Iranian MP Links Exchange Rate Surge To Israeli Consulate Attack

Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been exchanging fire across Lebanon's southern frontier in parallel with the Gaza war, adding to fears of a wider regional conflict.

Early on Monday, Israeli fighter jets hit the village of al-Sultaniyah and killed a field commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan units and two other people, the Israeli military and two Lebanese security sources said.

The Israeli military identified the commander as Ali Ahmed Hassin, and said he was responsible for planning and executing attacks against Israelis. Hezbollah issued a funeral notice for Hassin but without details of his role.

Israeli strikes have killed around 270 Hezbollah fighters in the last six months as well as around 50 civilians, including children, medics and journalists. Hezbollah's rocket fire has killed around a dozen Israeli soldiers and half as many civilians.

In a joint statement on Monday, United Nations' Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and the commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, Aroldo Lazaro, said the violence must stop.

"The unrelenting cycle of strikes and counterstrikes in breach of the cessation of hostilities constitute the most serious violation of Security Council Resolution 1701 since its adoption in 2006," they said.

That UN decision ended a month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel nearly two decades ago but many of its points - including a withdrawal of armed groups from the south and deployment of Lebanese army troops - were never implemented.

Speaking on the occasion of National Nuclear Technology Day, Eslami emphasized ongoing progress in the development of nuclear reactors, particularly highlighting the current stage of concrete pouring.

"We will witness the first concrete pouring at Phase 3 of Bushehr Power Plant in the month of May," stated Eslami.

Earlier statements from Eslami outlined Iran's ambitious plans, including a $50 billion investment for constructing new nuclear power plants capable of generating 10,000 megawatts of electricity. However, this capacity remains insufficient to meet the country's total energy needs.

Iran's heavy reliance on nuclear energy stems from decades of neglecting investment in alternative power sources, particularly renewables. This lack of diversification leaves the country vulnerable to energy shortages, especially considering its isolation in the global community.

Currently, Russia stands as Iran's sole partner in the nuclear industry. The Bushehr power plant, commissioned by Russia in 2011, operates one unit generating 1,000 megawatts, contributing less than two percent of Iran's total electricity output. However, construction projects for phases two and three of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant have reportedly accelerated.

The Bushehr reactor remains unaffected by the ongoing nuclear dispute between the West and Iran, as Russia manages the nuclear fuel cycle for the facility. However, Iran has continued its uranium enrichment activities and accumulation of purified fissile material at other undisclosed locations I spite of sanctions.

The alleged condition for Iran’s restraint? A ceasefire in Gaza.

That report by Jadeh Iran – unconfirmed by Iran International – is now circulating not just on social media, but has landed in the pages of Israeli news outlets.

Notably, the Iranian regime’s own propaganda media outlets are also giving it credence, including semi-official ILNA and Shahre Khabar.

But, who does this narrative serve? And, where is the original report coming from?

It’s true, the Biden administration, increasingly under pressure to find a solution to Israel’s relentless pounding of Gaza, would certainly benefit from a ceasefire – not in the least at home where several polls show a difficult road ahead for President Joe Biden campaign to hold-on to another term against Donald Trump.

On Iran’s side – desperate to get sanctions relief and already embroiled in multiple of its proxy wars in the region – the regime would do well by refraining from retaliating against Israel – and drawing less anger from the US.

In fact, that alleged report, citing only one Arabic diplomatic source, suggested that "If America succeeds in containing the situation, it will be a great success for the Biden administration and we can build on that".

Kuwaiti-based Al Jarida has since cited a source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry claiming that Washington’s latest proposal to Tehran – though a Swiss mediator – is offering direct negotiations with Tel Aviv to reach an understanding, aiming to de-escalate tensions in the region.

Some Iranians on social media meanwhile, quickly reacted to the report suggesting that the report is likely regime propaganda masking the fact that Tehran lacks the courage to retaliate against Israel.

Who is behind the media outlet “Jadeh Iran”?

Written by Ali Hashem, the Arabic piece in the web-based outlet “Jadeh Iran” paints the picture of Tehran in a dilemma between wanting to preserve its dignity after the Damascus attack – and avoiding escalating tensions in the Middle East and with that warning the US against falling into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's “trap” and seeking a ceasefire in Gaza as a condition for de-escalation.

Hashem, who describes himself as founder of Jadeh Iran also appears to work for Al Jazeera – long known for its pro-Iranian regime propaganda.

When looking on Jadeh Iran’s official Instagram page and the accounts it follows, you will find personalities like: Former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, Seyyed Ali Khomeini, Al Jazeera reporters – and plenty of Iranian regime propaganda pages.

Meanwhile, Israel says it has withdrawn troops from southern Gaza for “tactical reasons” – with no indication that this is connected to the alleged report by Jadeh Iran.

Iran’s Retaliation After Killing Of Soleimani

When it comes to Iran’s retaliation, it is hard to predict how the regime will respond.

Over 4 years after the IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani was killed by a US drone strike in Iraq – Tehran maintains it is still seeking to avenge his death.

But, Iran did carry out what it saw as retaliation at the time, just 5 days after Soleimani’s assassination in January 2020.

It launched over 12 ballistic missiles at the al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, as well as another airbase in Erbil. Notably, Iran reportedly did inform the Iraqi government of an imminent attack shortly beforehand.

No US service members were killed in the attacks, but about 110 did suffer traumatic brain injuries, mainly concussions – leading to much mockery by Iranian dissidents, who joked that Iran’s promised “harsh revenge” merely resulted in the “headaches” of US soldiers.

Iran however, was anticipating a counter-response from the US – but inexplicably made the decision not to close its airspace to civilian flights.

On the same day, just a few hours later, the regime’s IRGC shot down a passenger flight taking off from Tehran headed for Ukraine. Flight PS752 was hit with two surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people onboard – including 138 Iranians with ties to Canada.

"If Trump returns to power, sanctions and pressure on Iran's oil and its oil partners will increase, and efforts will be made to further isolate us, resulting in a reduction in our foreign currency revenues. This will be a political and economic lever for Trump to align Iran with his policies or bring it to the negotiation table," he warned.

Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018, marked the beginning of what he termed 'maximum pressure' sanctions on Tehran.

The move drastically reduced Iran's oil exports to less than 500,000 barrels per day and blocked revenues in foreign banks.

Regarding oil prices, Momeni explained that they are influenced by supply and demand dynamics, international developments, and geopolitical tensions.

He suggested that while clean energy initiatives are gaining traction, fossil fuels remain essential, and any crisis in oil-producing regions could affect prices.

Iran's crude oil production stood at an estimated 3,163,000 barrels per day as of January 2024, showing a slight decrease from December 2023's output of 3,168,000 barrels per day and significantly lower than the 4,376,194 barrels per day Iran was producing in 2016.

Under the Biden administration, both sides of the political spectrum have accused the president of being too soft on Iran, which has continue to accelerate nuclear enrichment, suppress human rights and expand its diplomatic hostage taking policy.

The Israeli attack led to the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members including two commanders on the compound believed to be a key base for the IRGC.

Hossein Amirabdollahian is accompanied by Vahid Jalalzadeh, the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament.

Iran has pledged to retaliate for the deaths of its personnel in the strike. A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader warned on Sunday that Israeli embassies were now potential targets.

Amirabdollahian, who initiated his regional tour in Muscat, where he engaged with Omani officials and met with a representative of Yemen's Houthi group, Mohamed Abdelsalam, condemned the attack while in Oman.

"The attack on Iran's embassy building in Damascus is a new step in Israel's warmongering and its attempt to expand war regionally," said Amirabdollahian.

The Omani Foreign Minister, Badr Al-Busaidi, also called for de-escalation during discussions with his Iranian counterpart. Meanwhile, Israel, in line with its usual practice, declined to comment on the incident when approached by media.

Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had previously stated that Israel was prepared for any potential retaliation from Iran.