Australian Shadow FM Advocates For Designating IRGC

In a press briefing on the sidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors session, Director-General Rafael Grossi told Iran International that "Iran has ceased to implement lots of aspects and nuclear related obligations under the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and it's not implementing mutually agreed additional measures under the joint statement of March 4th.”

On Wednesday, Grossi presented his latest report on verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), saying that “Iran’s stockpiles of uranium enriched up to 5%, enriched up to 20% and enriched up to 60% – high enriched uranium – have all increased since we met in September with the increase of the 60% continuing at the same rate as I reported at the time of the last Board."

The European Union’s representative told the IAEA Board of Governors that “the EU remains committed to the JCPOA... to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.” The bloc also implicitly called on the US to return, saying, “The EU calls on all countries to support the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015)," the UN document that is the foundation of the JCPOA.

Expressing deep concerns by the successive IAEA reports documenting the alarming acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program “that gravely departs from its JCPOA commitments," the EU said that Iran’s actions have “no credible civilian justification” and “carry very significant proliferation-related risks and raise grave concerns about Iran’s intentions.”

The recent IAEA report documented a substantial accumulation of the enriched uranium stockpile and an expansion of nuclear enrichment infrastructure “far beyond JCPOA thresholds for quantity and level of enrichment.” 

In June 2022, Iran removed all IAEA JCPOA-related surveillance and monitoring equipment and since March it agreed to put them back on operation, but it has been stonewalling the process ever since. Additionally, Tehran withdrew the designation of several inspectors assigned to conduct verification activities in Iran under the Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement a few days after securing a prisoner swap with the US that included unfreezing of about $6 billion of its oil revenues blocked in South Korea. 

Tehran's move, which the IAEA called "disproportionate and unprecedented", was in response to a call by the United States, France, Britain and Germany at another round of IAEA Board of Governors to give credible explanations on the uranium particles and let the IAEA install more surveillance cameras. So far, the IAEA has had no progress in getting Iran to reverse its so-called "de-designation" in September of the IAEA inspectors. The move effectively barred some inspectors, who diplomats said were from France and Germany and the IAEA said were among its most experienced experts, from working in Iran.

After the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and reimposition of sanctions in 2018, Iran has accelerated its enrichment pace and stockpiling load, using them as bargaining chips to get concessions from the West. Iran did not agree to a compromise plan proposed by the European Union in 2022 to revive the agreement, despite the Biden administration’s stated goal of finding a diplomatic solution.Washington has informally relaxed sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and allowed blocked funds in Iraq and South Korea to be released, but Tehran has shown no willingness to resolve the nuclear issue.

When it comes to nuclear commitments, Iran does not abide by rules but when a sunset clause of the same 2015 accord comes, Iran is there to reap the harvest. In October, the United Nations’ checks and balances on Iran’s missile program expired, enabling a newly emboldened Iran to legally supply Russia with arms for the invasion of Ukraine as its global reign of terror continues even less abated. 

Hundreds of police participated in the operations which were carried out in Berlin, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia on Thursday.

Earlier this month, the German government officially banned any activity in support of Hamas, which had already been designated as a terrorist group in the country.

Following the ban, the activities of Samidoun, an international pro-Palestinian network, was also declared illegal after its celebrations in the streets of Berlin after Hamas’s deadly onslaught on Israel on October 7 which killed 1,200 mostly civilians and saw 240 more taken to Gaza.

“With the bans on Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any glorification or support of the barbaric terror of Hamas against Israel,” said German interior minister Nancy Faeser in a statement.

"We continue our consistent action against radical Islamists," she vowed, adding that “Islamists and antisemites cannot and must not feel safe anywhere here.”

According to Germany’s intelligence sources, around 450 Hamas members live in the country, helping finance the terror group.

Germany has beefed up security measures to protect its Jewish citizens who have been the targets of antisemitic attacks since October 7 as global antisemitism soars amidst the war.

Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the European Union, the US, and many other Western countries.

In a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said “if Iran were pursuing such a goal, it would lead to a significant change in the overall conditions in the region.”

However, the foreign minister traveled to Beirut for discussions on the situation in Gaza with Iran's largest proxy, Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad Secretary General Ziad al-Nakhalah and Hamas' Khalil al-Hayya on Thursday.

The leadership in Tehran has had multiple meetings during the course of this year with heads of its proxies in the lead up to the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 mostly civilians were murdered and 240 taken hostage to Gaza.

Israel's relentless retaliation has seen the worst bloodshed since Hamas took over the strip in 2007, vowing to take out the proscribed terror group once the hostages have been returned.

Iran has consistently made similar statements in the past four weeks while expressing support for Hamas and celebrating the attacks across Iran. Since October 7, Iran's proxies across the region have targeted Israel, from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, making it ever more difficult for Tehran to deny its involvement in a conflict which has claimed thousands of lives.

“Inflation, especially in the context of rising prices, is hindering the youth and prospective mothers from providing proper nutrition, posing a potential threat to the country's future. The nutritional crisis, marked by the absence of essential elements like proteins, meat, and carbohydrates, puts the next generation at risk,” Asghar Salimi warned.

Highlighting the potential ramifications for the country's future, Salimi emphasized the need to guarantee minimum standards of living by understanding the essential nature of food items and their daily requirements.

Moreover, Salimi highlighted the challenges faced by the Iranian population in affording staple foods, particularly fish. With exceptionally high prices, the accessibility of fish has become a luxury, extending to red and white meat, which has vanished from many households. The representative expressed doubts about the ability of many people to afford meat for their families on a monthly basis.

Earlier this month, economic website EcoIran reported that the inflation rate in the country has surged to its highest level in the past 22 months, reaching 54.8% for the month of Mehr (ended October 22). However, the CBI rejected the figure, insisting that the inflation rate is approximately 45%, citing discrepancies in calculations.

The economic turmoil is further exacerbated by a 12-fold depreciation of the currency since 2018, following the US withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear accord and the imposition of sanctions. The Iranian rial has lost about 80% of its value compared to mid-2021 and nearly 50% since December 2021.

The president highlighted the 66 attacks carried out by militia groups affiliated with the IRGC against US personnel and facilities in the region, causing injuries and placing lives at risk. The uptick followed the outbreak of the war in Gaza, in which the US quickly stated its backing of Israel's right to defend itself following the Iran-backed invasion of October 7, the single most deadly day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Biden stated that on October 27, November 10, and November 14, Washington conducted targeted strikes against facilities in Syria used by the IRGC and its affiliated groups.

"The strikes were taken to deter future attacks and were conducted in a manner designed to limit the risk of escalation and avoid civilian casualties. I directed the strikes to protect and defend our personnel conducting military operations pursuant to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force," explained President Biden.

Iran has denied direct involvement in the Gaza conflict, but its proxy forces in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, have initiated attacks against both Israel and US forces.

The attacks by Iran-affiliated groups have resulted in at least 62 US personnel sustaining minor injuries or traumatic brain injuries.