Iran

State Dept. says it will impose “snap back” sanctions on Iran, despite US withdrawal from Nuclear Deal

As the US believes Iran has continued to develop nuclear weapons, and as the United Nations arms embargo on Iran expires next month, the State Department announced Wednesday that it is pressing forward with “snap back” sanctions that are provided for under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran Nuclear deal, Fox News reports. Under the terms of the JCPoA, snapback sanctions can be re-imposed if Iran is perceived to be violating the terms of the agreement. However, as the Trump administration withdrew from the JCPoA in 2018, UNSC members Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia have unequivocally stated the US has no authority to unilaterally enforce snapback sanctions once the current embargo is lifted on October 18.

More Christian Converts Flee Iran As Crackdown Intensifies

Three Iranian Christian converts have fled Iran following the rejection of their appeals, rights activists confirmed. “Kvian Fallah-Mohammadi, Hadi Asgari, and Amin Afshar-Naderi were facing a combined 35 years in prison because of their faith,” said advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC).

Analysts consider whether Saudi Arabia will follow UAE and Bahrain in normalizing ties with Israel

In light of Bahrain’s recent decision to join the United Arab Emirates in normalizing relations with Israel, analysts have been considering whether Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, is likely to follow suit, Ynet News reports. Analysts say Bahrain was unlikely to normalize its Israel relations without the private endorsement of Saudi Arabia, because Riyadh sent troops to support Bahrain’s ruling family during the Arab Spring of 2011 and pledged to give the country $10 billion in financial aid in 2018.

U.S. eyes building on Arab-Israel deals to end Gulf crisis

The Trump administration is hoping to capitalize on agreements to be signed this week between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain by pressing for an end to a dispute that has roiled relations between the Gulf Arab countries.

A pipeline built for Iran may turn Israel into a major crude oil transportation hub

Following the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, it is possible the UAE will make use of a crude oil pipeline originally built by Israel and pre-revolution Iran – and turn Israel into a major center for the transport of oil between regions, 246 Mag reports. In using the pipeline, the UAE could bypass transporting oil through the Suez Canal and save a great deal of money on shipping costs.

Iran and Turkey forming “strong foundation” for “cooperation”

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are working toward forming a “strong foundation” for future, high level “cooperation,” the leaders’ respective national media have reported. The Turkish and Iranian media reports followed a video conference the two leaders held on Tuesday, the Jerusalem Post said.


Growth of Christianity in Iran: number of believers approaching 1 million

A new survey on the growth of Christianity in Iran suggests there could soon be 1 million Iranian Christians living in the Islamic Republic, CBN News reports. Carried out by the non-profit Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran (GAMAAN), the survey questioned 50,000 Iranians, 90% of whom live in the country. The survey showed that 1.5% of respondents identified as Christian.

Hezbollah in hot water after Beirut explosion

There are no confirmed ties between Iran-backed Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah and the August 4 explosion in Beirut so far, but the group has found itself coming under fire in the wake of the disaster, the Jewish National Syndicate (JNS) reported Tuesday.

In Israel, Kushner says ‘stage is set’ for Mideast progress

White House adviser Jared Kushner on Sunday trumpeted the recent agreement by Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic relations as a historic breakthrough and said “the stage is now set” for other Arab states to follow suit, but he gave no indication that any new deals were imminent.

Iraq, Jordan, Egypt Discuss Closer Ties

It was a highly touted summit, with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustapha Kadhimi reaching out to potential allies Egypt and Jordan in what appeared to be a bid to loosen Iran’s grip on Iraqi politics. Pro-Iranian militias have been accused of interfering in Iraqi government decisions and attacking protesters who oppose them.

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