Iran International Reveals Tehran-Based Cyber Group Targeting Israeli Hospital

The allocation, amounting to roughly $1.8 billion, is intended to bolster the functioning of the judicial system, currently facing scrutiny for human rights violations and the issuance of death sentences, prompting widespread international condemnation.

The decision comes while only 35 trillion rials, equivalent to around $85 million, was designated for conserving and protecting natural resources.

The total government budget will reach 24,290 billion rials ($49.2 billion) next year, which shows an increase of 16.7 percent compared to this year’s budget.

Despite assertions from the government regarding a balanced budget, concerns over deficits persist. Estimates from various sources, including the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, suggest a significant deficit, with figures ranging from 4.5 quadrillion rials (approximately $9 billion) to as high as $22 billion, according to a report by the parliament's research center cited by economic website EcoIran.

Iran's economy continues to grapple with challenges, exacerbated by the United States' withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear accord in 2018 and subsequent sanctions. However, underlying economic issues predate the geopolitical developments, with mismanagement of oil revenues since the 1990s contributing to the current economic strain. Despite generating substantial oil revenues estimated at around $1.5 trillion over the past two decades, Iran faces economic difficulties, with the government controlling a significant portion of the economy.

Launched with the aid of the Ghaem-100 Space Launch Vehicle (SLV), the deployment has raised concerns among the three European nations regarding the potential advancement of Iran's long-range ballistic missile capabilities.

The statement expressed apprehension over the technology employed in the SLV, which could potentially enable Tehran to launch weapons over extended distances.

"We remain committed to taking every diplomatic step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and to hold Iran to account for its destabilizing activity in the region and internationally," the statement said.

The Soraya satellite, developed by the Iranian Space Research Center, was sent into a 750 km Low Earth orbit on January 20th. The launch was overseen by the aerospace division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian military.

Iran has defended the satellite launch, with the IRGC claiming that it will serve both scientific and defense purposes, enhancing Iran's capabilities in space exploration and technology. However, the launch has faced criticism from the United States and other Western nations.

Accusations have been leveled against Iran saying that its satellite and rocket programs are veiled attempts to advance ballistic missile technology capable of carrying nuclear payloads. The US has imposed sanctions targeting Iran's aerospace sector, citing violations of a UN Security Council resolution urging Iran to refrain from ballistic missile-related activities.

Since 2018, Iran has been subject to severe US sanctions following the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement, which aimed to limit Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran has since reduced its compliance with the agreement, resuming uranium enrichment at higher levels.

It has since been placed under further sanctions following the provision of drones to Russia in its war on Ukraine and the regime's brutal crackdowns on protesters since 2022's uprising.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the US had warned the Islamic Republic of the impending bombings which claimed the lives of 95 people in Kerman earlier this month.

There are “compelling reasons” which demonstrate that such claims, made by the Wall Street Journal and repeated by American and British media, counter “the facts on the ground,” Fars wrote on Saturday.

On Friday, IRNA, the Iranian state news agency, also rejected the reports of Washington’s terror warning to Tehran.

Even the White House officials, including Deputy US State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel, have refused to confirm the Wall Street Journal’s report, Fars added.

The Fars website further reiterated the usual rhetoric of the Islamic Republic, accusing the US of establishing ISIS and supporting “terrorist and subversive groups” in Iran.

Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, ISIS-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, committed the attacks at the commemoration ceremony of slain Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

Separately, Iran International has learned that the US passed the warning to Iran more than one week before the attack.

“In vindication of the oppressed Palestinian people, and in response to the American-British aggression against our country, Yemen naval forces targeted the British oil ship (Marlin Luanda) in the Gulf of Aden,” a spokesperson for the group said in a televised statement. “The strike was direct, and resulted in the burning of the vessel, by virtue of Allah.”

Shipping data suggests the Marlin Luanda was heading towards Singapore under the flag of the Marshall Islands. It was hit by a missile 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations.

Reports suggest the tanker is carrying Russian naphtha. This fully contradicts Houthi claims that they target vessels bound for Israel of linked to Israeli interests.

This is the most serious Houthi attack since they began their war on ‘Israel-related’ vessels last October, in support of Palestinians in Gaza. That campaign now seems to have broadened to include British or American related vessels –both commercial and military.

Earlier Friday, the Houthis had fired an anti-ship missile toward USS Carney. That missile was successfully shot down, according to the US Central Command.

The Houthis seem adamant to carry on with their attacks in the face of US (and UK) airstrikes that started earlier this month.

Their leader Mohammad Ali al-Houthi posted an open letter to President Joe Biden Friday, claiming that the group’s target was only “Israeli navigation” not international navigation. “Why not tell your people that 4874 ships have crossed the Bab el-Mandeb and Suez Canal back and forth during the Yemeni naval operations,” he asked in a rare English post on X.

This recent attack comes amid reports that China has called on Iran to rein in the Houthis.

"Basically, China says: 'If our interests are harmed in any way, it will impact our business with Tehran. So tell the Houthis to show restraint'," Reuters quoted an Iranian official speaking on condition of anonymity.

China no doubt enjoys some leverage over Iran. It’s unclear, however, if Iranian regime is willing to give up its most important leverage against the US, while it is unable to render any direct assistance to its ally, Hamas, as Israel continues to hammer at the group.

The attack on a British oil tanker suggests that the Houthis don’t mind further escalation of the conflict. This is at odds with the wishes of the United States and its allies. Iran and its Yemeni proxies are playing a game of brinkmanship up to the point of direct confrontation with the US.

The Iranian regime and its regional proxies have been engaged in attacks on the US and its allies almost daily since the start of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. And the Biden administration has so far not found a way to force a change of course.

Some Biden critics say the airstrikes against Houthis in Yemen is “too little too late”, and that nothing short of a “direct hit” against Iran would bring about his desired outcome.

Officials have attributed the incident to land subsidence.

According to reports, the incident took place at the beginning of Kargar Street on the northern side of Qazvin Square in central Tehran.

As the asphalt of the floor of the street collapsed, the remains of an old public bathroom and toilet were found. No information has been released yet regarding the age and history of the discoveries.

The incident resulted in the closure of the street and the disconnection of water and electricity in the area for several hours.

Over the past years, land subsidence has turned into a serious crisis in various parts of Iran.

Experts warn that the current land subsidence situation in Iran puts the lives of more than 39 million people at risk.

Several factors have caused the situation to reach breaking point, including dam construction, climate change, inefficient water consumption by agriculture and industries, and the use of underground aquifers as sources for illegal agricultural water extraction wells.

In March 2023, Ali Beitollahi, heading the disaster task force on the issue at the Road, Housing and Urban Development Research Center of Iran, said the approximate area of subsidence zones in the country has reached 18.5 million hectares, almost 11% of Iran’s total area.

Back in August, Iran International obtained documents revealing that the Islamic Republic officials were aware of dangerous land subsidence but were unwilling to share it with the public.

According to a leaked confidential letter from Iran’s National Cartographic Center, about 550 square kilometers of land in and around Tehran (about the size of the UK city of Manchester or the US city of El Paso, Texas) is sinking an average of over 13 centimeters (about 5.12 inch) per year.