Another IRGC Man In Syria Killed In Airstrike Attributed To Israel

In its 700-word statement released on Friday, the ministry did not provide any specific details about the so-called spies but claimed that the identities of some of the spies active in countries maintaining intelligence sharing treaties with Iran have been provided to the respective governments.

The statement also said some of these agents have volunteered to work for Mossad, which made them “carry out various treacherous operations against the interests of their countries and the security of their fellow citizens” as a measure to test their sincerity.

The intelligence ministry also claimed that some spies in Tehran and a few provinces have been identified and either faced legal action on charges of spying for Israel or placed under security surveillance.

“Additionally, a number of Iranian spies residing outside the country have been identified, and decisions will be made based on the circumstances of each and the level of relationships between the ministry and the intelligence agencies of the countries where the spies reside," read the statement. This raises concerns that Iran could take action against dissidents of Iranian origin living abroad, alleging collaboration with Israel as a pretext.

Iranian intelligence organs often claim success in identifying or arresting "terrorists" or "spies" but rarely produce any concrete evidence or follow up the initial news with public trials.

Raisi who has been visiting Hormozgan Province on the Persian Gulf, added: "The enemy cannot take any action against us because it knows that our forces are powerful and capable."

According to Fars news website affiliated with the IRGC, Raisi, apparently referring to the United Stated added , "Previously...they used to talk with threats and military options on the table. But now, there are no such talks, and they say they have no intention of conflict with the Islamic Republic. It is the strength of our people and our armed forces that has created this deterrence."

Raisi’s remarks follow a deadly drone attack on US forces in Jordan last Sunday that killed three American soldiers and led to the Biden administration vowing retaliation. However, after six days no military action has been taken against Iran and its proxy forces who launched the attack.

Iranian media on Friday carried headlines that the United States will not directly attack Iran, based on reports in Western media. Also, information by Reuters and others indicates that senior Revolutionary Guard officers and their affiliated bases in Iraq and Syria are being evacuated due to an expectation of US strikes.

The Biden administration is reportedly contemplating a prolonged retaliatory campaign, although several reports quoting officials on Thursday appear to show that Iran is being given the benefit of doubt about its role in the attack in Jordan and elsewhere.

As fears begin to subside in Tehran about direct US retaliation, Iran's currency has regained some stability after falling more than 10 percent since the deadly attack on US troops.

Riyadh is seeking a defense pact with the United States, and this approach is seen as a way to move forward after months of diplomatic attempts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel were halted due to mounting Arab anger over the war in Gaza. The Saudi government is eager to enhance its security and counter threats from Iran while advancing its economic transformation plan.

Saudi officials have conveyed to the US that they would accept a political commitment to a two-state solution, providing some flexibility in negotiations. A defense pact between Saudi Arabia and the US could reshape the Middle East by bringing the most influential Arab state closer to Israel, and potentially bolstering Israel's defense against Iran. However, achieving such an agreement faces political and diplomatic challenges.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted Palestinian statehood, complicating negotiations. Saudi officials have urged the US to press Israel to end the Gaza conflict and commit to a "political horizon" for a Palestinian state. The US sees Riyadh's strong desire for a defense pact as an opportunity for flexibility on Israel's commitment to Palestinian statehood.

The Biden administration is keen on reaching an agreement, and Riyadh is eager to secure a deal while the Democrats are in power. Still, obstacles remain, including Netanyahu's position on Palestinian statehood. The clock is ticking for achieving this mega-deal, as US officials hope that tying defense guarantees to normalization could gain congressional support, but timing is crucial, with the upcoming US presidential election adding uncertainty to the situation.

In a letter to President Biden Thursday, 18 Senators from both parties demand maximum efforts to “prevent illicit trade in Iranian oil,” which provides the regime with funds necessary to support its proxies.

“In the wake of the October 7 terror attacks and subsequent attacks by Iran-backed proxies on U.S. forces in the Middle East, we urge you to work harder to stop Iran’s funneling of lucrative oil exports to finance terror,” the Senators told President Joe Biden.

The letter comes right after a similar initiative by 62 House members, who stressed that ongoing attacks on US troops in the Middle East clearly show whatever is being done is not enough and more pressure must be applied on Tehran.

Significantly, both letters have been signed by some Democrats, as well as the more critical Republicans.

Senate Democrats seem to have lost patience with Biden’s unwillingness to effectively enforce sanctions on Iran’s oil exports. They have joined their Republican colleagues to suggest immediate sanctions against ships and even foreign ports that carry Iranian oil.

They point out that the Iranian regime has taken in at least $88b from their oil exports since February 2021, compared to just $5b when former president Trump’s “maximum pressure” was still in place.

Iran now exports oil more than any time in the past five years, according to Japan’s influential daily Nikkei, with as much as 90% of the total exports going to China. This is confirmed also by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which tracks Iranian oil exports.

"While global supply routes have been seriously affected by the Houthi attacks, Iran’s oil trade, especially to its number one importer, China, has continued unabated,” reads UANI’s latest report.

President Biden has been under growing pressure to reverse its policy on Iran since Hamas’ rampage of Israel –which many believe would have not been possible without the backing of the Iranian regime. The pressure has grown even further after last weekend’s deadly attack on American soldiers by Iran-backed militia Iraq.

“You cannot continue to embolden Iran,” Senator Marsha Blackburn said in an interview with Fox News Thursday. “You cannot continue to let them sell their oil and make billions of dollars, and then put that money into building nuclear warheads through uranium enrichment and through funding terrorism.”

Officials from the Biden administration say no Iran sanction has been lifted under their watch. But “enforcement” is as important as the actual sanctions. And it’s on the question of enforcement that the current administration seems to have disappointed many, even Democratic senators.

But what Biden critics want from him may not be readily achievable –not in 2024, at least.

"[Biden] prioritizes low oil prices, especially in an election year," says Robert McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group and a former senior White House policy official. "If [Biden] did crack down, it would impact global balances and prices, especially if Iran retaliated by threatening [Persian] Gulf production and export flows."

And then there’s China: Iran’s main customer which happens to be a global superpower. China can always find a way to get around the sanctions. It needs to: to keep feeding its gargantuan economy.

“Ultimately, China has and will continue to develop sanctions-proof entities which are not connected to the US financial system and won't be hurt (much) by sanctions,” former state department advisor on Iran Gabriel Noronha posted on X. “Leverage has to come from other files - as with recent China negotiations, find pressure everywhere."

Statistics from the Iran Human Rights Organization reveal that since the beginning of 2024, at least 71 people have been executed in prisons across Iran. Of those, 28 were killed between January 21 and 31 alone, at least six of whom were political prisoners, and 22 others killed on charges including drugs and murder, according to rights groups.

It comes as dissent rises to record levels in Iran amidst the most dire social and economic conditions since the formation of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Executions have offered the regime a way to warn those unwilling to comply with Tehran's leadership, not least the powerful figures of entertainment, sport and celebrity who have defied the regime in support of protests.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) claimed that in 2023, at least 791 citizens, including 25 women and two child offenders, were executed in Iran, marking an increase of over 33% compared to the previous year.

In a separate report, UN experts said Iran executed at least 834 people, eight of whom were linked to nationwide protests which began in 2022, sparked by the death in morality-police custody of Mahsa Amini, arrested for not wearing her hijab properly.

In a report to the United Nations General Assembly highlighting human rights violations in Iran, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the rate and scale of executions, urging action to address the trend.

Just this week, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spoke out against the record numbers of executions, telling Iran International,
"The Australian government is deeply disturbed by Iran’s extensive and persistent use of the death penalty, including against ethnic minorities and protesters".