IRGC Navy Commander Says Nine Sailors Have Died In Clashes With US Navy

Hossein Kashefi, the former chief of the Parties House, an umbrella organization that regulates relations among political parties, has said in an interview published by Arman newspaper on November 20 that the way Raisi is running the affairs of the state is not likely to instill hope for promising and essential change in Iran.

In recent weeks, many politicians and commentators from across Iran’s political spectrum have begun criticizing the president for inaction as prices rise and more people fall into poverty.

Kashefi said when Raisi was setting up his cabinet before his inauguration in August, only reformists were unhappy about the choices he was making, but now most of the critics of his cabinet's makeup are conservatives, like those who rejected his latest choice for the post of education minister in parliament last week.

Raisi's lack of success in bringing about positive change in people's lives, which is partly because of his wrong appointments, would dissuade foreign investors from coming to Iran, while foreign investment would be crucial in overcoming the current economic crisis, which is what the people want from the president, Kashefi said.

Kashefi added that choosing the right managers and ministers is key to such improvement, but he did not talk about the negative impact of US sanctions on foreign investment in Iran. However, he vaguely pointed out that only an improvement in the country's foreign policy could have prompted foreign investors to show an interest in Iran.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that nepotism in the Raisi administration that appears to be the most important factor leading to choosing the wrong people, and the fact that he has chosen individuals based on their kinship and political affiliation rather than their qualifications has prompted elite executive workforce to leave the country.

Raisi tweeted in response to similar criticisms following the rejection of his latest choice for the Minister of education in a November 17 tweet that he chooses his colleagues "not based on friendship or kinship or under pressure from the media," adding that he chooses his colleagues "based on their qualifications."

Several Twitter users rejected Raisi's argument in their comments. One reader responded: "But your performance and your choices for your cabinet are contrary to this commitment and what you promised in your election campaign. Your cabinet ministers either lack qualifications." Another user commented: "It is probably sheer coincidence that all of your ministers come from the Imam Sadeq University or are the sons-in-law of Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani."

On the same day, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's official Twitter page also posted a tweet that said, "There are elements in some universities who encourage highly talented young persons to leave the country. I say clearly that this is an act of treason."

Users wrote tens of comments that disagreed with Khamenei's view on the reason why young and talented Iranians leave the country for good. One user wrote: "You are the first and last reason why young people leave the country. You have ruined this country."

Another Twitter user wrote: "They will leave their country as long as they cannot get a job unless they have connections with insiders or are the sons-in-law of well-connected people." Many other users referred to two young elite students, Ali Younesi and Amir Hossein Moradi, who have been jailed and tortured on vague political charges. Still another user reminded Khamenei in reference to similar cases: "The real traitors are those who arrest and imprison the talented people for fictitious charges without thinking of the consequences of what they do."

There was no immediate Saudi confirmation. Saudi Aramco, the state oil firm, said when contacted by Reuters that it would respond at the earliest opportunity.

The Houthi military spokesman said in a televised press conference that the group had also attacked military targets in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Jizan and Najran.

The Houthis have intensified their missile and drone attacks at Saudi Arabia this year, while the Biden Administration removed the group from its terrorism designation and urged Riyadh to try harder for an agreement over Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition attacked Iran-affiliated targets in Yemen on November 17 after intercepting a drone that attempted to attack an airport in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

The coalition was taking "operational measures to deal with the sources of hostile cross-border attacks," Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Secret locations of Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Lebanese Hezbollah forces were targeted.

Reporting by Reuters

Lebanon is facing a diplomatic crisis with Gulf states, triggered by a minister's critical comments about the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen that prompted Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait to expel Lebanon's top diplomats and recall their own envoys.

Concerned about Hezbollah's growing influence, Gulf states - traditional aid donors to Lebanon - have been withholding support to the country which is suffering a deep economic crisis.

"We (can) extend support and try to find solutions in the future, but once it is demonstrated that Hezbollah can be changing its behavior," Zayani told the IISS Manama Dialogue security forum in Bahrain.

Riyadh, locked in a regional rivalry with Iran, has said its measures last month against Lebanon, including an import ban, were not only in response to the minister's remarks, but were also to demonstrate unease over Hezbollah's "domination" of Lebanese politics.

Lebanon's newly appointed information minister George Kordahi said his remarks were made in an interview before he joined the cabinet and has refused to apologize or step down. Hezbollah's leader has supported him in the diplomatic row and rejected calls for his resignation.

Report by Reuters

The attack that took place in the Winterhude district resulted in some damage to the building, but no one was reported hurt.

Local media say since there is strong likelihood of a political motive, German security agencies are involved in the investigation.

The incident coincides with the anniversary of November 2019 protests in Iran when security forces killed hundreds of demonstrators. Opposition groups have been holding gatherings in Hamburg on Friday and Saturday.

Although many diaspora Iranians oppose the Islamic Republic, attacks on Iran’s diplomatic missions are not common.

In a speech in Bahrain during a trip to the Gulf, Austin acknowledged concern in the region and globally that the United States was solely focused on China's challenge. He also defended the Biden Administration policy of engaging in talks with Iran over its nuclear program.

"Let's be clear: America's commitment to security in the Middle East is strong and sure," Austin said.

He said the United States was committed to countering Iran, even as Washington works to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. But there has been little forceful reaction to Iran delaying the resumption of nuclear talks, or to intermittent attacks on US forces in Iran and Syria blamed on Tehran’s proxy militias.

"We remain committed to a diplomatic outcome of the nuclear issue. But if Iran isn't willing to engage seriously, then we will look at all the options necessary to keep the United States secure," Austin said.

Austin also pledged to counter Iran's "dangerous use" of suicide drones in the wider Mideast that have proliferated in recent months.

The Pentagon chief said that Washington would be coming to the indirect negotiations on reviving the deal starting on November 29 in Vienna in good faith.

"But Iran's actions in recent months have not been encouraging - especially because of the expansion of their nuclear program," he Austin said.

Gulf states have asked for any deal to address what they call Iran's ballistic missile program and destabilizing behavior in the region.

It was unclear how much impact Austin's speech would have with Washington's allies in the region, since it was not backed by any announcements of further deployments or new weapon sales in the region.

Gulf Arab states, heavily reliant on the US military umbrella, have expressed uncertainty about President Joe Biden's focus on the region, especially after the hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan. They are now closely watching efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement known as JCPOA, as Tehran continues uranium enrichment and support for proxy forces throughout the Middle East.

'IMPENDING AMERICAN ABANDONMENT'?

While a number of US administrations have tried to move the focus away from the Middle East and towards the Pacific, Biden in August ended the longest US war, in Afghanistan.

"There's dismay that the United States is on its way out the door. I'm not sure messaging addresses that sense of impending American abandonment," Jon Alterman of the Washington CSIS think-tank told Reuters.

A senior US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Austin was not expected to make new commitments in the region during his trip.

Saudi Arabia, one of Washington's closest regional allies, has been frustrated by the approach of Biden's White House, which has pressed Riyadh to improve its human rights record and end the war in Yemen. Iran’s answer to this has been more missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia by its Houthi allies in Yemen.

Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal, attending the Manama security forum, welcomed verbal assurances but said "demonstrative actions are equally important".

He cited the need to prevent Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis from obtaining arms. Washington is pressing Riyadh to lift a coalition blockade on Houthi-held areas, a condition from the group for ceasefire talks.

Austin was set to visit Saudi Arabia in September, but the trip was postponed at the last minute. He will not be visiting Riyadh on this trip.

Reporting by Reuters and AP