Social and Political

iranintl – Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Thursday called on Muslim countries to isolate Israel, seemingly taking advantage of rising concerns about a retaliatory attack by Tehran. Reports emerged on Wednesday indicating that American and Israeli intelligence agencies are anticipating an attack by the Islamic Republic in the coming days in retaliation for a devastating Israeli strike on April …

iranintl – The verdict of Tuesday 9 April hearings of the Senate Banking Committee is simple: the Biden administration has failed to plug a yawning gap in its vast sanction regime: the abuse of cryptocurrency by the Iranian proxies’ crime nexus. The hearing reverberated eerily echoes of a déjà vu about cryptocurrency and sanctions as deputy secretary Wally Adeyemo (US Treasury Department) …

Iranwire – From Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to the rank and files of the IRGC, Police commander, MPs, and former officials – there has been no shortage of threats against Israel over the past few days. Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the April 1 attack, but some Israeli officials have stated that the targeted building housed the IRGC …

Iranwire – Iranian security forces detained writer and translator Loghman Ghanbari in western Kermanshah province. According to a report by Kurdpa news agency, around 20 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence agents searched his home and seized some belongings on April 7.  Ghanbari is known for translating “The Kurds in a Volatile Middle East,” a book published in Sweden after …

Iranwire – Hailstorms and heavy rain caused significant damage to agricultural products in the western Iranian provinces of Ilam and Kermanshah on Wednesday. Agricultural authorities in Dehloran confirmed damage to wheat and rapeseed fields due to the hailstorm. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed due to limited visibility after the storm. Mehr news agency, citing the …

Iranwire – Top Israeli officials warned on Wednesday that Israel would retaliate with strikes inside Iran if Iran launched an attack from its territory. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, speaking to troops at an Iron Dome air defense system battery in northern Israel, emphasized that any attack on Israel would be met with a strong defense and a “powerful response …

Iranwire – A Lebanese banker, accused of transferring money from Iran to the Hamas terrorist group, was reportedly killed near Beirut. The body of the man, identified as Mohammad Sarur, was discovered on Tuesday in a villa in Beit Mary, a city overlooking Beirut. He had been struck by more than five bullets and was found in possession of an …

VOA – The U.S. military said its forces destroyed eight aerial drones late Wednesday in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthi militant group. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement the drones “presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region.” CENTCOM also reported destroying three other Houthi drones early Wednesday, including two that …

iranintl – For two decades, Iran’s Supreme Leader’s “nuclear fatwa” has served as a shield for Tehran’s denial of nuclear weapon ambitions. But how trustworthy can this fatwa really be? “According to the [Supreme] Leader’s opinion, going in this direction [making the atomic bomb] is now forbidden, because he is a mujtahid [religious scholar]; maybe he will change [his opinion] …

Iranwire – Tensions are escalating between Iran and Israel as the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) navy, Alireza Tangsiri, warned that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz if it deems Israel’s presence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a threat. The warning comes amidst heightened regional tensions following suspected Israeli airstrikes on an Iranian consulate in …