Bahrain Says Two Soldiers Killed In Houthi Drone Attack

Iranian media and officials are buzzing with vague and contradictory statements about the 'terrible sound,' which has apparently not resulted in any visible damage to urban areas or civilian casualties.

One thing which local and central officials emphasize is that no “earthquake or explosion” took place in the city, and they are investigating the incident.

According to Iranian media and residents commenting on social media, the incident occurred around 10PM local time on Monday, when people heard the loud sound and felt the ground was shaking. In the first few hours, some government media in Iran called the incident “an earthquake” and headlined their news, “Khorramabad shook.”

Tasnim news agency affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) wrote: "The intense jolts, accompanied by a terrifying sound, caused tremors in parts of Khorramabad city, instilling fear and disrupting the nighttime tranquility of the people." Tasnim added that residents first thought an earthquake had happened, but as the seismological center in Tehran did not register a tremor, they began speculating about an explosion. However, hours later, state official began denying any earthquake or explosion.

Observers and independent media outside Iran began reminding the public that there is a large underground IRGC ballistic missile base near Khorramabad. One Iranian military blogger in Europe posted on social media saying that the incident was “a successful Israeli operation,” without citing his sources.

Since July 2020, Israel has launched successful sabotage and drone attacks against sensitive military and industrial targets in Iran, including at least three major operations that inflicted heavy damage on nuclear installations.

In April 2021, as world power began negotiation with Iran in Vienna to revive the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement, a huge explosion hit the underground Natanz uranium enrichment site in central Iran. This was the second destructive incident in less than a year, which wiped out a significant part of enrichment machines called centrifuges.

The Islamic Republic blamed Israel for these attacks, while successive Israeli governments have remained silent and never accepted responsibility. However, they have repeatedly warned that Israel will lose all resources, including military attack to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Last week, another mysterious incident took place in northern Iran, when people in the city of Gorgan heard loud explosions and pieces of unidentified military objects fell on the city. Officials on that occasion also voiced contradictory statements. However, a deputy-governor in the province said that “a drone had crashed” and wounded two people.

Ramezan Sharif called for launching an offensive against anti-regime media as the revolutionary tide continues to deepen and threaten the Islamic Republic's stability.

Iranian regime authorities, including commanders from the Revolutionary Guard, have frequently issued threats against media outlets operating abroad, such as Iran International.

During his address on Monday, Sharif alleged that media outlets globally are under the control of individuals who shape the narrative for their respective organizations while pursuing their own vested interests.

Last week, Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil Khatib, issued a stark warning to Persian-language media outlets operating outside Iran, asserting that support from other nations will not dissuade Tehran from pursuing "aggressive" actions against them.

The intelligence ministry had previously labeled Iran International employees as "enemies of the state," vowing punishment for those who allegedly serve foreign interests and betray their country.

The threats come amid widespread arrests of journalists in Iran, particularly during the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, part of a harsh crackdown on dissent.

International human rights organizations consistently rank Iran among the world's foremost oppressors of journalists and free speech.

Announcing the launch of the new location, Mahmood Enayat, General Manager of Iran International TV, said, "Britain is the home of free speech. The resumption of our programs from this country is evidence that we will not abandon independent and uncensored journalism to the people of Iran."

Following a significant escalation in state-backed threats from Iran and advice from the London Metropolitan Police, Iran International TV announced in February that it reluctantly and temporarily closed its London studios and moved broadcasting to Washington DC. Iran International was warned by authorities in November that its journalists were under threat from Iranian agents and the police took measures to strengthen security around the network’s offices. A man was arrested in the vicinity of Iran International’s headquarters in February and charged with a terrorism offence.

In his message celebrating the resumption of broadcasting from London, Enayat extended his gratitude to the reporters and staff for their unwavering commitment during this challenging period. He also expressed appreciation to the Metropolitan Police of London and the British government for their continuous support in safeguarding Iran International's personnel and facilitating their safe return to the London office.

The channel's broadcasts have gained special significance since popular anti-regime rallies broke out in Iran last September, providing uncensored coverage of the protests and the subsequent crackdown on the public by the regime. Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened Iran International and other Persian broadcasters based abroad as the government blocked the Internet to deny the population news and information. The Iranian regime has blamed foreign-based Persian broadcasters such as BBC Persian and Iran International for “fomenting unrest”, while all media in the country are under tight government control and present protesters as “rioters” and “terrorists”.

On Sunday, British daily The Times reported that Iran International’s workers are “ready to run the gauntlet again” seven months after the terrorist scare. “They said they were receiving information that there is going to be an immediate attack — maybe today, tonight or tomorrow,” Aliasghar Ramezanpoor, the head of news at the channel, told the newspaper.

“The Iranian government tried to make islands of people and sought to cut the flow of information about what was going on from one city to another,” Saeid Habil, a senior journalist at Iran International, told the paper. “They managed to cut the internet, so people [in Iran] needed an alternative link to each other. We were that link.”

Speaking last week at the station’s new studios in north London, Elnaz Kiani, a lead news anchor, told The Times that “For months, we were living whatever people were living in Iran — with all the emotions and hope. People trusted us. They were putting their lives in our hands by going out into the street and taking videos for us.”

Amid repeated threats by the Islamic Republic against Iran International’s reporters, the UK government vowed in December to step up protection of London-based Iranian journalists. British officials also expressed strong support for Iran International. Tom Tugendhat, the UK's Minister of State for Security, has repeatedly condemned Iran's threats against the network. He affirmed that the UK would continue its support for the network, ensuring its activities in a secure environment.

Regime authorities, including several Revolutionary Guard commanders, have repeatedly issued threats against Iran International and other foreign-based media outlets.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib reiterated threats against Iran International media network throughout the globe "wherever and whenever deemed necessary." He emphasized that the Islamic Republic would not refrain from invasive measures against the workers of the channel. “We believe that Iran International is a terrorist network, and naturally we deem it our duty and mission to act against them wherever and whenever we deem appropriate,” he said, warning that “no terrorist media will be safe.”

Khatib stated, "Support from various countries will not deter us from taking invasive security measures," claiming that several foreign-based channels have promoted “terrorism,” and Iran International is one of the most important ones.

The US Department of State, Belgium-based International Federation of Journalists, and Australia’s Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance are among entities that expressed support for Iran International and stressed the importance of safeguarding journalists' security and press freedom following the relocation of Iran International’s London office.

Following the relocation to DC, IRGC Commander-In-Chief Major General Hossein Salami said the threats against the channel’s journalists "show how far the Islamic Revolution's realm of power, field of infiltration and radius of influence has extended."

In May, Britain’s shadow security minister slammed the threats against journalists covering Iran’s protests. Speaking on World Press Freedom Day, Holly Lynch, the Labour MP for Halifax, said the threats by the Iranian regime include “assassination and kidnap plots against UK residents who are perceived as enemies of Iran owing to their coverage of the protests and the regime’s brutal crackdown”.

For years the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, has been demanding from Riyadh to accept complete safeguards protocols and the accompanying monitoring of its nuclear activities.

Saudi Arabia has a nascent nuclear program that it wants to expand to eventually include activities like proliferation-sensitive uranium enrichment. It is unclear where its ambitions end, since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said for years, it will develop nuclear weapons if regional rival Iran does.

He repeated the same policy in an interview with Fox news last week. When asked about Iran’s escalating nuclear program, MBS said, "If they get one, we have to get one, for security reasons and the balance of power in the Middle East. But we don't want to see that.”

For years, Saudi Arabia and its regional allies have been concerned about Iran’s uranium enrichment and were not happy when the United States signed the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) with Iran in 2015, which allowed continued enrichment. However, Tehran also accepted close IAEA inspections.

Saudi worries about Iran have not dissipated despite an agreement to restore diplomatic ties in March after seven years of strained and tense posturing. The complicated conflict in Yemen, where Iran supports the anti-Saudi Houthi forces has yet to be resolved.

Riyadh has yet to fire up its first nuclear reactor, allowing its program to still be monitored under the Small Quantities Protocol (SQP), an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency that exempts less advanced states from many reporting obligations and inspections.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has been calling on the dozens of states that still have SQPs to amend or rescind them, calling them a "weakness" in the global non-proliferation regime. The IAEA has been in talks with Riyadh for years on making the switch to a so-called Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) for years.

"The kingdom has recently taken the decision to rescind its Small Quantities Protocol and to move to the implementation of a full-scope Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement," Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the IAEA's annual General Conference, speaking through an interpreter.

If Saudi Arabia were to introduce nuclear material into its first nuclear reactor, a low-power research reactor in Riyadh that is near completion, it would void the SQP and its exemptions from regular safeguards.

Despite that, its SQP is a sensitive issue given the fears of an arms race in the Middle East. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, but it is enriching uranium to such high purity that Western powers say there is no credible civil explanation.

Saudi Arabia is also seeking US agreement and support for its nuclear program, a fact that becomes entangled in talks to normalize relations with Israel, expanding the Abraham Accords.

Prince Abdulaziz did not say whether on top of a regular CSA Saudi Arabia planned to sign up to the IAEA's Additional Protocol, which allows for more wide-ranging and intrusive checks such as snap inspections.

Iran applied the Additional Protocol under its 2015 nuclear deal with major powers but stopped after then-President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the accord in 2018.

(With reporting by Reuters)

Although remarks by the defense ministry’s spokesman did not mention the two neighboring countries, currently perceived threats from Azerbaijani to invade southern Armenia bordering Iran is the only critical issue in the region.

“We have announced that we will not permit any border changes in the region. In some of our border points, they wanted to make alterations, but they did not dare and will not dare,” ministry’s spokesman Gen. Reza Talainik (Tala-ee-nik) was quoted as saying by Fars news website affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). He added that when Iran shouts borders should not change, it means it relies on certain bases of support, such as its military power.

After losing a war fought on Azerbaijani territory in 2020, Armenia has become vulnerable to a possible invasion in the south by its more powerful neighbor. In such a scenario, Iran will lose a safe land corridor to the north, through Georgia to Russia. Tehran has repeatedly warned it will not tolerate such a move by Azerbaijan and has sent additional forces to the border to make its point.

Earlier on Sunday, Gen. Kyumars Haydari, commander of the Iranian army’s ground forces told the local media that they have stationed ten brigades in critical border regions, including the area near Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Gen. Haydari did not clarify if these forces all belonged to Iran’s traditional army or also include unites from the Revolutionary Guard’s ground forces. He also did not provide a numerical estimate of the forces, but a brigade is usually around 3,000-4,000 troops. He said that these brigades are stationed in the northwest, west, southwest, and northeast to confront “enemies”. Iran has been projecting military power along its borders with Iraq to deter what it calls separatist Kurds using Iraqi territory as a base, and also against the Taliban in the east, in addition to Azerbaijan.

The defense ministry spokesman Talainik also spoke about Iran’s Qassem ballistic missile, calling it an “Israel-busting” weapon. The missile was first unveiled in July 2020 with a range of 1,400-1,800 kilometers. It is believed to be a newer version of the Fateh-100 missile. It is named after Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian regime’s operative in the Middle East who was killed in a targeted US air strike in Baghdad in January 2020.

Incidentally, Israel has been supplying weapons to Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic has often voiced its dissatisfaction with Baku, accusing its neighbor of allowing Israelis to use its territory against Iran.

Talainik also claimed that “no equation in the Middle East is manageable without Iran's role, because of the country's defensive power.” However in the past three years two Persian Gulf Arab countries, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have made peace with Israel and Saudi Arabia is also moving toward that direction, despite Iran’s opposition.

The United States in July dispatched additional warplanes and naval forces to the region, warning Iran not to interfere with maritime traffic, after it stopped or harassed more than 15 commercial vessels in the past two years.