Jaish ul-Adl: Execution of Iranian Border Guard – Confirmation by Iran

UPDATE: Iran has confirmed that the militant Baluch group Jaish ul-Adl has executed one of the five border guards. (Fars News Agency, 25 March)

Jaish ul-Adl identified the slain guard as Pasdar Corporal First Class Jamshid Danayeefar. Fars New Agency has identified Danayeefar by a red circle in the original photo released by Jaish ul-Adl (above.)

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The militant Baluch group Jaish ul-Adl on Sunday announced the execution of one of the five Iranian border guards it has kept in detention since abducting them on 6 February in Jakigour region, on Iranian side of Baluchistan. 

Jaish ul-Adl announced the execution on its Twitter account. It identified the slain guard as Pasdar Corporal First Class Jamshid Danayeefar. The group said its action was in retaliation of the recent execution by Iran of one of its own members. The group also said it would deliver Danayeefar’s body to the authorities in return for 50 bodies of its members it claimed to have been executed in Iran.

Today, Iran’s official news agency IRNA conformed the report of the execution, citing an informed source in Pakistan. The Iranian Interior Ministry, however, denied the report. Its spokesman said, “We don’t confirm this report; were it true, we would have been informed.” (Fars News Agency, 24 March)

Iranian Interior Ministry did not say who would have informed them if the report were true. Jaish ul-Adl is believed to have transferred the guards to Pakistani Baluchistan. If true, then the powerful Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, with its vast presence in the province, should know about the location where the guards are kept. IRNA and Interior Ministry did not disclose the sources of their conflicting reports, or whether the Iranian authorities are coordinating their actions with their Pakistani counterparts and the ISI.  

The Iranian authorities had said in recent days that they were negotiating with the militants for the border guards’ release, without disclosing the terms of such agreement. Now that Jaish ul-Adl has announced the execution of one of the guards, it is not clear if they would still pursue negotiations, as opposed to engaging in military operations, including sending in the IRGC’s Special Forces, that they had hinted last month, to free the rest of hostages. 

Odessa Philharmonic Performing for Peace and Joy

Hobart Earle and Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra performing at the legendary Odessa Privoz market on Saturday 22 March; generating a powerful and exhilarating atmosphere amid the tense situation of the past few days.

Positions of Iran, World Powers on Enrichment ‘Far Apart’

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency today quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and nuclear negotiator Sergei Ryabkov as saying that, “The positions of Iran and the six world powers are far apart on the issue of uranium enrichment.” (Fars News Agency, 23 March)

Fars also added that Ryabkov’s comments were in contrast to Iran’s own foreign minister’s assessment of the talks.

“(Ryabkov’s) remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed pleasure in the recent nuclear talks with the world powers, and said major progress has been made in the negotiations,” said Fars

Fars reprinted a quote from IRNA’s interview with him on Thursday:  

“Another successful outcome of Vienna II has been the fact that the position of all sides on the four major issues -- enrichment, sanctions, international peaceful nuclear cooperation and the Arak reactor -- has been clarified, according to Zarif.” 

Fars, believed to generally represent the country’s hard right, has been cautious, and at times uncomfortable, with reported success at nuclear negotiations, which aim to reach final comprehensive accord on the country’s nuclear program. 

Turkey Shoots Down Syrian MIG-23

Turkish F-16s shot down a Syrian MIG-23 on Sunday, which Turkey said had crossed into its air space, in an area of heavy fighting between the government and rebels for the control of a border crossing.

“A Syrian plane violated our airspace,” Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan announced. “Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard,” he added. (Reuters, 23 March)

Syria condemned the “blatant aggression” and said its jet was pursuing rebel fighters inside Syria. It said the pilot had managed to eject before the plane crashed.

The Turkish general staff said one of its control centers detected two Syrian MIG-23s around 1 pm (1100 GMT) and warned them four times after they came close to the Turkish border. 

“One plane entered Turkish airspace at Yayladagi, east of the Kasab border crossing, it said. A Turkish F-16 fired a missile at the Syrian jet and it crashed around 1,200 meters (1,300 yards) inside Syrian territory,” Reuters reported.

The rebels have been facing serious setbacks in recent days in their fight against the Syrian military, backed by Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed Shia militias. Last week, they were forced to retreat from their symbolic power center, a crusader castle near the Lebanese frontier and town on a vital cross-border supply route.

Since Friday, however, the rebels have launched a counter-offensive and have attempted to take control of Kasab crossing, one of the few border crossings with Turkey still under the government control and the gateway to the coastal province of Latakia, which has remained an Assad stronghold.

There were reports that the rebels also launched another attack in Latakia on Sunday in the village of Solas, about 25 km (15 miles) south of Kasab. (Reuters, 23 March)

File photo: Turkish jet fighters (Reuters)

Dezful Air Show 2014

Vahdati Air Base TAB.4 (DEF / OIAD)

IRIAF Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 "Fulcrum-A"

IRIAF Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29A (9-12A), serial 3-6118

Foreground: IRIAF Northrop (Owj) F-5E Saeghe, serial 3-7370 / S110-005 (cn S110-005)

Background: IRIAF Northrop (Owj) F-5E Azarakhsh, serial 3-7361

IRIAF McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II

IRIAF Grumman F-14A Tomcat, serial 3-6028 (cn H-28)

IRIAF Sukhoi Su-24MK of 71st TFS

Chengdu FT-7N, possible serial 3-7724

Left: Fokker F-27-400M Troopship, serial 5-8814 (cn 10420)

Right: Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo Porter, serial 4-9810 (cn 834) 

Qassed-3 type precision guided munition

Dezful Air Show indoor exhibition

Wide angle shot of Dezful Air Show (click to enlarge)

Special thanks to "Andimeshk City" @IMF

Khamenei Questions the Holocaust

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a Norouz address to the nation questioned the historical reality of the Holocaust. His official Twitter account has posted his Holocaust-related remark in English. Khamenei made the remark in Mashhad on Friday.

“Holocaust is an event whose reality is uncertain and if it has happened, it's uncertain how it has happened.” (Twitter/khamenei_ir, 21 March 2014)

In the past eight years, denying the Holocaust was the purview of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with Khamenei generally silent on the issue. With Ahmadinejad out as the spokesperson, Khamenei is now taking on the Holocaust personally. 

Last September, on the occasion of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif twitted that the days of Holocaust denial were gone, attributing them to Ahmadinejad.

“Iran never denied it (the Holocaust). The man who was perceived to be denying it is now gone. Happy New year.” (Twitter/@JZarif, 5 September 2013) 

But it is Ahmadinejad who is gone, not the urge to deny the Holocaust on part of the “revolutionaries” within the Islamic Republic. 

Photo credit: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, 21 March 2014 (Twitter/khamenei_ir)

Rouhani to Visit Afghanistan for Norouz Celebration

Afghan Presidential Election Overshadowing All Events

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will visit Afghanistan on Thursday to participate in celebrations of Norouz, the Iranian New Year. Heads of state and senior officials of other countries that celebrate Norouz will also take part in the ceremonies in Kabul.  

Rouhani will arrive in Kabul a week before Afghans go to the polls to elect a new president and new parliament. Since the fall of the Taliban, Hamid Karzai has ruled the country continuously and at times erratically, and now has to relinquish power. The Iranians are believed to be supporting Abdullah Abdullah’s candidacy, although they maintain relations at varying degrees with other top contenders. 

Four candidates have emerged as leading the field, with the April 5 election expected to go to the second round between the top two vote getters. Zalmay Rassoul, the former foreign minister, is said to have the active support of Karzai and his circle of close advisors. Then there is the Mujahedeen ticket of Sayyaf and Ismail Khan, which offers the best chance for fighting the Taliban after the drawdown of U.S. forces at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Abdullah lost a powerful supporter when Vice President Fahim passed away last week, but still is running a strong campaign, and could reach the second round because of the split in Pashtun votes, going to different candidates. And of course it's Ashraf Ghani, the eternal political advisor to Western officials visiting Kabul, who is also expected to finish strong.  

File photo: Kabul (excellentworlds.com)

IRINN interviews deviser of Zulfiqar main battle tanks (Persian)

YouTube clip containing IRINN interview of Zulfiqar MBTs deviser Brigadier General Mir-Younes Masoumzadeh. Split screen imagery includes file footage of Iranian tanks performing field gunnery practice and maneuverings.

Iran Is Building Mock-UP Aircraft Carrier

The New York Times reported today that Iran is building a non-functioning mock-up of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln at its Gachin shipyard, near Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf. Times said U.S. intelligence analysts studying satellite photos of Iranian military installations first noticed the vessel rising from the shipyard last summer. 

The barge-type structure has the same distinctive shape and style of the Nimitz-class carriers, as well as the Nimitz’s number 68 neatly painted in white near the bow. Mock aircraft can be seen on the flight deck.

“Based on our observations, this is not a functioning aircraft carrier; it’s a large barge built to look like an aircraft carrier,” said Cmdr. Jason Salata, a spokesman for U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. “We’re not sure what Iran hopes to gain by building this. If it is a big propaganda piece, to what end?” (The New York Times, 20 March)

Iran has previously used barges as targets for missile firings during training exercises. It was not clear when the mock-up will take its maiden voyage. Navy officials told the Times that it will presumably be shipped by rail on tracks that run through the shipyard, to its destiny in the Persian Gulf just a few hundred yards away.

Top Photo: Iran is building a mock-up of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in its Gachin naval shipyard, near Bandar Abbas. (Digitalglobe/The New York Times)

Bottom Photo: The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in April 2012.  (Karolina A. Martinez/U.S. Navy/AFP—Getty Images/The New York Times)

Happy Norouz, Iranian New Year 1393

Happy New Year! May the coming of spring and renewal of nature bring joy and peace to the world! 

Photo: Haft Seen at Norouz Festival in Reston, VA. (nowruzfestival.org)

Khamenei’s Norouz Message

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his message to the Iranian nation on the occasion of Norouz called on officials to focus their efforts on economic and cultural development.

“In my view, what we are faced with in the new [calendar] year consists of an economy which will blossom with the help of officials and people and a culture which will determine, under the aegis of endeavors by officials and people, the direction of our country and nation in its great move,” Khamenei said. (IRNA/Press TV, 20 March)

He named the new Iranian year, “The Year of Economy and Culture, of National Determination and Jihadi Management.”

Khamenei added that the “economy of resistance” sets the stage for officials to restructure the country’s economy.

Photo credit: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (IRNA/Press TV)

Obama’s Norouz Message

President Obama sends best wishes to everyone celebrating Norouz. In a video message (with Farsi subtitle), released by the White House this morning, Obama talks directly to the Iranian people and leaders of the Islamic Republic about the possibility of a new chapter in U.S.-Iran relationship. 

Video: whitehouse.gov

Crimea sanctions may provoke change in Russian position towards Iran

 

According to Time:

Russia may revise its stance in the Iranian nuclear talks amid tensions with the West over Ukraine, a senior diplomat warned Wednesday.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency, that Russia didn’t want to use the Iranian nuclear talks to “raise the stakes,” but may have to do so in response to the actions by the United States and the European Union.

[...]

Ryabkov, who is Russia’s envoy to the Iranian talks, said that Russia considers the “reunification” with Crimea as far more important than the developments surrounding the Iranian nuclear program.

“We wouldn’t like to use these talks as an element of the game of raising the stakes taking into account the sentiments in some European capitals, Brussels and Washington,” Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Interfax. “But if they force us into that, we will take retaliatory measures here as well. The historic importance of what happened in the last weeks and days regarding the restoration of historical justice and reunification of Crimea with Russia is incomparable to what we are dealing with in the Iranian issue.”

As far back as 3 March 2014 Professor Cole identified Iran and Syria emerging as potentially the biggest winners in the Crimean crisis. At his Informed Comment blog, Cole stated:

President Obama is threatening Russia with the same kinds of international sanctions Washington has applied to Iran over the latter’s pro-Palestinian stance and its civilian nuclear enrichment program.

Moreover, an attempt by President Obama to sanction the world’s 9th largest economy could well permanently blunt US financial power. Who would want the dollar as a reserve currency and who would want a US-dominated international currency exchange regime if you knew at any moment it could be weaponized against you? Russia and possibly China together could begin working on an alternative to US stranglehold over global finance.

Russia, China and Central Asia have formed the Shanghai Cooperation Council as an implicit challenge to the Bretton Woods institutions. Iran applied for membership but was only given observer status. If Putin feels that SCO has to up its game in response to US sanctions on the Russian Federation, perhaps he’d push to admit Iran.

[...]

If Russia is pushed further into Tehran’s arms by US sanctions then ironically Bashar al-Assad and Sayyid Ali Khamenei may be the biggest winners of the Crimean crisis.

The Russians have even begun adopting certain Iranian characterizations, with no less a figure as Putin referring to positions taken by the U.S. and the EU in terms of "arrogance, hypocrisy and pressure."

Iran, P5+1 Conclude Successful Talks in Vienna

On Track for Comprehensive Accord by July

Iran and six world powers said they are optimistic a comprehensive permanent accord on Iran’s nuclear program is possible before their interim deal expires on 20 July. Negotiators for Iran and P5+1 described that talks in the past two days as “the most detailed so far.” (Bloomberg, 19 March)

In a joint statement released today at the conclusion of two days of talks in Vienna, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that negotiators will reconvene on 7 April, again in Vienna.

Zarif told reporters Iran expects that by late April or early May, negotiators will “start the drafting the final document.” (Bloomberg, 19 March)

This week, the negotiators tried to set the scope for Iran’s uranium-enrichment work, examined the future of Arak IR-40 heavy water reactor, and discussed sanctions relief. 

“Rouhani’s government is sincere about wanting to resolve the nuclear issue in six months’ time,” Iran expert Alireza Nader, of Rand Corp., told Bloomberg. “They face real problems in fixing the economy unless sanctions are lifted,” Nader added. 

Arak IR-40 ‘Will Continue’ - Iran

Operations at Arak IR-40 heavy water reactor will continue, said Iran’s deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi, discussing one of the thorniest issues during the negotiations with world powers.  

“Arak heavy water reactor will continue its work,” Araqchi told reporters in Vienna on Tuesday night. Araqchi said the issue of Arak IR-40 will be discussed in Wednesday’s meeting. (Fars News Agency, 19 March)

Araqchi did not say if Iran was willing to make changes in Arak’s design, as previously suggested by Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. The P5+1 would apparently push for such change, which could include converting the IR-40 into a light water reactor. As it is designed now, the reactor would produce significant amount of plutonium that could be used for nuclear weapons. 

Arak's construction has not been completed yet, and construction activities are suspended for six months as part of Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), an interim agreement between Iran and P5+1.

UPDATE: Bloomberg's Indira Lakshmanan just tweeted from Vienna that the French negotiator at the talks told her that today's discussions were constructive, and a final deal before 20 July (JPOA's expiration date) may be possible. She has also twitted that according to the German negotiator, Iran and P5+1 have discussed Arak, enrichment, and other issues, trying to reach a deal by July.  (Twitter/@Indira_L, 19 March)

File Photo: Arak IR-40 Reactor (IRNA)

Iran, World Powers Meet in Vienna

Iran and six world powers met in Vienna today to continue their talks on a permanent nuclear agreement. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in the morning, shortly before the full delegations sat down together. The negotiations will end late on Wednesday, giving the Iranian delegation time to return to their country for the start of the Iranian New Year on Thursday.

China’s chief negotiator at the said the key elements that should be included in the permanent deal is the major topic during today’s discussions. 

"The focal point of the talks is about what elements should be included in the comprehensive deal," said Wang Qun, China's chief negotiator. (Xinuha, 18 March)

Ashton Defends Meeting Iran Human Rights Activists

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton today defended her talks with human rights activists during a recent visit to Iran, saying meeting dissidents is a central part of her official travels. Ashton’s spokesman, Michael Mann, also told reporters that meeting civil society representatives is part of Ashton’s visits.

"She (Ashton) always sees civil society representatives, particularly women, when she travels to a country," Mann said in Vienna. “It was the same when she went to Iran.” (Reuters, 18 March)

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif canceled a customary dinner with Ashton on the eve of the Vienna talks. Iran’s official news agency said Zarif’s decision was due to “undiplomatic” behavior, a reference to her Tehran meeting with female human rights activists, including the human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.

File photo: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Brussels, 17 March 2014. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

Russia Annexes Crimea

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs treaty for the annexation of Crimea; Kremlin, 18 March 2014. (Photo: Twitter/Aljazeera) 

Shahid Bakeri metro station in Tabriz, under construction

New pics of construction taking place at Shahid Bakeri metro station in Tabriz

Tower crane working construction site for Shahid Bakeri metro station in Tabriz

Rendering of completed electric subterranean rail lines for Shahid Bakeri metro station in Tabriz

Rendering of completed escalator access point, Shahid Bakeri metro station in Tabriz

Rendering of completed automated ticket access points, Shahid Bakeri metro station in Tabriz

Zarif Cancels Ashton Dinner

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has cancelled a dinner meeting planned for tonight with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Vienna over meetings she had with human rights and opposition activists during her visit to Iran earlier this month. (Fars News Agency/AFP.)

The cancelation of the scheduled dinner in Vienna, as reported by Fars, was intended to protest Ashton's “uncoordinated meetings in Tehran,” a reference to her meeting with female human rights activists; including Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer who has represented members of the Iranian opposition, and for which she has been imprisoned herself.

Zarif who has said he was ready to talk to members of opposition in Syria, and regularly meet with opposition parties in Western Europe, cannot accept that any foreign politician could meet with the Iran’s opposition. The Iranian government apparently believes either there is no opposition inside the country, or wished that the problem went away. But it doesn’t work that way! 

File photo: EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton (L) and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at a joint press conference. (AFP)

Ahmadinejad’s First VP Indicted for Bribery and Embezzlement

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi was indicted today for his alleged role in several high-profile bribery and embezzlement cases that also spill into Turkey, as well as Central and East Asia. Rahimi has denied all charges. (IRNA/Reuters, 17 March)

File photo: Former Iranian First VP Mohammad-Reza Rahimi (IRNA)