House Committee Chairman Blasts State Dept On US Envoy For Iran

"Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons development activities that would be necessary to produce a testable nuclear device," ODNI said in its assessment examining Iran's efforts and advancements in its nuclear enrichment program and information related to potential weaponization and delivery systems, which it released on Monday.

The unclassified two-page summary of the assessment, which is dated June 2023, also said Iran continues to message that it would return to full compliance if the United States provided sanctions relief and fulfilled its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, and if the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) closed its safeguards investigations related to three undeclared nuclear sites.

The administration of President Joe Biden has been trying to revive the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018, imposing draconian sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

There has also been talk of a new version of the JCPOA, but the involvement of the FBI in looking into the conduct of US envoy for Iran, Rob Malley, in the past few months appears to have slowed down such efforts.

According to the ODNI's assessment, Iran produced small quantities of uranium metal enriched up to 20 percent in 2021, which it claims are for the purpose of research and development for a new type of reactor fuel, although the production of uranium metal was prohibited under the JCPOA as a key capability needed to produce nuclear weapons.

Iran has also continued to increase the size and enrichment level of its uranium stockpile beyond JCPOA limits, as well as continuing to exceed JCPOA restrictions on advanced centrifuge research and development and enrichment operations at the deeply buried Fordow facility, which was also prohibited under the JCPOA, the assessment said.

"Iran's ballistic missile programs, which already include the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region, continue to pose a threat to countries across the Middle East. Iran has emphasized improving the accuracy, lethality, and reliability of its missiles. Iran's work on space launch vehicles (SLVs)—including its Simorgh—shortens the timeline to an ICBM if it decided to develop one because SLVs and ICBMs use similar technologies," ODNI said.

A fresh batch of European intelligence reports in June suggested that Iran is still carrying out illicit activities towards securing the technology it needs to further develop its nuclear weapons program to the level of testing a bomb. Translations of these reports were first published by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) in June.

These reports, which were prepared by the German, Dutch, and Swedish intelligence organizations, pertain to activities carried out by Iran in 2022.

Some of the data gathered by the Netherlands General and Intelligence Security Service (AVID) suggests that Iran is closer to being able to test its first nuclear bomb given its increasing stockpile of 20 and 60 percent enriched uranium, which could be further enriched to 90 percent, which is required for building a bomb, and deployed more sophisticated centrifuges.

"The AIVD and MIVD [Military Intelligence] succeeded a number of times in preventing Russia and Iran from acquiring Dutch knowledge or technology for their nuclear weapons programs," AVID said in its report.

"The Swedish Security Service can confirm that Iran is conducting security-threatening activities in Sweden and against Swedish interests," Adam Samara, a spokesperson for the Swedish Security Service, told Fox News Digital in an email.

"Examples of these activities are industrial espionage targeting Swedish high-tech industries and unlawful intelligence gathering targeting Swedish higher education institutions. Iran seeks Swedish technology and knowledge that can be used in their nuclear weapons program," he said.

Senator Scott of Florida told Iran International’s Arash Alaei, "I was just in the Middle East, and all I heard about was the menace of Iran."

"While in Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE, all of them were concerned about Iran's actions. I was there when Israel had to eliminate terrorists in Jenin... and when Iranian ships attempted to halt two tankers, but the US Navy intervened. Iran is a threat to the world," he added.

He also criticized the performance of US envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, stating that the last thing the US wants is another nuclear deal with the regime.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding Malley's secret leave of absence and the FBI's investigation into his mishandling of classified information, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) stated that it reflects the entire administration's policy toward Iran, which he believes makes no sense and is nothing short of disastrous.

Malley’s suspension was first reported by Iran International June 29, and formally announced the following day by Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, calling it "a leave of absence”, adding that his duties would be temporarily assumed by his deputy, Abram Paley. However, it is believed he had been suspended as early as April.

Senator Hawley described the administration's policy on Iran as a "disaster" from day one and said, "The more we know, the worse it gets."

He expressed outrage at the administration's lack of transparency regarding Malley and his efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear accord. Referring to an article by Tehran Times, a publication controlled by the Iranian regime that provided astonishing details about Malley's situation, Senator Hawley criticized the government for not being forthcoming. He said, "You have a totalitarian regime publishing all this information and knowing it, yet your own government won't be honest with us about it." He further stated, "It's ridiculous."

"I feel like I've been lied to... They (the administration) lie to us all the time on various issues, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, China... It's a pattern in this administration."

Republican and sone Democrats have been opposed to President Joe Biden's policy of negotiating with the Islamic Republic to revive the 2015 JCPOA agreement that former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018. The talks came to a deadlock in September 2022, after 18 months of multilateral diplomacy.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also criticized Malley for his handling of Iran-related issues, stating, "I don't know the specific details, but I have always believed he was a terrible negotiator... I have never been a fan of his negotiations or their outcomes."

CBS News also confirmed Monday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating Robert Malley, although the matter is not considered criminal.

According to the Tehran Times, Malley was informed by the Diplomatic Security Department on April 21 that his security clearance had been suspended due to his failure to maintain classified documents accurately.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh accused the Iranian employees of the Starlink of "not having a goal" and unable recognize “friends and foes" adding that these people "serve the enemy".

NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. Currently it is pursuing various projects, the most important of which is "Artemis" that seeks to return humans to the moon.

Starlink is a satellite system operated by SpaceX to provide satellite internet services and is managed by Elon Musk, an American entrepreneur and billionaire.

In his statements, the IRGC Aerospace Commander did not provide information about the number of Iranians working for NASA or Starlink, but it seems that his criticism is in response to the possible lack of specialist personnel in the IRGC and the large-scale migration of elites from Iran.

In recent years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has launched extensive security and judicial actions against the country's elites and academics who prefer to emigrate amid dire economic situation.

In a joint Russia-GCC statement at the sixth joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Russian Federation, held in Moscow on Monday, ministers affirmed their support for the United Arab Emirates which also claims sovereignty over the islands.

A statement called for "bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter, to resolve this issue is in accordance with international legitimacy".

However, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani, on Tuesday rejected the contents of the statement about the three islands and said they “eternally belong to Iran and such statements are inconsistent with Iran’s friendly relations with its neighbors,” referring to the detente between the Iran with its neighbors the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The first meeting of the Russia-GCC strategic dialogue was held in the Saudi capital in 2017 but Moscow’s inclination towards the Arab countries has been on the rise in recent years, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the allegiance on the contentious matter of the islands with the UAE, will be a blow to Tehran which since the war in Ukraine has forged a growing alliance with Moscow.

The three Persian Gulf islands have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be corroborated by historical and geographical documents. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands, describing the situation as “the continued occupation by the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The three islands fell under British control in 1921 but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Mohammad Reza Shah sent the Iranian navy to secure all three. Iranian forces remain on the islands, with only Abu Musa having a civilian population which is less than two thousand.

The GCC - a regional organization bringing together six countries of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia - repeatedly expresses support for “the right of the State of the UAE to regain sovereignty over her three islands and over the territorial waters, the airspace, the continental shelf, and the economic zone of the three islands, as they are an integral part of the State of the United Arab Emirates.”

Urging the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to the efforts of the UAE and the international community in solving the issue by peaceful means or taking recourse to the International Court of Justice, the GCC demands “that Iran abide by the basic pillars of promoting good neighborly ties, mutual respect, and non-interference in the internal affairs.”

In the statement issued at the end of the summit in Moscow, the Russian and GCC ministers also welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic on the efforts and mediation of Oman, Iraq and China. They also expressed hope that this agreement would constitute a positive step to resolve differences and end all regional disputes through dialogue and diplomatic means. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who hosted his Arab counterparts from the Persian Gulf, also welcomed the recent rapprochement, saying that “this creates a more positive atmosphere in this region."

The GCC countries have kept warm relations with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, despite their claims that they support the international community’s view about the war. 

“Our position on the Russian-Ukrainian crisis is based on the principles of international law and the UN Charter,” Al Budaiwi said during an address to the meeting on Monday.

In March, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on a visit to Moscow that Riyadh was ready to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Saudi Arabia has also strengthened its relationship with Kyiv, sending significant amounts of humanitarian aid, as well as mediating between Russia, the US and Ukraine on prisoner exchanges.

According to an analysis by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, many Arabic media platforms adopt a narrative that justifies the Russian invasion with reference to Russia’s right to defend its national security. It portrays the narrative that Ukraine is a Western puppet that initiated hostilities and threatened Russia. 

Mehdi Zare, a faculty member of the International Research Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, told Roydad 24 that Tuesday’s earthquake near Eyvanki fault indicates that it is still active, causing minor quakes.

“This fault zone, whose northwestern end reaches the 15th district of Tehran, has an earthquake-generating capacity of up to magnitude 7.5,” he warned. At least one and a half million people would die in case of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 in Tehran, say experts.

The Tuesday morning quake was about 20 km southwest of Tehran and at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), the Volcano Discovery said.

Iran is crisscrossed by major geological fault lines and is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world because it is located where the Arabian, Indian, and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

Iran has a history of massive earthquakes in recent decades, with some killing up to tens of thousands of people and causing billions of dollars in damages, such as the magnitude 6.6 quake in Kerman province in 2003 that killed 31,000 and flattened the ancient city of Bam.

Iranian officials have warned that there are 166,000 hectares of worn-out structures across the country which means a major earthquake like in Turkey and Syria could result in “hundreds of thousands of deaths.”