Former Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that the Obama administration knew that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad kept some of his chemical weapons despite an international agreement brokered to remove the entire stockpile by mid-2014.
“We said we got a hundred percent of the declared weapons out, which is what the Organization for the [Prohibition] of Chemical Weapons was able to track,” Kerry said on Fox News. “We knew that Assad had kept some, and we tried to go to the [United Nations] Security Council, and, unfortunately, Russia played games and we didn’t get there.”
— Read on freebeacon.com/national-security/kerry-we-knew-assad-kept-some-chemical-weapons/
iran
Negative GDP in Iran. Forecast Says Sharp Drop In Iran’s Economic Growth Rate
The Iranian Parliament’s Research Center has forecast two dystopian economic growth rates for Iran by the end of the Iranian year (March 20, 2019) as a result of the U.S. pull-out from the nuclear deal with Tehran.
Based on these two scenarios, the center’s forecast for Iran’s economic growth rate in the next year (March 2019-March 2020) would be between -3.8 percent and -5.5 percent.
— Read on en.radiofarda.com/a/sharp-drop-in-iran-s-economic-growth-rate-forecasted/29466452.html
Iran Considers Rationing, Distributing Food Coupons, As Sanctions Bite Harder
Iran may be considering a plan to ration foodstuffs and other essential commodities, according to reports of developments at the Iranian Parliament.
On September 2, the parliament approved the double-urgency of a bill that calls on the government to import essential commodities and sell the goods to the nation at subsidized prices at cooperatives and state-owned shops, said the parliament’s website.
— Read on en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-considers-rationing-distributing-food-coupons-as-sanctions-bite-harder/29468399.html
Forecast Says Sharp Drop In Iran’s Economic Growth Rate
The Iranian Parliament’s Research Center has forecast two dystopian economic growth rates for Iran by the end of the Iranian year (March 20, 2019) as a result of the U.S. pull-out from the nuclear deal with Tehran.
Based on these two scenarios, the center’s forecast for Iran’s economic growth rate in the next year (March 2019-March 2020) would be between -3.8 percent and -5.5 percent.
— Read on en.radiofarda.com/a/sharp-drop-in-iran-s-economic-growth-rate-forecasted/29466452.html
Rouhani Rejects Accountability To Conservative Body
The conservative Assembly of Experts (AE) has lambasted President Hassan Rouhani’s government for its economic performance, disclosing that Rouhani rejected the assembly’s invitation to come forward and present a report concerning Iran’s economic problems to the influential body.
However, according to the government’s official news agency, IRNA, Ahmad Khatami representing the Assembly, who was speaking at a press conference on August 27, maintained he was unaware of the reasons for the rejection.
— Read on en.radiofarda.com/a/ael-asks-rouhani-to-apologize-/29456365.html
France Restricts Travel By Diplomats To Iran
France has told its diplomats and foreign ministry officials to postpone indefinitely all non-essential travel to Iran, citing a foiled bomb plot and a hardening of Tehran’s attitude towards France, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.
Any hardening of relations with France could have wider implications for Iran. France has been one of the strongest advocates of salvaging a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of in May.
— Read on en.radiofarda.com/a/exclusive-france-restricts-travel-by-diplomats-to-iran/29457960.html
Two Iranian agents arrested here, in the US. Little press coverage
An indictment was returned today charging Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 38, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, and Majid Ghorbani, 59, an Iranian citizen and resident of California, with allegedly acting on behalf of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran by conducting covert surveillance of Israeli and Jewish facilities in the United States, and collecting identifying information about American citizens and U.S. nationals who are members of the group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
— Read on www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-individuals-charged-acting-illegal-agents-government-iran
Talks possible if U.S. apologizes, returns to nuclear deal, says Iranian MP! Lots of luck.
TEHRAN – Ali Najafi Khoshroudi, the spokesman of Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on Saturday that Iran-U.S. talks are possible if Washington apologizes and returns to the 2015 nuclear deal.
— Read on www.tehrantimes.com/news/426142/Talks-possible-if-U-S-apologizes-returns-to-nuclear-deal-says
Iran has never sought regional tension? What utter BULL!!!!Rouhani: Ball in European court – Tehran Times
Elsewhere, Rouhani said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought tension in the region and is not seeking to cause any problem in the international waterways, however we will never abandon our right to export oil.”
— Read on www.tehrantimes.com/news/426020/Rouhani-Ball-in-European-court
Analysis: A deadly plague for Iran, or, Trump is winning!
Iran’s economy will continue to crater into a bottomless pit of misery if the US maintains its campaign of maximum economic pressure. Economic warfare without military intervention has a solid chance to contribute to the demise of Iran’s regime – or, at a minimum, the reversal of Iranian warmongering in the region.
— Read on m.jpost.com/International/ANALYSIS-A-deadly-plague-for-Iran-563890/amp
THE ABYSS BECKONS! 