World Watches For US Response To Iran

Negahdari revealed that over the last half-century, rainfall in the nation has decreased by 50 millimeters. Furthermore, he disclosed that “61.7 percent of Iran's land is currently grappling with drought.”

Addressing delegates at the seventh International Climate Change Conference in Tehran, Negahdari emphasized on Monday the comprehensive impact of climate change, stressing that it permeates across various sectors.

“The serious consequences of climate change affect issues such as food security, ecosystems, energy security, and more.”

Negahdari also underscored a trend of rising temperatures. He warned that if unchecked, climate change could precipitate a staggering $23 trillion economic decline by 2050.

The severity of the ongoing drought crisis was earlier highlighted by the CEO of the Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, Hashem Amini, who disclosed a significant decline in Iran's renewable water resources. From approximately 130 billion cubic meters a decade ago, the resources have dwindled to around 100 billion cubic meters.

Amini cautioned that dwindling surface water reserves are increasing reliance on underground water sources, exacerbating issues such as land subsidence.

Reports indicate that the Iranian government has been less than transparent about the extent of the land subsidence crisis related to decreasing levels of underground water, with documents suggesting deliberate concealment of information.

Official statements confirm that 49 percent of Iran's population, equivalent to 39 million individuals, are at risk due to land subsidence. Notably, Tehran and Khorasan Razavi provinces face heightened vulnerability, with the situation particularly dire in the metropolitan area of Esfahan.

The Guardian Council, with powers to vet candidates, announced the results for the upcoming elections on March 1. The Assembly of Experts is the constitutionally designated body to select the future Supreme Leader, as it once did in 1989, when Ali Khamenei was chosen after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini.

The Guardian Council announced its results, disqualifying former President Hassan Rouhani, a member since 2000, and Ayatollah Ahmad Parvaei, a member since 2016. Parvaei expressed his intention to comply fully with the law and hopes the Council will reconsider its decision. Meanwhile, Rouhani demands the Council publicly state the reasons for his disqualification.

Lawmaker Javad Karimi-Ghodousi (Qoddusi) suggested in a tweet before the official announcement that Rouhani's potential to influence the choice of the future leader was a key factor in his disqualification. This suggestion drew parallels with the historical meeting at Saqifah in Medina in 632 CE, where the appointment of Abu Bakr as the leader of the Muslim community was contentious.

Abu Bakr’s appointment as the leader of the Muslim community, despite the insistence of the Prophet’s relatives and some of his companions who believed the Prophet had appointed his cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, as his successor marked the beginning of the division with those in favor of the meeting’s decision being labeled Sunnis and supporters of Ali’s right to caliphate as Shia.

According to the reformist Ham-Mihan newspaper, Rouhani's disqualification, rather than being solely based on legal reasons and candidates' past history, revolves around the anticipated expediency of future events.

This is not the first time such a rationale has been employed by the Guardian Council, Ham-Mihan pointed out. In 2013, it barred the veteran politician Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani from running in the presidential elections, citing similar considerations.

The Guardian Council, originally empowered to interpret the Constitution, review legislation, and supervise elections, bestowed upon itself discretionary supervisory powers in 1991, giving it the final say on candidate eligibility. Over the past two decades, it has used these powers to eliminate various political factions, targeting reformists, moderates, and even some conservatives.

Some prominent former officials previously disqualified from running in elections include Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and conservative parliament speaker Ali Larijani, ostensibly due to concerns about their loyalty to Khamenei.

The Council, however, has always cited other reasons for disqualifying candidates or argued that it could not confirm the candidate’s qualifications due to lack of sufficient evidence. Religious jurisprudence (ijtihad), required for running in elections of the Assembly of Experts, for instance, has often been cited for disqualification of candidates in its elections.

The Guardian Council comprises twelve members, half of whom are clerics with expertise in Sharia laws appointed by the supreme leader. The remaining six members, who may be laymen or clerics versed in civil law, are appointees of the chief justice. They require parliamentary approval for their appointments but cannot vote on matters related to Sharia.

Disputes between the Council and Parliament over legislation are referred to the Expediency Council, whose members are also appointed by the supreme leader. The Guardian Council has a history of rejecting legislative reforms related to elections, women's rights, and international human rights conventions.

This ongoing pattern of candidate disqualification has raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of Iran's electoral process.

Gholamreza Gholami, Mohammad Ali Zahmatkesh, Iraj Rahnama, Afshin Razmjou, and Asghar Amirzadegan, along with other educators, were detained between March and May 2023. Rahnama and Gholami initiated a hunger strike on January 13, 2024, in protest to their sentences in Shiraz.

Initially, the Shiraz Revolutionary Court handed down a collective 34-year prison term to the five teachers, along with three others, in June. Gholami received an 11-year sentence, while Amirzadegan, Razmjou, Rahnama, and Zhametkesh were each sentenced to five years.

In addition to prison time, they were all subjected to two years of travel bans with passport confiscations and two years of online activity prohibitions as supplementary penalties. Gholami also faced an additional two-year exile in Birjand, located in the northeast of Iran.

However, following their appeals, the court has now reduced their prison sentences to two years each.

Meanwhile, retired teacher Omid Nasirifar was summoned by security authorities in Tehran, highlighting the ongoing pressure faced by educators.

Iranian educators have long been campaigning for higher salaries and pensions, as they are among the lowest-paid government employees. Furthermore, they have expressed their opposition to gas poisonings of schoolgirls, a crisis that surfaced in Iran last year, affecting numerous schools and impacting thousands of students.

Major General Patrick Ryder, Press Secretary of the Department of Defense, said, “We will take necessary action to protect our forces, no matter where they're serving around the world. I'm not going to telegraph or forecast any potential response from the United States.”

“We will do whatever we need to do to protect our forces going forward. But certainly, at the end of the day, we are not looking to engage in a wider conflict merely to ensure regional security and stability,” he added.

The Sunday attack claimed the lives of three American soldiers, marking the first such deaths since the escalation of tensions triggered by the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza last October.

President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure to address the drone strike, refraining from directly implicating Tehran but attributing the assault to "radical Iran-backed militant groups" operating in Syria and Iraq. He pledged accountability for those responsible.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has denied involvement in the attack, dismissing allegations as "repetition of baseless accusations."

"The groups in the region do not take orders from Iran," Kanaani said. "War is not a solution. An immediate ceasefire in Gaza can lead to the return of peace."

Although Tehran has avoided direct military involvement in the Gaza war, its proxy forces in the region have attacked US troops 160 times since October.

The national security council spokesperson reiterated the stance, stating, "We are not pursuing war with Iran nor escalating tensions in the region. Despite ongoing attacks, we are exploring available options." Kirby underscored the desire for a stable, secure, and prosperous Middle East while urging an end to the attacks.

President Joe Biden and US officials confirmed that three US service members were killed, and at least 34 were wounded in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border.

Biden condemned the attack, attributing it to radical Iran-backed groups operating in Syria and Iraq has vowed retaliation. The continuous missile and drone strikes targeting US troops since October, initiated after Israel's response to Hamas' actions, have now claimed American lives for the first time, crossing a perceived red line in Washington.

“We had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases,” he said. Biden added, “and we shall respond.”

Despite previous warnings from critics of Biden's Iran policy, the loss of life has left the administration with few alternatives but to consider escalation.