inside the Islamic Republic since mid-November, Iran has continued to ship missiles to its proxy forces in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, according to officials.

Video

Not all of the Iranian weaponry had reached its destination.

As reported earlier this week, a U.S. warship, the guided-missile destroyer Forrest Sherman, recently intercepted a shipment of Iranian missile parts bound for Yemen.

SEE THE PHOTOS: 'SIGNIFICANT CACHE' OF IRANIAN MISSILE PARTS CAPTURED

The State Department released the photos after its special representative for Iran spoke to reporters in Washington.

"This is the worst political crisis the regime has faced in its 40 years," Brian Hook said about the spate of killings inside Iran since last month.

“Look, they even jail and murder environmentalists when they organize like the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation," he added.

From the end of World War II to 1980, virtually no American troops were killed in the Middle East. Since 1990, just about every American military casualty has been from there, according to Andrew Bacevich, a West Point graduate and author.

Asked by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., if the additional forces sent to the Middle East since May had deterred Iran, Rood said the fact no American troops had been killed over the past six months in Iraq was evidence it has.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pentagon-middle-east-additional-forces-considered

[yota691]

The US military plans to increase its forces in the Middle East are uncertain

by Ali EjamArabs and the World2 Hours ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US military on Thursday struggled to explain its plans for a possible increase of US forces in the Middle East amid fears of more Iranian hostilities in the region.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the United States was considering sending thousands more troops to the Middle East to deter Iran, but had not made a decision yet and the situation remained unclear.

Officials cited intelligence over the past month indicating that Iran is repositioning and deploying troops and weapons.

The Pentagon on Wednesday vehemently denied a report by the Wall Street Journal that the United States was considering sending an additional 14,000 troops to the region.

On Thursday, lawmakers pressed John Rudd, the Pentagon's third-largest official, on whether to consider sending additional troops to the Middle East.

"Based on what we see and with our concern about the magnitude of the threat, it is possible that we need to adjust the status of our forces," Rudd said.

 

"We always think and in fact, based on the threat situation in the Middle East, we are watching this and the Secretary of Defense has told me that if necessary he intends to make changes to the status of our troops there."

The deputies seemed disappointed with Rudd's answers. Republican Senator Josh Hawley said he wanted to hear from Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

"I would like to hear from him today about this issue," Hawley said. "I want it publicly because the Pentagon has so far made multiple contradictory statements."

The United States has already sent about 14,000 extra troops to the Middle East since May, backed by bombers and air defense personnel, to deter what Washington says is Iran's provocative behavior.

The Pentagon's openness to deploying additional troops is no surprise, given the ongoing planning to counter the possibility of escalating tensions with Iran, which is suffering from US sanctions and protests.

US special envoy to Iran Brian Hawk said on Thursday that Iranian security forces may have killed more than 1,000 people since protests against rising gasoline prices began in mid-November, in what could be the bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Tensions have surged in the Gulf since attacks on oil tankers during the summer, including off the coast of the UAE, as well as a major attack on two oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. The United States has blamed Iran, which has denied being behind the attacks on the world's energy infrastructure.

[yota691]

2019/12/06 12:58:06 PM 113

Beijing calls on Washington to stop pressuring Iran

 

Follow / tomorrow

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Friday that her country persistently calls on the United States to stop pressure on Iran and leave room for diplomatic efforts.

 

 

"The United States not only withdrew unilaterally from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the nuclear deal, exerted maximum pressure on Iran but also imposed sanctions and threatened to impose sanctions on other responsible parties implementing the agreement," the ministry spokeswoman told a news conference. United States to correct its erroneous policy of putting pressure on Iran, leaving room for diplomatic efforts of other parties, to create conditions for easing the situation in the region. "

Hua Chun stressed that such unilateral actions by the United States seriously undermine the possibility of implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear agreement and complicate the situation in the region.

"We continue to believe that dialogue and negotiation are the only correct way to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem. We hope that all parties involved in the JCPOA will be able to fully implement the agreement," she said.

Chunying called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further complicate the situation.

Relations between Washington and Tehran have been strained, culminating in the wake of US President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States would withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and Tehran backtracking on some of its pledges.

After its withdrawal, on May 8, 2018, from the agreement with Tehran on its nuclear program, Washington resumed economic sanctions, and exercised against Iran the policy of the so-called "maximum pressure."

[yota691]

2019/12/07 03:37:36 PM 58

Trump confirms the release of an American who was detained in Iran

 

Follow / tomorrow

US President Donald Trump confirmed today, Saturday, the release of an American citizen who had been detained in Iran.

 

 

An Iranian official said that Tehran released a Chinese-American who had detained him in 2016 and then charged him with espionage, while Washington released an Iranian prisoner in return, according to Reuters.

The official’s remarks came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that an exchange of Iranian prisoner Masoud Soleimani with an American Shi Yu Wang had become imminent, while Wang’s wife confirmed her husband’s release.

In a related context, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif thanked the Swiss government for its contribution in facilitating the exchange of prisoners with the United States of America.

"I am glad that Professor Masoud Soleimani and Mr. Shi Yuhwang will return to their families soon," Zarif said in a tweet via Twitter.

"Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to this, especially the Swiss government," Zarif added.

The British Foreign Office had expressed, earlier, to the Iranian ambassador, its deep concern about the dual nationals detained in Iran, according to "Sky News".

This came after Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alwi announced that security forces in Iran "arrested dozens of spies in government agencies, at a time of increasing tensions between Tehran and the West after the United States resumed sanctions," according to "Reuters".

[Butifldrm]

 

12/08/2019 19:20

• Views 361
• Section: Iraq
•  

Strike ships headed by "Harry Truman" enter the Gulf

 

Baghdad / Obelisk: A group of American strike ships, led by the aircraft carrier "Harry Truman", is heading through the Suez Canal to the Gulf region to replace the aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln", which remained in the region, for a period longer than its planned stay of 6 months.

European satellite data showed that the group of American ships entered the eastern Mediterranean waters heading to the Gulf to replace the carrier "Abraham Lincoln".

The group includes, except "Harry Truman", the "Normandy" missile cruiser and a number of destroyers, including the missile destroyer "Ross", and an offensive nuclear submarine.

According to official information from the Sixth Fleet in the US Navy, the attack nuclear submarine "Florida", which has 154 winged Tomahawk missiles with a range of 1.6 thousand km, is also present in the eastern Mediterranean.

Harry Truman was expected to be sent to the Middle East last October, but serious technical faults on its electrical network caused a delay in the flight.

According to some media reports, "Harry Truman" may stop for some time off the Syrian coast before continuing its way to the Gulf region.

The American group, led by the carrier "Abraham Lincoln", entered for the first time the waters of the Gulf on the 19th of November, due to the tension between Washington and Tehran, after it had been sailing in the waters of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea during 6 months since last May.

Follow the obelisk

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/183689/سفن-أمريكية-ضاربة-تقودها-هاري-تررومان-تدخل-الخليج

 

 

[yota691]

100 Chinese companies operating in Iran despite the US embargo

Editing Date: 10/12/2019 17:41 • 73 times read

{International: Al Furat News} The Chinese ambassador in Tehran, Jang Hua, announced that more than 100 Chinese companies operate in Iran despite the financial and banking problems created by the US embargo.

The Chinese ambassador said in a meeting with the head of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce Ghulam Hussain Shafi’i today, Tuesday, that his country supports Iran's measures in the framework of preserving its economic interests, stressing that this support is practical and that Beijing opposes the unilateral US embargo.
He called the Iranian Chamber of Commerce to address the problems of Chinese companies, including customs clearance of goods and in relation to foreign currency.
For his part, Shafei affirmed that the Iranian-Chinese trade exchange decreased to 35 billion dollars this year, down from 37 billion dollars in the previous year, stressing the desire of the two heads of states to raise the inter-trade volume. is over

[DoD]

2 hours ago, yota691 said:

100 Chinese companies operating in Iran despite the US embargo

 

 Nothing surprising about this, probably 100's of Russian, Venezuela and Singapore countries there as well. This countries could give a rats azz about the USA sanctions….

[yota691]

Iranian currency fluctuations ... the riyal fall raises prices and the government threatens speculators

- 31 Minutes Ago

Criticism of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has escalated, due to the severe turmoil in the country's currency market and financial policies, following Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal on May 8, 2018, and the comprehensive US sanctions that followed. Which caused the continuous decline of the Iranian currency, and the high prices of foreign currencies.

Rouhani decided to change his economic team, to start the process by choosing a new governor for the Central Bank of Iran, as the center of the country's monetary policy leadership, handing over to the economic academic, Abdel Nasser Hamti, on July 24, 2018.

Despite this change in the economic team, the exchange market turmoil continued with the tightening of US sanctions on Iran, especially on the oil sector, which prompted Abdel Nasser Hamti to exit, on Monday, trying to allay dealers' fears, saying that stability will return to the exchange market, and that is due to fluctuations Recently. He clarified that the bank would not deal in an emotive manner regarding foreign currency and would restore stability to the market.

Hamati, 62, is one of the most famous professors of macroeconomics and energy economics in Iranian universities. He came after Wali Allah Saif, who was subjected to severe criticism for his financial policies, as he failed to organize the currency market to limit the fall of the riyal to dangerous levels.

Among the failures of Seif, the value of the Iranian currency fell by 300%, when when Seif took office in 2013, the exchange rate was 31,770 riyals, but when he left, it became 92,000 riyals.
The fluctuations in the exchange market were reflected in prices in the rest of the Iranian market, and the intervention of the police and security institutions in the country did not help and the arrest of dozens of speculators in the currency market.

My concern adopted urgent and medium-term and long-term solutions to contain financial turmoil, especially in the exchange market, including moving away from direct intervention in the exchange rate by setting prices, while tightening control over currency markets, and repeatedly emphasized that the central bank during his reign does not intend to interfere in the market, Rather, opportunists will not be allowed to take advantage of the situation.

To that end, he has adopted different monetary and banking policies than its predecessors under the previous conservatives. Under these policies, he took measures, such as containing excess liquidity and directing it to markets other than the currency market, and meeting a large part of the needs for foreign currencies by pumping large amounts of dirhams, not the dollar.

Likewise, it imposed restrictions on banking transactions by setting a ceiling for it to prevent major speculation operations in the currency market, and organizing the activities of exchange houses and parallel markets for the exchange rate, especially the "Nema" market. And he pushed the exporters to return the returns of exports in hard currency to this market, especially the returns of petrochemicals, to restrict the import of non-essential goods, to provide currency for commodities, and to succeed in reducing the role of psychological influences resulting from the constant pressures and sanctions in the currency market, and other methods and methods.

But these solutions did not bear fruit during the first five months of assuming my position, and the riyal continued the path of decline until it reached 180,000 riyals in October 2018 for every dollar, and the euro rose to 200,000 riyals, i.e. twice the price that was on the market when The governor of the central bank took office, but with the middle of November of the same year, the value of the Iranian riyal began to rise against the decline in the prices of other currencies, especially the dollar and the euro.

In the meantime, there are opinions that attribute the recovery of the riyal to reasons other than those mentioned above, foremost among which is the success of the central bank in finding solutions and alternatives to bridge the budget deficit, away from resorting to currency manipulation for the same purpose.

The owners of this opinion accuse the central bank of facing the large budget deficit, which Iranian economic reports expect to reach this year to more than 1000 trillion riyals, manipulating the exchange rates of the dollar through the speculators associated with it in the markets, to increase them at times and reduce them at another time, to sell the dollar to people Then he buys it, they say.

They accuse the central bank of doing this fraud during the past year to find financial resources to save private banks from bankruptcy and raise the problems of pension funds.

However, regardless of the validity of these accusations, the role of the various policies pursued by the new central bank of the central bank in raising the value of the riyal cannot be ignored.

And by the beginning of last April, the pace of improvement of the Iranian currency began to accelerate, and it is noteworthy that the comprehensive ban imposed by the American administration on Iranian oil exports did not affect this situation, except for a few days, as the prices of the dollar and the euro rose slightly, and then fell again against the high price of the riyal. This is contrary to expectations, as this ban deprives the country of the most important source of its returns in hard currency.

The currency of the riyal continued the process of improvement until the exchange rate reached 115 thousand riyals. This improvement had positive rebounds over the past two months on the prices of some basic commodities, as it began to decline, albeit by a small percentage, even before the fifteenth of November this year, the day the Iranian government announced a 3-fold increase in the price of gasoline, to blow up the decision Broad demand protests.

As of this date, the hour wheel has turned back, so that the Iranian currency begins the process of regressing again and quickly, as it fell to 140 thousand riyals for every dollar, meaning that it lost about 20% of its value, which started to leave its negative effects on the prices of many Goods to rise again in varying proportions, between 15 to 40%.

New Arab

[yota691]

Russia stops working at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility ... and reveals the reason

World | 06:00 - 05/12/2019

 

 

 

 

Baghdad - Mawazine News
, the Russian company "TVEL" for nuclear fuel, a subsidiary of the "Ross Atom" nuclear company, announced on Thursday that it had suspended a project to reuse activities in Iran's Fordow nuclear plant due to the start of uranium enrichment in the facility.
TVEL specialists, according to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Nuclear Agreement), are working on a project to amend two series of gas centrifuges at the Fordow plant to enable production of stable (non-radioactive) tellurium analogs for medical purposes since 2017.
On November 6, 2019, as part From the next stage in Iran's lowering of its voluntary obligations under the JCPOA, uranium hexafluoride was pumped into two series of gas centrifuges at the Fordow facility, which is located in the same hall and TVEL said in a statement, "It will be converted into stable medical isotope production."
The Russian company emphasized that "this makes it technologically impossible to continue the implementation of the TVEL project to amend two series of gas centrifuges at the Fordow facility to produce stable medical isotopes."
Last November 11, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a report on Iranian nuclear activity in the recent period, in which it said that Iran is still exceeding several restrictions set by the nuclear agreement, including those related to the level of uranium enrichment, enriched uranium stocks and enrichment with advanced centrifuges. Ended 29 / H

[yota691]

Discover new methods for enriching reprocessed uranium

Economy | 12:37 - 14/12/2019

 

 

Follow-up - Mawazine News

Scientists at the National University for Nuclear Research "MIVI" have presented a new, effective plan to enrich enriched uranium fuel, according to Sputnik.
Today in the world there are a number of projects to improve thermal neutron reactors, which involve closing the fuel cycle with the frequent use of fissile materials extracted from spent nuclear fuel. However, according to experts, all "recycled" uranium enrichment circuits have individual defects.
The problem is that when enrichment of reprocessed uranium under repeated recycling conditions, in addition to depleted uranium, recycled uranium that has not been partially enriched or a mixture of uranium contaminated with equal artificial isotopes is made, which makes it difficult to deal with Before uranium enrichment companies.
Andrei Smirnov, doctor at the National University for Nuclear Research "Mifi" explained in this regard, saying: "After we conducted the computer simulation on the basis of programs that were designed at the National University for Nuclear Research, to calculate and improve successive centrifuges, we proposed a new amendment based on Use of a three-stage fertilization system.
The presence of synthetic isotopes 232,236U for reprocessed substances and an increased content of 234U in the isotope structure, as scientists note, greatly complicates the fertilization process again. At the same time, multiple recycling greatly increases the content of "harmful" isotopes.
Andrei Smirnov continued, explaining: "Our program allows us to obtain a product that meets the restrictions imposed on all uranium isotopes, even as their content increases in the primary mix. Moreover, within the fixed operating system, our program does not include waste except depleted uranium, which is a natural product." no escape".
Scientists say, using this program minimizes abnormal waste during enrichment of reprocessed uranium.
Currently, scientists continue to improve the properties of the method at the expense of additional modifications aimed at reducing the fertilization capabilities involved and minimizing the loss of 235U.

[Butifldrm]

Political

Saturday 14 December 2019 | 03:45 pm

| Views: 118

Iran's first response to Washington's accusations of targeting bases in Iraq

Baghdad / .. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the American accusations against Tehran of responsibility for missile attacks on American military bases in Iraq.

"Tehran's accusation of the Aramco attack and the attacks on American bases in Iraq are just false allegations, and the Americans will later realize that they are wrong," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said at a press conference in Tabriz on Saturday.

Mousavi added that Tehran understands that the easiest job for the United States is to press charges.

Mousavi pointed out that the report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the Aramco attack proved that Iran had no role in it, but Washington has accused Tehran from the first hours ... We hope that the Americans will accept the shame that will be inflicted on them regarding the attacks in Iraq similar to the Aramco attack. "

Regarding the attack on the Iranian consulate in the city of Najaf in Iraq, Mousavi stressed that Tehran is awaiting the final and official report of the Iraqi government on this attack.

Mousavi added that Tehran had informed the Iraqi government of the need to protect Iranian diplomatic spaces and missions in Iraq, and said, "We are following the attack legally, and we hope the Iraqi government will prosecute the attackers of the Iranian consulate in Najaf and compensate Iran for the resulting losses."

On the other hand, Mousavi said about the French call for the release of Iranian prisoners with Iranian nationality that "any amnesty for these prisoners in Iran should be in accordance with the law ... the prisoners are Iranian according to Iranian law, and we reject French interference in this regard because they are being tried for security issues in accordance with the law." .

http://aynaliraqnews.com/index.php?aa=news&id22=127964

[horsesoldier]

Don’t ya get the impression Iran believes the USA will never never take any Military Action against them ??? ( 🤣 ). They keep poking the Grizzly Bear with a stick, huh. 

 

Imagine their surprise & horror when Cruise Missiles begin slamming into & all over Iran. 

[yota691]

South Korea did not import any oil shipments from Iran during November

 

Arab and international Economy News _ Baghdad Initial data from the Korea Customs Service showed that South Korea did not import any Iranian oil during November as well as a year ago. The data also showed that Korea, the fifth largest buyer of crude in the world, imported 12.4 million tons of crude oil last month, compared to 12.7 million tons a year ago. It is scheduled to publish the Korean National Oil Company later this month, the final data of South Korea's imports of crude oil for last month. Views 28   added date 12/15/2019

[yota691]

Iranian official: We hope that Japan will resume buying oil from Iran

Editing Date: 12/17/2019 16:12 • 34 times read

{International: Al Furat News} The Iranian Assistant for Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi expressed his hope that Japan will resume buying oil from Iran and that economic relations between the two countries will be strengthened despite the continued American embargo.

The Japanese "NHK" channel reported that Araghchi spoke about the economic relations between Iran and Japan at a meeting held on the ninetieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He stressed in his speech that Iran will continue to address the US embargo, expressing his hope to overcome these pressures by building strong relations with Japan.
In a statement made to this channel, Araghchi said, "Japan is one of the old customers of Iranian oil, but it has stopped this because of its compliance with the US embargo."
In his statement, he added that he hoped that Japan and its companies would resume buying oil from Iran. is over