US-Led Naval Coalition Warns Ships To Avoid Iranian Waters

Mohammad-Reza Farzin's post on social media appeared to confirm comments a day earlier by Washington, which said there would be restrictions on what Iran could do with any funds unfrozen under an emerging deal that has led to the release of five Americans from prison to house arrest in Tehran.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said Iran could only access the funds for basic necessities of humanitarian nature. An estimated $6 billion in Iranian assets have been held in South Korea.

"Essentially, the funds can only be accessed for food, medicine, medical equipment that would not have a dual military use," he said. "And there will be a rigorous process of due diligence and standards applied with input from the US Treasury Department."

However, It is not clear how the US will control the disbursements of the funds, which will be kept in six Iranian bank accounts in Qatar in euros, as any transfer of funds will be outside US control of dollar-denominated transactions.

Earlier, Iran's foreign ministry and government media insisted that the unfrozen funds would be under Tehran's direct and unrestricted control.

The five Americans will be allowed to leave Iran once the funds are unfrozen, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

"Congratulations to the foreign exchange diplomacy team for successfully releasing seized foreign currency resources," he said in the post on X.

He added that the costs of converting the funds from South Korea's won currency to euros would be accepted by the "third country" where the money would be deposited to buy "non-sanctioned goods".

A Jewish Iranian individual was apprehended upon entry into the country with a seemingly innocuous tissue box that concealed surveillance equipment.

The detained individual, who has family ties in Israel, confessed during interrogation at Ben Gurion Airport that he had been dispatched by Iranian security operatives to spy on Israeli targets. Discovered in possession of cellphones, power banks, and currency, the individual was denied entry and subsequently deported to Iran.

"The event is indicative of a broader Iranian campaign to establish espionage and terror networks within Israel," stated the Shin Bet in an official release.

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York abstained from immediate comment on the matter to news agencies.

In response to queries regarding the deportation rather than legal prosecution of the suspect, a security official, speaking to Reuters, elucidated that the decision took into account various operational considerations. The agency assessed that the suspect had been coerced and driven by financial incentives. The official further noted that the legal viability of prosecution was deemed "low," given the individual's non-Israeli citizenship status.

The ongoing confrontation between Israel and Iran has spanned decades, characterized by mutual accusations of sabotage and conspiracy to assassinate.

The World Jewish Congress estimates that before the establishment of the Islamic Republic Iran was home to around 80,000 Jews. Subsequently, most emigrated from the country, still leaving behind what is believed to be the largest Jewish community in the Middle East, outside of Israel.

On July 20, the EU Council adopted a decision introducing a fresh sanctions framework aimed at Iran's involvement in supporting Russia's military. This framework includes a ban on exporting components for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from the EU to Iran, as well as provisions for potential travel bans and asset freezes targeting individuals connected to Iran's UAV program.

The candidate countries - North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina - along with EFTA members Iceland and Liechtenstein, have aligned themselves with this Council decision. This alignment signifies their commitment to adapting their national policies to reflect the provisions outlined in the decision.

The European Union commended these countries for their commitment and welcomes their alignment with the sanctions.

This alignment comes in the wake of a contentious international debate sparked by the delivery of Iranian-manufactured drones to Russia. This issue gained significant attention following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Iran initially refuted allegations of supplying Shahed suicide drones to Russia, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian later admitted to the transfers in November 2022. He asserted that the deliveries occurred before the Ukrainian conflict commenced, and on a limited scale.

However, Ukrainian authorities strongly contested Iran's account, presenting substantial physical evidence suggesting ongoing and substantial drone deliveries from Iran.

In response to these allegations, the European Union, along with the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, implemented punitive measures against Iran.

Iran and the United States announced Thursday that several US citizens held hostage by Tehran had been released from prison into house custody and may be freed in exchange for $6 billion frozen in South Korea.

In a solemn family sit-in outside the White House, Darin Dalili, Shahab Dalili's son, an Iranian citizen with permanent residence status in the United States who remains imprisoned in Iran, expressed his disappointment and concern regarding the US government's response to prisoners with green cards.

Dalili conveyed his disappointment with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's recent statement indicating a lack of knowledge about prisoners with green cards, emphasizing that his family had been in communication with the US State Department for years, striving to highlight the situation. He asserted that such a stance from the US government could be interpreted as yielding to pressures by the Islamic Republic.

Highlighting a discrepancy between policy and practice, Dalili pointed out the apparent contradiction with the Robert Levinson Law, which addresses the return of hostages, including US permanent residents. He underlined that despite this law, a green card holder remains imprisoned in Iran without clear resolution or intervention from US authorities.

Earlier, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken addressed the matter, saying that, aside from the five American citizens currently imprisoned in Iran, the US government lacks awareness of any other American citizens being held in the country.

Many moderates have signaled their unwillingness to register as candidates, given their fear that hardliners using their political power will disqualify them, similar to what took place in 2020 and 2021.

However, a former speaker of the Parliament who is a close relative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says reformists will take part in the election despite playing coy.

Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel told Young Journalist Club conservative website that "Some reformists are serious about what they say, but some are more realistic. They will act coquettishly, but they will take part in the elections anyway."

Whether he is right in his prediction, many Iranians see the elections as a ruse and will not go to vote for any regime faction. They have lost hope that the Islamic Republic can improve and solve their multiple grievances.

This is why Haddad-Adel called on Iranians to take part in the elections as a high turnout will lend the Islamic Republic authority and political leverage.

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Also speaking to the press this week, former lawmaker Tayebeh Siavashi, a reformist political figure, said: "The Islamic Republic's existence depends on the people's participation in the elections. If the people refuse, the Islamic Republic will no longer exist, or its survival will be endangered."

However, she added that the current Majles (parliament) has disappointed the people as legislation that lawmakers approve is far from what voters are demanding. As evidence she pointed to recent amendments the lawmakers passed to the Election Law, which were mainly meant to ensure their re-election.

She further argued that the changes in the election law are unlikely to lead to economic progress or strengthening democracy and creating welfare for the nation. Siavashi reiterated that the amended election law simply serves the interests of one particular political group, presumably the ultraconservatives in Paydari Party who hold the majority of seats in the Iranian parliament. This, she said, threatens the regime's legitimacy.

Siavashi added that what is currently taking place regarding the upcoming elections is mainly meant to ensure the ultraconservatives' control of the government even at the expense of considerably lowering the turnout.

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She said some of the bills recently approved or being discussed at the parliament such as the laws about restricting Internet access or harsh regulations to impose the compulsory hijab on Iranian women have caused a lot of protests, but the government does not pay any attention to the people's demands or even their protests.

Contrary to the reluctance of moderates and reformists, some conservatives such as Asadollah Badamchian, the leader of the Islamic Coalition Party are keen to take part in the elections, although his traditional conservative party has little chance of winning more than a few seats in the parliament.

Badamchian has said his party will nominate 400 candidates for the 290 seats in the parliament. This will effectively mean that some 110 of his party members have to compete against other members, even if the party wins all the seats of the parliament.

However, not all the conservatives are determined to take part in the elections. Ahmad Alirezabeigi, a lawmaker close to former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the press on Wednesday that the former President is not planning to take part in the March 2024 elections either as a candidate or as a kingmaker to promote other candidates.