Trump: Iran was planning to strike 4 US embassies before the killing of "Soleimani"

[Pitcher]

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/45423/Trump-backs-Iranian-anti-government-protesters
 

Trump backs Iranian anti-government protesters

US President Donald Trump threw his support Saturday behind Iranian anti-government protestors after Tehran’s unintentional downing of a Ukraine plane, Anadolu Agency reports.

“To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I’ve stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you,” Trump said on Twitter.

Protests erupted in Tehran and other cities against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Iran admitted it “unintentionally” shot down a passenger plane belonging to the Ukraine International Airlines.

According to the New York Times that cited videos, some protestors shouted “Khamenei is a murderer!”

“We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage,” said Trump.
He also tweeted the message in Farsi.

In a separate tweet shortly after appealing to anti-government protestors, Trump urged Tehran to let human rights groups monitor demonstrations, saying the world is watching the protests.

“The government of Iran must allow human rights groups to monitor and report facts from the ground on the ongoing protests by the Iranian people. There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching,” Trump wrote.

All 176 people, including 57 Canadians, on board the plane were killed in the accident that took place just after takeoff Wednesday from Tehran.

Of the passengers, 138 were flying from Tehran to Ukraine’s capital of Kiev, then were to board connecting flights to Canada.

A few hours before the crash, Iran fired missiles at bases in Iraq where US and coalition troops were stationed. The attack was revenge for the US’s killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

[Pitcher]

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/45421/Esper-defends-Trump-claim-Iran-was-planning-to-attack-US-embassies
 

Esper defends Trump claim Iran was planning to attack US embassies

Defense secretary Mark Esper sought on Sunday to explain Donald Trump’s assertion that Tehran was planning attacks on four American embassies in the Middle East before the US killed Iranian Gen Qassem Suleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad.

Trump claimed on Fox News on Friday that “it would have been four embassies”, prompting criticism from members of Congress who were not briefed before the strike and who say such a threat was not mentioned in a classified briefing on Wednesday.

On Sunday, Esper toured the political talk shows. At first, he attempted to water down the president’s assessment.

Asked on CBS’s Face the Nation if there had been a specific or tangible threat, Esper said: “I didn’t see one with regard to four embassies. What I’m saying is I share the president’s view that, probably, my expectation was that they were going to go after our embassies.”

He added: “We had information that there was going to be an attack within a matter of days that would be broad in scale, in other words more than one country, and that it would be bigger than previous attacks, likely going to take us into open hostilities with Iran.

“We had every expectation to believe this would happen. That threat has been disrupted.”
Suleimani was killed by a drone strike at Baghdad airport on 2 January. Iran responded with missile strikes on US bases in Iraq. It has also admitted accidentally shooting down a Ukrainian airliner over Tehran, killing 176 people.

Esper later appeared to row back, telling CNN’s State of the Union “what the president said with regard to the four embassies is what I believe as well”.
“There was intelligence that there was an intent to target the US embassy in Baghdad,” he said.

Trump has also mentioned the threat to the Baghdad embassy as a motivation for the strike on Suleimani, but congressional criticism of the administration’s justification for precipitating a crisis with Iran remains.

After the classified briefing on Wednesday, Senator Mike Lee of Utah voiced rare Republican criticism of the president.

“I didn’t hear anything about [the four embassies claim],” Lee told CNN on Sunday, “and several of my colleagues have said the same so that was news to me. It certainly wasn’t something I recall being mentioned at the classified briefing.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has claimed Congress was briefed fully on the rationale for the strike on Suleimani.

“I’m sure there was a mention of at least one embassy in that briefing,” Lee said, “because there had been an attack on one of our embassies [in Baghdad, by pro-Iranian militia] leading up to the strike on Suleimani.”

Asked if he agreed with the former Republican now independent congressman Justin Amash that Trump was guilty of an abuse of his power in ordering the strike without informing Congress and getting its approval, Lee said he did not “doubt there was an imminent attack but it’s frustrating not to get the details of the intelligence behind it”.

Trump, meanwhile, continued to seek to capitalise on protests in Iran which broke out after the regime admitted shooting down the airliner in error.
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“To the leaders of Iran,” the president tweeted, “DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching. Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people!”

 

[DinarThug]

 

INTELSky‏ @Intel_Sky

 

#BREAKING 

 

A large resignation in #Iran

  

is expected to be announced in the coming hours. 

 

#PS752

  

#OSINT

 

10:36 AM - 12 Jan 2020

 

 

 

 

 

INTELSky‏ @Intel_Sky 

 

37m37 minutes ago

 

More

INTELSky Retweeted پايگاه خبری انتخاب

A little while ago, "Election" Intikhab news account, announced a proposal for Shamkhani to announce his resignation

INTELSky added,

 

پايگاه خبری انتخاب

[DinarThug]

The geopolitical reasons that lead Tehran and Washington to avoid a military confrontation?

 

- 4 Hours Ago

 

 

The killing of the Quds Force commander, Qassem Soleimani, on January 2, was a major event in relations in the Middle East, but for a limited period due to the belief of many experts in the imminent outbreak of war, especially after the Iranian response. But the war did not take place, and it is difficult to happen. There are indications that it will never happen because of its geopolitical repercussions on the future of the interests of Tehran and Washington.

The angles from which this event can be handled differ. Is being drawn into quick analyzes that dominate the media wanting to provoke a high percentage of reading or viewing, or in return rely on real experts in geopolitics subject their analysis and view of the deep and far goals drawn by the countries that have Ambitious or one that wants to preserve its interests and prestige? And when the United States assassinated a missile from a pilotless plane, "Dron" Qasim Al-Suleimani, was she already aware of the limited Iranian response and how?

What is going on cannot be separated from the developments that occurred last summer when Iran succeeded in shooting down the drone, the Global Hawk, which is considered one of the most advanced planes in the US Air Force and whose value exceeds $ 300 million, and there are only four copies, one for NASA. At the time, the world believed that war erupted, but the war did not take place because the United States was well aware that it had penetrated Iranian airspace, as it was in an illegal position before the world. The Pentagon was aware of Tehran's reluctance to engage in war as long as it comes to its international prestige and reputation, because the breach of air is a terrible breach in international law.

When the United States assassinated General Qassem Soleimani, the operation was carried out in Iraq, where it is militarily present, not in Iran. Even more than this, the assassination was not carried out even in the Syrian territories where there is a large presence of Iranian forces. Her argument for the assassination was the participation of the Iranian general in the assassinations of American soldiers, then planning to destroy the American embassy. And the process of destroying the embassy in the event of its implementation means the end of the American presence significantly in Iraq. Washington did not accept this strategy and implemented the preemptive process in defense of its prestige and its future in the Middle East.

Iran has responded with a very thoughtful response, as it hit the largest American military base in Iraq, Ein al-Assad, and contrary to what some analyzes went to by avoiding the killing of American soldiers. And militarily, what is remarkable is the failure to confront Iranian anti-missile missiles that struck the American hall, Ein al-Assad, which is a source of concern to the Pentagon about the Iranian missiles' progress in the accuracy of hitting targets. Among the observations that were absent in the international press was the striking of the Pentagon by Qassem Soleimani at the time of the withdrawal of all the giant ships, including the aircraft carrier Truman, from the Persian Gulf towards the Indian Ocean for fear of an Iranian response towards the American Navy.

State and nation project

Politically, the quick and smart Iranian response was to appoint a new commander for the Quds Force, Ismail Qani. Through the decision, Iran sent a message stating that its projects are not affected by the absence of people but are related to the project of a state and a nation. The leader of the Khomeini revolution was absent and Iran did not back down in its project. Based on the individual.

Why did the United States avoid military escalation? Historically, Washington does not hesitate in the wars that guaranteed victory, but in the event of a confrontation with Iran, victory is guaranteed, but at a very high cost. In the first place, a large proportion of American deaths and Iranian missiles have destroyed a number of American military installations in the Middle East and possibly even giant ships, which will affect the American naval warfare force in the world. In the second place, a high cost in the war means, on the one hand, the beginning of the true end of American political and military influence in the Middle East, because the countries of the region that will be a destination for Iranian missiles will not receive American military bases in the future, and on the other hand, it means presenting Washington the Middle East on a plate of gold. To both Russia and mainly China, bearing in mind that although Washington has not imported oil from the Middle East, it remains strategic to ensure the continued sale of oil in dollars, that is, what is termed petrodollar.

Iran does not appear to be much enthusiastic about war, but in turn avoids it. Tehran knows that it will inflict heavy losses on the American army, but in return, the war may bear the end of the Iranian project in the Middle East. This is because the Pentagon will not hesitate to launch a brutal war against Iran, that is, military crushing, and it may be the fiercest war compared to the first and second Gulf War and even with World War II. This collapse will inevitably lead to Turkey taking over the leadership of the Middle East, and Iran will become a secondary state, including against Saudi Arabia, and it may need many more decades to achieve an industrial-military and economic revival. Therefore, Tehran's leaders prefer to deal intelligently with any military tension, not to lose the country's prestige and not be drawn into war on the horizon of Iran's transformation into a military force that will be difficult to defeat by the horizon of 2030.

Therefore, the Middle East is going through a delicate game of geopolitical interests. Everyone wants to dominate and control decision-making, but no country wants a military adventure with unpredictable results, which is what happens to Iran and the United States, despite the occurrence of the second military friction. The first was to shoot down Tehran’s Global plane Hawke, the second linked to the assassination of Qasim Soleimani.

Hussein Majdoubi

Arab Jerusalem

LINK

[Pitcher]

Pro-government gunmen 'open fire on protesters in Iran': Activists post videos of bloodshed on the streets of Tehran - hours after President Trump warned Iran 'do NOT kill your protesters' amid fury at downing of airliner

• 'Militiaman' wielding a shotgun was seen running from the scene Sunday night 
• Woman was allegedly shot and killed not far from Tehran's iconic Azadi Square 
• Thousands have been protesting the regime over downing of passenger jet
• They have been tearing down posters of the Ayatollah in escalating defiance
• WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: 

PUBLISHED: 16:33 EST, 12 January 2020 | UPDATED: 18:17 EST, 12 January 2020 

 

Pro-government gunmen have opened fire on demonstrators in Tehran, according to local reports, just hours after Trump warned 'do not kill your protesters.'

 

Local media footage showed a woman with blood pouring from a purported gunshot wound in the Iranian capital centre amid furious protests against the Ayatollah's regime.

Other images showed a 'militiaman' holding a shotgun running away from the scene as a crowd gathered around the woman who was allegedly killed not far from the iconic Azadi Square.

Thousands have flocked to the streets of the Iranian capital after the government admitted that a passenger jet carrying 176 people had been downed by a missile last week. 

 

President Donald Trump had sent a message of solidarity to the demonstrators on Saturday, tweeting: 'There cannot be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching.' 

Iranian militiaman who reportedly shot an unarmed female protestor

 

Footage purports to show a 'militiaman' holding a shotgun running away from the scene as a crowd gathered around the woman who was allegedly killed 

 

 

Blood spatters on the pavement not far from the iconic Azadi Square where a woman was said to have been shot dead by a pro-government gunman

It came after students packed the gates of Amirkabir University of Technology near the former US embassy to protest Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

On Sunday night, tensions in the city appeared to be turning to chaos with demonstrators setting fire to and tearing down posters of the Ayatollah and slain general Qassem Soleimani.  

Amid shouts of 'Death to Khamenei' security forces opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas, social media footage showed, as hundreds fled in terror. 

Roads to Azadi Square were totally gridlocked by the demonstrations which continued late into the night. 

Many reports claimed that those brutally breaking up the demonstrators were members of the Basij, a paramilitary volunteer wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, and were acting on the orders of the regime. 

Tehran locals are shot with 'rubber bullets' as they watch protests

Iran's Basij forces storm demonstrations in Babel ci

Riot police armed with water cannon and batons were earlier seen at Amir Kabir, Sharif and Tehran universities as well as Enqelab Square.

Around 50 Basij militiamen brandishing paintball guns, potentially to mark protesters to authorities, were also seen near Amir Kabir. 

Officers could be seen massing in Vali-e Asr Square in the city as calls circulated for protests.

A large black banner unveiled in the square bore the names of those killed in the plane crash.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7879547/Security-forces-open-fire-anti-government-demonstrators-streets-Tehran.html

[DinarThug]

In the picture .. Iraq’s skyline is filled with planes after flying over Iran

Posted 9 hours ago

 

Reuters news agency reported today, Sunday, that Iraqi airspace is full of planes crossing its airspace after the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) decision to prevent European air carriers from flying in the Iranian airspace.

 

"Reuters", quoted by the European Union's Aviation Safety Agency, said that EASA decided to prevent the national authorities from flying over Iran, which is less than 25,000 feet long.
 

She noted that the decision came after Iran confessed, yesterday, Saturday, that its armed forces had inadvertently shot down a Ukrainian plane earlier this week.

 

The agency published the image below, which shows that the Iraqi airspace is full of airplanes after the mentioned decision.

 

link

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by DinarThug

[Butifldrm]

 

01/13/2020 13:19

• Views 152
• Section: Iraq
•  

A source reveals Al-Amiri’s candidacy to head the crowd as long as the parliament votes

Baghdad / Obelisk: A political source revealed, on Monday, January 13, 2020, the agreement for the head of the Al-Fateh Alliance Hadi al-Amiri to assume the presidency of the PMF on condition.

The source said, "It was agreed to assign the Presidency of the Popular Mobilization to the head of the Al-Fath Alliance Hadi al-Amiri," according to Alsumaria TV.

He added, "Al-Amiri was conditioned to be through the House’s vote on that."

 

Follow the obelisk

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/186025/مصدر-يكشف-عن-ترشيح-العامري-لرئاسة-الحشد-شرط-التصويت-البرلماني

[Butifldrm]

Iran police fire at those protesting plane shoot down

 

Iranians students demonstrate following a tribute for the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 in

Updated 8 sec ago

AP

January 13, 202006:43

 

Iran government denies ‘cover-up’ over shot down Ukrainian airliner

Videos show a crowd of demonstrators fleeing as a tear gas canister landed among them

DUBAI: Iranian police and security forces fired both live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against the Islamic Republic’s initial denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, online videos purported to show Monday.
There was no immediate report in Iranian state-run media on the incident near Azadi, or Freedom, Square in Tehran on Sunday night after a call went up for protests there. However, international rights groups already have called on Iran to allow people to protest peacefully as allowed by the country’s constitution.
The Iran government has denied a ‘cover-up’ over the Ukrainian airliner crash.
“After successive national traumas in a short time period, people should be allowed to safely grieve and demand accountability,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran. “Iranians shouldn’t have to risk their lives to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.”
Videos sent to the center and later verified by The Associated Press show a crowd of demonstrators fleeing as a tear gas canister landed among them. People cough and sputter while trying to escape the fumes, with one woman calling out in Farsi: “They fired tear gas at people! Azadi Square. Death to the dictator!”
Another video shows a woman being carried away in the aftermath as a blood trail can be seen on the ground. Those around her cry out that she has been shot by live ammunition in the leg.
“Oh my God, she’s bleeding nonstop!” one person shouts. Another shouts: “Bandage it!”
Photos and video after the incident show pools of blood on the sidewalk.
Riot police in black uniforms and helmets gathered earlier Sunday in Vali-e Asr Square, at Tehran University and other landmarks. Revolutionary Guard members patrolled the city on motorbikes, and plainclothes security men were also out in force. People looked down as they walked briskly past police, apparently trying not to draw attention to themselves.
The crash of the Ukraine International Airline early on Wednesday killed all 176 people on board, mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canadians. After pointing to a technical failure and insisting for three days that the Iranian armed forces were not to blame, authorities on Saturday admitted accidentally shooting it down in the face of mounting evidence and accusations by Western leaders.
Iran downed the flight as it braced for possible American retaliation after firing ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing US forces earlier on Wednesday. The missile attack, which caused no casualties, was a response to the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top general, in a US airstrike in Baghdad. But no retaliation came.
Iranians have expressed anger over the downing of the plane and the misleading explanations from senior officials in the wake of the tragedy. They are also mourning the dead, which included many young people who were studying abroad.
“Even talking about it makes my heart beat faster and makes me sad,” said Zahra Razeghi, a Tehran resident not taking part in demonstrations who spoke earlier Sunday to the AP. “I feel ashamed when I think about their families.”
“The denial and covering up the truth over the past three days greatly added to the suffering and pain of the families, and me,” she added.
Another individual, who identified himself only as Saeed, said Iran’s largely state-run media had concealed the cause of the crash for “political reasons.”
“Later developments changed the game, and they had to tell the truth,” he said.
Some Iranian artists, including famed director Masoud Kimiai, withdrew from an upcoming international film festival. Two state TV hosts resigned in protest over the false reporting about the cause of the plane crash.
President Donald Trump, who has expressed support for past waves of anti-government demonstrations in Iran, addressed the country’s leaders in a tweet, saying “DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS.” He later tweeted the same message again in Farsi.
“The World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching,” he tweeted.
Iranians demonstrated in November after the government hiked gas prices, holding large protests across the nation. The government shut down Internet access for days, making it difficult to gauge the scale of the protests and the subsequent crackdown. Amnesty International later said more than 300 people were killed.
A candlelight ceremony late Saturday in Tehran turned into a protest, with hundreds of people chanting against the country’s leaders — including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and police dispersing them with tear gas. Protests were also held in the city of Isfahan and elsewhere.
Police briefly detained the British ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, who said he went to the vigil without knowing it would turn into a protest.
“Can confirm I wasn’t taking part in any demonstrations!” he tweeted. “Went to an event advertised as a vigil for victims of #PS752 tragedy. Normal to want to pay respects — some of victims were British. I left after 5 mins, when some started chanting.”
He said he was arrested 30 minutes after leaving the area.
Britain said its envoy was detained “without grounds or explanation” and in “flagrant violation of international law.”
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later tweeted that Macaire was arrested “as an unknown foreigner in an illegal gathering.”
Araghchi said when police informed him that a man was arrested who claimed to be the British ambassador, he didn’t believe them. But he said that once he spoke to Macaire by phone, he realized it was him, and that the ambassador was freed 15 minutes later.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry later summoned the British ambassador over his ”illegal and inappropriate presence” at the protest, it said on its Telegram channel.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, accused the ambassador of organizing protests and called for his expulsion. Dozens of hard-liners later gathered outside the British Embassy, chanting “Death to England.” They also called for the ambassador to be expelled and the embassy to be closed.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1612291/middle-east

[6ly410]

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by 6ly410

[horsesoldier]

 

No doubt about it anymore who’s side Sadr is on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[soon]

10 minutes ago, horsesoldier said:

 

No doubt about it anymore who’s side Sadr is on.

 

no doubt sadr is a major problem & always has been, and will probably always will be, untill he is removed. lmo,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[6ly410]

 

[DinarThug]

The demonstrators are spreading in Azadi Square in Tehran, chanting against the Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian guide

by Othman Abu KhadraArab and World News.   13 Hours ago

 

 

 

Popular protests escalated in a number of Iranian cities, against the policies of the ruling regime in Tehran.

Videos circulated by activists on social networking sites showed that thousands of protesters went to Azadi Square, which means in Arabic “freedom”, in the capital Tehran, chanting slogans denouncing the ruling regime and the Iranian guide, including that the Revolutionary Guard commits massacres and the guide supports it, in reference to the recognition of the Revolutionary Guards. With his responsibility to shoot down the Ukrainian passenger plane, and the killing of a hundred and seventy-six passengers on board, while other cities, including Yazd, Mashhad, and Kermanshah, witnessed similar popular demonstrations, in light of the widespread deployment of the security forces of the regime.

LINK

[DinarThug]

Sunday, January 12, 2020 02:49 PM

 

An earthquake measuring 4 on the Richter scale strikes Iran

 

On Sunday, an earthquake measuring 4 on the Richter scale struck the Ahram region of Bushehr Province, in southern Iran.

The seismological center of the Geophysical Institution at Tehran University said in a report that this tremor occurred today, Sunday.

He added that the tremor occurred at a depth of 10 km from the surface of the earth in the Ahram region, 55 km from Bushehr, the center of Bushehr Province, in southern Iran.

The center also recorded an earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale in the city of Iza, Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran, 10 minutes before the earthquake that struck the Ahram region.

LINK

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by DinarThug

[DinarThug]

Iraqi officials for the New York Times: better tolerating the pressure of those calling for the removal of the Americans than the consequences of their departure

 

01/12/2020 08:40:53 PM

 

According to Abd al-Hussein al-Hanin, adviser to the prime minister, Abdul-Mahdi told Trump by phone: “Iraq is between two friends, one of them is 5,000,000 miles away and the other is our neighbor 5,000,000 years ago. We cannot change geography, nor can we change history, that is the reality of Iraq. ”

Many Iraqis were angry that the United States had violated the sovereignty of their country by launching air strikes on Iraqi soil. A series of air strikes in December that killed more than 20 members of an armed faction of the Popular Mobilization, which sparked the attack on the US embassy. An air strike in isolation from that occurred last week, killing the largest Iranian military commander and deputy commander of the popular crowd, led to a parliament vote to expel American forces from the country, with a missile attack by Iran against two American military sites in Iraq early Wednesday.

But a senior Iraqi official said that complying with political pressure to force US forces to leave the country would be a "disaster" for Iraq both militarily and economically.

The main mission of the American forces stationed in Iraq is to help fight and pursue ISIS. The Iraqi official, who refused to reveal his name, says that if these forces leave, the effect will not only be to restrict the battle against ISIS, but there will be a range of harmful consequences if sanctions are imposed and Trump carries out his threat that will include leaving the rest of the other coalition forces, leading to financial and economic difficulties .

"Yes, there is a lot of pressure from parties with us calling for the forces to leave," the official added. But we can handle this great pressure much better than we can bear the consequences of leaving the Americans. ”

"We are in a state of rampage in Iraq," he said. "The measures to withdraw the American forces recover part of the dignity of Iraq after the American air strikes and the violations of Iraqi sovereignty."

Only 170 parliamentarians out of a total of 329 voted to oust US forces, with members of the Sunni and Kurdish blocs refraining from attending.

One of the few Sunni members who attended the voting session, Ahmed Al-Jarba, raised a red flag by saying that the departure of the American forces might be in Iran's interest.

Al-Jarba asked, "After leaving the Americans, are our neighbors our friends and our masters?", Referring to Iran, and then he said, "Are we going to hand over the wealth and decisions of our country in the hands of neighboring countries?"

Al-Hanin said that Abdul-Mahdi's wish is that if the Americans leave, he will not return to Iran for security concerns and will leave Iraq in his condition.

Senior Iraqi government officials, diplomats, and local officials set up different scenarios, and said that Iraq might become between Iran's arms, deprive the hard currency of the dollar, and isolate it from the West. Iraq may be deprived of its main source of dollars because its assets in the Federal Reserve Bank in New York may be frozen. As Iraq deposits oil sales there and then withdraws it as funds to pay salaries and implement contracts.

A senior Iraqi official said, "It appears that the center of opinion and decision-making in the Prime Minister's office is heading east, and they are almost ignoring the catastrophic consequences of the way they are heading."

However, it appears that the positive indicator in Abdel Mahdi's search for a compromise and a compromise on this issue is his request to the National Security Council to prepare a report on options related to the implementation of the parliamentary mandate. Abdel-Mahdi is an economist and worked as Minister of Finance, and it provides a background for him to realize the price of economic isolation, even if it is political pressure chasing him.

According to a senior Iraqi official working close to the council, the council presented three options. The first demanded that US forces leave as soon as possible, an option that might at least curb the threats of pro-Iranian armed groups to attack them.

The second option is a negotiated withdrawal that may slow down the troop reduction and withdrawal process and ultimately allow the continuation of efforts to fight against ISIS in some areas, even as forces withdraw from other regions.

The third option is to renegotiate the terms of the agreement with the US-led international coalition, which may allow some troops to remain and also open the door for the survival of forces from other allied countries. The National Security Council recommended the third option.

 About: The New York Times

link

[DinarThug]

US report: Iran’s name is linked to the corruption of leaders in Iraq and Lebanon

 

by EditorIraq News  1 Hour ago

 

 

A report by former US diplomat Dennis Ross and Dana Stroll of the Washington Institute, published in Foreign Policy, called on the United States to focus on what Washington can offer the Middle East, and what sets it apart from other parties to embrace street demands.

The report pointed out that the name of Iran is linked to the corruption of the leaders in Iraq and Lebanon, so that corruption has become a trademark of the Khamenei regime, wherever corruption has occurred in these countries, Iran has also dissolved, while this is an opportunity for the United States to mobilize its efforts to support the demands of citizens who demonstrate in the streets.

The report stated that the US administration is required to mobilize the necessary support from the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress to complete this matter and make a fundamental shift in its policy for the stability of the Middle East region.

The report stressed that the United States has an opportunity to present what Iran cannot provide, by sensing the desire for change led by the two peoples in Iraq and Lebanon, and that the situation in these two countries may not stabilize without real change taking place in them.

LINK

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by DinarThug

[Kenny_Logins]

7 hours ago, 6ly410 said:

 

 

Remember this picture every time Mahdi and the puppet MP's talk about "Iraqi sovereignty." What they really mean is Iranian interests.

 

I don't see how these guys will allow the passing of the monetary reforms and the 2020 budget without a fight. Embezzlement is their only lifeline.

 

[DinarThug]

Al-Halbousi and representatives of the year are meeting in Dubai to create a Sunni region in Iraq that guarantees the American presence

Sunday 12 January 2020

 

 

 

Baghdad - Writings

 

 

The media quoted the author, “Hassan Al-Ani,” as saying that meetings of a group of Sunni representatives and the President of the Iraqi Council of Representatives took place in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, with the aim of independence from Iraq in a Sunni region.

According to what was leaked, on Sunday January 12, 2020, the meeting included: Muhammad al-Halbousi, Saad al-Bazzaz, Jamal al-Karbouli, Muhammad al-Karbouli, Abu Mazen, Muhammad Tamim, Falah al-Zaidan, Raad al-Dahlaki, Ziyad al-Janabi and Muhammad Iqbal.

It is noteworthy that the movement led by Al-Halbousi aims to overcome the Iraqi revolution and work to exploit the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States today to declare the Sunni region while maintaining the American base in Ain al-Assad in Anbar Governorate as it is because it is located in Sunni lands.

This is something that Al-Halbousi and his comrades are counting on in order to obtain the support of the United States and Western society in exchange for agreeing to continue hosting American and international coalition forces to confront terrorism on the one hand and Iran on the other.

LINK

[DinarThug]

The State Department: We are in full talks with the Iraqi government and imposing sanctions under review 

 

 

Politics 01/2020 20:21 1534 Editor: gf   

Baghdad today - Baghdad 

 

The State Department official, Matthew Cornell, said Monday that his government is in full talks with the Iraqi government, pointing out that "the imposition of sanctions" is under review .

"We have no intention of imposing sanctions on Iraq but the matter is under review," Cornell said, in a televised interview, via Al Arabiya television. "Noting that any country that does not comply with the sanctions on Iran will face the consequences of the violation."

He pointed out that "the Iraqi parliament's vote to remove our forces was a decision, not a law," adding that his government was conducting "comprehensive talks with the Iraqi government not only to fight ISIS."

He continued: "We have repeatedly warned Iran against killing or wounding Americans," noting that "the former Iranian commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, planned to attack American targets."

He continued: "We knew Soleimani's movements between Syria, Iraq and Lebanon," noting that "the decision to kill Soleimani was not taken overnight."

He added, "President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have confidence that they are legally authorized to kill Soleimani."

The US administration had warned Saturday (January 11, 2020) that Iraq could lose access to a vital bank account if it expelled American forces from the country, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

The newspaper quoted Iraqi officials that "the US State Department informed the authorities in Baghdad that they may lose access to an account in the New York Federal Reserve, which includes the proceeds of oil sales, which threatens to deal a painful blow to the faltering Iraqi economy." 

One of the Iraqi officials indicated that "the warning about the aforementioned account came through a phone call made by the US State Department, last Wednesday, with the head of the Iraqi caretaker government, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, as the two sides discussed other files of the military, financial and political partnership between Washington and Baghdad."

And the threat of Iraq being subjected to US sanctions on the horizon after the assassination of the Iranian General, Qassem Soleimani, as a result of a US air raid near Baghdad International Airport, on January 3, the event to which the Iraqi Parliament responded by voting, on January 5, in favor of a resolution demanding the Prime Minister to act to remove About 5,300 American soldiers from the country.

In response to this decision, US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sanctions against Iraq in the event that Baghdad insists on withdrawing US forces. 

Iraq, like other countries, maintains government accounts in the New York Federal Reserve, as an important part of the country's financial affairs administration, including oil sales revenue. The loss of access to the account could limit Iraq’s use of these revenues, which raises a monetary crisis in the financial system and limits important resources for the economy.

And the United States previously prevented Baghdad from accessing the aforementioned account for several weeks, on the grounds of suspicions that part of its money was used to meet Iran's needs, as well as to finance the "ISIS" organization.

LINK

[DinarThug]

French report talks about Washington's "nuclear option" against Iraqi money: Trump is ready for everything! 

 

 

Politics 01/2020 16:28 1247 Editor: mst    
 

Baghdad today - follow up  

 

Today, Monday 13/1-2020, the French Press Agency published a report in which it talked about Washington's threats that imply its imposition of the flow of funds to Iraq, including the freezing of bank accounts in the United States in which Baghdad holds oil revenues. 

The report stated, "Iraqi officials express their fear of an economic meltdown if Washington imposed sanctions that it had previously hinted at, including freezing bank accounts in the United States in which Baghdad holds oil revenues that constitute 90% of the state budget."

And US President Donald Trump expressed his anger after the Iraqi parliament voted on January 5 to expel foreign forces from the country, including about 5,200 American soldiers who had helped local forces to defeat ISIS since 2014, and he threatened that "if the soldiers are asked Leaving, we will impose on them (Iraq) sanctions they have not seen before. "

The report quoted Iraqi officials as saying, "The United States then delivered an extraordinary indirect verbal message to the office of resigned Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi," and one of those officials stated that "the Prime Minister's Office received a threatening call that if American forces were expelled, then we would United, we will close your account in the New York Federal Reserve. "

Parliament voted to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq, due to discontent over a US air strike by a drone in Baghdad two days before the session that led to the killing of the influential Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and deputy head of the PMF Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. 

The Central Bank of Iraq account was established in the Federal Reserve in 2003, in the aftermath of the American invasion that toppled the regime of former dictator Saddam Hussein, and under Resolution No. 1483 of the United Nations Security Council, which lifted tougher international sanctions and the oil embargo imposed on Iraq after the invasion of Saddam Hussein For Kuwait, all proceeds from Iraqi oil sales go to that account. 

Iraq is the second largest producer of crude oil in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and depends on more than 90% of the state’s budget, which amounted to $ 112 billion in 2019, on oil revenues. To this day, revenues are paid in dollars in the Federal Reserve account daily, and the balance now About $ 35 billion, according to Iraqi officials. 

And Iraq pays almost every month, between one billion and two billion dollars in cash from this account, for official and commercial transactions, and the first Iraqi official says, "We are a country producing oil, and these accounts are in dollars. Freezing and blocking access to them means closing the faucet completely." It will mean that the government will not be able to do daily business or pay salaries, and that the value of the Iraqi currency will fall, and adds that "this will mean the collapse of Iraq." 

A senior Iraqi official confirms that the United States is considering restricting access to cash to about a third of what they normally send, and the Federal Reserve has refused to comment on Trump's threat, but a State Department official confirmed that the possibility of restricting access to the Federal Reserve account was raised with Iraq after the vote.

"You can imagine why if the forces were expelled, the banks might be concerned about sending a lot of money to Baghdad," the official said, but the US threat remains largely unusual, as the Federal Reserve is supposed to be independent of foreign policy.

"The attempt to politicize dollar shipments raises the bank's concern because it affects its standing and integrity in dealing with customers," he said, adding that "it is clear that Trump is ready to politicize everything." 

Washington has considered this measure months ago, as a senior American diplomat at the US embassy in Baghdad said last July that "the United States is considering limiting the flow of money to Iraq," adding, "This will be the nuclear option (knockout)."

And before the Iraqi parliament voted, its president, Muhammad Al-Halbousi, warned that the world might stop dealing with Iraqi banks in response to this step, and the Federal Reserve account of the Iraqi Central Bank could be frozen by placing a government agency in the blacklist, which would immediately restrict Baghdad's access to dollars. 

The United States has already imposed sanctions on Iraqi citizens, armed factions and even banks with links to Iran, according to the report, Washington's archenemy in the region, but it has not approached oil revenues, and former officials said that "a similar step would be very harmful to a country that is an ally of the United States."

But relations have deteriorated recently, with Washington suffering frustration with Iraq’s alliance with Iran, according to the report, and the repeated missile attacks on US interests that have blamed Washington’s Iraqi factions loyal to Tehran, and relations have subsequently been hit hard with the assassination of Soleimani and the engineer, what Iraq considered a violation To his sovereignty. 

US and Iraqi officials note that the United States is also studying other, less exciting options for the situation, and one of these options is that Washington refuses to renew the temporary exemption it granted to Iraq in 2018, which allows Baghdad to import gas from Iran to feed the destroyed electricity grid, despite US sanctions on the energy sector Iranian. 

And in the event that Washington does not renew the exemption in February (February), the Iraqi Commercial Bank, which buys gas, may face secondary penalties for dealing with Iranian entities listed in the blacklist.

Iraqi officials say, "The American threat of denying access to oil revenues has been met with shock, anger and almost disbelief."

"The prime minister was angry and insulted," said one of the officials, and another considered that "the United States would lose Iraq", adding, "They pushed us toward Russia, China and Iran, we must form a separate economy with those countries." Source: AFP

LINK

[DinarThug]

Pompeo: America will work with Iraqi leaders to determine the most appropriate place to deploy its forces 

 

 

Politics 01/13/2020 22:17 494 Editor: as   

Baghdad today - follow up 

 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Monday that the United States intends to work with the Iraqi leadership to determine the most appropriate place for the deployment of American forces in Iraq.

Pompeo said in a speech to him, California, today, Monday: "As for how the issue of the location of our forces inside Iraq will be resolved in the end, we will work ... with the elected leaders in Iraq to choose the most appropriate place."

He added, "I have contacted 50 personalities in Iraq from all sects, including Shiite personalities, and all of them appreciates, even if not openly, the American role in Iraq." 
  
The US Secretary of State had confirmed the US readiness to continue the dialogue with Iraq on the "appropriate structure" for the American military presence in the country, following the issuance of a statement by the Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, in which he said he had requested to send delegates to Iraq to put in place mechanisms for implementation. Iraqi House of Representatives decision to withdraw American forces. 

The United States announced that any American delegation visiting Iraq will not discuss withdrawing American forces.

LINK

[DinarThug]

Former Saudi military: Iran's influence in Iraq threatens the entire region and Iraqi officials live the lie of "neutrality" 

 

 

Politics 01/2020 22:13 428 Editor: ht   

Baghdad today - follow up 

 

Retired Saudi Military General Muhammad al-Qibban said on Monday (January 15, 2020) that Iran is a country with great influence in the region and has a clear weight, noting that his country is opposed to the policy of US President Donald Trump, with it because it is leading the region to war.

In an interview with the "Point of View" program , presented by Dr. Nabil Jassem on the Tigris Channel, Al-Qubaiban stated that "Saudi Arabia called for calm and restraint in Iraq after the assassination of the Quds Force commander Qasim Soleimani and deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Authority Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis," noting that " The conflict between Democrats and Republicans in America has had a great impact on the region, because the Democrats are defending Iran and are against the killing of Soleimani. " 

He added, "Tehran has a great influence on the region, and we have objections to America's policy towards it because it is leading the region to war."

The Saudi military continued, "The Saudi officials, starting with King Salman Abdul Aziz, are keen to support Iraq’s security and sovereignty, but there are countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council and other regional ones that do not want stability for Iraq." 

He pointed out that "there are Iraqi officials who live the lie of neutrality between Washington and Tehran, but in reality they are trying to appease one party without the other, which led to the growth of Iranian influence in Iraq, which in turn threatens the countries of the region, including the Gulf." 

And that "the Arab countries did not think once about leaving Iraq alone, and the withdrawal that took place in the past was the result of Iranian policies in it," noting that "there are those who fought Saudi trade opportunities in Iraq because he does not think of the interests of the two countries." 

Al-Qubaiban explained, "The eastern neighbor of Iraq is the one that stoked sectarianism and sought to sow discord between the Iraqis."

LINK

[DinarThug]

The US State Department: The Iraqi parliament vote to withdraw the American forces is deficient due to the absence of sectarian representatives from the session

 

 

Politics 01/13/2020 17:16 632    

Baghdad today - Baghdad 

 

US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagos said on Monday (January 13, 2020) that the Iraqi parliament’s vote on a law obligating foreign forces to leave Iraq is defective and challenged its legitimacy. 

"The Iraqi parliament’s vote to withdraw the American forces is deficient due to the absence of the representatives of the sects from the session," Ortagos quoted Sky News as saying. 

And the US State Department spokeswoman, Morgan Ortagos, said Monday (06 January 2020) that the American forces made sacrifices in order for Iraq to be stable, and it is in the interest of Iraq that our forces remain.

"The Trump administration has supported the protests that have taken place due to Iran's influence in Iraq," Morgan Ortagos said in statements to Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath, noting that "the protesters want to end Iranian influence and we will continue to support the Iraqi people in this."

Ortagos added, "The American forces made sacrifices in order for Iraq to be stable, and it is in the interest of Iraq that our forces remain and ally with them."

And about the recent decision of the House of Representatives, which voted to remove foreign forces from the country, she said: "We were very disappointed after the vote to remove our forces."

Regarding the threat of factions targeting the American forces in Iraq, the State Department spokeswoman stressed that "any attack by armed factions against American interests and forces will be treated as an attack by Iran."

The Iraqi parliament, on Sunday (January 05, 2020), voted in favor of the government’s obligation to remove foreign forces from the country, cancel the security agreement with the United States, and cancel the request to assist the international coalition led by Washington in combating terrorism.

And US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sanctions on Baghdad after the parliament voted to remove foreign forces, on condition that Baghdad pays Washington the cost of building its air base. 

"If Iraq demands the departure of American forces and this is not done on an amicable basis, we will impose sanctions on them they have never seen before. Iran's sanctions will be a small thing next door," Trump said.

LINK

[horsesoldier]

I’m liking this ..... let the Big Squeeze sally forth. GOI is getting hammered from other nations as well. 👌

” The world 🌍 is watching “ you as well Iraq.

[wildeman]

"And the socialist squad gossips and giggles in the background"

Friggen beeotches should be fired with no benefits. Anywhere else it would have been done

What a disgrace.