Influential Russian Blogger El Murid: Russia’s Relationship With Iran Is ‘Ad Hoc’; Putin Will Not Stick Up For Iran

On May 15, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin conducted talks in Sochi with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who was in Russia for a working visit. Following their consultations, the President of Russia and the Federal President of Austria held a joint news conference. During the press conference, both leaders stressed their disapproval of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA.[1]

Egyptian Regime Continues Takeover Of Media, Suppression Of Criticism

Introduction

Since the ouster of Egyptian president Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of President ‘Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi, the regime under Al-Sisi’s leadership has been acting to take control of the media and suppress all dissent, including criticism of the regime’s treatment of its opponents, its economic policies, the government’s performance, or any other criticism. The regime has taken multiple measures to achieve this aim, including the takeover of public and private media by its associates, and the silencing or dismissal of journalists who dare to criticize the authorities.[1] Also to this end, the regime recently set up the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), which has sweeping powers to close and block media outlets that do not abide by its rules.

Editor Of Pro-Hizbullah Daily: Iran Has An Arsenal That Threatens Western Europe And Can Topple Countries

In an article titled “Talk of War against Iran – Our Country Is Not Outside the Campaign” in the pro-Hizbullah Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, the daily’s editor, Ibrahim Al-Amin, discussed the possibility of an attack on Iran and the implications for Lebanon. He wrote that the U.S. position on Iran is not entirely clear and its moves do not necessarily herald an attack on Iran; nevertheless, America’s allies – Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and some European countries – urge it to take military action against Iran, seeing this as the only way to get it to change its policies, and the U.S. is certainly preparing the ground for this option. Al-Amin compared the current tension between the U.S. and Iran to the tension between Israel and Hizbullah: just as Israel wants to attack Hizbullah, but experts within it warn that an attack will be costly and will not necessarily produce a decisive result, the U.S. wants to weaken Iran and its allies, but knows that war against it will come at a price. The proponents of war on Iran, he says, do not realize that Iran is very powerful on the economic, political and military levels, and has a large arsenal that can threaten even Europe, as well as fighting capabilities that can topple states. Moreover, its many allies in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and elsewhere will come to its aid if it is attacked. He declared that, if a war breaks out, Hizbullah, as part of the resistance axis, will be a major part of it, and that the flames will reach Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries.

TENSIONS ESCALATE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN

Bottom Line Up Front:

-Tensions have spiked between the U.S. and Iran recently, with both countries engaging in a series of tit-for-tat actions and heated rhetoric.
-But conflict should not be considered inevitable; containing Iran is possible and presents a favorable alternative to direct military conflict.
-Iran’s ‘playbook’ is based upon empowering the IRGC-QF to build armed factions into political movements with increasing influence and capabilities.
-The Trump administration largely views Iran through the lens of ‘supporting terrorism,’ which it does, but this frame is short-sighted and fails to appropriately capture the comprehensive nature of how Iran operates.

Taliban Overrun District Center in South Afghanistan

The Taliban captured a district center Wednesday in southern Afghanistan, killing at least 13 government soldiers. The fighting comes as Russia asserted the Taliban is getting stronger and called for increased efforts to reach a negotiated settlement to the 17-year-old war.

HIGH-TECH COUNTERTERRORISM IN CHINA: SNAPSHOTS OF A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE

Bottom Line Up Front:

-China has created a highly controlled environment in Xinjiang where it monitors ethnic Uighurs, relying on emerging technologies to track and surveil its citizens.
-The Chinese Communist Party cites widespread religious extremism as the reason behind its draconian counterterrorism strategy.
-There is a palpable fear in the West that China could seek to export to other authoritarian regimes its counterterrorism model, utilizing technology to harass and control minority populations.
-China could seek to extend its influence through highly invasive technology incorporated into its BRI initiative, collecting and analyzing data of friends and foes alike.

Europe’s Three Concerns About Iran

The question is: who will take the reins in Iran and make sure that the vast country does not morph into yet another "ungoverned territory" in the heart of the Middle East?

I think the question is designed to dodge the issue of confronting a rogue regime that has provoked the current crisis. Iran has an old and well-established bureaucracy, dating back to the 16th century, and capable of operating within a strong culture of governance. Despite the serious damage done to state structures by the mullahs and their acolytes, the reservoir of experience and talent available is vast enough to ensure governance even on autopilot.

The mullahs are playing with fire and, "He who plays with fire risks being burned!"