Scope of Iran IRGC Quds Force meddling in Yemen

July 2016

In the news and reports I have read from Yemen there has not been a reference to the scope of the meddling by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Quds Force in this country. In this article I would like to assess the dimensions of the Quds Force’s meddling according to the news received from inside the Iranian regime.

Iran exporting bombs, weaponry to Middle East countries

July 2016

One of the most important exports Iran has been engaged in in the past few years has been sending arms, bombs and missiles to various countries across the region. It has been years since Iran boasts of exporting “Islamic revolution” to regional countries, which of course means exporting terrorism and supporting fundamentalism groups to take control over regional countries.

ISIS operative admits Iran & Syria have relations with terrorist group

July 2016

The al-Jarida daily of Kuwait wrote: An individual by the name of Ali Omar, aka Abu Torab, suspected of being associated to ISIS (Daesh), is currently detained in a Kuwaiti prison. He has admitted to close relations between ISIS (Daesh) with the regimes of Iran and Syria. Abu Torab has said he has personally participated in coordinating session held between ISIS (Daesh) and the Damascus regime representative and Iranian regime security forces. Regarding the structure of ISIS he said most of the group’s commanders in Syria are of Iraqi origin and their forces are from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Abu Torab was in charge of ISIS’ oil industry due to his expertise and speaking fluent English.

Hezbollah leader’s confessions renders difficult predicament for Iran

July 2016

Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on June 24^th said he is not concerned of U.S. banking sanctions, and the sanctions and banking/financial restrictions imposed by the U.S. have no impact on this group’s activities as all of Hezbollah’s budget is provided through Iran. This speech gained widespread coverage in a long slate of Arab media, and can lead to a major predicament for the Iranian regime.

The truth behind the bomb discoveries & terrorists arrested in Tehran

July 2016

Recently Iran on a number of occasions announced the discovery of ready-to-explode bombs in Tehran and arrested a number of individuals in this regard. These reports were provided in a very vague nature, saying the details would be delivered at a later time. However, no details were ever provided. On June 29^th an airplane was ground in Tehran airport and passengers were departed as authorities cited a possible bombing plot. The plane was allowed to take off after all the cargo was inspected.

Iran funneling sanctions relief money for terrorists

July 2016

In late May 2016, Adam Szubin, the acting US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence said his country in cooperation with its allies and partners is attempting to limit Hezbollah financial relations. A bill was passed in the U.S. back in December 2015 imposing strict punishment on any international financial support to Hezbollah and any individual or entity that provides financial support for this group. This law sparked an unprecedented dispute between Hezbollah and Lebanese banks. The Lebanese Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., has widespread political influence in Lebanon and its military branch plays an important role in the war in Syria. The Lebanese Central Bank and American officials have said this bill does not target ordinary Lebanese citizens or the Shiite community of this country that supports Hezbollah.

Iran dispatching Afghan mercenaries into Syria war quagmire

June 2016

As the Iranian people continue to oppose taking part in the Syria war, the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force has been forced to dispatch its most senior IRGC commanders to support the Levant dictator Bashar Assad. To this end, heavy casualties have been inflicted to senior IRGC commanders and these ranks no longer have any temptation to participate in the Syria war.

Iran’s Quds Force meddling in Bahrain

June 2016

Bahrain is a country of the Persian Gulf and Iran continues to argue it was once amongst its territories, and therefore claims sovereignty over this important island. Back in August 2008, Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Keyhan – the known mouthpiece of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei – wrote an article declaring Bahrain an Iranian province. This raised major tension between in the bilateral relations between the two countries, and finally Manouchehr Mottaki, then foreign minister of Iran, was forced to visit Bahrain and resolve the matter.

Iran: Quds Force efforts in Iraq to reunite Shiite groups

June 2016

As recent developments have made it crystal clear in Iraq, the Shiite coalition formed through the efforts of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Quds Force following the toppling of the former Iraqi government (Saddam Hussein) by the United States is now crumbling from within and literally torn apart. Demonstrations and rallies in the past few months, staged by the Shiite majorities in Baghdad and southern Shiite provinces, witnessed a main slogan against the presence of the Iranian regime and the Quds Force in Iraq. This came as a heavy blow for Tehran in its efforts in Iraq.

Iran: Khamenei threatening to “set nuclear deal ablaze if U.S. tears it apart”

June 2016

On June 14^th the Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei delivered a speech at the presence of the three government branch chiefs and a group of senior regime officials. The most important portion of his remarks that gained widespread coverage in Iranian media and the press included, “If the next U.S. president tears apart the nuclear deal, Iran will set it ablaze.”

Iran pushing for no-confidence vote against al-Abadi

June 2016

The occupation of the Iraqi Parliament and Prime Ministry Office afterwards by protesters proved Iran has lost control of the situation on the ground in Iran and this regime is no longer dictating its will to Shiite groups.

In most demonstrations despite the fact that the Iranian ambassador in Iraq would call on its associated elements to refrain from voicing anti-Iranian regime slogans, the protesters – infuriated over poverty and lack of security – were heard chanting “Iran, Out, Out.” This slogan disrupted all the Iranian regime’s calculations and in a senior Iranian regime official has reportedly said Tehran spent billions in Iraq and they still chant slogans against the Islamic republic of Iran in their demonstrations.

Iran arming Shiite militias in Iraq

June 2016

After Iran lost its political hegemony in Iraq with former Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki being set aside, and following the military defeats it suffered in operations targeting Salahadin and Tikrit, from late April of this year Iran has launched new military measures under the pretext of liberating the city of Fallujah in Anbar Province, west of Baghdad. Revolutionary Guards Quds Force chief Qassem Suleimani in his new round of military activities in Iraq attempted realize his objective through official and government channels, and by using Shiite military forces, parallel to equipping and arming these units with new weapons. Qassem Suleimani sought to enhance the Popular Mobilization Units (a conglomerate of Iran-backed Shiite militia groups) into a regional military power and downgrade the role played by the Iraqi Army. This Quds Force policy is in line with the same policy Iran sought to implement through the PMU from 2013 and integrating this unit into an entity similar to the IRGC. Arming the PMU with light and medium weapons, along with rockets/missiles through transferring the technology of this weaponry to Iraq are amongst the objectives of the IRGC Quds Force.

Iran-associated militias’ crimes in Fallujah operations

June 2016

The goals pursued by Shiite militia groups associated to Iran and the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force in their presence in the Fallujah operations is no longer a mystery for anyone. The sectarian nature of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) and other Shiite militia groups and their approach vis-à-vis the residents of the towns of Garma, Saqlawiya and locals in Fallujah who were able to flee from ISIS control have made it crystal clear the objectives they are following in the Fallujah operations of seeking vengeance against the Sunni community. This has raised major protests and resulted in deep concerns amongst Arab and regional states over the role played by Iran-backed Shiite militia groups in the Fallujah operations. On the other hand, the public announcement made by Hadi al-Ameri and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in various press conferences of Fallujah being liberated by PMU forces showed that the PMU and Shiite militias are the main parties involved in the Fallujah operations. Al-Ameri had previously announced the PMU mission will finalize following the Fallujah operations. More recently, however, he has said, “After we have ensured that all non-civilians have exited Fallujah we will attack the city and no one will stop us. No one can liberate Fallujah without PMU participation.”

Iran’s attempts to resolve differences amongst Iraq Shiite coalition

May 2016

With the reform movement gaining momentum in the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, along with measures taken by Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr to achieve these reforms, a serious rift and divide inside the Shiite coalition has become visible more than ever before. Considering the fact that rooted reforms have been the demand of the senior Shiite clergy, various members of the Shiite coalition have publicly supported the reforms proposed by al-Abadi and Sadr, yet behind the scenes they continue to emphasize on the quota system of appointing ministers. This has caused major divides amongst the establishing currents of the National Alliance. Iran is extremely concerned of the Shiite coalition in Iraq crumbling, and therefore to this day Tehran has dispatched a significant number of delegations to resolve these disputes in Iraq. Significant is the fact that none of the Shiite coalition currents are willing to accept the requests raised by Iranian representatives.

Iran’s response after Jordan summoned its ambassador from Tehran

May 2016

Jordan summoned its ambassador from Tehran in protest to Iran’s meddling policies in Middle East countries. The Iranian regime, finding itself more and more isolated across the region, has resorted its old tactics and tricks by instigating fear and raising threats.

Iran’s actions aimed to disrupt a technocrat cabinet in Iraq

May 2016

Following popular demonstrations in late February across Baghdad’s Green Zone, the Iranian regime became extremely concerned of the Iraqi people’s demands for reform. Through its operatives in Iraq Tehran went to great limits divert the reform project. The issue of corruption under former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki and setting aside judiciary chief Mid’hat Mahmoud were the pillar concerns for Iran, leading the regime to continue its attempts to stonewall all measures to establish a technocrat cabinet, place the reform project before various dilemmas and buy time for its own conspiracies in Iraq. The goal pursued by Tehran was to kick the can down the road and prevent any formation of a technocrat cabinet – specifically demanded by the people – and return to the sectarian-polarized quota cabinet based on agreements made between ruling parties.

Iran dispatching regular army forces to Syria

May 2016

On April 4^th, 2016, the deputy coordinator of Iran’s regular army ground forces reported units of this force have been dispatched to Syria. In this regard, Iran army commanders described the deployment of their forces to Syria as advisory missions, denying any large unit deployment to the Levant. Below are a number of positions taken by Iran’s military commanders in this regard, shedding light on the depth of the army’s actual involvement in Syria.

Iran taking advantage of Afghans’ poverty to send them to Syria

May 2016

With a look at the escalating number of casualties suffered by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) in Syria, one can come to this conclusion that most definitely this volume of fatalities and injuries will lead to dissent amongst the IRGC lower ranks and general file. Even senior military and political officials in Iran have voiced their protests regarding the high number of casualties. To this end the IRGC has for some time now launched a new initiative. Although such a measure is nothing new and the IRGC has always resorted using foreign nationals, prisoners, the poor and deprived people to send them off to the battlefronts and filling the void in its forces. The IRGC has recruited Afghan mercenaries to be deployed to Syria.

Iran shocked of Russia pulling out of Syria

May2016

Russia launches military operations in Syria

The sidelines of the 2015 U.N. General Assembly in New York witnessed meetings held between U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the fate of Syria. The main subject was Russia’s military intervention in Syria, yet no particular conclusion was reached. Putin began his air campaign in Syria on September 30^th. Homs, then held by opposition forces, was the first city attacked by Russian warplanes.

Iran: Khamenei’s role in 9/11

April 2011

As you may have seen in the news in early March 2016 a New York criminal court judge cited obvious evidence accusing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as second in line after former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the September 11^th terrorist attacks. This gained media attention and political analysts across the globe. However, the question is what developments have brought Khamenei’s role in the 9/11 attacks forward to center stage once again?