Iranian Regime Officials' Zigzag Stances on Nuclear Deal
Wednesday, 20 September 2017 01:54

NCRI Staff
NCRI - With US Treasury sanctioning 11 more Iranian regime’s affiliated entities and figures at the same time when sanctions relief was extended by the US President, contradictory stances are taken by regime officials and media, suggesting how confused and pinned they are in the vortex of a nuclear deal.
In its September 15 news report, regime’s TV quoted regime’s ambassador to the UN ‘Gholamali Khosroo’ as saying “these days, whenever it’s time to extend (Iranian regime) sanctions relief, unfortunately Americans come up with unsubstantial claims to add new entries to their list of sanctioned entities, only to show the congress and people that they’re sticking to their harsh, radical positions. Besides, the new sanctions are, as the Americans themselves say, non-nuclear ones.”

TRUMP'S PLAN TO DECERTIFY IRAN'S COMPLIANCE WITH NUCLEAR DEAL BACKED BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISORS Created: 05 October 2017
Iran
NCRI
United States
Nuclear

NCRI - While Donald Trump has reportedly been keen to decertify Iran’s compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement ever since he took office (and even before), his advisors have always stepped in to stop him at both of the previous certification deadlines.However, in the run-up to the October 15 deadline, all that appears to have changed and his national security team are now reportedly advising him to decertify Iran.
On October 3, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said that the nuclear deal is only in the US’s best interests if Iran is sticking by the agreement

Regime Change in Iran03 October 2017

Iran Focus
London, 3 Oct - While regime change in a rogue state may be preferable to all (accept the dictators themselves, of course), there are numerous cases of it being forced upon a nation by the US and ending badly; so what can make regime change smoother?
The Cipher Brief analysts Levi Maxey and Fritz Lodge compiled a report into regime change, particularly in the now-pressing cases of the Iranian Regime, “which seeks to extend its growing influence throughout the Middle East and tug at the threads of its nuclear deal with the West by pushing its ballistic missile program forward”, and the North Korean Regime “and its nuclear weapons programme”.

Iran Loses Female Chess Champ to the US Over "Bad Hijab" Rules03 October 2017

Iran Focus
London, 3 Oct - When the Iranian Regime banned a female player from their national chess team for what they call “bad hijab”, the last thing they would have expected is that she would have joined the US team instead.
Dorsa Derakhshani refused to wear the traditional headscarf (known as the hijab), which all Iranian women have been forced to wear in public since the Iranian Regime took power in 1979, at a competition in Gibraltar in February and as a result the Iranian Regime dropped her from the team.
On Monday, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported that Derakhshani, who won the titles of Woman Grandmaster and International Master in 2016, has joined the US national chess team instead.

What You Should Know About Tehran's Latest Missile TestNuclear 03 October 2017

Iran Focus
London, 3 Oct - Following the Iranian Regime’s recent unveiling of a previously unseen medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) and their claims to have conducted a successful flight-test of the missile, many Iran hawks and missile experts jumped into action.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a Senior Iran Analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, prepared an FAQ to provide a nuanced understanding of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and intentions to those who don’t generally follow the development of the Iranian Regime too closely.
What’s in a name?

Call on Iran Regime to Stop Using Afghan Refugees as Fighters in SyriaSyria 04 October 2017

Iran Focus
London, 4 Oct - Lawmakers in Afghanistan have demanded that their government force the Iranian Regime to stop using Afghan refugees as militants in the Syrian Civil War.
Mohammad Asif Seddiqi, the deputy head of the Senate, said: “[The government] should seriously pursue this matter to compel Iran to not use Afghans as a tool and send them to war in other countries.”
The Iranian Regime has recruited thousands of Afghan refugees to fight on their behalf, to prop up the Bashar Assad dictatorship by promising that they and their families will receive citizenship, accommodation and money.

A New Plan to Pull Away From the Iran Nuclear DealNuclear 04 October 2017

Iran Focus
London, 4 Oct - A Republican senator from Arkansas has prepared a way for Donald Trump to distance the US from the failed 2015 nuclear agreement, without new sanctions, military action, or the Iranian Regime’s immediate withdrawal from the deal.
Tom Cotton said that Trump should decertify Iran's compliance at the October 15 deadline and allow Congress to approve a list of demands, which Trump could then submit for the approval of European allies, who are part of the deal and reluctant to leave it altogether.

British Parliamentarians Call for Investigation Into 1988 Iranian Massacre04 October 2017

Iran Focus
London, 4 Oct - More than thirty British MPs and Lords have called for justice over the 1988 Iranian massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners in a recent statement.
During the Liberal Democrat party conference, held in Bournemouth in September, a delegation from the Iranian Resistance was invited to take part and to meet with MPs, Lords, and high-ranking members of the Lib Dems to discuss ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, particularly the executions of children.
The statement read: “We are deeply concerned over the deterioration of human rights situation in Iran and in particular the increasing number of executions which has surpassed 3200 during Rouhani’s tenure with over 200 reported executions since July 2017.”

Trump weighs 'decertifying' Iran nuclear deal
10/4/2017 5:37:00 PM

US President Donald Trump is weighing the issue of uncertifying Irans nuclear compliance
AFP, Oct. 4, 2017 - President Donald Trump has railed against a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program, but officials say that far from scrapping it, he is considering kicking the decision to Congress.
Ahead of an October 15 deadline, several officials familiar with White House deliberations told AFP Trump has made it clear he does not want to certify Iran's compliance with the accord.
The 2015-era Obama agreement offered Tehran relief from punitive economic sanctions, in return for limits to uranium enrichment and intrusive inspections.

Sarin used in Syria 5 days before Khan Sheikhun: OPCW
10/4/2017 7:26:05 PM

At least 83 people died in the Khan Sheikun attack on April 4
AFP, Oct. 4, 2017 - Sarin nerve agent was used in an 'incident' at a northern Syrian village in late March, five days before the deadly attack on Khan Sheikhun, the world's chemical watchdog said Wednesday.
'Analysis of samples collected (by the OPCW)... relates to an incident that took place again in the northern part of Syria on the 30th of March this year,' the head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons told AFP in an exclusive interview.
'The results prove the existence of sarin,' Ahmet Uzumcu said.
The Khan Sheikun attack on April 4 was previously believed to have been the first use of sarin since the deadly August 2013 attack in and around Damascus which killed hundreds of people.
Two days after Khan Sheikhun incident in which at least 83 people died, the United States fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase from which it said the attack was launched.

Defense Secretary Mattis suggests sticking with Iran nuclear deal
10/4/2017 7:53:26 AM

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Political and Security Situation in Afghanistan on Capitol Hill in Washington U.S. October 3 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) OCT. 3, 2017 - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States should consider staying in the Iran nuclear deal unless it were proven Tehran that was not abiding by the agreement or that it was not in the U.S. national interest to do so.
Mattis said he supported U.S. President Donald Trump’s review of the agreement curbing Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump is weighing whether the deal serves U.S. security interests as he faces a mid-October deadline for certifying that Iran is complying with the pact, a decision that could sink an agreement strongly supported by the other powers that negotiated it.
“If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it,” Mattis told a Senate hearing.
The White House had no immediate comment on Mattis’ remarks, which once again highlighted the range of views on key policy issues within the Trump administration.

Two years later: 5 recommendations for a new Iran nuclear policy
10/4/2017 7:46:43 AM

Iran will remain a threat to the U.S. and its allies as long as the clerical regime remains in power
‌By: Ambassador Adam Ereli
The Hill, Oct. 3, 2017 - Two years into the nuclear deal with Iran — known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — it has become clear that neither the people of Iran nor the region are better off.
The previous administration’s policy of engagement failed to address rampant human rights violations, regional aggression, a burgeoning missile program and the export of terrorism, all of which are crippling Iran’s own population.
President Trump came into office as a force of change; here are five ways he can change Washington’s culture of politics as usual and respond positively to the long-suffering Iranian people’s call for change:

Argentine Probe Closes In
10/3/2017 8:31:28 AM

In 2007, INTERPOL issued red notices – the equivalent of arrest warrants -- for the Iranian officials.
By Toby Dershowitz
Real Clear World, October 02, 2017 -- A 400-page report submitted Sept. 22 by Argentine police investigators to that nation’s courts found what many people instinctively knew: that special prosecutor Alberto Nisman was murdered in January 2015, and that he did not commit suicide the day before he was to present evidence to the Argentine Congress that then-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner had attempted to cover up Iran’s role in the country’s largest terrorist attack in history.

Aid groups seek $434 million for Rohingya crisis for next six months
10/4/2017 8:46:52 AM

Rohingya refugees stand by the road in the rain outside their camp near Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, October 3, 2017
COX‘S BAZAR, Bangladesh (Reuters), OCT. 4, 2017 - Humanitarian organizations helping Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh said on Wednesday they need $434 million over the next six months to help up to 1.2 million people, many of them children, who need life-saving help.
There are an estimated 809,000 Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh after fleeing violence and persecution in Myanmar, more than half a million of whom have arrived since Aug. 25 to join 300,000 Rohingya who were already there.
“The Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar is highly vulnerable, many having experienced severe trauma, and are now living in extremely difficult conditions,” Robert Watkins, U.N. resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said in a release, referring to the Bangladeshi border district where most Rohingya are living.

Somali man charged in Canada attack was ordered deported from U.S.
10/4/2017 9:27:31 AM

Crews clean up the scene where a van ran into pedestrians and later flipped over Saturday while being pursued by police, in Edmonton Alta, on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017
EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters),OCT. 3, 2017 - The Somali immigrant charged with attempted murder in connection with a weekend vehicle and knife attack in Edmonton, Alberta, was detained in the United States pending deportation before claiming refugee status in Canada, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, 30, is accused of running down a police officer with his car on Saturday night and then stabbing him repeatedly. Police said he fled before driving a U-Haul truck into four pedestrians during an attempt to evade capture.
Sharif was in custody in the United States for about four months in the summer and autumn of 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokeswoman Lauren Mack said in a statement.

IRAN: Call to Release Political Prisoner Soheil Arabi + VIDEO
10/4/2017 9:43:58 AM

The demonstrators while holding posters and placards demanded the release of Soheil Arabi
IRAN,TEHRAN, Monday morning, October 2, a protest gathering was staged in front of the Iranian regime's parliament in response to a call by the mother of Soheil Arabi, a political prisoner who is on dry hunger strike in Evin Prison.

Trump weighs 'decertifying' Iran nuclear deal
10/4/2017 5:37:00 PM

US President Donald Trump is weighing the issue of uncertifying Irans nuclear compliance
Iran's nuclear deal
AFP, Oct. 4, 2017 - President Donald Trump has railed against a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program, but officials say that far from scrapping it, he is considering kicking the decision to Congress.
Ahead of an October 15 deadline, several officials familiar with White House deliberations told AFP Trump has made it clear he does not want to certify Iran's compliance with the accord.
The 2015-era Obama agreement offered Tehran relief from punitive economic sanctions, in return for limits to uranium enrichment and intrusive inspections.

Trio takes chemistry Nobel for 'cool' method to study molecules
10/4/2017 7:11:54 PM

The winners of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry were announced as (from left to right) Jacques Dubochet from Switzerland, Joachim Frank from the US and Richard Henderson from Britain
AFP, Oct. 4, 2017 - Scientists Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson were awarded the Nobel Chemistry Prize on Wednesday for cryo-electron microscopy, a simpler and better method for imaging tiny, frozen molecules.
Thanks to their team's new 'cool method', involving electron beams to photograph bits of cells, 'researchers can now routinely produce three-dimensional structures of biomolecules', the Nobel chemistry committee said.

AFGHANISTAN URGES IRAN TO STOP SENDING AFGHAN REFUGEES TO SYRIA WAR Created: 02 October 2017
Iran
Fundamentalism
Terrorism
Extremism
Syria
IRGC

By Shakib Mahmud and Bayes Hayat
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Sunday reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has recruited Afghan immigrant children living in Iran to fight in Syria.“Afghan children as young as 14 have fought in the Fatemiyoun division, an exclusively Afghan armed group supported by Iran that fights alongside government forces in the Syrian conflict.
Under international law,” the report said. “Recruiting children under the age of 15 to participate actively in hostilities is a war crime.”
The Deputy Spokesman for Foreign Ministry, Sebghatullah Ahmadi confirmed the Human Rights Watch report and said: “We are concerned in regard and we urge Iran to prevent and stop sending Afghan refugees to Syria war, whether it is based on voluntary or by force.”

US trio wins physics Nobel for detection of waves from black hole collisions
10/3/2017 4:26:25 PM

Members of the Nobel Committee for Physics announce the 2017 prize winners Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne
AFP, Oct, 3, 2017 - US astrophysicists Barry Barish, Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss were awarded the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for the discovery of gravitational waves, the Nobel jury said.
Predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but only detected in 2015, gravitational waves are 'ripples' in the fabric of space-time caused by violent processes such as colliding black holes or the collapse of stellar cores.
Their discovery opens a door on the mysteries of the Universe.
'Their discovery shook the world,' said Goran K Hansson, the head of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences which selects the Nobel recipients.