IRAN'S FAILURE IN CYBERSPACE FILTRATION, HARASSMENT

Iran, 19 August 2017-- A senior government affiliated cleric, close to the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, admitted the regime's defeat in preventing the use of cyberspace and social media by young Iranians, saying that the solution to the cyberspace crisis for the regime is not through filtering.The cleric who was speaking in Mashhad on 17 August 2017, added: “We have repeatedly referred to the authorities and talked about it,

and we believe that the solution to the problems of cyberspace is not filtering, and we must make the young people not get infected with cyberspace and that necessary attention and surveillance should be done.”

 Nasser Makarem Shirazi, while admitting this defeat, had previously demanded filtering and preventing the expansion of cyberspaceon 26 May 2016, saying, “Of major issues at universities, preventing the expansion of unhealthy cyberspace and social media is very important, as virtual spaces make 90 percent of the world's cyberspace swampy and morass, and we should think about a plan for that.”

This government cleric has repeatedly shown frenzied reactions to the increasing number of young people turning to cyberspace.

The followings are some of his reactions in this regard:

“We have to admit that there is a significant risk to ambush us, (26 may 2016).”

“Our dear young people... pay attention, pay close attention” that “the Internet and cyberspace and information tools... are at the disposal of the enemies; these are the tools for the enemy's cultural dominance, (3 June 2016).”

'Social networks are now becoming swampy and morass, and the enemy wants to take away the energy of the youths, 29 June 2016).”

“I cried yesterday to hear cybercrime reports... and the anti-cultural invasion by the enemy, (Raja News website, 23 August 2016).”

Cyberspace has become one of the main concerns of the Iranian regime. This concern is such that, according to Brig. General Gholam Hossein Gheibparvar, head of the Basij Organization, “virtual space is the battlefield” and the system should not approach this issue with “wishful thinking.”

According to the state-run ISNA news agency on 11 August 2017, the Basij commander expressed concern over the “enemy conquering the regime’s trenches” in the cyberspace and called on the regime’s forces to “return to the regime’s deserted trenches to confront the enemy.”

IRAN REGIME: JCPOA FOR THE AMERICANS MEANS, BEHAVIOUR CHANGE LEADING TO REGIME CHANGE

NCRI - A state-owned newspaper affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) exposed some of the Iranian regime’s worries about JCPOA impasse.In an article titled “Americans Point of View on the nature and Spirit of JCPOA," the newspaper wrote on 15 August 2017: “Some media outlets and political news circles in the West predict the Trump administration is set to stay out of the nuclear deal.

But what's important here is that the President of the United States intends to break up the deal and introduce Iran as a factor in the failure of JCPOA. This is a delicate point that the Foreign Minister of our country has explicitly drawn to public attention a while ago.”

“Americans are going to disrupt the JCPOA with Iran’s expenses. The question is how do Americans want to get out of the deal with Iran's expense and break up the deal? Of the statements made by the US authorities, one can conclude that they intend to accuse Iran of not being committed...” said Javad Zarif (Iranian regime’s foreign minister), according to the newspaper.

“Therefore, the government of Tramp according to its promises intends to collapse the JCPOA at the expense of Iran instead of tearing down the agreement, arguing that Iran does not act in the spirit of JCPOA,” the newspaper wrote.

“Now, another question is raised that what is the spirit of JCPOA and what are its characteristics and indices? What should Iran do in the view of Americans if it wants to act in the spirit of JCPOA so they are satisfied? “

This state-owned newspaper concluded in the end that the spirit of JCPOA is the same as abandoning the “revolutionary identity” (read export of terrorism) and drinking the next several chalices of poison, which is an introduction to the overthrow of this regime.

The newspaper wrote: “The coordinates of the spirit of JCPOA from the Americans’ point of view is the abolition of the Islamic system, abandoning its Islamic identity and its revolution, the identity that arose with the Islamic revolution. Therefore, the spirit of JCPOA in the eyes of the Americans is a behavioural change leading to a change of system and Iran's identity.”

IRAN 'FOREMOST STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM IN 2016': US STATE DEPARTMENT

Joyce Karam

 The 2016 Country Reports on Terrorism — the first released by the state department since US president Donald Trump assumed office — also highlighted Hizbollah's increasing reach in Syria, Iraq and Yemen and an increase in “its long-term attack capabilities”. Although the report said there had been a 9 per cent drop in global terror attacks last year from 2015,

as well as a 13 per cent drop in terror-related fatalities, it stressed that “the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) remained the most potent terrorist threat to global security” in 2016.

Al Qaeda and its regional affiliates also “remained a threat to the US homeland and our interests abroad despite counter-terrorism pressure by US partners”, the report said.

On Iranian sponsorship of terrorism, the report accused the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force — which is responsible for operations outside the country — along with Iranian partners, allies, and proxies, of “playing a destabilising role in military conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen”. It also said “Iran continued to recruit fighters from across the region to join Iranian-affiliated Shia militia forces engaged in conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and has even offered a path to citizenship for those who heed this call”.

The 2016 report put more emphasis on the threat from Hizbollah than in previous years. It described the Lebanese political party and militia as "playing a major role in supporting the Syria government’s efforts to maintain control and territory, and providing training and a range of other support for Iranian-aligned fighters" in these conflict zones. 

The state department said “there are reportedly about 7,000 Hizbollah fighters in Syria”, though it also highlighted that the group had lost “several senior military commanders and hundreds of fighters" in fighting there last year.

The report also highlighted Hizbollah’s continued efforts to “develop its long-term attack capabilities and infrastructure around the world”.

Justin Siberell, the state department's acting coordinator for counter-terrorism, told The National on Wednesday that “Hizbollah maintains a sophisticated operation with [a] broad network group around the world”.

Mr Siberllel said it was unclear, however, if the Syrian conflict had boosted Hizbollah’s standing. On the one hand, the group had gained military expertise in Syria, he said, while on the other, it had suffered large number of casualties.

“It’s a mixed picture," he said. 

On Bahrain, the report said that “during 2016 the Bahraini government continued to make gains in detecting, neutralising, and containing terrorist threats from violent Shia militants and ISIS sympathisers”. It also referenced improved counter-terror co-operation with the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. 

The report voiced concerns over Al Qaeda exploiting the ongoing war in Yemen to make gains. It said that “despite leadership losses, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) remained a significant threat to Yemen, the region, and the United States, as ongoing conflict in Yemen hindered US efforts to counter the group”. It was a similar situation with Al Qaeda's former affiliate in Syria, the report said.

“Al Nusra Front continued to exploit ongoing armed conflict to maintain a territorial safe haven in select parts of northwestern Syria,” the report said, referring to the group that now calls itself Jabhat Fatah Al Sham. 

When it came to the Emirates, the report said that in 2016 “the UAE government maintained a robust counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism (CVE) partnership with the United States through its collaboration with US law enforcement; support of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS; and counter‑messaging initiatives, such as the Sawab and Hedayah Centers.” 

The report made reference to the UAE's deployment of forces to Yemen "to counter the spread of AQAP and ISIS" there, highlighting that, "along with its Yemeni partners, the UAE military successfully ejected AQAP from the port city of Mukalla in April — depriving AQAP from millions [of dollars] in monthly income — and from the coastal towns of Balhaf and Bir Ali in December”.

The report also highlighted wins for UAE border security. 

“UAE government security apparatus continued monitoring suspected terrorists in the UAE, and successfully foiled terrorist attacks within its borders,” it said, adding: “UAE customs, police, and other security agencies improved border security and worked together with financial authorities to counter terrorist finance.” 

originally published in the   thenational