Iran Allows International Access to Suspected Former Nuclear Sites
Iran agreed to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to two sites where the agency suspects Iran carried out undeclared nuclear activity. The joint announcement came during IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s visit to the country for high-level talks (BBC)
The IAEA, which reports to the United Nations, has sought access to the sites, near the cities of Isfahan and Tehran, for months. In June, it rebuked Iran for undeclared nuclear activities and for resisting IAEA inspections (Radio Farda)
UN Security Council Head Rejects Iran Sanctions
UN Security Council President Dian Triansyah Djani dismissed the U.S. effort to reimpose sanctions on Iran that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, citing disagreements among members over the move. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft rebuked the move (Radio Farda)
U.S. Moves to Reimpose Sanctions on Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered letters to UN leaders accusing Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear agreement, in an effort to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran (NPR)
Other parties to the nuclear deal, including U.S. allies France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, criticized the U.S. move, saying it was incompatible with their support for the agreement, while China called it a “political show” (CNN)
As bilateral tensions remain high, Iran also unveiled two new missiles, including one named for commander Qasem Soleimani (Al-Monitor)
U.S. to Push for Snapback of Iran Sanctions
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to New York today to notify UN officials of President Donald J. Trump’s demand that the international body reimpose sanctions on Iran that were eased under the 2015 nuclear deal. The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2018, prompting questions about whether it can trigger the snapback of sanctions (Politico)
U.S. Confiscates Iranian Fuel Bound for Venezuela
The United States seized Iranian oil from four vessels on their way to Venezuela on the grounds that they are in violation of U.S. sanctions, according to unnamed U.S. officials. The unprecedented move escalates the U.S. pressure campaign against Tehran, along with a proposal to extend an arms embargo against the country (Wall Street Journal)
Five Iranians Arrested for Spying
Authorities arrested five Iranians for allegedly spying for Germany, Israel, and the United Kingdom, sentencing at least two to prison, according to state media. Tensions are rising between Iran and its adversaries as the United States continues to petition UN Security Council members to extend an arms embargo on Iran (Al-Monitor)
U.S. to Urge Extension of Iran Arms Embargo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States will submit a resolution to the UN Security Council urging it to extend an arms sale ban on Iran set to expire in October. China and Russia will likely veto the measure, which could prompt the United States to take action under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a move some critics say it cannot make because the United States withdrew from the agreement in 2018 (Al-Monitor)
Iran Fires at Dummy U.S. Aircraft Carrier in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian forces fired ballistic missiles at a dummy U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz during drills broadcast on state television. The United States put two military bases in the region on alert and rebuked the incident as an attempt “to intimidate and coerce” (BBC)
Iran Receives First Transaction Under Mechanism to Avoid U.S. Sanctions
The Swiss government announced the completion of the first transaction under the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), a mechanism for delivering food and medicine to Iran without violating U.S. sanctions. More shipments are forthcoming, a Swiss official said (Reuters)
Iran Vows Retaliation Against U.S. for Soleimani Killing
In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said his country would “definitely strike back” in response to the United States’ January killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. He also said Iran would not interfere in Iraqi affairs (Radio Farda)
Iran Executes Convicted Spy
Iran’s judiciary announced the execution of Mahmoud Mousavi Majd, a translator convicted for spying for U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies. Majd was arrested in 2018 (Al Jazeera)
China and Iran Negotiate Economic and Security Cooperation
Beijing and Tehran have been negotiating an economic and security agreement that would significantly increase Chinese investment and military cooperation in exchange for Iranian oil. Such a deal would be a major blow to the Donald J. Trump administration’s efforts to isolate Iran (New York Times)
U.S. Rejects UN Assessment of Soleimani Killing
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected a UN expert’s findings that the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was unlawful. Pompeo said the United States had been transparent about the drone strike that killed Soleimani and that it was done in self defense (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
UN Expert: U.S. Killing of Iranian General Soleimani Was Unlawful
A U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in January violated international law, a UN human rights investigator said. The United States did not provide sufficient evidence of an ongoing or imminent attack against its interests to justify the strike, she said (Reuters)
Iran Says Nuclear Program Set Back by Fire
Tehran acknowledged that a fire at a major nuclear fuel–enrichment site last week caused significant damage, setting back the country’s nuclear program. A Middle Eastern intelligence official told the New York Times that Israel was behind the attack on the Natanz nuclear complex (New York Times)
U.S. Plan to Extend Arms Embargo on Iran Faces Opposition
The United States pushed to extend an arms embargo on Iran during a UN Security Council meeting, but China and Russia rejected the move and U.S. allies were ambivalent (New York Times)
Iran Issues Arrest Warrant for Trump
Tehran issued an arrest warrant for President Trump and dozens of other people it believes were involved in the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian prosecutor said. Iran also reportedly sent a request for cooperation to Interpol, an international police organization, which said it would not consider such a request (New York Times)
Iran Investigates Explosion Near Military Base
Iranian officials are investigating a huge explosion that occurred near a major military and weapons-development base near Tehran. A defense ministry spokesperson called it a gas explosion, but military analysts questioned whether it was an accident or sabotage (New York Times)
U.S. Pushes to Extend Iran Arms Embargo
The United States said it would seek the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran if an arms embargo set to expire in October is not extended. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that without the embargo, Tehran could buy advanced weapons systems and provide them to terrorist groups (Associated Press)
IAEA Calls for Access to Iranian Nuclear Sites
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called on Iran to grant UN inspectors access to two sites where nuclear material could still remain (Reuters)
UN Calls for Greater Access to Iran’s Nuclear Sites
The head of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran must provide inspectors access to sites where undeclared nuclear material may have been used or stored. He said Iran has denied access to two sites for more than four months and that it refused to engage in discussions for almost a year (Associated Press)
Iran to Execute Man Allegedly Involved in Soleimani Killing
An Iranian man who provided information to U.S. and Israeli intelligence services about Qasem Soleimani has been sentenced to death. Soleimani, who led Iran’s elite Quds Force, was killed by a U.S. drone strike in January (Reuters)
Iran Releases Detained U.S. Navy Veteran
Tehran released Michael White, a U.S. Navy veteran who was held for two years, in exchange for Washington’s reduction of the sentence of an American-Iranian doctor accused of violating U.S. sanctions. Iran had sentenced White to ten years in prison for insulting its supreme leader and posting private information online (Associated Press)
Iran Calls Out U.S. Protests
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry urged U.S. authorities to “stop violence against your people and let them breathe,” referring to the protests over George Floyd’s killing. Earlier, a senior Iranian legislator said that 230 people died during Iranian protests in November (Al Jazeera)
France, Germany, UK Criticize U.S. Termination of Iran Sanction Waivers
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement saying they “deeply regret” the U.S. decision to end sanctions waivers for work at some Iranian nuclear sites. The countries said the projects helped ensure that Iran’s nuclear program was being used for peaceful purposes (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)