WAR ALERT: Iran DIRECTLY ATTACKS Israel In Retaliatory Strikes, Israel Returns Fire

After reports surfaced the immediately after president Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement, Israel attacked Iran in an airstrike raid.  Now, Iran has retaliated sparking fears that this could be the beginning of another war.

The initial airstrikes against Iran by Israel were said to have killed 23 people, both Syrian and non-Syrian, but all military personnel.

According to The Daily Mail UK, Iran and Israel traded blows on the Syrian border overnight, marking the first time Tehran has directly attacked Israel. Last night, Iranian forces fired 20 rockets from Syria at Israeli front-line military positions in the Golan Heights, the Israeli military said.

Israel said the 20 Iranian rockets were either shot down by its Iron Dome air defense system or fell short of the Golan targets, claiming the Quds Force, an external arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, carried out the launch.  And Israel has already retaliated to some extent. In retaliation, Israel launched dozens of missiles on Iranian positions in Syria, which hit a radar station, air defense positions, and an ammunition dump, Syrian state media said.

This exchange of fire came less than a day after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 Iran atomic agreement, which lifts sanctions on Tehran in exchange for a halt on its nuclear program. Israel has been on heightened alert in recent days, anticipating an attack from Iran following the Iranian regime’s vows to retaliate to what it says are recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a cheering crowd of thousands [last] Tuesday that if any country decides to betray the 2015 nuclear deal, there will be “severe consequences.”  Although Rouhani didn’t specifically name the United States, he did say that Tehran is “prepared for all possible situations.” –SHTFPlan

This was the heaviest artillery barrage by Israel against Iran since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2001. “We hit nearly all the Iranian infrastructure in Syria,” Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told a security conference on Thursday morning. “They need to remember the saying that if it rains on us, it’ll storm on them. I hope we’ve finished this episode and everyone understood.”

 

[WATCH] Iranian Lawmakers Burn American Flag And Chant: ‘Death To America!’

Outraged over president Donald Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, Iranian lawmakers burned an American flag picture while chanting “death to America!”  The incident took place during a recent session of Iran’s parliament, and their anger and hostility are easily recognized.

Trump’s controversial decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement sparked outrage across the international community and, in particular, among his allies in Europe who have vowed to adhere to the original agreement. And Israel has already bombed Syria where they believe Iranian weapons were being stored for use.  There were at least nine fatalities due to that airstrike, likely further angering Iranian lawmakers.

Iran has been vocal about their disgust with Trump withdrawing from the agreement.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a cheering crowd of thousands Tuesday that if any country decides to betray the 2015 nuclear deal, there will be “severe consequences.”  Although Rouhani didn’t specifically name the United States, he did say that Tehran is “prepared for all possible situations.” –SHTFPlan

“If necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations,” the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said according to RT, echoing similar comments from the speaker of the parliament, Ali Larijani earlier on Wednesday. “Until [the] implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests,” Rouhani added.

Under the 2015 deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions. Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, struck the pact to try to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon, but Trump believes the deal has “disastrous flaws.”

The United States will reimpose a wide array of Iran-related sanctions after the expiry of 90- and 180-day wind-down periods, including sanctions aimed at Iran’s oil sector and transactions with its central bank, the U.S. Treasury said on Tuesday.

Trump signed a presidential memorandum reinstating US sanctions against Tehran that were waived in the wake of the deal which was signed during the Obama administration. Although Iran seems angered, especially after viewing the above video, the country doesn’t appear to be overly concerned about the likeliness of additional sanctions.

In a statement on its website and a related “frequently asked questions” document, the Treasury said sanctions relating to aircraft exports to Iran, the country’s metals trade and any efforts by Tehran to acquire U.S. dollars will also be reimposed.

Trump signed a presidential memorandum reinstating US sanctions against Tehran that were waived in the wake of the deal which was signed during the Obama administration. Although Iran seems angered, especially after viewing the above video, the country doesn’t appear to be overly concerned about the likeliness of additional sanctions.

Iran Vows ‘Severe Consequences’ If US Backs Out Of Nuclear Deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a cheering crowd of thousands Tuesday that if any country decides to betray the 2015 nuclear deal, there will be “severe consequences.”  Although Rouhani didn’t specifically name the United States, he did say that Tehran is “prepared for all possible situations.”

The New York Times reported that Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel will work to convince Donald Trump to stay in the agreement at a meeting later this week.  And in the meantime, French president Emmanuel Macron is diligently working on swaying Trump’s mind on the issue as well.  Both European leaders want the US to stick to the 2015 nuclear deal put in place by Barack Obama.

Wendy R. Sherman, the former top official at the State Department who negotiated the deal for then-President Obama, told the paper that Trump and Macron are likely having a “very difficult conversation,” reported Fox News. “I’m sure that Macron will say how important staying in the deal is to a strong trans-Atlantic relationship in all things, particularly security,” she said.

The White House on Monday appeared to show little change in Trump’s opinion on the deal. “He thinks it’s a bad deal…that certainly has not changed,” Sarah Sanders said alluding to the possibility of rejecting the deal entirely. Trump hasn’t hidden his disdain for Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

Iran is playing with fire – they don"t appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel.They are also working with North Korea.Not much of an agreement we have!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

Trump’s tweet alone shed some light on his feelings about how things are going with Iran.  Tensions seem high, but they may go even higher on the heels of Iran’s vow of severe consequences. According to USA Today, Iran cannot be trusted to uphold their end of the nuclear agreement, however.

The key reason that President Trump must not only not recertify the Iran nuclear deal but outright abrogate it is because Tehran is explicitly and demonstrably out of compliance with the agreement on numerous specific counts. Further, after the Iranian regime was caught in 2002 operating a clandestine weapons program in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty — conduct underway for at least 14 years — and has never come clean about that program, it cannot be trusted to adhere to any other agreement. –USA Today

It appears that even some in the mainstream media are siding with Trump and asking him to withdraw from the weapons accord.  Even after inception of the agreement in 2015, the regime has been confronted with credible information that it is operating more advanced centrifuges than permitted, exceeding limits on production of heavy water and, according to Fox News, covertly procuring nuclear and missile technology outside of approved channels: These are all material breaches of the deal.

 

 

Iran’s WW3 WARNING: ‘We Won’t Negotiate Over Middle East DOMINANCE’

Iran has just issued a chilling warning to the West. The nation has declared that it will not negotiate over its authority in the Middle East and its presence in other certain nations.

Iran’s comments come as French foreign minister sought to discuss Tehran’s role in regional conflicts on a visit to the capital.  Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran will not negotiate with the West over its presence in the Middle East.  Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s foreign minister, traveled to Tehran on Monday with a brief to reaffirm Europe’s support for a nuclear deal that opened Iran’s economy while echoing the United State’s concern about Tehran’s missile program and its influence in the region. French President Emmanuel Macron has criticised the program and raised the possibility of new sanctions.

“European countries come (to Tehran) and say we want to negotiate with Iran over its presence in the region. It is none of your business. It is our region. Why are you here?” Khamenei was quoted as saying by his official website. Khamenei said Iran would only negotiate their presence in the region with other nation-states in the Middle East.

According to the Express UK, President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of the nuclear deal unless three European signatories help “fix” the accord by forcing Iran to limit its sway in the Middle East and rein in its missile program. Iran responded by saying  “We will negotiate with America when we wanted to be present in America,” he added.

Trump has also promised that he would never allow Iran to become nuclear. The Trump administration will “never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon” as it seeks to prevent the outbreak of World War 3 with Hassan Rouhani, Vice President Mike Pence has declared.

Pence warned the move by Trump signaled Hassan Rouhani’s final opportunity. “Make no mistake about it, this is their last chance. Unless the Iran nuclear deal is fixed in the coming months, the United States of America will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal immediately.

Flash Points Grow in Numbers & Increase Threats of Attack on U.S.

In a decision bound to have far-reaching effects, President Trump announced that the United States would be recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Furthermore, he also stated his intentions of placing an American embassy in the city. The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has already weighed in on this, and said that such a move by President Trump would not be tolerated.

It is difficult to address such an issue in a non-didactic manner that blends theological implications, but there is more at stake here than this being a theological debate, or simply a conflict between Christianity, Muslims, or Judaism, or an “end of days” issue.

Politics is statecraft and stagecraft, and this decision has infuriated the Iranians and will potentially provoke them into activity: the invasion of Iran has been desired for three administrations.

Obama intended to overthrow Assad in Syria for many reasons: to ingratiate himself to the House of Saud (as the Saudi Arabians hate Assad), to control Northwestern Syria and run a natural gas pipeline through it from Qatar to Europe, and to secure a foothold with which to invade Iran. The Russians have had other plans: Gazprom was the target regarding the Qatar natural gas pipeline, and the Russians reacted by bombing ISIS (an Obama creation) and securing Syria for Assad.

The Iranians have plans of moving their fleet into the Atlantic and eventually operating (sometime next year) near Cuba, and in South America in support of Venezuela and Bolivia (led by Maduro and Morales respectively). The Iranians have been working with North Korea for years on missile technology exchange. Iran has several projects that have commenced with Russia and China as partners regarding development of their nuclear power facilities.  Iran is a “flash point,” simply for the fact that the United States has been their stated enemy for decades, and tensions will rise with this decision of the President’s regarding Jerusalem.

In the meantime, Venezuela has been accused over the past several months of human rights violations against its citizens by the U.S. and other nations. Venezuela has responded by placing an embargo on the acceptance of dollars for its oil. This is significant, as Venezuela is the 11^th largest producer in the world. Obama in March of 2015 signed an order declaring Venezuela a threat and a violator of human rights.

Interestingly, the Venezuelan government gave $500,000 to President Trump for his inauguration on 1/20/17, yet President Trump on 8/11/17 declared he was “not going to rule out a military option” in opposition to Maduro’s government and the Venezuelan crisis it was causing, as reported in the Washington Post on 8/11/17. Venezuela has close ties with Iran, Cuba, and Russia.

North Korea has been the primary focus for some time, now, and the crisis is worsening because North Korea will not back down nor relinquish its nuclear weapons. There is a point I wish to mention that has not really been considered fully, nor has it been mentioned. The Koreans are a tough and tenacious people, and they fought hard against the United States the first time around (a war that never officially ended). Why are people under the assumption that they’re just going to lay down and throw up their hands when the hostilities start?

These countries mentioned have been revolving their defensive/offensive doctrines around low-cost systems with high return in terms of effectiveness. As you can research by pulling up reports from the (now disbanded and defunct) Commission to Assess the EMP Threat Against the U.S., written by Dr. Pry and Dr. Graham, the central focus of North Korea and Iran’s nuclear missile programs revolves around an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) strike against the U.S.

In true “David-Goliath” fashion, there are plenty of instances throughout modern history where the lightweight has danced around the heavyweight and brought him to the canvas. The Soviet Union ended partially because of their involvement in Afghanistan, where they lost. We did not learn the lesson and are still enmired in Afghanistan. The French lost to the Viet Minh, and withdrew. The U.S. took up the reins and fought the Viet Cong and the NVA regular. We ignored what we could have learned from the French, and ended up withdrawing from Vietnam as they did.

Force projection and the promulgation of imperialism can work, but only for a time. Eventually all great empires have fallen: they rotted from within, and the rot was “augmented” by attacks from without simultaneously that rang their death knells. We are no different than these great empires of the past: long past our peak, we have been in steady decline for decades. The Lilliputians, meanwhile, are awaiting their moment to tie Gulliver down. Each one of those countries represents a flash point that can set off a much greater chain of explosions, leading to a world war.

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Jeremiah Johnson is the Nom de plume of a retired Green Beret of the United States Army Special Forces (Airborne).  Mr. Johnson is also a Gunsmith, a Certified Master Herbalist, a Montana Master Food Preserver, and a graduate of the U.S. Army’s SERE school (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape).  He lives in a cabin in the mountains of Western Montana with his wife and three cats. You can follow Jeremiah’s regular writings at SHTFplan.com or contact him here.

This article may be republished or excerpted with proper attribution to the author and a link to www.SHTFplan.com.

Iran Threatens America: If New Sanctions Pass, US Military "Would Be At Risk"

In the coming days, president Trump is expected to announce that he will decertify the Iran Nuclear Deal, a step that potentially could cause the historic Obama-era accord to unravel. Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to limit its disputed nuclear program in return for the easing of economic sanctions. Realizing the dire threat that such a move presents for its economy - not to mention Iranian oil exports -  Iran has escalated the rhetoric, and overnight it warned the United States that U.S. regional military bases "would be at risk" if further sanctions were passed or if the US designated its Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist group.

On Friday the Financial Times reported that Donald Trump is expected to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group,  as part of a new hardline strategy against the Islamic republic.

Mr Trump is expected to announce new measures against Iran, including the prospect of additional targeted sanctions, the designation of the Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and the adoption of a tougher stance on Iranian proxies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, according to a person briefed on the matter. 

“It’s an integrated Iran strategy focused on neutralising and rolling back Iran’s malign activities regionally and globally,” the person said.

Iran was not happy: "The Americans should know that the Trump government’s stupid behavior with the nuclear deal will be used by the Islamic Republic as an opportunity to move ahead with its missile, regional and conventional defense program," Guards’ commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said, quoted by Reuters. He then explicitly threatened US presence in the region, warning that “if America’s new law for sanctions is passed, this country will have to move their regional bases outside the 2,000 km range of Iran’s missiles."

Jafari also said that additional sanctions would end the chances for future dialogue with the United States, and issued a stark warning to American troops.

“If the news is correct about the stupidity of the American government in considering the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group, then the Revolutionary Guards will consider the American army to be like Islamic State all around the world particularly in the Middle East,” Jafari said according to a IRGC statement.

Iran"s Revolutionary Guards is the nations" most powerful security force. The Quds Force - the IRGC’s foreign espionage and paramilitary wing - and individuals and entities associated with the IRGC are on the US list of foreign terrorist organizations, but the organization as a whole is not, at leaset not yet. 

 

Members of the IRGC march during a military parade in Tehran September 22, 2007.

IRGC commanders have framed their military involvement in Iraq and Syria, where they are fighting to support the government of President Bashar al-Assad, as a fight against Islamic State.  For the duration of the campaign against the Islamic State, Iran has seen the Sunni Muslim militants of ISIS as an existential threat to the mostly Shi"ite Islamic Republic. Dozens of members of the Guards, including senior commanders, have been killed in Syria and Iraq.

As a reminder, on June 7, Islamic State claimed an attack on Tehran’s parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, killing 18 people in one of the nation"s highest profile terrorist attacks in recent years. The Guards fired missiles at Islamic State bases in Syria on June 18 in response.

Last Thursday, Trump again accused Tehran of violating the “spirit” of the landmark nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), limiting Iran’s nuclear program for fifteen years in exchange for easing pre-existing sanctions. He also included the Islamic Republic in a list of “challenges we should’ve taken care of a long time ago,” which features North Korea, Afghanistan, and IS.

Trump has until October 15 to recertify the deal. If he chooses not to - which now appears the most likely outcome - then it will go to Congress, which will have 60 days to decide whether to re-impose sanctions on Tehran, effectively putting an end to the agreement. Trump has called the agreement the “worst deal ever negotiated,” and pledged to “dismantle” it.

Iran has repeatedly warned against violating and pulling out of the deal, as it would be harmful primarily to Washington’s own interests and jeopardize the security of the whole region. At a ceremony at Tehran University marking the start of the academic year, Iran president Rouhani said that “in the nuclear negotiations and agreement we reached issues and benefits that are not reversible. No one can turn that back, not Mr. Trump or anyone else."

Rouhani also said on Saturday that if the United States violated the deal then it would hurt its own reputation in the international community.

“If America carries out any violations today, the whole world will condemn America. They will not condemn Iran,” Rouhani said, according to state media. “Then they will say why did you trust America and sign an agreement with them."

“Even if 10 other Trumps are created in the world, these are not reversible.”

The EU has also voiced concerns over removing the nuclear agreement, which “serves the interests of all parties,” according to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. She also stressed that the achievement in striking the long-negotiated agreement belongs to the international community, not just the US.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the IRGC navy was carrying out a military exercise on Sunday in the Gulf, an area of tension with the U.S. navy in recent months. More than 110 vessels were involved in the exercise, including some that have rocket and missile capabilities, Reuters quoted a Guards commander as saying.

Iran Claims Successful Missile Launch, The US Says It Didn’t Happen

The nation of Iran is claiming that they successfully launched a missile, but the United States disagrees. US intelligence officials said there was “no indication” Iran launched a medium-range ballistic missile.

Word of the alleged launch surfaced on Friday as Iran claimed a missile launch was successful.

Multiple news outlets reported on Monday that the launch was faked. According to CNN, US intelligence radars and sensors “picked up no indication” of an Iranian ballistic missile launch in the days surrounding a reported test, according to a Trump administration official familiar with the latest US assessment.

Iranian reports that the nation tested a new ballistic missile so far does not appear to be true, the official said, adding: “As far as we can see, it did not happen.” State-run broadcaster Press TV reported the launch on Saturday, according to footage broadcast on Iranian state television. “Iran has released footage of the successful test-launch of its new ballistic missile, Khorramshahr, a few hours after it was unveiled during a military parade in the capital city of Tehran,” Press TV said.

The video footage of the purported missile was over seven months old, Fox News said. This is the same period in which the Iranians conducted a failed launch where a missile exploded prematurely. The country was reportedly claiming that they were testing the Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile, a missile that has been reported to share similarities with North Korea’s counterpart, the Hwasong-10 when it exploded after traveling 600 miles.

Video: #Iran successfully test-fires new ballistic missile
Details: https://t.co/eKHi0jXnED pic.twitter.com/30XkB8ddbP

— Press TV (@PressTV) September 23, 2017

Iran did not include the location or date of the launch at the time it released the footage. “I am not sure why the Iranians are lying about the range,” a US official told Fox News. “I think they don’t want to piss the Europeans off.”

President Donald Trump has been an outspoken critic of Iran’s missile program. He blasted the alleged missile activity on Twitter just days after he criticized the Iran nuclear deal. “Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel. They are also working with North Korea,” Trump tweeted on Saturday. “Not much of an agreement we have!”

Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel.They are also working with North Korea.Not much of an agreement we have!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

Of course, Iran maintains that their tests were “solely defensive,” as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani delivered a speech before the UN. “We never threaten anyone, but we do not tolerate threats from anyone,” Rouhani said on Wednesday. Rouhani also threatened to act “decisively and resolutely” if Trump pulled the US out of the Iran deal; a decision that Trump says has been “decided,” yet he would not reveal what that decision is.

Although Iran was encouraged not to conduct ballistic missile tests in the UN Security Council’s resolution, it was only “called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles” — a discrepancy that has allowed Iran to merely violate the spirit of the agreement when it conducts its ballistic missile tests.

Since 2015, Iran has conducted over 20 missile tests.

Iran Releases Video Showing Off Brand New Ballistic Missile

On Friday, we reported that in the latest snub by President Hassan Rouhani to the Trump administration, on Friday the Iranian president said Tehran would continue its missile program in defiance of US sanctions, and to underscore the determination, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard unveiled its newest long-range ballistic missile during a military parade in Tehran.  The newly unveiled missile is capable of reaching most of the Middle East, including Israel, with a range of 1,200 miles. It"s also capable of carrying several warheads.

Rouhani addressed the parade in Tehran, saying that Iran would not halt its missile program but continue to boost military capabilities, despite U.S. demands. “We will increase our military power as a deterrent. We will strengthen our missile capabilities ... We will not seek permission from anyone to defend our country." 

And to demonstrate just that, a few hours later Iran media released footage of the successful test-firing of the ballistic missile that was unveiled just hours earlier,.

State broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) carried footage of the missile test without giving its time and location. It included video from an on-board camera which it said showed the detachment of the cone that carries multiple warheads.

“You are seeing images of the successful test of the Khorramshahr ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 km, the latest missile of our country,” state television said, adding this was Iran’s third missile with a range of 2,000 km. Iran state TV added that “the weight of the Khorramshahr missile’s warhead has been announced to be 1,800 kg (4,000 lbs), ... making it Iran’s most powerful missile for defence and retaliation against any aggressive enemy."

The video also featured telemetry camera footage from four different angles, purportedly showing the moment when the missile was discharged. The Khorramshahr missile is the third Iran has purchased, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, according to Mehr news agency.

"The 2,000-km-range missile can carry the warhead 1,800km away," the Commander of Iran"s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh  told reporters on Friday adding that "The specification of this missile is that it can carry several warheads instead of one to hit several targets."

The UK was not happy:  “[We are] extremely concerned by reports of Iran missile test, which is inconsistent with UN resolution 2231. Call on Iran to halt provocative acts,” British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter.

The missile was unveiled in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during a military parade in Tehran, marking the 36th anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war. The war that began in 1980 and lasted eight years left an estimated 1 million people dead, according to Reuters. Iran has repeatedly stressed that its missile program is purely for defensive purposes. As we reported yesterday, Rouhani addressed Friday"s parade in Tehran, noting that Tehran would not halt its missile program and would continue to boost military capabilities, despite US threats to scrap the landmark 2015 agreement that capped Iran"s nuclear activities in return for the lifting of international sanctions on Iran.

"We will strengthen our defense and military capabilities ... whether you want it or not," Rouhani stressed.

On Wednesday, Rouhani warned that his country will "respond decisively"" to any violation of the agreement and called President Donald Trump"s "ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric"" about Iran unfit for the United Nations. “It will be a great pity if this agreement were to be destroyed by rogue newcomers to the world of politics,” the Iranian leader said referring to Trump.

"The world will have lost a great opportunity, but such unfortunate behavior will never impede Iran"s course of progress and advancement,"" Rouhani said, adding that the Trump administration is seeking "an excuse" to pull out of the 2015 deal. If Washington walks out of the agreement, "any choice and any option" are open for Iran "that we see as beneficial to our country,” Rouhani said.

"The option that we say we have at our disposal ... will never be going towards nuclear weapons," he said. "Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, will never seek nuclear weapons, is not now seeking nuclear weapons."

* * *

In a report earlier this month, the UN watchdog monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities said that the country is fully in compliance with its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers, even as Donald Trump, who labelled it “the worst deal ever,” threatens to scrap it. “Iran has conducted its enrichment activities in line with its long-term enrichment and R&D enrichment plan” agreed with world powers, according to the six-page confidential document, seen by several news agencies, including Iran’s IRNA.

On Wednesday, president Trump said he has decided whether or not to pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal, but declined to share his decision publicly. "I have decided," Trump told reporters.

Pressed about his decision, the president responded, "I’ll let you know what the decision is.”

Iran's Rouhani Responds To "Rogue Newcomer" Trump's "Ugly, Ignorant Words"

Following President Trump"s words yesterday and reports that he has "made his decision" on what to do about the Iran nuclear deal, Iranian President Rouhani just responded to "rogue newcomer" Trump, speaking at The United Nations, and also did not pull any punches...

As he spoke, his words were transcribed into a Tweetstorm...

In text:

We never threaten anyone and we do not tolerate threats from anyone. Unmoved by intimidation our discourse is one of dignity &respect.

Historically backing the oppressed Iran upholds the right of the Palestinian people as it did those of the Jewish people centuries ago.

Iran does not seek to restore its ancient empire; impose its official religion on others; or export its revolution with force of arms.

We opened our doors to engagement & cooperation. Missing this opportunity, some imposed sanctions on themselves and now feel betrayed.

It"s disgraceful that the Zionist regime not committed to any intl instrument or safeguard has the audacity to preach peaceful nations.

Iran won"t be the first country to violate the agreement but it will respond decisively and resolutely to its violation by any party.

Destruction of #JCPOA by "rogue" newcomers to the world of politics will never impede Iran’s course of progress and advancement.

By violating its international commitments, the new U.S. administration only destroys its own credibility for future negotiations.

Iran"s defense capacities are only deterrent. Target of Saddam"s ballistic missiles we won"t be victim of irrational aspirants again.

Iran has continuously and vociferously rejected nuclear weapons.

Ugly, ignorant words were spoken by the US president against the Iranian nation. Full or hatred & baseless allegations and unfit for UN.

Now we anxiously await Trump"s tweeted response...

Iran Threatens Trump With Restart Of Nuclear Program "Within Hours"

One day after Iran announced it was preparing to send a flotilla of warships to the western Atlantic Ocean following the announcement of a massive $500 million investment in war spending, the Iranian regime is fast emerging as the latest potential geopolitical headache for the Trump administration, after it warned on Tuesday that Iran could abandon its 2015 nuclear deal signed with Obama with world powers "within hours" if the United States imposes further sanctions on Tehran, president Hassan Rouhani said in his first address to Iran’s parliament since being sworn in to a second term, and hinted that Iran could quickly boost enrichment up to levels even higher than before it signed the nuclear accord.

"Those who try to return to the language of threats and sanctions are prisoners of their past delusions," Rouhani said in the address. "If they want to go back to that experience, definitely in a short time — not in weeks or months, but within hours or days — we will return to our previous [nuclear] situation very much stronger."

He also said Iran prefered to stick with the nuclear deal, which he called "a model of victory for peace and diplomacy over war and unilateralism" but that this was not the "only option". In response, the US warned it would continue to punish Iran’s “non-nuclear destabilising activities."

Rouhani"s statement comes as Obama"s sole diplomatic achievement, the Iran Nuclear deal, finds itself under mounting pressure after Tehran carried out missile tests and strikes, and Washington imposed new sanctions, with each accusing the other of violating the spirit of the agreement. Rouhani has warned that Iran was ready to walk out of the deal, which saw the lifting of most international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme, if Washington persisted.

As a reminder, last month Iran tested a powerful new ballistic missile that resulted in new US sanctions, and as reported last night, Iran"s parliament voted overwhelmingly to increase budget spending to $260 million for the ballistic missile programme, which is not limited by the nuclear deal. The vote also covered  a further US$260 million spending on regional operations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ foreign wing, the Quds Force, which is leading a range of militias in Syria and Iraq.

Rouhani warned that a reconstituted nuclear program would be “far more advanced” the NYT reports, a veiled threat that the country could start enriching uranium up to the level of 20%, a step toward building a nuclear weapon. Such enrichment activities were a major concern before 2015, when Tehran signed a landmark agreement with the United States and other world powers that lifted crippling economic sanctions in return for severe limits on Iran’s nuclear activities

Separately, Rouhani said Trump had shown he was an unreliable partner not just for Iran but for US allies.

Joining pretty much every other world leader in mocking the US president, Rouhani said that "in recent months, the world has witnessed that the US, in addition to its constant and repetitive breaking of its promises in the [nuclear deal], has ignored several other global agreements and shown its allies that the US is neither a good partner nor a reliable negotiating party," he said, highlighting Trump"s decisions to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and international trade deals.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert refused to address Rouhani"s comments directly, insisted Washington was in full compliance with its side of the nuclear deal, however she did confirm the US administration was reviewing its policy towards Iran and that it believes the nuclear deal did not put an end to Tehran"s other "destabilising activities" in its region. Rouhani’s warning was also sharply criticized by Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, who said in a statement that the warning amounted to an Iranian attempt at blackmail.

“Iran cannot be allowed to use the nuclear deal to hold the world hostage,” Ms. Haley said in the statement, titled “Ambassador Haley on Iran’s Threats to Quit the JCPOA.”

The new United States sanctions on Iran, she said, were not a violation of the nuclear deal but part of an effort to “hold Iran responsible for its missile launches, support for terrorism, disregard for human rights, and violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions.”

Which begs the questions: what"s the point of the deal, how much longer will it remain in place, and what happens to the price of oil if and when some 2-3 million barrels per day of Iranian oil exports are again taken out of the global market, crippling Iran"s economy.

Of course, Iran is aware what the devastating consequences of such an escalation - the bottom line is tens of billions in lost oil revenue - could do to its economy, which is why some analysts cited by The National, cautioned that Rouhani’s remarks on the nuclear deal do not indicate that Iran is close to, or even considering, pulling out of the deal. It is much more likely a tactical move to protect the moderate president’s political flank on the right from the IRGC and other hardliners who oppose the cultural and economic opening that the deal is intended to facilitate, but which could weaken their grip on society and on the economy.

“I clearly do not think it is alarming,” said Marc Martinez, Iran analyst at the Delma Institute in Abu Dhabi. “It is a political speech for a domestic audience and a display of unity” as Washington steps up pressure. 

“Rouhani"s remarks are a classic act of political bravado, but the president"s intentions [and] Iran"s intentions are quite evident when we consider that Javad Zarif was reappointed minister of foreign affairs,” Mr Martinez said. “Iran is highly benefiting from the JCPOA, and it makes the calculus that the international community will not support Trump"s adventurism.”

Which is spot on, and yet one can"t help but think that Iran is, perhaps worried about Trump"s unpredictable decision-making nature, hedging its bets. It would expain why on Monday night Rouhani spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, vowing to build on their joint military efforts across the region.

"Tehran welcomes the active presence of Russia"s investors... in major infrastructure projects including in the fields of industry and energy," his office said as Putin, no longer busy manipulating several tens of millions of middle class Americans to vote against Hillary Clinton, smiled in the background.

It"s not just the Kremlin that Tehran is building up close ties: the European Union, which initially supported global sanctions against Iran under President Barack Obama, has started to invest heavily in the country since the nuclear deal was signed, and it is not likely to support new penalties. China has also been a partner to the Iranians for many years.

Iran's President Rouhani Visited Russia: Another Step To A Multipolar World

Authored by Peter Korzun via The Strategic Culture Foundation,

The significance of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Russia on March 27-28 goes far beyond the bilateral relationship. Iran is one of the main actors in Syria and Iraq. It has an importance place in the geopolitical plans of US President Donald Trump. Its relationship with Russia is an important factor of international politics. The future of the entire Middle East depends to a great extent on what Russia and Iran do and how effectively they coordinate their activities.

Less than two months are left till the presidential election in Iran. The presidential race formally starts on April 17 and Rouhani has a good chance to win. True, the country’s foreign policy at the strategic level is defined by Iran"s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but the executive branch of the government led by president implements it. The spiritual leader does not pay visits to other countries but Russian President Vladimir Putin met him in Tehran last year – the second time in the recent 17 years.

This was Rouhani"s first official visit to Russia and the first time he and Putin met within a bilateral framework. The trip took place against the background of growing partnership as both countries have become leading forces of the Astana process that made Iran, Russia and Turkey guarantors of the Syrian cease-fire.

True, the cooperation in Syria is of utmost importance but there is each and every reason to believe that Russia and Iran will have to join together in an attempt to settle the conflict in Afghanistan. As a regional superpower, Iran will gain much by coordinating activities with Russia in that country after the US withdrawal that seems to be inevitable. Such cooperation would become a game-changing factor with far-reaching consequences for the region from the Mediterranean to Pakistan.

The emerging triangle, including Russia, Iran and Turkey, becomes an alliance, could reshape the region. A ceasefire in Syria reached as a result of the Astana process led by the «big three» would reduce the clout of the US, the UK and France. Actually, their influence has already been diminished. The neighboring states will see that progress can be achieved without the «traditional players» representing the West.

Russia is the country that can debunk the myth that the Middle East is threatened by a «Shia threat» emanating from Tehran. It can use its close and friendly relations with leading Sunni states – Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and, perhaps, Saudi Arabia – to play the stabilizing role of mediator between the Shia and Sunni camps. Russia has a unique position to act as an intermediary between Iran and Israel – something nobody else can do.

It’ll take years to heal the wounds and mitigate the contradictions between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Today, the West does not enjoy the clout it once had there. The borders drawn by Western countries caused many conflicts; direct military interventions made them lose trust and support. Under the circumstances, Russia is not exactly an outside actor. Moscow needs peace and stability in the region. This goal can be achieved in tandem with Turkey and Iran. Iraq and Syria can join the trio after they overcome the devastating results of wars. It makes the cooperation with Tehran an issue of paramount importance for Russia.

The bilateral relationship is going to be strengthened by large-scale economic projects.

Despite the importance of foreign policy issues, the talks mainly focused on prospects for deepening trade, economic and investment cooperation, including under large joint projects in energy and transport infrastructure. More than ten major trade and economic agreements were signed during the visit. Russia has already pumped about one billion euros into Iran" railway network, with serious financial injections into bilateral projects yet to be implemented.

Exports to Iran stand at only around 1 percent of Russian foreign trade, but a trade surplus and the existence of a large market for Russian manufactured goods make Iran an important partner. The bilateral trade grew by 60 percent from $1.2 billion in 2015 to almost $2 billion in 2016.

The resumption of weapons deliveries and participation in infrastructure projects financed by Russian loans have led to the doubling of exports of non-energy products from Russia to Iran. The first batch of S-300 air defense systems was delivered in April 2016.

Russia has agreed to provide Iran with a loan of $2.2 billion for infrastructure projects involving Russian companies. It is planned to build a power plant and enhance generation at another in Iran in a contract worth several billion dollars. Under an agreement signed between the two sides, the Russians will improve efficiency at the Ramin power plant in Khuzestan province to 50-55% from 36% now. Another Russian company will build a 1,400-megawatt power plant in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas in Hormuzgan province. Russian truck manufacturer Kamaz plans to export 300 trucks in 2017, GAZ signed a memorandum with the Iranian authorities for the supply of 900 buses.

Russia’s role in reaching the Iran nuclear deal, the cooperation in Syria and the allegiance to the policy of rapprochement declared by President Putin provide ample evidence of Moscow’s desire to boost the bilateral ties.

A momentous event to take place this year will provide an impetus to the development of Russia-Iran relations. Tehran is expected to become a full-fledged member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this June. Iran also has expressed interest in signing a trade agreement with the Eurasian Union.

Russia and Iran are united by common goals and interests. The development of relations between the two great powers is a significant contribution into creating alternative poles of power to change the world for the better.