Bolton Calls On Biden For More Force On Iran

Nasser Kanaani said during a briefing on Monday that “The diplomatic efforts of Iran to mobilize the Arab and Islamic countries and draw the public's attention to the crimes of the Zionist regime have been successful.”

After closed-door negotiations in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the summit concluded with a statement calling for a an immediate ceasefire, an arms embargo against Israel and condemning its aggression in Gaza. Despite this, no concrete plan of action was provided nor did the statement address Gaza's possible future scenarios.

Despite condemning Israel's actions in Gaza and demanding an end to the war, Arab and Muslim leaders' meetings highlighted their differing opinions.

Iran and Syria saw their efforts to impose punitive economic and political measures on Israel rejected by other Muslim states and excluded from the final resolution passed on Saturday.

Iranian calls for severing relations with Israel and declaring the Israeli army a "terrorist organization" were ignored as those Arab nations that have diplomatic relations with Israel pushed back, stressing the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with Netanyahu's government.

Since Hamas mounted a surprise ground and rocket attack on numerous Israeli targets on October 7th, killing about 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, there has been a massive retaliation against the enclave. Gaza officials say so far more than 11,000 residents have been killed, including children, a figure that cannot be independently verified.

The prince made the remarks after being honored with the Outspoken Award from the Log Cabin Republicans, an organization affiliated with the Republican Party dedicated to advocating for equal rights for LGBTQ+ Americans.

Pahlavi emphasized his pride in standing up for the rights of the Iranian LGBTQ community. He acknowledged the courage of his compatriots inside Iran, stating that “it is my brave compatriots inside Iran who truly deserve this honor because they are not only speaking out for their freedom. They are fighting for it. And they are not only fighting to free themselves; they are fighting to free the region and the world from the clutches of this regime and to usher in a new era of peace.”

The Log Cabin Republicans (LCR), known for promoting LGBTQ+ rights within the Republican Party, presented Prince Reza Pahlavi with the Outspoken Award on Sunday.

The Iranian LGBTQ community has played a pivotal role in the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, actively participating in both domestic and international protests. Despite facing the threat of execution and other forms of punishment under the laws of the Islamic Republic, LGBTQ individuals in Iran continue to bravely confront such dangers.

Iranian authorities have, in the past, employed derogatory labels and stigmatization when addressing LGBTQ citizens, referring to them as "deviant" and "sick" based on Islamic laws that prohibit same-sex relations.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of Iran’s aerospace force claimed the US is communicating with Iran in a humble tone about preventing an escalation in the Middle East. He also repeated familiar rhetoric that “Iran is currently at the pinnacle of power and cannot be threatened.”

Hajizadeh’s defiant remarks followed a third US strike on Iranian targets in eastern Syria Sunday night, after Iranian proxy militia groups continuously attacking US bases with drones and rockets.

Following the US strike, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin left open the possibility of more action against Iran-linked groups if attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria do not stop.

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The US military’s air strike Sunday targeted a training facility near the city of Albu Kamal and a safe house near the city of Mayadeen. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard have set up a strong presence in the region, trying to facilitate the flow of weapons and ammunition from Iraq into Syria and Lebanon.

The strikes came after at least 40 attacks against US and coalition troops in Iraq and Syria by Iran-backed forces in recent weeks, as regional tensions mount over the Israel-Hamas war. At least 45 US troops have suffered traumatic brain injuries or minor wounds.

"These attacks must stop, and if they don't stop, then we won't hesitate to do what's necessary, again, to protect the troops," Austin told reporters at a news conference in Seoul on Monday.

Iran has used the tactic for years to put pressure on the US, with the ultimate goal of forcing Washington to withdraw its military forces, which would allow Iran a freer hand to project power in Iraq and Syria. Iran escalated such attacks in December 2019, before former President Danald Trump authorized the killing of Iran’s top Middle East operative Qassem Soleimani in an air strike in January 2020.

The attacks had subsided for more than a year before the October 7 Hamas terror raid into Israel that ignited the Gaza war.

Austin said the latest air strikes in eastern Syria targeted facilities used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and related groups.

"These strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the freedom of action of these groups, which are directly responsible for attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria," Austin said.

The United States has 900 troops in Syria, and 2,500 more in neighboring Iraq, to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swathes of both countries but was later defeated.

There is growing concern that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spread through the Middle East and turn US troops at isolated bases into targets of heavier weaponry than the smaller rockets and one-way drones seen so far.

The United States has deployed additional air defenses and sent warships and fighter aircraft to the region since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7, including two aircraft carriers, to try to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups.

The number of troops added to the region is in the thousands.

Reuters has reported that the US military was taking new measures to protect its Middle East forces during the ramp-up in attacks by suspected Iran-backed groups and was leaving open the possibility of evacuating military families if needed.

The measures include increasing US military patrols, restricting access to base facilities and boosting intelligence collection, including through drone and other surveillance operations, officials say.

It was still unclear whether anyone was killed in the Sunday US strikes in Syria.

Amir-Ali Hajizadeh claimed on Monday that “Iran is currently at the pinnacle of its power and cannot be threatened".

Since Iran-backed Hamas declared war on Israel on October 7 and the US supported Israel's right to defend itself, at least 40 proxy attacks have taken place against US bases in Iraq and Syria. On Sunday, the US ordered two retaliatory attacks. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes targeted Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and affiliated militia groups.

Hajizadeh also acknowledged the expanding conflict in the region, with Lebanon becoming embroiled. Hajizadeh speculated on the possibility of further escalation, stating, "The future is uncertain, but Iran is prepared for all circumstances."

The recent stance from Hajizadeh sharply contrasts with his remarks from the previous week, where he had suggested a degree of apprehension. He revealed that Iran chose not to retaliate against the US for the killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020, deeming it illogical. 

A video released by Etemadonline showed Hajizadeh explaining that a war at that time could have resulted in significant casualties for Iran, both civilian and military, and set the nation back by two decades.

The decision to avoid full-scale confrontation with the US was based on the assessment that such a conflict would not yield the desired results, according to Hajizadeh.

Iranian officials continue to issue threats against the Jewish state. Iran's long standing support for groups like Hamas, coupled with its decades-long call for the destruction of Israel, adds to the complexity of the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.

As of Sunday, around 40 current members of parliament and several former lawmakers or top officials were barred by the interior ministry from running in the elections.

Some lawmakers, including Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, an MP from Mahabad, have openly blamed President Ebrahim Raisi's government for the massive disqualification of its critics. Others such as former lawmaker Ali Motahari have demanded explanations and insisted on their religious credentials. Yet others such as reformist Massoud Pezeshkian said, "The Interior Ministry has accused me of not believing in the Islamic Republic regime."

Mahmoudzadeh said that the government owned Iran Newspaper has been calling in the last four months for the disqualifications of politicians who have been critical of the Raisi administration.

Massih Mohajeri, the editor of the conservative daily Jomhouri Eslami, has accused the government of disqualifying critics to silence them and their criticism of the Raisi administration's failures. He claimed that 46 current and former MPs have been disqualified simply for criticizing the the adverse economic conditions and other problems created by this government. Meanwhile, he acknowledged that the Interior Ministry, which conducts the first round of candidate vetting, has significantly tightened the net to reduce the number of candidates who can pass through the qualification process.

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Like many other Iranian politicians, Mohajeri argued that the regime may be attempting to portray the hardliner Guardian Council, which conducts the final round of vetting, as the good cop by having the Interior Ministry do the dirty job. He pointed out that many of those who have been disqualified are regime insiders, indicating that the ruling circle is becoming tighter and smaller.

He stated that the actions of the Interior Ministry resemble the behavior one would expect from totalitarian regimes, such as the one in North Korea. He added that disqualifying this many incumbent MPs constitutes a clear violation of the Constitution. According to him, the result will likely be an even lower turnout than the previous Majles election in 2020, which was the lowest in Iran's modern history.

Mohajeri added that the Interior Ministry has admitted that it has found the critics inside the government to be acting against national security! He asked if more than 40 lawmakers do not believe in the Islamic Republic, what do you expect of them?

Moderate conservative daily Ettela'at which is usually silent about political matters in Iran, warned the government about the perils of the political purification plan which is being pursued by Iran's ultraconservatives and pointed out that the disqualification of incumbent MPs and other regime insiders is part of the same process.

Ettela'at wrote that more than 28 percent of those who had registered their candidacy have been disqualified by the Interior Ministry. Ettela'at wrote that the lawmakers who have been disqualified are precisely those who have tried during the past four years to fulfil their responsibilities. What they have done at the Majles is simply pointing out the inefficiency of government officials.

Etela'at also pointed out that because of the disqualifications, many regime insiders are now concerned about low turnout in the upcoming election. The daily told the ultraconservatives that they can still enter parliament by winning 10 percent of the votes and be proud of a 40 percent or less turnout, but the regime can no longer claim popular support.

According to Khabar Online Website, the Interior Ministry was biased against some of the candidates. The same point was reiterated by the former leader of the centrist Executives of Construction Party Gholamhossein Karbaschi. He further concluded that the government is not looking for a high-turnout election.

As one of the readers of conservative website Alef pointed out , "We voted for your friends four years ago. What did we get other than poverty, misery, and rising prices? On the other hand, conservatives do not want political participation. They lost every time the people participated in the elections." Another reader explained why the people are disillusioned: "During the past 40 years you have always called for people's participation in the months before the elections. You forget the people and their problems as soon as the elections are over."