Iran

Iran’s exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi said this week that the mummified remains of a body unearthed in Shahr-e Rey, Tehran, on Monday likely belong to his late grandfather, Reza Shah Pahlavi, the founder of the Pahlavi Dynasty. Pahlavi posted a statement on Twitter about the body.“After further evaluation, we believe that this body most probably belongs to my grandfather, Reza Shah,” Pahlavi wrote in his statement. The body was reportedly discovered by construction workers and images of these workers taking pictures with the allegedly royal remains quickly spread over social media.Shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, a mob demolished Reza Shah’s tomb. Pahlavi noted, “At no point did my father or my family remove Reza Shah’s body from his mausoleum in Shahr Rey and any rumors to the contrary are unfounded. We ask that the current regime and its officials afford our family access to the body.” He also took to Twitter and called for all … [Read more...] about Iran’s Exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi Says Unearthed Mummy Likely Reza Shah

The Times of Israel reports: Iran’s top leader said Monday the United States is pushing Saudi Arabia into a war against Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on his website that the “Americans are trying to put Saudis and some other regional countries before Iran. If they are wise, they should not be deceived by the US.”Khamenei accused the US of waging economic war against his country. He met with thousands of workers on the eve of Labor Day and urged Iranians to boost their economy by buying locally manufactured products and services. Read more here. … [Read more...] about Khamenei Warns Anyone Who Attacks Iran ‘Will Be Hit Multiple Times’

Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish officials met with Iranian counterparts this week as Tehran makes a bid to convince the Kurds to abandon their relationship with the United States. In Iraq, the Islamic Republic is trying to woo the country’s Kurds after clashes between the two sides over the Kurdish efforts to break away from Baghdad.While testifying before a Senate panel last week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis acknowledged that the potential for war between mortal enemies Israel and Iran is very real. Asked whether an escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran in Syria is likely, Mattis said: I believe the short answer is yes, Senator. I can see how it might start. I’m not sure when or where. I think that it’s very likely in Syria because Iran continues to do its proxy work there — through Lebanese Hezbollah … and so I could imagine this sparking something larger. Both Tehran and Moscow also want to secure dictator Bashar al-Assad’s future and … [Read more...] about Tehran Tries to Woo Kurds Away from U.S. Amid Threat of Iran-Israel War in Syria

The Israeli military released a series of images Friday it said showed the extent of damage to Iranian intelligence installations in Syria targeted during a massive aerial bombardment just 24 hours earlier. The photos show the sites before they were attacked, including installations at Tel Gharba, Tel Kleb, Nabi Yusha and Tel Maqdad, according to the Israel Defense Forces spokesperson’s unit.All were hit during pre-dawn attacks, as Israeli F-15 and F-16 fighter jets evaded “dozens of missiles” and dropped “many dozens” of bombs on over 50 Iranian targets throughout Syria as the Israel air force carried out an extensive campaign, dubbed “Operation House of Cards,” to try and destroy Iran’s military presence in the country. Images released by the IDF show Iranian intelligence sites in Syria (IDF Spokesperson). The army also published pictures Friday of what it said was an Iranian Quds Force compound in al-Kisweh, south of Damascus, and … [Read more...] about Destroyed: IDF Pics Show Targeted Iran Bases in Syria

The United States Navy expects a “period of uncertainty” in the Persian Gulf following President Donald Trump’s decision to terminate America’s participation in the Iran nuclear deal, the chief of the U.S. military branch said this week. “It is a period of uncertainty that we are entering into right, how the whole world will respond to this latest development,” Adm. John Richardson, the chief of U.S. Naval Operations, told reporters, according to Reuters.“[We have to] remain alert, I mean even a little bit more alert than usual to just be open to any kind of response or new development or something like that,” Richardson added. Adm. Richardson spoke to reporters after visiting the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush off the coast of Virginia where American and French troops are participating in joint training. “Richardson said the U.S. Navy had not seen provocative Iranian behavior in the Gulf since Trump’s announcement but … [Read more...] about U.S. Navy Expects ‘Uncertainty’ in Persian Gulf Post-Iran Nuclear Deal Withdrawal