US And Qatar Reportedly Agree To Withhold $6 Billion Iran Funds

Ham Mihan newspaper warned the officials that comments in support of Hamas might invite trouble for Iran and its national interests as foreign countries might take advantage of such provocative comments to prove that Iran was behind the attack by Hamas. 

Although the United States and Israel have not directly implicated Iran, many Iranians on social media have provided incriminating substance against Tehran, including a comment by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who said in previous years: "We intervened [in regional conflicts] due to our enmity with Israel and the result was the victory in the 33-day and 22-day wars. We will help any group that would fight Israel." 

On the first day of Hamas's attack, Khamenei's senior military adviser Yahya Rahim Safavi also reiterated Iran's support for Hamas and said: "We support the operation #Al-Aqsa _Storm. Certainly, the #Resistance_Front also supports this operation. We congratulate the Palestinian combatants for this operation. Certainly, ‘the defenders of the haram’ [Official jargon to refer to the Iranian militia in Syria] and great martyrs such as [Former IRGC Qods Force Commander] Qassem Soleimani are accompanying these combatants. We stand with you until the liberation of #Palestine." 

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However, as many Iranians noted on social media, Khamenei took back his words in a softened comment after warning by US officials about possible retaliation and said: "The Islamic Iran is being named as the country behind this move [by Hamas]. But they make a mistake. This was done by Palestinians themselves.

Ham Mihan noted that certain statements by Iranian officials have raised concerns regarding international reactions. The daily also cautioned that the pro-Hamas propaganda on state TV, under Khamenei's supervision, will not only anger foreign governments but also negatively impact the mood of the Iranian people, potentially turning them against the government. This has already been evident on social media, especially given the Iranian public's keen attention to content broadcast on foreign-based Persian satellite TV.

In Iran, conservative commentator Nasser Imani suggested that the international community should distinguish between Iran's financial and spiritual support for Palestinian groups and Tehran's alleged involvement in aggressions like the October 7 attack by Hamas. However, he appeared to overlook the fact that Iran's financial support could readily translate into missiles, drones, and other weaponry.

Meanwhile, Iranian Israeli commentator Meir Javedanfar told Iran International TV, which has been broadcasting one of its flagship news bulletins live from Jerusalem this week, that Israel has been garnering international support for an all-out attack on Gaza. Javedanfar added that at the same time Israel is collecting intelligence about Israeli and other hostages' whereabouts to keep them safe from the impact of air raids. 

Javedanfar added that Israel also calls residents of buildings in Gaza or sends SMS warnings to them in advance about incoming attacks. However, he said Israel is adamant to expel Hamas leaders from Gaza, although some of them live abroad with their families.

Another commentator, Ben Sabti, a researcher in Iran-Israel affairs, talked with Iran International about the possibility of Iran getting involved in the conflicts. Sabti Said: "This is a different kind of war and Hamas’ missile attacks which were examples of an all-out war by an army rather than a group indicate that Iran's Islamic government was involved by offering guidance or by sending money and providing weapons."

Sabti added: "We see that Hamas leaders take part in regular meetings with the IRGC Qods Force, and this is not something Israel could possibly ignore. If Israel does not target the snake's head and does not deal a hard blow to the Iranian regime, the same kind of attacks will reoccur in a few months from now." He stated that a siege on Gaza or military attacks alone are insufficient to eliminate Hamas, as their leaders are hiding in tunnels and won't be easily affected.

The remarkable structure, also referred to as the Gate of Cyrus, spans an impressive 40 meters in length, 10 meters in width, and boasts a substantial thickness of five meters, constructed entirely from a combination of bricks and tiles.

One of the fascinating construction techniques employed in the creation of the Gate of Persepolis in Pasargadae is the extensive use of bitumen mortar.

Notably, the most recent findings have brought to light a striking array of glazed bricks adorning the entirety of the gate's eastern wall. The vibrant, glazed tile panels feature depictions of legendary animals, eight-petaled flowers, and a palette of glazed bricks in shades of white, yellow, blue, and green, suggesting that, during its zenith, this gateway stood as one of the most renowned in the ancient world.

Situated approximately three kilometers northwest of Persepolis, in the area known as the Firuzabad Garden, the ancient site recognized as Tal-e Ajori, has revealed remarkable insights into the historical past.

The monumental structure once provided access to a royal garden known as "Paradise," which included a grand palace that now lies in ruins at the Firuzabad site. Over time, the commemorative gateway was abandoned during the Achaemenid era, later succumbed to the destructive force of a significant earthquake and was subsequently subject to plunder during subsequent eras.

At the height of its power, the Achaemenid empire established by Persian monarchs Cyrus and Darius in 550 BC extended from the Balkans to Central Asia. It notably set the precedent as the first state model founded on principles of diversity and a remarkable tolerance for various cultures and religions.

The tour, which includes visits to Iraq and Lebanon, was officially announced by Iranian state media and will begin with Amir-Abdollahian's visit to Iraq, followed by a subsequent trip to Lebanon.

"In light of the current Palestinian events, the crimes committed against Gaza and their dangerous ramifications, the foreign minister's regional trip will start today", Iran's ambassador in Lebanon said on social media.

Overnight, the Iranian FM held discussions with his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, during which he called upon Islamic and Arab countries to extend their support to the Palestinian people, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also engaged in separate telephone conversations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Before the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict, Iranian officials had made frequent diplomatic visits to Syria and Lebanon as part of their regional strategy. Tehran has a long history of supporting various terror groups, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.

The Islamic Republic’s support for Palestinian groups has been a source of tension and conflict in the region. It has contributed to ongoing instability in the Middle East and has often been a point of contention in international relations, particularly in the context of negotiations and peace efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Additionally, Iraqi groups aligned with Iran have issued a warning that they may become involved in the Hamas-Israel conflict should Israel intensify its attacks on Hezbollah. The development, amidst rapidly rising tensions, has raised concerns about the potential for a wider regional conflict.

In a show of solidarity with Israel, the US is attempting to prevent the conflict’s escalation and participate in possible hostage negotiations with possibly dozens of US citizens held by Hamas in Gaza.

On Thursday, Blinken wrote on X: "I’m in Israel today to make one thing clear: The United States stands with Israel and its people, and we will always stand — resolutely — against terrorism.”

The visit is further messaging to Iran not to take matters further with its proxies on Israel’s Lebanon and Syrian borders as missiles have been fired in recent days taking the war to yet more fronts beyond Gaza, where Iran-backed Hamas has unleashed all-out war on Israel in the early hours of Saturday morning. Hundreds of militia infiltrated Israel through land, air and sea.

While celebrations of the assault on Israel have rung out in Tehran and US President Joe Biden said a deployment of military ships and aircraft closer to Israel should be seen as a signal to Iran to stay out of the conflict, in a powerful message, Biden said: ”We made it clear to the Iranians, be careful.”

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Blinken for the show of loyalty. “Mr. Secretary, you come here to a nation that is hurting, a nation of fighters, a nation of lions, a nation that is determined to defeat the forces of evil around us,” he said.

The war so far has seen at least 1,300 Israelis killed, with civilians including women and children burnt alive, murdered in their homes and a further 150 taken hostage in Gaza while over 3,000 have been wounded.

“President Biden was absolutely correct in calling this sheer evil,” Netanyahu added. “Hamas is ISIS and just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. And Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated.”

Alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several top figures attended the meeting with Blinken, including Foreign Affairs Minister Eli Cohen, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff and the Director of the National Security Council.

Among those attending for the American side were the Acting US Ambassador to Israel, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and the Diplomatic Adviser.

Meanwhile, Syria's state television claimed Israel launched attacks on the main airports in the capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday, believed to be stopping the import of Iranian weapons and capabilities to send to its proxies in the region.

Syria said the attacks damaged the runways and put both hubs out of service. Speaking to Syria’s state news agency, a Syrian military source said "bursts of missiles" hit the two airports at the same time, in what he said was a bid to distract the world's attention from Israel's war with Hamas militants in Gaza.

The attacks came a day before Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, was due to visit Syria, the timing not deemed a coincidence as Israel cuts off the regime’s influence and military might on its borders.

The attack resulted in damage to the facility and some of the stored grain, though the primary target of the drones appeared to be the Danube port infrastructure.

"Unfortunately, there was a hit on port infrastructure. A grain storage facility was damaged, there is damage directly to the grain itself," Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for the southern military command, told an online briefing. The quantity of damaged grain was not disclosed by her.

In response to the aerial threat, Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed ten Shahed-type drones in the vicinity. Additionally, four more drones were downed in the Mykolaiv Oblast, according to the defense forces Telegram channel.

On Tuesday, Russia launched a total of 36 Iranian drones at Ukraine. Of these, 27 were neutralized by Ukrainian air defense systems. The Iran-manufactured Shahed drones executed attacks in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions, with the assault on Odessa Oblast persisting for three hours and specifically targeting transport infrastructure.

Since mid-2022, Iran has reportedly supplied a substantial number of kamikaze Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Russia, which have been extensively deployed to target civilian infrastructure and cities. The drones have also been incorporated into large-scale missile attacks, overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses.

Despite Iran's denials regarding its involvement in supplying drones and potentially other weaponry to Russia, the United States and its NATO allies have imposed a series of sanctions on individuals and entities implicated in the drone shipments.