Trump and Netanyahu face their rendezvous with destiny

What Netanyahu does over the next few weeks will determine if he goes down in history as one of the greatest Jewish leaders of all time, or if he is remembered as a disappointment of Sabbatean proportions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needn’t take heed of the “friendly advice” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson proffered on […]

Russia’s new S-500 air defense system is capable of hitting hypersonic missiles in space: commander

/* custom css */ .td_uid_4_5efefe7529e72_rand.td-a-rec-img { text-align: left; } .td_uid_4_5efefe7529e72_rand.td-a-rec-img img { margin: 0 auto 0 0; } BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:30 P.M.) – The commander of the Russian Air Force, General Sergei Surovkin, confirmed that the S-500 missiles are capable of hitting hypersonic missiles in space. He said in an interview with “Al-Najma Al-Hamra” channel: […]

Israel behind blast in Iran’s Parchin, Natanz site ‘incident’: report

July 03, 2020, 03:39 AM Alleged strikes said to have all but depleted Iran’s stock of key gas needed for uranium enrichment Last week’s blast in Iran’s Parchin military complex and Thursday’s “incident” at the Natanz nuclear site were Israel’s work, Kuwaiti al-Jarida newspaper revealed on Friday. The newspaper cites a “senior security source” as saying […]

Iran speaks to Hamas about annexation

The discussion was about confronting Israel and getting the “Zionists” to “leave the occupied territories.” Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf reached out to Hamas in recent days to speak with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyah, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Ostensibly the discussion was to listen to Hamas mourn the memory of IRGC Quds […]

Are three mysterious explosions in Iran linked? – analysis

Three mysterious incidents, linked by explosions – at least two of them at secretive nuclear and weapons facilities – have rocket Iran in the past week. By SETH J. FRANTZMAN JULY 2, 2020 20:11 A view shows railway packages for containers with uranium hexafluoride salt, raw material for nuclear reactors, similar to the one be […]

Iran calls for Syrian gov’t to retake all territory

/* custom css */ .td_uid_4_5efdf05920e6d_rand.td-a-rec-img { text-align: left; } .td_uid_4_5efdf05920e6d_rand.td-a-rec-img img { margin: 0 auto 0 0; } BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:45 P.M.) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated on Wednesday, that the Syrian government should extend its sovereignty over the entire country, stressing Tehran’s continued support for Damascus. “Iran will continue to support the people […]

What took place at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility?

The incident is the third mysterious explosion in a week and has led to many questions. SETH J. FRANTZMAN The plot thickened on Thursday afternoon hours after a building at a nuclear facility looked to have blown up in Iran. Reports of a “explosive device planted,” and an early warning, as well as a dissident […]

US seeks to seize Iranian gas heading toward Venezuela

American prosecutors say gas sale was arranged by businessman with ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, a US-designated foreign terrorist organization Joshua GoodmanToday, 11:27 pm MIAMI (AP) — US federal prosecutors are seeking to seize four tankers sailing toward Venezuela with gasoline supplied by Iran, the latest attempt to disrupt ever-closer trade ties between the […]

Fire breaks out at Iranian nuclear facility, no damage reported, officials say

DUBAI (Reuters) – A fire broke out at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility but there were no casualties and the site is operating as usual, Iranian officials said on Thursday. The Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), covering 100,000 square meters and built eight meters underground, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by the United Nations […]

Fatah, Hamas vow to unite against Israel’s push for sovereignty over West Bank areas

More to follow Hamas and Fatah, two rival Palestinian factions, came out with a joint statement Thursday, vowing to unite against Israel’s plans to apply sovereignty to a number of West Bank areas. They urged other Palestinian factions to see this moment as a “historic opportunity” to unite in a “struggle” to set up a […]

Understanding Iran’s summer 2020 plans for Middle East

Understanding Iran’s summer 2020 plans for Middle East July 1, 2020 · by Seth Frantzman · in Uncategorized. · By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Iran has a full-court-press in place for the summer of 2020. The goal is to push back the US “maximum pressure” campaign. Work with Russia and Turkey On June 16 “Russian FM […]

‘Incident’ damages building near Iran nuclear plant; reactor said untouched

Spokesperson confirms damage at construction site near Natanz, which comes days after explosion rocked missile production facility near Tehran By Agencies and TOI staff Today, 11:21 am   An “incident” has damaged an under-construction building near Iran’s Natanz nuclear power plant, but there was no damage to its reactor, a spokesman said Thursday. Behrouz Kamalvandi […]

Russia, Iran, Turkey say Israeli strikes in Syria are ‘destabilizing’

Leaders condemn Jewish state for violating ‘territorial integrity’ of its Arab neighbor, pan US recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli TOI staff1 July 2020, 10:16 pm In a joint statement Wednesday, the leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey said Israel’s military strikes in Syria are destabilizing to the region. The statement said the three “consider […]