Iran News Roundup: August 2, 2012
Congress Sends New Sanctions Bill to President A day after President Obama increased sanctions on Iran via executive order, Congress is sending a new sanctions bill to the President’s desk, which attempts to bankrupt Iran and cause hyperinflation by preventing Iran from repatriating any revenue from its energy. NIAC criticized the sanctions, saying “The bill imposes […]
Iran News Roundup: August 1, 2012
Netanyahu Challenges Credibility of US Threat Against Iran Speaking next to US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned, “Right now the Iranian regime believes that the international community does not have the will to stop its nuclear program.” Panetta responded by reiterating that “If they make the decision to […]
Iran News Roundup: July 31, 2012
Obama Authorizes New Iran Sanctions President Obama authorized new sanctions against banks that facilitate the sale of petrochemical products by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Naftiran Intertrade Company (NIC). Additionally, the President imposed sanctions on the Bank of Kunlun in China and Elaf Islamic Bank in Iraq for processing transactions for sanctioned Iranian […]
Iran News Roundup: July 6, 2012
MEK Supporters Face Allegations of Unregistered Lobbying for Terrorist Organization Under federal law, advocates for foreign organization are required to register as lobbyists and provide details about their clients and income, but supporters of the Mujaheddin-e Khalq (MEK), a well-financed designated terrorist organization, have not registered, according to a Washington Post investigation. The MEK supporters […]
RT: More Questions Surround Advocacy Group Pushing for MEK Delisting
The Mujahedin-e Khalq is allegedly responsible for assassinating US citizens and even worked together with Saddam Hussein. They’ve been on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist List for approximately 15 years, so why is there this push to remove the MEK as terrorists? NIAC Policy Director Jamal Abdi considers possible motives.
Iran News Roundup: 19 June 2012
Moscow Talks Concludes Talks concluded today with the parties agreeing to an “early follow-on technical-level meeting” in Istanbul on July 3rd, to be followed by a meeting at the deputy-level between the EU and Iran (Reuters 6/19). EU representative Catherine Ashton said the P5+1 remains “absolutely unified in seeking a swift diplomatic resolution to international […]
MEK Working Through Senate to Sabotage Iran Diplomacy
Affiliates of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, are claiming to be behind a major letter from the Senate aimed at curtailing U.S. diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute.
Hawks Attack Iran Diplomacy, Call for Delisting Mujahedeen and War
General Thomas McInerney USAF (ret) and former CIA officer Clare Lopez spoke on a Capitol Hill panel demanding the U.S. abandon diplomatic efforts with Iran, remove the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) from the terrorist list, and prepare for all-out war.
RT: US Moving to Delist MEK?
NIAC Research Director Reza Marashi discusses recent developments about the MEK, including the Wall Street Journal’s report that the Obama administration may remove the MEK from the State Department’s list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.
RT: Iranian Terrorists Are “Good” Terrorists?
President Obama may remove the MEK organization responsible for assassinating US citizens from America’s terrorist list. So why would President Obama pardon the organization? NIAC Policy Director Jamal Abdi takes a closer look.
Is Israel Flirting with Iranian Terrorists?
NBC reported that Israel financed, trained and armed the MEK to carry out deadly attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists. That it collaborated with a fundamentally anti-Israeli, Marxist-Islamist terror organization was surprising as was the Obama administration’s decision to divulge this information and embarrass its close ally publicly.
RT: US Trained MEK on US Soil?
The US may have been arming and training the MEK, or Mujahedin-e Khalq, right here on US soil at the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site. If this is true the next question we have to ask is why? NIAC Research Director Reza Marashi weighs in.