Orientul Mijlociu

Al-Qaeda Supporter Urges Fighters In Syria To Form Small Attack Cells, Target U.S., Russia, Perpetrate Attacks Abroad

On July 27, 2021, an Al-Qaeda supporter calling himself Haydarah Al-Qandahari posted an article on Telegram titled “A Call to the Lions of Monotheism in the Syrian Arena”. In this article, written in Arabic, Al-Qandahari urges Al-Qaeda-aligned mujahideen in Syria to form small, independent groups consisting of three to five fighters, and to focus on targeting U.S. and Russian forces. It appears from the article that Al-Qandahari is located in Syria and his pen name probably indicates that he is a veteran of the Afghan jihad who spent time in the Kandahar area before coming to Syria.

The Decade of Defiance & Resistance: Reflections On Arab Revolutionary Uprisings And Responses From 2010 – 2020

The dynamics fostered by the wars and revolutions plaguing many Arab states today represent the most consequential national transformations since World War I, culminating in a period of civilian defiance and resistance that was especially distinct between 2010 – 2020. Despite being pauperized by predatory governments, citizens have challenged their heavily militarized states, emerging to fight battles that have been brewing for decades. Both the protesting citizens in the streets and the hardline governments that try to blunt their momentum are highly motivated. The outcome of these historic confrontations remains unclear. Yet, it is already possible to identify the causes, actors, motivations, and tactics on both sides that have fueled the waves of rebellion and repression over the past decade. Since the start of the 2010 – 2011 uprisings across the Arab world – the so-called “Arab Spring” – long-term transformations in the mindsets and actions of citizens have emerged that have the potential to catalyze political change across the region for decades to come, shaping political relationships between the governed and governors.

A Way Forward With Iran? Options for Crafting a U.S. Strategy

Any discussion of a Biden administration strategy on Iran must begin with an analysis of how previous U.S. administrations have approached the threat posed by Iran. From the very start of the Islamic Republic forty-one years ago, U.S.-Iran relations have been fraught with mistrust, animosity, threats, and occasional active hostilities, but interspersed with periods of negotiation and even tacit cooperation in selected circumstances. Yet, none of the Iran strategies pursued by seven U.S. administrations since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 has succeeded in neutralizing the wide range of threats Iran still poses to U.S. interests and allies.

Hurras al-Din: Claimed Operation in Damascus

Despite the crackdown the group has faced from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in the region of Idlib and its environs, the al-Qa’ida-loyalist group Hurras al-Din is still trying to show itself as a force of relevance that continues the jihad in Syria. At the beginning of this year the group claimed an operation targeting the Russian presence in Raqqa province.

Iranian Political Analyst Emad Abshenas: Iran Had The Ability To Make 10 Nuclear Bombs Even Before The JCPOA; Raisi Will Negotiate With The U.S. Only In Order To Lift The Sanctions – Not To Resolve Disagreements

Iranian political analyst Emad Abshenas, the editor-in-chief of Iran Diplomatic Newspaper, said that unlike Rouhani’s team, President-elect Raisi’s administration does not seek to reach a fundamental resolution of all disagreements with the U.S., but only to have the sanctions lifted. He made his remarks in a show that aired on Sky News Arabiya (UAE) on July 24, 2021. Abshenas said that he does not think that Raisi’s team wants to obtain nuclear weapons, although Iran has all the technology to manufacture a bomb, and if it wanted to, it could do so at any time. Abshnenas also said that “even before the JCPOA, (Iran) had the ability to manufacture ten nuclear bombs.” He added that Iran’s first priority will be resolving disagreements with the neighboring countries and getting closer to “the countries of the East” like Russia and China instead of getting closer to Europe and the United States.

Iranian Political Analyst Emad Abshenas: Israel Uses Commercial Vessels To Smuggle Spies, Terrorists, Weapons, So Iran Will Destroy These Ships; In Future War, Iran Will Target Israel’s Nuclear Warheads

Iranian political analyst Emad Abshenas, the editor-in-chief of Iran Diplomatic Newspaper, said that Israel uses commercial vessels to smuggle spies, collaborators, terrorists, and weapons, therefore if Israeli ships want to enter the region, Iran will not only target them but will “destroy” them.

Protesters In Tehran Chant: Death To The Dictator! Death To The Rule Of The Jurisprudent! The Mullahs Should Get Lost!

Protesters chanted: “Cannons, tanks, rockets, the mullahs should get lost” in a protest staged in Tehran, video of which was posted on Kian Sharif’s Twitter account on July 26, 2021. Protesters also chanted: “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, I will give my life only for Iran” in another video posted on the same day on the Twitter account of Iran News Wire. In the video, protesters further chanted: “Death to the dictator!” and “From Tehran to Khuzestan, unite, unite!” On July 31, 2021, videos of another protest were posted on the Irankargar YouTube channel, in which protesters burned tires and blocked a road. Protesters also chanted: “Death to the Rule of the Jurisprudent!” and “The country has no water, the massacre continues!” The protests in Tehran come following protests in Khuzestan and elsewhere, for more information, see MEMRI TV clip no 8989.

Ismail Haniyeh Re-elected Hamas Chief in Gaza

Ismail Haniyeh was elected Sunday to a second four-year term as chairman of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip. The 59-year-old leader and father of 13 has been the de facto leader of the Gaza Strip and head of the Islamist organization’s political bureau since May 2017. He was a close assistant to Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin before the cleric was killed by Israeli forces in a targeted strike in 2004, and became prime minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2006, when Hamas won Palestinian parliamentary elections in an upset victory over the long-dominant Fatah party. In a brief civil war against Fatah, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, leading to an Israeli and Egyptian military blockade of the Strip.

Syria: Russian air defence downs Israeli missiles

Four missiles fired by Israeli warplanes in Syria’s Homs province early on Thursday were shot down by the Syrian army using Russian-made “Buk” air defence systems, RT has reported. According to the report, two Israeli F-16 jets fired the guided missiles from Lebanese airspace.