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U.S. Parts Allegedly Found in Iranian Drones Russia Is Using to Pummel Ukraine

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The U.S. government is investigating the circumstances behind Western-made parts found in Iranian drones Russia has used to pummel Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Of more than 200 technical components found in remains of shot-down Iranian drones, at least half could be traced to U.S. firms and a third to firms in Japan, the WSJ reported, citing Ukrainian military intelligence verified in a report by Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) and viewed by the outlet. Despite U.S. efforts to thwart Russia’s supply of Iranian drones, the Kremlin continues to employ the weapons in highly destructive attacks on civilian targets throughout Ukraine.

“The proliferation of weapons into Ukraine for use against Ukrainian people is a top priority for us, and we’re going to investigate any illegal export that might be connected with that effort,” a senior official from the U.S. Commerce Department, responsible for much of a sanctions regime of historic proportions targeting Iranian weapons exports, told the WSJ.

Ukrainian intelligence estimated that up to three quarters of the parts in Iran’s drones, primarily the Shahed-136 “suicide” drone and the Mohajer-6, were of U.S. origin, according to the WSJ.

U.S. officials involved in export controls either declined to comment or were not able to confirm the origin of drone parts, the WSJ reported. However, industry officials familiar with the matter told the WSJ the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security had initiated a probe into Western-origin parts. (Read more from “U.S. Parts Allegedly Found in Iranian Drones Russia Is Using to Pummel Ukraine” HERE)

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Elon Musk Announces He’s Activating Starlink Internet in Iran Amid Protests

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Elon Musk announced he is activating Starlink satellite internet service in Iran after the nation cut off communications during recent protests.

Musk made the news public on Friday following a policy change by the Treasury Department earlier the same day, allowing companies to provide online services to Iran after the government’s crackdown. . .

Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo also noted that the new move by the U.S. government would increase options for internet communications for the Iranian people.

“As courageous Iranians take to the streets to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, the United States is redoubling its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people,” Adeyemo said in a statement to Reuters. (Read more from “Elon Musk Announces He’s Activating Starlink Internet in Iran Amid Protests” HERE)

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John Bolton Demands Action From Biden Admin Over Iran’s ‘Act of War’

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Former White House national security adviser Amb. John Bolton said the assassination plot against him by an Iranian operative, and continued threats from Iran to American citizens on American soil is “unprecedented” and “an act of war,” telling Fox News the Biden administration has been “signaling weakness” to Tehran and should “terminate” negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal.

The Justice Department on Wednesday announced charges against Iranian operative Shahram Poursafi, a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, for an alleged plot to assassinate Bolton, who served as former President Trump’s national security adviser until 2019.

U.S. officials said the plot was likely planned in retaliation for the January 2020 strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, a revered Iranian leader and the head of Iran’s Quds Force.

In an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, Bolton said he had been “aware” of plots against him for “some time.”

Bolton said in the spring of 2020, the FBI contacted him with a “duty to warn.” (Read more from “John Bolton Demands Action From Biden Admin Over Iran’s ‘Act of War’” HERE)

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Top Iranian Official: We’re Capable of Making a Nuclear Bomb

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Iran is technically capable of making a nuclear bomb, a senior aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told Al Jazeera Arabic on Sunday, adding that the country would target “deep into” Israel if need be.

“Iran has the technical means to produce a nuclear bomb but there has been no decision by Iran to build it,” Kamal Kharrazi said, according to a translation by Reuters.

The U.S. and UN nuclear watchdog, meanwhile, have always maintained that Iran may not be equipped with the knowledge to actually manufacture a bomb.

“In a few days we were able to enrich uranium up to 60% and we can easily produce 90% enriched uranium,” Kharrazi, who is the head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign relations, said.

Tehran would “directly respond” to Israel if “our sensitive facilities were targeted,” he added. (Read more from “Top Iranian Official: We’re Capable of Making a Nuclear Bomb” HERE)

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Biden Open to Using Force Against Iran to Prevent Nuclear Weapons

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President Joe Biden said he would be open to using force against Iran in order to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Asked by Israeli news anchor Yonit Levi whether he would be willing to take a stronger stance to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, Biden said, “As a last resort, yes.”

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 News that aired on Wednesday, the president doubled down on his efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that he said his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, made the “gigantic mistake” of withdrawing the U.S. from.

“The only thing worse than the Iran that exists now is Iran with nuclear weapons,” Biden told Levi. “If we can return to the deal and hold on tight—I think it was a gigantic mistake for the last president to get out of the deal.” (Read more from “Biden Open to Using Force Against Iran to Prevent Nuclear Weapons” HERE)

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Iran Now Has Enough Enriched Uranium to Build Nuclear Bomb: UN

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The UN’s nuclear watchdog reported Tuesday that Iran has stocked up enough enriched uranium to build an atomic bomb.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the Islamic Republic has built a stockpile of 95 pounds worth of uranium enriched to 60%, up from just 22 pounds three months ago. If enriched further to 90%, that uranium would be enough to build a nuclear bomb, according to NBC News, which obtained the report.

The report said that Iran would not face technical challenges if it wished to enrich the uranium further to reach the 90% threshold, according to the outlet. The agency also reported that Iran had not disclosed the location of some nuclear materials despite having ample opportunity to do so. (Read more from “Iran Now Has Enough Enriched Uranium to Build Nuclear Bomb: UN” HERE)

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Iran Looking to Attack US for ‘Revenge’ Over Soleimani Assassination

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Iran is attempting to inflict “revenge” against the United States over the assassination of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, according to the director of national intelligence.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who served in then-President Donald Trump’s Cabinet when Soleimani was killed, has been a target of Iran, his successor Antony Blinken told Congress last month. Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, attributed Iran’s efforts against current and former U.S. officials as an attempt to avenge Soleimani’s January 2020 death in Iraq, where he was killed in an American strike.

“A fair amount of their motivation in this scenario we assess to be in relation to Soleimani as part of their sort of efforts for revenge, and is a particularly challenging area, I think, to deter them from action in this space,” she said, noting that she could go into further detail in a classified setting.

Pompeo isn’t the only former Trump official to be in Iran’s crosshairs. Former national security adviser John Bolton has also been the target of supposed assassination plots, among others. A Feb. 14 State Department report to Congress revealed that it costs the Diplomatic Security Service $2 million per month to protect Pompeo.

While U.S. officials face threats from Iran, the Biden administration is seeking to reenter an agreement similar to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which intends to cap Iran’s nuclear activity in exchange for a rollback of international sanctions and was later abandoned by the Trump administration. (Read more from “Iran Looking to Attack US for ‘Revenge’ Over Soleimani Assassination” HERE)

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Plot to Kill U.S. General Foiled

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A plot by the terrorism-sponsoring Iranian government to kill a U.S. general has been foiled, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post.

The report noted that the scheme also targeted an Israeli diplomat as well as a journalist in France.

The Post said Israeli’s intelligence corps, the Mossad, was operating in Iran and apprehended and interrogated an Iranian national who was “leading a plot” to kill the three.

A recording revealed that a suspect identified as Mansour Rasouli admitted he had been ordered to establish a cell to assassinate a worker at the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, a U.S. general stationed in Germany and a journalist in France, the report said.

The report said the planned attack revealed the threat of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a terror-supporting organization that Joe Biden’s administration has been lobbied to remove from the list of international terror groups as part of his efforts to restore the failed Iran nuclear deal. (Read more from “Plot to Kill U.S. General Foiled” HERE)

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US Envoy Downplays Expectations That New Iran Nuclear Accord Is Close

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The US special envoy to Iran​ on Sunday chilled expectations that a new nuclear deal between Iran and world powers was imminent as 11 months of talks stalled amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

​”I can’t be confident it is imminent​. ​… A few months ago we thought we were pretty close as well,” ​Robert ​Malley said at the Doha Forum international conference​ in Qatar​.

“In any negotiations, when there’s issues that remain open for so long, it tells you something about how hard it is to bridge the gap. ​​”

But Malley’s assessment of the Biden administration’s efforts to revive the 2015 deal brokered by the Obama White House​ was at odds with comments from an Iranian official. ​

“Yes, it’s imminent. It depends on the political will of the United States,” ​Kamal ​Kharrazi​, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said at the conference.​ (Read more from “US Envoy Downplays Expectations That New Iran Nuclear Accord Is Close” HERE)

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Missiles Fired at US Consulate in Iraq Reportedly Came From Iran

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The United States may find itself involved in another foreign policy crisis. Reports, as well as video footage, have indicated that several long-range ballistic missiles have been fired at the U.S. consulate in Erbil, Iraq. Writing for the Associated Press, Qassim Abdul-Zahra reported that at least six missiles have hit the consulate. Though reports are still coming in, with security officials from Iraq and the United States cited as saying there are no casualties at this time. . .

The Iran deal may have something to do with it:

One of the officials said the ballistic missiles were fired from Iran, without elaborating.

The attack comes several days after an Israeli strike near Damascus, Syria killed two members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Iran’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the attack Wednesday and vowed revenge.

On Sunday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted Iraqi media acknowledging the attacks in Irbil, without saying where they originated.

(Read more from “Missiles Fired at US Consulate in Iraq Reportedly Came From Iran” HERE)

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