An Islamic scholar at a Dallas mosque praised Iran’s slain former leader as a martyr and said that his blood will not go to waste.
Sayed Jawad Wahedi, the resident scholar at the Metroplex Organization of Muslims in North Texas (MOMIN), made the remarks during an August 21 Friday sermon, according to footage and reporting from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).
Wahedi said “the enemy” made a “huge and grave mistake” by killing him, arguing that martyrdom would ultimately advance the cause for which the former Iranian leader had lived.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shiite Scholar Jawad Wahedi Praises Khamenei in His Dallas Friday Sermon: Khamenei Yearned for Martyrdom and to Meet Allah; The Enemy Made a “Huge and Grave Mistake,” His Blood Will Not Go to Waste <a href="https://t.co/jFoSBqemJh">pic.twitter.com/jFoSBqemJh</a>
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) <a href="https://x.com/MEMRIReports/status/2095483899572854968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in February during the opening phase of the major U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran. A strike hit his compound, killing Khamenei and several family members and injuring his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has since succeeded him as Iran’s supreme leader.
“The enemy obviously has made a huge and grave mistake,” Wahedi said. “That when you live your life for Allah, purely for him, your death won’t be void, especially if you’re killed, especially if you’re martyred.”
He added that the blood of Khamenei “won’t go to waste.”
Wahedi told worshippers that “one of the best examples” of practicing God-consciousness in the modern era was “martyr Ayatollah Khamenei,” urging them to study his life alongside those of Islamic scholars, martyrs, and the Twelve Imams.
“One of the best individuals that we can remember is martyr Ayatollah Khamenei,” Wahedi said. “The position he had, so much responsibility, so much opportunity to make mistakes, so much opportunity for Satan to infiltrate his life. But when you look at the path he took, it&#8217;s filled with sincerity.”
Wahedi has served as MOMIN’s resident Islamic scholar since 2022. According to his biography on the <a href="https://momin.org/resident-alim/">mosque’s website</a>, he studied Islamic jurisprudence, philosophy, and Quranic studies in Qom, Iran, for nine years and has taught for more than 15 years. He also travels to Islamic centers around the United States to deliver lectures and sermons.
Wahedi has also praised Khamenei at an Islamic center in New York. On April 10, he spoke at a 40-day memorial for Khamenei at the Shah-e-Najaf Islamic Center in Brentwood, Long Island, according to footage documented by MEMRI.
Standing beside images of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Wahedi again described Khamenei as a martyr whose death had advanced the cause of Islam.
“This great martyr Khamenei is indeed without a doubt, one of the greatest martyrs, and without a shred of doubt he is the greatest martyr in our era,” Wahedi said, according to MEMRI.
Wahedi argued that a martyr’s death could accomplish more than his life, saying, “Sometimes martyrs do things that their lives cannot actually do, but their blood can actually achieve something greater than even their lives.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/ICYMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICYMI</a>: Texas Shiite Scholar Jawad Wahedi at Long Island Mosque Memorial for Khamenei: His Martyrdom Served Islam More Than His Life; Mojtaba Khamenei Will Be Even Better Than His Father <a href="https://t.co/fHcFX347aD">pic.twitter.com/fHcFX347aD</a>
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) <a href="https://x.com/MEMRIReports/status/2045302288940413088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He also blamed the U.S. government and Israel for Khamenei’s death, describing it as an “attack,” an “assassination,” and a “terrorist attack” against a marja, a senior Shiite religious authority.
“The Shiites are mourning a leader, someone who lost his life for the children of Palestine,” Wahedi said.
Wahedi then praised Mojtaba Khamenei, who has yet to be seen in public since becoming the leader of Iran.
“We lost a great martyr, but alhamdulillah we have Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei,” Wahedi said. “You will see his leadership, inshallah. He will be just like his father in some sense, even better, inshallah.”

Sayed Jawad Wahedi

Dallas Mosque Scholar Hails Ayatollah Khamenei, Says His Blood ‘Won’t Go To Waste’

ali khamenei

dallas

iran

islam

mojtaba khamenei

world

A trio of House Republicans is calling on the Trump administration to investigate Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal after he traveled to Iran for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei&#8217;s funeral.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) sent the request Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Todd Blanche, co-signed by Reps. Keith Self (R-TX) and Randy Weber (R-TX), <a href="https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2093684165732708672/photo/2">according</a> to a letter obtained by Laura Loomer. The letter builds on an earlier request Fine and colleagues filed in July seeking scrutiny of activists Calla Walsh, Jackson Hinkle and Christopher Helali for attending the same funeral, which the lawmakers describe as an event organized and orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The letter accuses Blumenthal of using journalism as cover to spread propaganda benefiting America&#8217;s enemies, pointing to his past commentary on the October 7 attacks — the letter accuses him of denying the massacre&#8217;s atrocities and calling some details &#8220;manufactured&#8221; by the Israeli government — and a 2025 reporting trip to Iran. The lawmakers also flagged Blumenthal&#8217;s lineage, noting he is the son of Sidney Blumenthal, a former aide to President Bill Clinton and a confidant of Hillary Clinton, calling it a matter of &#8220;grave concern&#8221; that a Democratic-aligned family has produced someone the letter alleges has become &#8220;an agent of influence&#8221; for Iran.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨
GOP Members of Congress call for State Department and DOJ to investigate Radical Left Islamic Terror Sympathizer Max Blumenthal Following His Return From Iran
GOP Congressman <a href="https://x.com/RepFine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepFine</a> has written a letter to Secretary of State <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> and US Attorney General… <a href="https://t.co/QrSvRL1JJK">pic.twitter.com/QrSvRL1JJK</a>
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) <a href="https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2093684165732708672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Beyond the funeral trip itself, the letter presses federal officials to examine who funds Blumenthal&#8217;s outlet, The Grayzone Project, and argues Homeland Security had grounds to seize his electronics and question him about financing when he reentered the country. It closes by urging Rubio and Blanche to investigate Blumenthal &#8220;to ensure the American public is safe from this traitor.&#8221;
Loomer&#8217;s post noted the letter lands two days after Rubio announced State Department sanctions on &#8220;violent far-left terrorist groups,&#8221; citing a Bush-era counterterrorism <a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224">executive order</a>. A State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/08/imposing-sanctions-on-violent-far-left-terrorist-groups">press release</a> accompanying those sanctions said the action targets &#8220;terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism,&#8221; and described the move as part of a broader effort against &#8220;transnational far-left terrorism.&#8221;
Blumenthal has not yet issued a public response to the letter, and did not respond to the Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment. The State Department and Justice Department have not indicated whether they will act on the lawmakers&#8217; request — neither agency immediately responded to the Wire&#8217;s requests for comment.
Loomer, who has closely tracked reporters&#8217; attendance at the funeral, suggested the letter could mark &#8220;the beginning of the end&#8221; for Blumenthal and The Grayzone.

Rep. Randy Fine

House Republicans Demand Investigation Into Liberal Activist Who Attended Ayatollah’s Funeral

laura loomer

max blumenthal

politics

randy fine

Six months ago, the United States and Israel went to war with Iran to cripple its nuclear program and military capabilities. Six months later, Iran has suffered devastating losses — but the Islamic regime remains in power.
The war’s impact has extended well beyond Iran itself. The conflict has disrupted global energy markets and shipping, while ongoing negotiations have yet to produce a lasting agreement to end the war. With the fighting largely shifting from major military operations to economic warfare, the conflict has entered a new phase with no end in sight.
The campaign, originally named Operation Epic Fury, has delivered major military gains, imposed significant costs and left a long list of questions unanswered.
Here’s a look at the biggest achievements, losses and unresolved questions six months into the war.
<h2>Achievements</h2>
<h4>Ayatollah Khamenei Was Killed</h4>
The death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the conflict was arguably the most consequential single strike of the war. Khamenei had ruled Iran for decades and was the central figure in the Islamic Republic’s political and military system. His death did not bring down the regime, but it removed the country’s most powerful leader and forced Iran into a succession process in the middle of a war. His son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has yet to be seen or heard in public or take on the public role his father once played.
<h4>Iran&#8217;s Military Leadership Was Devastated</h4>
Iran has also suffered extraordinary losses among its senior military leadership. Israel <a href="https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/israel-at-war/briefings-by-idf-spokesperson-bg-effie-defrin/february-26-press-briefings/press-briefing-by-idf-spokesperson-bg-effie-defrin-february-28-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a> it killed dozens of senior Iranian commanders and officials in the opening strikes alone, including IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and other senior figures. As strikes continued, the Israel Defense Forces <a href="https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/iran-israel-war-2026/live-updates-iran-israel-war-2026/march-1-2026-iran-israel-war-2026-live-updates/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">claimed</a> it eliminated more than 40 Iranian senior commanders. On March 17, Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-threatened-america-then-came-the-strike-his-words-now-haunt">was killed</a> in an Israeli airstrike. He had been accused of overseeing the January crackdown that killed thousands of Iranian protesters and had threatened the U.S. military and President Trump shortly before his death.
<h4>Iran’s Economy Is In Shambles</h4>
Iran entered the war with an economy already under severe strain, with inflation, a collapsing rial, and worsening living conditions fueling protests in December and January. Six months into the war, the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has further squeezed Iran’s economy by choking off its ability to export oil. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-economy-war-impact-oil-exports-inflation-unemployment-gdp-currency-2026-8">Business Insider</a> reported that Iranian oil exports fell as low as 65,000 barrels per day in May, down 69% from the 2.12 million barrels a day exported before the war. The IMF projects Iran’s economy will contract 5.4% in 2026, its sharpest contraction since 1988, while inflation could reach 68.9%. The rial has fallen to record lows, and Iran’s economic “Misery Index” reached 91.1, its highest level on record. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies estimates the war has caused roughly $144 billion in economic damage, equivalent to about 40% of Iran’s prewar GDP.
<h4>Iran’s Nuclear Infrastructure Is Buried</h4>
While several of Iran’s nuclear facilities were severely damaged by U.S. strikes ordered by President Trump last summer, the war provided an opportunity to continue degrading the program, targeting additional infrastructure and preventing Tehran from easily rebuilding what had been destroyed. The result is a nuclear program that has been repeatedly battered, with its ability to resume large-scale enrichment significantly constrained.
<h4>Navy and Air Force Neutralized</h4>
Iran’s conventional air and naval forces have been among the war’s biggest casualties. As of May, CENTCOM <a href="https://www.centcom.mil/ABOUT-US/POSTURE-STATEMENT/Al-Udeid-Air-Base/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">claimed</a> U.S. forces destroyed 161 Iranian vessels across 16 classes of warships, effectively crippling Iran’s ability to operate at sea. Before the operation, Iran’s air force was flying between 30 and 100 times a day. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper told Congress that number is now zero, with U.S. and Israeli strikes destroying or disabling airfields, aircraft hangars, fuel supplies, weapons stockpiles and aircraft. Cooper also said 82% of Iran’s air-defense missile systems were knocked out.
<h4>Iran’s Proxies Have Been Sidelined</h4>
One of Tehran’s traditional advantages has been its network of armed proxies across the Middle East, but that network entered the war significantly weaker than it was before October 7. Hezbollah did join the fight and launched attacks against Israel, but years of Israeli operations had severely weakened the group’s leadership and military capabilities. The Houthis also fired missiles at Israel, but their attacks were largely ineffective. Meanwhile, the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria in 2024 removed a key Iranian ally and severed an important link in Tehran’s regional network. The result was a much weaker “Axis of Resistance” that was unable to meaningfully relieve pressure on Iran or turn the conflict into a broader regional war.
<h2>Losses</h2>
<h4>Fallen American Soldiers</h4>
The war has also come at a human cost for the United States. According to the Pentagon’s updated casualty figures, 18 U.S. service members have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-american-heroes-killed-in-iran-attack-identified">been killed</a> and another 624 wounded since the war began on February 28. Those killed include Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, Capt. Cody Khork, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, Sgt. Declan Coady, Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, John A. Klinner, Ariana Savino, Ashley Pruitt, Seth Koval, Curtis Angst, Tyler Simmons, Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales. 
<h4>The Strait of Hormuz Isn&#8217;t Open</h4>
The Strait of Hormuz is still operating, but traffic remains far below prewar levels. In August, only a handful of commercial vessels crossed the waterway each day, compared with more than 130 daily transits before the war, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hormuz-ship-crossings-hover-single-digits-data-shows-2026-08-21/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">according to Reuters</a>. And when traffic does return to normal, the strait’s administration could look different. Under the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-exactly-what-the-white-house-says-is-in-the-deal-with-iran">U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding</a>, Iran agreed to allow toll-free passage for commercial vessels for 60 days while working with Oman and other Persian Gulf states on the strait’s “future administration and maritime services.” A senior Trump administration official said the provision could pave the way for a longer-term arrangement, though Iran has so far indicated it wants to work only with Oman.
<h4>Key Allies Did Not Join the Fight</h4>
The war also exposed limits to how much support the United States could expect from some of its closest allies. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain declined to join Trump’s efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, while Italy and Spain also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europe-pushes-back-us-military-operations-concerns-over-iran-war-mount-2026-03-31/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">restricted</a> U.S. military access to bases and airspace for operations against Iran. France denied Israeli aircraft carrying U.S. weapons overflight rights, while Britain limited its support largely to defensive operations. Trump publicly criticized Britain, France, Italy and Germany over their positions, leading to a series of diplomatic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-confront-divided-west-in-g7-showdown">spats</a>.
<h4>A Heavy Price Tag</h4>
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee in July that the war had cost an estimated $37.5 billion so far. NBC News reported that the Pentagon’s internal estimate had reached $80 billion to $100 billion when accounting for repairing damaged bases, replacing destroyed aircraft and <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6046742-house-democrats-letter-iran-conflict/">replenishing</a> depleted weapons stockpiles. The administration also sought $67.1 billion from Congress in June, including $21 billion for munitions and $17.3 billion for operational costs. The United States has also lost a significant number of aircraft during the conflict, including at least four F-15E Strike Eagles, a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, a CH-47 Chinook, two MC-130 transport aircraft and multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones.
<h2>Unresolved</h2>
<h4>Negotiations Have Dragged On</h4>
Despite months of negotiations, the United States and Iran have yet to reach a lasting agreement. The proposed June memorandum of understanding ultimately collapsed, and talks now appear stalled, with the two sides still divided over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions and the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has also accused Iran of saying one thing behind closed doors and another publicly, saying he does not trust the regime. 
<h4>Pickaxe Mountain</h4>
One of the biggest unresolved issues is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-is-pickaxe-mountain-and-why-is-trump-talking-about-it">Pickaxe Mountain</a>, a deeply buried nuclear-related complex near Iran’s Natanz facility that was not struck during previous U.S. attacks. Satellite imagery indicates construction and fortification have continued at the site, which some experts estimate is buried at least 100 meters underground — potentially deeper than the U.S. military’s conventional bunker-busting capabilities can reach. The International Atomic Energy Agency has never inspected the facility, raising questions about what Iran could eventually store or develop there. President Trump has publicly identified Pickaxe Mountain as a potential target, but for now the facility remains intact and could provide Iran with a hardened fallback for its nuclear program if it becomes operational.
<h4>Iran’s Nuclear Material Remains Unaccounted For</h4>
The fate of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile remains unknown. Before the strikes, Iran had more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, but the IAEA has been unable to determine how much survived, where it is or whether Iran has moved it. Trump has repeatedly called the material “nuclear dust” and said the U.S. wants it removed from Iran. Iran, meanwhile, has maintained that it has the right to a peaceful civilian nuclear program. During negotiations, Trump has discussed working with Iran to excavate and remove the potentially buried stockpile.

Mojtaba Khamenei

Six Months Into the Iran War, Who Is Winning?

iran nuclear program

israel

strait of hormuz

Iran’s Mehr News Agency <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-905032">released</a> a short video of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei over the weekend, claiming it was new. The undated clip was immediately fact-checked as older footage from months ago.
Iranian state media coverage framed the video as a first public look after months without new images and described the Mehr video as the first release of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. That claim was met with immediate scrutiny.
“By ‘FIRST TIME’, I think you actually mean March 20th, 2026,” an X post <a href="https://x.com/talhagin/status/2086415219920642247">read</a>. He pointed to a March post from Iran&#8217;s state broadcaster, IRIB, which had already published a video of religious science teaching by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Ariel Oseran, Senior Middle East Correspondent for i24NEWS, issued a similar criticism. He <a href="https://x.com/ariel_oseran/status/2086205481769386446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2086205481769386446%7Ctwgr%5Eb5897885edc537fe1e32f3a30ec03ea8ab81ca86%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jpost.com%2Fmiddle-east%2Firan-news%2Farticle-905032">wrote</a>: 
“Iran’s Mehr News released a video claiming to show Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ‘for the first time,’ with no date or location specified. The right side of his face cannot be seen in the footage.” He later added that he had been informed that “this is an old video.” 
Other comments circulating alongside those posts treated the clip as previously seen material. One said “It’s old footage. Another reason to believe he’s dead.” Another wrote, “He is being kept ‘alive’ in press and politically by IRGC so their coup is legitimized.”
The Jerusalem Post reported that media outlets covering the release noted the clip bears striking similarities to another video released earlier in the year. Khamenei has not made a public appearance since the start of the war and the assassination of his father, former supreme leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ali-khamenei">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>. 
He assumed the role in March after the February 28 strike that killed Ali Khamenei. The same reporting stated that the younger Khamenei was reportedly seriously injured in that strike and that he had generally kept a low public profile before becoming supreme leader.
State media said on Sunday that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Khamenei around the start of the president’s third year in office in late July. That meeting covered military affairs and the economy, including securing resources, managing foreign exchange and energy use as well as economic ties with foreign partners, according to state media. 
Pezeshkian has given differing accounts in recent weeks regarding his access to Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since he succeeded his father in the role in March. On July 21, the president said interactions with the supreme leader were “increasing day by day,” but in early August he said communicating with Khamenei was “very difficult.” 
In May, state media also reported that Pezeshkian had met Khamenei for several hours in what was then the first publicly reported meeting between the two since Khamenei became supreme leader.
Basij Organization deputy Qasem Qoraishi said on Sunday that footage and other documentation would be released showing Khamenei among the public, out in the streets as well as in meetings with armed forces commanders.
Qoraishi said the footage would “once again bring disgrace upon the enemies and detractors of the Iranian people.” The comments appeared aimed at countering speculation about Khamenei’s health and lack of public appearances.
The latest video release comes amid persistent questions about Mojtaba Khamenei’s physical condition and whereabouts. A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/irans-president-met-new-supreme-leader-in-total-darkness-wondered-if-it-was-really-him">report</a> published days earlier by Iran International described an unusual encounter in which Pezeshkian was reportedly taken to a secret location in Tehran and allowed only a brief meeting in complete darkness with a man he was told was the supreme leader. 
The interior was kept so dark that neither man could see the other, and Pezeshkian was not permitted to shake the supposed Khamenei’s hand, according to the report. After only a few minutes, he was instructed to leave. The outlet reported that afterward the president questioned whether the person sitting beside him was actually Mojtaba Khamenei, as he had only heard a voice in the darkness.

Mojtaba Khamenei, Son Of Irans Supreme Leader

Iran Releases ‘New’ Video Of Supreme Leader, Immediately Gets Fact-Checked

masoud pezeshkian

As Iran sought to turn former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei&#8217;s funeral into a global show of legitimacy, a handful of Americans traveled to Tehran to help push the regime’s propaganda, praise the late leader, and denounce the United States.
Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years, oversaw the Islamic Republic through decades of conflict with the West, the expansion of Tehran&#8217;s network of terrorist proxies across the Middle East, and the brutal suppression of domestic dissent before he was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes earlier this year.
The funeral is more than a memorial. Iranian officials have spent months organizing what they hope will become one of the largest public gatherings in history, expecting tens of millions of mourners to rally under the slogan, &#8220;We Must Rise.&#8221; The regime has framed the ceremonies as both a show of national unity and a call for revenge over Khamenei&#8217;s death, inviting foreign delegations from more than 30 countries to help project that message to the world.
While that revenge would be directed at the United States, several Americans answered the invitation and have been working to help project Iran&#8217;s message to the world.
<h4>Jackson Hinkle</h4>
Jackson Hinkle, an American social media grifter who has built his online brand defending U.S. adversaries and authoritarian regimes, traveled to Tehran for the former supreme leader&#8217;s funeral, where he spent days amplifying Iranian regime propaganda to his 3.8 million followers on X.
&#8220;I came here as an American to say that I fully reject the crimes of the U.S. empire and the Zionist entity against the good people of Iran,&#8221; Hinkle <a href="https://x.com/canarymission/status/2074267105642389663">said</a> from Tehran. Days later, he posted: &#8220;LONG LIVE KHAMENEI!&#8221;
Born in San Clemente, California, Hinkle is a co-founder of the American Communist Party and has become known for championing the causes of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Russia while frequently spreading conspiracy theories online.
During his trip, Hinkle met with senior Iranian regime officials, including government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani and Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, according to his X account. 
He filled his social media feed with videos celebrating the regime, including crowds <a href="https://x.com/jacksonhinkle/status/2074037629020971449">burning</a> American, British, and Israeli flags, mourners <a href="https://x.com/jacksonhinkle/status/2074093502967971974">throwing</a> objects at a portrait of President Donald Trump, and supporters <a href="https://x.com/jacksonhinkle/status/2074044581025345921">waving</a> Hezbollah flags. 
In another video, Hinkle stood on stage <a href="https://x.com/jacksonhinkle/status/2074294440361959524">waving</a> a red flag — associated with calls for vengeance in Shiite Islam — while leading chants of, &#8220;Down with Zionists.&#8221;
Hinkle has repeatedly aligned himself with Iranian-backed groups. In February 2025, he attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon. The following month, he traveled to Yemen for a four-day <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-847301">conference</a> hosted by the Houthis, where he condemned U.S. military strikes against the terrorist group and <a href="https://x.com/jacksonhinkle/status/1903919691334066299">met with</a> Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree.
On July 5, Hinkle was in Tehran as crowds gathered for the funeral, <a href="https://x.com/jacksonhinkle/status/2073888762749211007">telling his followers</a> that Iranians were united &#8220;against the United States&#8221; and &#8220;against the Zionist entity.&#8221; 
He ended the video by declaring, &#8220;If there&#8217;s one thing I can tell you here tonight, it&#8217;s that the people here want their revenge — and revenge I am sure they will get.&#8221;
<h4>Max Blumenthal </h4>
Far-left activist writer Max Blumenthal <a href="https://x.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/2073927750688096762">joined</a> war drummers in Tehran as crowds gathered to mourn former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, posting video of himself participating in a Shia ritual meant to evoke battle and martyrdom.
&#8220;The drummers at Tehran&#8217;s Tajrish Square asked me to join them for a few minutes,&#8221; Blumenthal wrote on X. He explained that the Dammam drumming tradition recreates &#8220;the sounds of the Battle of Karbala,&#8221; with deep bass drums symbolizing the pounding of horse hooves and cymbals representing clashing swords. He added that the drummers had gathered for nightly rallies that have filled the square since &#8220;the U.S. and Israel imposed war on Iran.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The drummers at Tehran&#8217;s Tajrish Square asked me to join them for a few minutes
They&#8217;re playing a distinctively Shia style from southern Iran and Iraq called Dammam, named for the drum, which evokes the sounds of the battle of Karbala. The deep bass drums recreate the beating of… <a href="https://t.co/pNEENQqxMV">pic.twitter.com/pNEENQqxMV</a>
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) <a href="https://x.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/2073927750688096762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Blumenthal, the editor of The Grayzone and son of former Clinton adviser Sidney Blumenthal, said he spent his time in Iran interviewing members of the country&#8217;s negotiating team, government officials, academics, and ordinary Iranians.
During the ongoing funeral, Blumenthal <a href="https://x.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/2073789018731389107?s=20">wrote</a> that Khamenei&#8217;s assassination had strengthened, rather than weakened, the Islamic Republic.
&#8220;If the assassination of Khamenei was designed to spur regime change, his funeral demonstrates how badly it has backfired,&#8221; he wrote. In another post, he declared that the funeral had &#8220;consolidated the Islamic Republic and its revolutionary society as a political reality that cannot be erased through regime change, war, or sanctions.&#8221;
Blumenthal also posted interviews with mourners, <a href="https://x.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/2073794214278627762">writing</a> that &#8220;a common sentiment at the funeral for Khamenei was incandescent rage at the American leadership that authorized his assassination, but a refusal to hold average Americans collectively responsible for the crime.&#8221;
Blumenthal has long drawn criticism for his coverage of Israel and the Middle East. He has authored books comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, repeatedly defended Hamas following its wars with Israel, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocker-tucker-carlson-invites-rabid-anti-semitic-elliott-hamilton">referred</a> to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel as a &#8220;defender of apartheid&#8221; after his death. Following Hamas&#8217; October 7 massacre of civilians, he <a href="https://x.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1732637484184441343">dismissed</a> Israeli accounts of sexual violence by writing that Israel was &#8220;projecting its own sick rape culture onto Palestinians to justify its criminal post-10/7 rampage.&#8221;
<h4>Christopher Helali</h4>
Christopher Helali, an elected local official in Vermont who serves as Orange County&#8217;s high bailiff, declared himself &#8220;the ONLY elected USA politician in Iran right now” during the funeral.
While at the funeral, he posted a selfie in front of a “Kill Trump” banner, writing that the &#8220;ELECTED High Bailiff of Orange County, VT, USA&#8221; was in Iran to &#8220;honor, salute, and pray for Imam Khamenei and his family.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The ELECTED High Bailiff of Orange County, VT, USA is in Qom, Iran to honor, salute, and pray for Imam Khamenei and his family. <a href="https://t.co/ZqHy1VWUV4">pic.twitter.com/ZqHy1VWUV4</a>
— Christopher Helali (@ChrisHelali) <a href="https://x.com/ChrisHelali/status/2074388728642941369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On July 4, the 250th anniversary of American independence, Helali <a href="https://x.com/ChrisHelali/status/2073560085121417719">wrote</a> that he was in Iran &#8220;to honor and participate in the funeral&#8221; of Khamenei, adding: &#8220;Death to U.S. Imperialism and Zionism!&#8221; In another post, <a href="https://x.com/ChrisHelali/status/2073508109968867640">he wrote</a>, &#8220;Such an honor to be here to pray for, salute, and honor our beloved Imam Khamenei!&#8221; Days earlier, after Khamenei&#8217;s death, <a href="https://x.com/ChrisHelali/status/2072886513507975417">he declared</a>, &#8220;Imam Khamenei lives on in all of us!&#8221;
Helali was elected as a write-in candidate in 2024. He serves as Orange County&#8217;s high bailiff, a little-known Vermont office that exists primarily to assume a sheriff&#8217;s duties if the sheriff is unable to serve or, in the rare event it becomes necessary, to arrest the sheriff.
Despite holding elected office in Vermont, Helali lives primarily in Moscow, where he told Vermont&#8217;s White River Valley Herald he feels safer than in the United States. He also serves as the international secretary of the American Communist Party and works for an international law firm with operations across Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Before entering politics, he worked as a high school teacher in Hanover, New Hampshire.
Helali told the newspaper he has &#8220;been detained off and on since 2013&#8221; by federal authorities and claimed he was placed on a Department of Homeland Security watch list after fighting against ISIS in Syria.
While in Iran this week, Helali also <a href="https://x.com/ChrisHelali/status/2074463354744094766">posted a video</a> of Khamenei&#8217;s coffin accompanied by a broken-heart emoji.
<h4>Calla Walsh</h4>
Twenty-one-year-old American activist Calla Walsh traveled to Tehran as one of the Iranian regime&#8217;s most vocal American defenders, spending days praising the late supreme leader and promoting his funeral on social media.
Walsh, who once lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, previously volunteered for Sen. Elizabeth Warren&#8217;s 2020 presidential campaign, helped organize youth support for Sen. Ed Markey, and canvassed for Michelle Wu&#8217;s mayoral campaign before becoming one of the most prominent young American supporters of the Islamic Republic.
As a teenager, she was profiled favorably by the New York Times as a social media activist helping shake up the Democratic Party in Massachusetts.
She recently relocated to Beirut and regularly contributes to Press TV, the Iranian government&#8217;s English-language television network, which is under U.S. sanctions. According to <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/the-radicalization-of-calla-walsh?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paid-search&amp;utm_campaign=pmax&amp;utm_adgroup=1&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_matchtype=&amp;wm_source=google&amp;wm_medium=ads&amp;wm_ad_id=&amp;wm_adgroup_id=&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23996383669&amp;gbraid=0AAAAApHxamHvgs5nnom9apWmvl1bj0WpZ&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwx7LSBhB3EiwAjcodxIHoYdVPA2Gge7IkAWbYQrtGMeSIhSPVOiGrdrYCy2Bp4RZnxgQEphoCKY0QAvD_BwE">The Free Press</a>, Walsh was placed on a suspicious persons watch list because of her extensive dealings with the governments of Iran and Cuba. 
The outlet also reported that she participated in &#8220;guerrilla-style&#8221; raids targeting Israeli defense companies in the United States, leading to her arrest in 2024, and has called for the assassination of Israeli officials and their allies.
Last year, Walsh was seen in a <a href="https://x.com/IranIntl_En/status/1947940980868386956">video saying</a> &#8220;Death to America&#8221; and &#8220;Death to Israel&#8221; during a memorial event in Tehran, according to Iran International. 
On March 3, following the deaths of four U.S. soldiers in an Iranian-backed drone attack, Walsh <a href="https://x.com/CallaWalsh/status/2028978021491700089?s=20">wrote</a> on X: &#8220;They all died fighting for fascism, genocide, pedophilia, and cannibalism.&#8221;
Earlier this year, Walsh reportedly traveled to Iran as part of what critics described as a regime-backed propaganda tour, where she defended the Islamic Republic and downplayed the regime&#8217;s violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.
At the funeral, she called Khamenei a martyr and praised him, <a href="https://x.com/CallaWalsh/status/2073770888256770264">calling</a> the funeral &#8220;a resounding referendum on the Iranian masses&#8217; loyalty to the Islamic Revolution.&#8221; 
&#8220;He was a leader to all people in the world who struggled against imperialism, against arrogance, against Zionism, against genocide,&#8221; Walsh said. &#8220;To me, he was the greatest anti-imperialist leader to live during my lifetime.&#8221;
In another post, she wrote: &#8220;Glory and honor to the martyred leader of the free world, Sayyed Ali Khamenei.&#8221;
CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen was granted access to cover Khamenei&#8217;s funeral by the Iranian regime. CNN noted that its team was operating in Iran only with the government&#8217;s permission but &#8220;maintains full editorial control.&#8221;
In one report from the funeral procession, Pleitgen stood amid a crowd chanting &#8220;Death to America.&#8221; Footage from the scene also showed at least one sign depicting President Donald Trump with crosshairs over his head.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CNN’s Fred Pleitgen reports from inside Tehran, where Iran’s new supreme leader still has not been seen publicly after the third day of his father’s funeral. CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government but maintains full editorial control of its reports. <a href="https://t.co/YRAIfHU2Dm">pic.twitter.com/YRAIfHU2Dm</a>
— Erin Burnett OutFront (@OutFrontCNN) <a href="https://x.com/OutFrontCNN/status/2074293717922615518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;As you can see, the people here are extremely angry,&#8221; Pleitgen said. &#8220;What they&#8217;re chanting right now is &#8216;Death to America,&#8217; and they have vowed revenge for the killing of the supreme leader, both against the United States as well as President Donald Trump.&#8221;
Other Americans made an appearance at the funeral, too — just not by choice.
Among the crowds were threatening posters depicting prominent Americans with crosshairs over their heads above the warning: &#8220;Sooner or later your heads will roll.&#8221;
Those featured included President Donald Trump, GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson, Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro, activist Laura Loomer, tech billionaire Peter Thiel, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and Foundation for Defense of Democracies CEO Mark Dubowitz.
Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad, who reposted video of the display, said the footage was being amplified by Russian state media.
&#8220;When the Islamic Republic threatens to kill you, believe them. I know from experience,&#8221; she wrote in <a href="https://x.com/AlinejadMasih/status/2074445536631943370">her post</a> with the video.

Iran Blumenthal

Meet the Americans Who Went To Iran For Ayatollah Khamenei’s Funeral

The exiled Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, is calling on the Iranian people to rid themselves of the tyrannical Islamic regime, declaring, “This is our Berlin Wall moment.”
Pahlavi referred to the historic November 1989 moment when Germans on both sides of the Berlin Wall separating east and West Germany surged forward and crossed over the wall, marking the beginning of the end of East Germany’s repressive government.
Pahlavi, speaking in Paris at a press conference, called for Iran Supreme leader Ali Khamenei to step down, asserting, “Our beloved Iran has been dragged into a devastating conflict, the architect of which is no other than Ali Khamenei and his corrupt destructive faction. He has driven our nation’s economy to the brink of collapse, plundered our national infrastructure and resources, squandered the nation’s wealth on developing nuclear weapons, shattered Iran’s security, and stolen the sovereignty of the Iranian people.”
“Credible reports indicate that Ali Khamenei’s family and the family of senior officials are making preparations to flee Iran. The regime is on its last legs in towns and cities across the country. The military is fractured,” he noted.
“I am establishing a formal channel for military security and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation,” he announced. “This is a secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement.”
Pahlavi&#8217;s speech came just a day after President Donald Trump called for &#8220;regime change&#8221; in Iran, saying it was time to &#8220;Make Iran Great Again.&#8221;
&#8220;If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn&#8217;t there be a Regime change???&#8221; Trump wrote.
Pahlavi warned that the destruction of the Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow enrichment facilities had diminished the regime’s domestic nuclear enrichment, but did not diminish the regime’s intent to acquire and use nuclear weapons. “The regime, enraged and emboldened, will be seeking revenge, and can, it can nuclear weapons from other rogue regimes like North Korea,” he stated. “The destruction of the regime’s nuclear facilities alone will not deliver peace, but the path I offer can. So work with us to ensure a peaceful transition. Now is not the time for hesitation. Now is the time for principled action from each of us.”
Looking forward, he said:
<blockquote>
Our transition and future democracy will be based on these three core principles: Iran’s territorial integrity, individual liberties and equality of all citizens; separation of religion and state. The final form of this future democracy we seek will be for the Iranian people to decide in a national referendum. What I offer is not just a vision for the future of our country, but a plan to execute a peaceful orderly transition. To achieve that, today I am announcing the following initial steps: First, I will convene a national unity summit. This gathering will include activists, dissidents, and groups from across the ideological spectrum who agree to these three principles. It will not be limited just to political groups, but business leaders, professionals, experts, and other groups with influence across Iranian society. This summit’s objective will be to agree on a road map for democratic transition and reconstruction. Second, in parallel to the democratic process, I am developing an economic plan to rebuild Iran. We have already launched the Iran Prosperity Project, a comprehensive plan for the economic reconstruction and social stabilization of our country in three phases. The emergency phase or the first 4 to 6 months; the establishment phase of 18 to 24 months, and the normalization phase, which is long-term.
</blockquote>
“Imagine this new Iran: a free and democratic Iran, living at peace with our neighbors, an engine of growth and opportunity in the region, a beacon of culture, innovation, and pride in the world. It is within our reach,” he declared. “We are a proud, ancient, resilient people. The task before us Iranians today  is no less than the ones faced by the great leaders, the great unifiers, the great builders of our history, like Cyrus the Great. As we embark on the final steps of this path to national revival, to liberation, to peace, we continue to be inspired by him. &#8230; This is our moment. I am with you. Let us build this Iran together.”
The full text of the speech is below:
<blockquote>
My fellow compatriots: Our beloved Iran has been dragged into a devastating conflict, the architect of which is no other than Ali Khamenei and his corrupt destructive faction. He has driven our nation’s economy to the brink of collapse, plundered our national infrastructure and resources, squandered the nation’s wealth on developing nuclear weapons, shattered Iran’s security, and stolen the sovereignty of the Iranian people.
This regime is defeated, teetering on the edge of collapse. and must not be allowed to continue. The time has come to end this reign and begin a new era for Iran. This is a new dawn for Iran‘s lion and sun.
Ladies and gentlemen, over the past few days I have spoken with people across Iran from every walk of life; an officer in the Armed Forces; a mother fleeing Tehran; a factory worker from Tabriz; a young woman activist for the Women, Life, Freedom Movement. These voices represent a nation embattled but resilient that is not asking for his freedom; it is fighting for it.
From the 1999 student protests to the Green Movement to the 2017 Dey and 2019 Aban  uprisings,  thousands of Iranians have given their lives in the fight for Iran‘s liberation. Today, millions of my brave compatriots continue the fight.
One of their stories moved me deeply: In September 2022 Javad Heydari was murdered, protesting the Islamic republic’s killing of Mahsa Amini. His sister has continued his fight. She’s one of the hundreds of activists the regime has arrested and harassed in recent days. When security forces raided her home, she cried out, “Oh God, where shall we go? Where shall we go to flee from your tyranny?” One by one her neighbors began to respond to her: “We’re not going anywhere. They (meaning the regime)are the ones who’ve got to go.”
These words echo in my heart and should echo in every corner of power around the world. Today it is clearer than ever. The Islamic Republic is collapsing. Credible reports indicate that Ali Khamenei’s family and the family of senior officials are making preparations to flee Iran. The regime is on its last legs in towns and cities across the country. The military is fractured. The people are united; the foundations of this 46-year tyranny are shaking.
This is our Berlin Wall moment.
But like all moments of great change, it comes fraught with danger. We stand at a crossroads. One road leads to bloodshed and chaos; the other, a peaceful and democratic transition. The difference in these two roads depends on one factor and one factor alone: whether the current regime in Iran is allowed to survive. If the West throws the regime a lifeline. there will be more bloodshed and chaos because this regime will not submit or surrender after it has been humiliated. It will lash out.
As long as it is in power, no country and no people are safe, whether on the streets of Washington, Paris, Jerusalem, Riyadh, or Tehran. There’s only one way to achieve peace: a secular, democratic, Iran.
I am here today to submit myself to my compatriots to lead them down this road of peace and democratic transition. I do not seek political power, but rather to help our great nation navigate through this critical hour toward stability, freedom and justice.
To the people of Iran: I see your courage. I feel your pain. I know you are suffering. I know many of you are afraid for your loved ones, your children, your future. So I speak to you with a heavy heart. I worked for years, for decades, so that the scourge of war would never reach the borders of our land. Seeing the images of the people of Tehran forced to flee our beautiful capital, the explosions in Esfahan; the fires along the Persian Gulf; all fill me with pain.
But more than pain, I am filled with anger because this war is the result of the selfishness, hatred and terror of one man: Ali Khamenei. While he directs this war from the safety of his hidden bunker, he uses our people as human shields.
It is time to end the suffering. So today, I have a direct message for Ali Khamenei: Step down.  And if you do, you will receive a fair trial and due process of law, which is more than you have ever given any Iranian.
To other senior regime officials, those of you whose who hands are soiled with the blood of the Iranian people, you too will have to face justice, but we will not repeat the mistakes in other failed transitions.
To those who are loyal to the Iranian nation and not the Islamic Republic, there is a future for you in a democratic Iran — if you join the people now. The choice is yours to make. I know these officers, these soldiers, these brave men exist because they are reaching out to me and telling me they want to be part of this national salvation. But now greater coordination is needed.
So, to that end, today I am announcing that I am establishing a formal channel for military security and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation. This is a secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement.
For those patriotic members of our own forces: The time is now to join the nation. If you do, I will make sure your service to Iran is not forgotten and is celebrated. To the international community: Now is the moment to stand with the Iranian people. Do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Do not throw this regime a lifeline. You are right to be concerned about stopping nuclear weapons and securing regional stability. Only a democratic transition in Iran can ensure these goals are achieved and are lasting. Take, for example, the destruction of Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow enrichment facilities. Yes, this has diminished the regime’s domestic nuclear enrichment, but it does not diminish the regime’s intent to acquire and use nuclear weapons. The regime, enraged and emboldened, will be seeking revenge, and can, it can nuclear weapons from other rogue regimes like North Korea.
The destruction of the regime’s nuclear facilities alone will not deliver peace, but the path I offer can. So work with us to ensure a peaceful transition. Now is not the time for hesitation. Now is the time for principled action from each of us.
46 years ago when my late father and our family were forced to leave Iran,  I took an oath to God and my country: I would not turn my back on Iran or the Iranian people. Every day since I have dedicated my life to my compatriots, and today, I am here to put myself at their service. I am stepping forward to lead this national transition, not out of personal interest, but as a servant of the Iranian people. I have a clear plan for transition and national renewal. Our transition and future democracy will be based on these three core principles: Iran’s territorial integrity, individual liberties and equality of all citizens; separation of religion and state. The final form of this future democracy we seek will be for the Iranian people to decide in a national referendum. What I offer is not just a vision for the future of our country, but a plan to execute a peaceful orderly transition.
To achieve that, today I am announcing the following initial steps: First, I will convene a national unity summit. This gathering will include activists, dissidents, and groups from across the ideological spectrum who agree to these three principles. It will not be limited just to political groups, but business leaders, professionals, experts, and other groups with influence across Iranian society. This summit’s objective will be to agree on a road map for democratic transition and reconstruction. Second, in parallel to the democratic process, I am developing an economic plan to rebuild Iran. We have already launched the Iran Prosperity Project, a comprehensive plan for the economic reconstruction and social stabilization of our country in three phases. The emergency phase or the first 4 to 6 months; the establishment phase of 18 to 24 months, and the normalization phase, which is long-term.
In the coming days, my team of experts will publish the plans for the first hundred days after the collapse of the Islamic Republic based on this work. We are bringing together some of the world‘s greatest investors, builders, entrepreneurs, and experts who care about Iran, and see its immense potential. They stand ready to put in the expertise, the talent, and the capital to rebuild our nation and turn it into one of the world‘s most attractive markets. Imagine this new Iran: a free and democratic Iran, living at peace with our neighbors, an engine of growth and opportunity in the region, a beacon of culture, innovation, and pride in the world. It is within our reach.
We are a proud, ancient, resilient people. The task before us Iranians today  is no less than the ones faced by the great leaders, the great unifiers, the great builders of our history, like Cyrus the Great. As we embark on the final steps of this path to national revival, to liberation, to peace, we continue to be inspired by him.
To my compatriots: This is our moment. I am with you. Let us build this Iran together. Thank you.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EvcETEWoTvg?si=nh7Hl74C4rvBnJG9&amp;start=799" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></blockquote>

FRANCE-IRAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT

‘This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment’: Crown Prince Of Iran Calls For Islamic Regime To Step Down

reza pahlavi

Once again, the Islamic Republic of Iran is drawing the United States into talks through the Sultanate of Oman. Some Western officials and analysts frame this as an <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-us-start-talks-oman-under-shadow-regional-conflict-2025-04-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opportunity</a> for de-escalation, but the evidence suggests otherwise. The regime’s decision to engage is a tactical maneuver aimed at delaying pressure, repositioning itself diplomatically, and benefiting from potential external shifts. If not met with firm containment, this round of diplomacy will mirror past failures.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran’s</a> current position is fragile. The <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/06/us-will-collapse-irans-economy-by-shutting-down-its-oil-industry-treasury-secretary-says.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economy</a> is deteriorating rapidly, with persistent inflation and currency depreciation undermining basic economic stability. Domestically, the regime continues to face discontent that, while suppressed by force, has not been resolved through legitimacy. 
Regionally, its power projection has eroded. Hamas has been severely degraded, Hezbollah has suffered significant military setbacks, and Iran’s network of militias faces growing pressure from Israel and Western-aligned actors. The regime is seeking time for political dynamics in Washington to shift, for global energy markets to realign, and for Persian Gulf partners to return focus to short-term economic stabilization over long-term isolation strategies. None of this signals readiness to change course — it signals a regime buying time, again.
Engagement with Iran does not support the Iranian people. Every round of diplomacy has ended with the IRGC stronger, dissidents more isolated, and Tehran more defiant. Historically, sanctions relief and renewed <a href="https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/how-the-iranian-regime-seeks-to-build-its-power-upon-american-naivete" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diplomatic engagement</a> have bolstered the regime’s internal security networks. Resources gained through these openings are funneled to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), intelligence services, and patronage systems that reinforce regime control. The October 7 massacre was the price of appeasement. Billions flowed to Iran under Biden — and blood flowed in Israel.
The coalition pushing for a deal does not have American interests in mind. China and Russia want breathing room for their ally. The Europeans want to claim progress ahead of their own elections. And some in the Persian Gulf would rather appease Tehran than risk direct confrontation. 
<div id="attachment_911379" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-911379" class="size-large wp-image-911379" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210316600-864x576.jpg" alt="Italian police officers outside the entrance of the Omani embassy, in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Iran and the US on Saturday began a second round of talks aimed at reaching a deal over Tehran's nuclear program, according to Iranian state television. Photographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210316600-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210316600-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210316600-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210316600.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Italian police officers outside the entrance of the Omani embassy, in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Photographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
President Donald Trump has an opportunity to break this cycle of failure. His administration must recognize that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is not a rational actor. He does not negotiate in good faith, he does not reform, and he does not seek peace. Like Hamas’s Yahya Sinwar, Khamenei sees both survival and martyrdom as victory — an outlook rooted in radical Islamist ideology that glorifies death over compromise. As Gaza burned, Sinwar sat gripping a stick, waiting for the drone that would kill him — convinced he had already won. Khamenei would do the same to Iran. He would rather watch cities collapse and millions suffer than compromise with the West. 
Some argue that if Tehran <a href="https://allisrael.com/is-the-libyan-disarmament-a-viable-model-for-iran-understanding-the-option-netanyahu-would-like-to-see" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismantles</a> its nuclear program and allows missile inspections, a deal might be acceptable — similar to the Libya model. But that view misunderstands the nature of the Islamic Republic. Its nuclear ambitions are a symptom, not the root of the threat. The regime’s hostility toward the U.S. and Israel is ideological, rooted in its identity. That identity cannot be negotiated away. A deal now would prolong the regime’s survival and empower the institutions behind its repression and aggression. 
Tehran’s use of calibrated escalation further underscores the risks of engagement without parallel containment. In 2019, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/14/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-refineries-drone-attack.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regime</a> struck Saudi oil infrastructure expecting a restrained U.S. response. Israeli <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr0yvrx4qpo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strikes</a> on IRGC-affiliated targets have been met with limited, symbolic responses rather than strategic confrontation. This behavior is consistent with a <a href="https://www.iiss.org/globalassets/media-library---content--migration/images/comment/analysis/2017/december/2-mcinnis2125.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doctrine</a> of calculated, limited escalation designed to generate leverage and delay decisive retaliation. It is not evidence of de-escalation.
While indirect negotiations may appear diplomatically useful, they allow Tehran to manipulate outcomes while avoiding direct commitments. Engagement becomes a form of enablement. The danger is not the act of negotiation itself, but the repetition of a failed process in which pressure is relieved while Tehran stabilizes, regroups, and continues regional destabilization.
To protect U.S. and allied interests, the correct response to the regime’s current posture is neither renewed engagement nor war, but the full activation of isolation mechanisms. This includes triggering the UN snapback sanctions mechanism under <a href="https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/sres81/BILLS-119sres81is.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSCR 2231</a>, designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization at the <a href="https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-838780" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EU level</a>, freezing <a href="https://financialpost.com/pmn/us-imposes-sanctions-on-a-chinese-refinery-accused-of-buying-iranian-oil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assets</a> linked to Chinese and Malaysian brokers facilitating regime oil exports, and exposing the logistical infrastructure that allows the IRGC to operate regionally. European banks and Persian Gulf financial institutions still transacting with regime-linked entities should face coordinated diplomatic and financial pressure. Isolation must be operational and enforced.
<div id="attachment_911393" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-911393" class="wp-image-911393 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209282209-864x576.jpg" alt="An Iranian driver sits in his vehicle, which is parked under an anti-U.S. mural in downtown Tehran, Iran, on April 12, 2025, during the day of the Iran-U.S. nuclear discussions. According to Iranian officials, indirect nuclear discussions between Iran and the United States begin in Muscat, Oman, on April 12. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209282209-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209282209-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209282209-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209282209.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />An Iranian driver sits in his vehicle, which is parked under an anti-U.S. mural in downtown Tehran, Iran, on April 12, 2025, during the day of the Iran-U.S. nuclear discussions. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</div>
In the likely event of further regime degradation, the United States and its allies must be prepared for a leadership vacuum. Any transition scenario must include support for figures with broad-based legitimacy, cross-generational appeal, and a clear public commitment to secular democratic governance. The <a href="https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/the-u-s-must-engage-with-reza-pahlavi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">son of the late Shah</a> is uniquely positioned as a unifying figure with broad-based legitimacy and recognition required to facilitate a post-regime transition. He consistently advocates a referendum-based process to empower Iranians in determining their political future, explicitly refraining from promoting any particular system, including monarchy. His value lies in providing political continuity, grounded solely in his national stature and widespread public recognition during a potentially volatile transition period. During recent national celebrations — including Nowruz and Chaharshanbe Suri — <a href="https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-847541" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iranians</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUrz6uoeRXc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chanted</a> his name in cities across the country. These were not isolated incidents or orchestrated campaigns; they were widespread, public expressions of recognition. No other figure inside or outside Iran has generated this level of organic visibility. 
There are additional risks that must be managed. Steve Witkoff, appointed as special envoy by the Trump administration, currently leads the Iran talks. His extensive <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2024/11/steve-witkoff-middle-east-envoy-real-estate-mogul-donald-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">business</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/25/us/politics/witkoff-trump-middle-east-envoy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connections</a> with investors in Persian Gulf states, notably Qatar and Saudi Arabia, raise legitimate concerns about regional influence over U.S. policy direction. Some regional partners could advocate for a &#8216;stability-focused&#8217; agreement that sustains a weakened yet intact Islamic Republic, rather than supporting a genuinely secular and democratic alternative beyond their sphere of influence. This scenario would replicate the strategic failures of the JCPOA, entrenching regime survival without accountability, and directly compromising U.S. and Israeli national security interests.
If negotiations stall, Tehran’s fallback is limited, survivable conflict. The regime has long embraced a strategy of controlled escalation — not to win wars, but to provoke just enough confrontation to shift global focus, fracture internal dissent, and reset its legitimacy. In its calculus, limited war is safer than isolation. That’s why containment must be decisive. If neither diplomacy nor confrontation offer the regime an exit, internal collapse becomes inevitable.
The current diplomatic track with Iran is not designed to prevent conflict or nuclear escalation. It is designed to create space for the regime to survive. That calculation must be reversed. The United States and its allies must pursue containment and isolation as the strategic baseline — not the fallback. That’s how you flip the script — and how you make Tehran fear American resolve again.
* * *
Dr. Aidin Panahi is an Iranian-American research professor, energy expert, and political activist. He is the cofounder of the “From Boston to Iran” initiative and his analyses on security and policy issues have appeared in outlets including The Jerusalem Post, Washington Times, Middle East Forum, Homeland Security Today, and Visegrád24. X: @Aidin_FreeIran 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Iran and US Begin Second Round of Mediated Nuclear Talks in Rome

A Tactical Trap. Why It’s Time To Flip The Script On Iran.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

china

Iran Nuclear Deal

middle east

Nuclear Weapons

oman

President Trump

russia

Saudi Arabia

Steve Witkoff

Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been in hiding for nearly a week after Israel killed Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iranian-backed terrorist group, in an airstrike late last week.
Khamenei had tried repeatedly to get Nasrallah to flee Lebanon and come to Iran for weeks before he was killed, fearing that it was only a matter of time before Israel got to him, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-khamenei-warned-nasrallah-israeli-plot-kill-him-sources-say-2024-10-02/">reported</a>.
The Iranian leader, who personally ordered the firing of nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel this week, has become deeply paranoid about Israeli infiltration throughout the Iranian government, military, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Khamenei authorized the missile attack on Israel after concluding, at the insistence of senior IRGC commanders, that it would be riskier to do nothing in response to Israel killing Nasrallah and Hamas terrorist leader Ismail Haniyeh inside of Iran over the summer.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Senior IRGC commander, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, who Khamenei sent to convince Nasrallah to come to Iran, was killed alongside Nasrallah in Israel&#8217;s airstrike on the deeply fortified bunker where they were hiding in Beirut.
The report said that Khamenei has remained &#8220;in a secure location inside Iran since Saturday&#8221; and has not left over fears that he is next on Israel&#8217;s list.
There has been a widespread collapse in trust inside Hezbollah, Iran, and between Iran and the various terrorist proxy groups that it oversees, the report said.
The paranoia has become so rampant that Iran has started to arrest members of the IRGC — the hardline ideological faction of Iran&#8217;s military — over suspicions that they are working for Israel.
Sources inside Iran&#8217;s government told the publication that &#8220;the trust that held everything together has disappeared&#8221; and that Khamenei &#8220;no longer trusts anyone.&#8221;

Election Day In Iran

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei In Hiding After Israeli Strikes: Report

terrorism

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iranian</a> Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called emergency meetings late on Friday night after Israel launched a powerful airstrike targeting Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iranian-backed terrorist group, at an underground compound Friday afternoon in Beirut.
Khamenei called the meeting of the Supreme National Security Council at his home compound, the first meeting since Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.
Israeli intelligence agencies said in an initial assessment that they believe that Nasrallah was killed in the strike, but cautioned that confirmation was still needed. It is believed that several other top Hezbollah, as well as potentially officials with Iran&#8217;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were also killed in the attack.
The world&#8217;s leading state sponsor of terrorism also pushed for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a group of 57 Islamic nations, in response to the attack.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/09/27/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that while Iran responded to the strike by blustering in public statements, privately they were panicking over Hezbollah&#8217;s silence following the attack, believing that it was a sign of bad news. Reuters reported that Nasrallah was &#8220;unreachable&#8221; following the strike, according to sources close to him.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Iran&#8217;s Foreign Ministry claimed that the strikes were an &#8220;undeniable war crime&#8221; even though Hezbollah, at Nasrallah&#8217;s direction, has fired thousands of missiles, rockets, and drones in unprovoked attacks over the last year.
&#8220;Therefore, without a doubt, the U.S. regime is an accomplice to the Zionist regime and must be held accountable,&#8221; the statement claimed. &#8220;The continuation of the Zionist regime&#8217;s crimes against the people of Palestine and Lebanon clearly shows that the call for a ceasefire by the U.S. and some Western countries is a blatant deception aimed at buying time to allow the Zionist regime to continue its crimes against the people of Palestine and Lebanon.&#8221;

Khamenei request the support of Iranian parliament for President-elect of Iran, Pezeshkian

Iranian Supreme Leader Calls Emergency Meetings After Israeli Strike On Nasrallah

Global Politics

Hezbollah

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iranian</a> Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct strike on Israel in retaliation for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-top-hamas-leader-ismail-haniyeh-killed-inside-iran?topStoryPosition=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh</a> inside of Iran on Tuesday night.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/31/world/middleeast/iran-orders-attack-israel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that he gave the order at an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council that was held immediately after the country announced Haniyeh&#8217;s death.
“We see avenging his blood our duty,” Khamenei said, adding that there would be a &#8220;severe punishment&#8221; for his death.
Iran has blamed Israel for killing Haniyeh, who celebrated his organization&#8217;s unprecedented terrorist attack against Israel on October 7 and who had publicly called for more attacks.
The Iranian Mission to the United Nations said in a statement: &#8220;The response to an assassination will indeed be special operations—harder and intended to instill deep regret in the perpetrator.&#8221;
Khamenei&#8217;s order comes after Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel in April, firing hundreds of drones and missiles launched from inside Iran directly at Israel.
Senior U.S. officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-targeted-major-civilian-areas-biden-admin-told-iran-attack-had-to-be-within-certain-limits-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time that Iran&#8217;s attacks were designed to cause mass casualties in major civilian areas and to damage infrastructure.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712932862202000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0plT8RRdMy9XUpIhocnjQS">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
The U.S., Israel, and other nations in the region were able to thwart the attack as nearly all of the drones and missiles were shot down and the few that did strike Israel only caused minor damage.
Iranian officials told the Times that one option they are considering is a coordinated attack that would include using its terrorist proxy groups that are located throughout the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
It has been public knowledge since late last year that Israel had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-our-munich-israeli-intelligence-chief-vows-to-hunt-down-kill-hamas-officials-on-foreign-soil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed to hunt down and terminate</a> everyone involved in Hamas&#8217; October 7 attack, including the terrorist group&#8217;s leaders who live in foreign countries.
Haniyeh’s death comes after Israel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-kills-hezbollahs-most-senior-military-commander-after-terror-group-killed-12-children?topStoryPosition=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> Hezbollah’s Fuad Shukr in Lebanon earlier in the day in response to an attack that Hezbollah launched last weekend that killed 12 children in northern Israel.
The IDF said that Shukr was Hezbollah’s “most senior military commander and the head of its Strategic Unit” and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s “right-hand man” and was his “adviser for planning and directing wartime operations.”

Second round of Parliament and Assembly of Expert Elections in Iran

Iranian Leader Khamenei Orders Direct Attack On Israel After Hamas Leader Killed

hamas

Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) and Ilhan Omar (MN) are among a group of Democratic lawmakers calling on the Trump administration to end sanctions on Iran during the coronavirus pandemic.
&#8220;I led a letter with [Rep. Ocasio-Cortez] and [Sen. Bernie Sanders] demanding this Administration end sanctions against Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic,&#8221; Omar tweeted Tuesday. &#8220;These sanctions aren’t changing the behavior of the Iranian government, but directly punishing innocent civilians.&#8221;
Ocasio-Cortez also took to Twitter to publicize her role in pushing for the easing of sanctions on Iran by retweeted a post from the author of a report on the letter: &#8220;[Ocasio-Cortez], [Sanders], [Omar], and [Sen. Elizabeth Warren] &amp; co want to suspend sanctions on Iran that make it hard to import meds, PPE &amp; respirators despite one of the world&#8217;s biggest COVID-19 outbreaks and Trump&#8217;s claims of having made enough humanitarian concessions,&#8221; reads the tweet from Huffington Post foreign affairs reporter Akbar Shahid Ahmed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I led a letter with <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAOC</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSanders</a> demanding this Administration end sanctions against Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
These sanctions aren’t changing the behavior of the Iranian government, but directly punishing innocent civilians. <a href="https://t.co/odymQAN3cn">https://t.co/odymQAN3cn</a>
&mdash; Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ilhan/status/1245075397504573440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Exclu: <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AOC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernieSanders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ewarren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ewarren</a> &amp; co want to suspend sanctions on Iran that make it hard to import meds, PPE &amp; respirators despite one of the world&#39;s biggest COVID-19 outbreaks and Trump&#39;s claims of having made enough humanitarian concessions.<a href="https://t.co/S42tATdyLX">https://t.co/S42tATdyLX</a>
&mdash; Akbar Shahid Ahmed (@AkbarSAhmed) <a href="https://twitter.com/AkbarSAhmed/status/1245035385153105927?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
As reported by the <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-sanctions-iran-coronavirus_n_5e831295c5b603fbdf490a1d">HuffPost</a> on Tuesday, Omar, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are among over two-dozen Democratic lawmakers who signed a letter sent to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Tuesday demanding the administration &#8220;suspend sweeping U.S. sanctions on Iran that are hindering the country’s response to its massive coronavirus outbreak.&#8221;
&#8220;Allowing this crisis to become more dire in Iran threatens significant harm not only to the people of Iran but also to people in the United States and around the world,&#8221; the letter reads.
&#8220;Our many disputes with the government of Iran or others should not stand in the way of actions that can materially help innocent people weather a pandemic,&#8221; the Democratic lawmakers assert.
As a precedent for such an action, the letter notes that President George W. Bush’s administration &#8220;eased sanctions&#8221; and &#8220;delivered aid&#8221; to Iran after the 2003 earthquake near Bam.
Among the sanctions relief they are demanding are &#8220;those that encompass major sectors of the Iranian economy, including those impacting civilian industries, Iran’s banking sector and exports of oil.&#8221; The easing of sanctions should last &#8220;for at least as long as health experts believe the crisis will continue,&#8221; the lawmakers insist.
<div class="content-list-component yr-content-list-text text" data-rapid-cpos="2" data-rapid-subsec="paragraph" data-rapid-parsed="subsec">
HuffPost cites some of the alarming COVID-19 statistics coming out of Iran, including more <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">2,750 deaths</a> in connection to the virus and more than 40,000 infections.
Along with Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, and Sanders, former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) signed the letter.
During the course of his presidency, Trump has withdrawn from the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal and ramped up pressure on Iran by placing increasingly punitive sanctions on the country, which is the world&#8217;s leading state sponsor of terrorism.
While HuffPost notes that the sanctions &#8220;restrict Iran’s ability to earn foreign currency by selling oil abroad and to trade with international firms, limiting its imports of medicine and materials it needs to produce drugs domestically,&#8221; and have damaged the country&#8217;s ability to gain access to specialized medical equipment, Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has turned down U.S. offers of aid.
<div class="content-list-component yr-content-list-text text" data-rapid-cpos="8" data-rapid-subsec="paragraph" data-rapid-parsed="subsec">
&#8220;The U.S. preserved loopholes for food and medical trade with Iran and acknowledged its need by offering aid, American officials have noted, but Iran’s Supreme Leader <a href="https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2020/mar/23/khamenei-refuses-us-help-covid-19" data-ylk="subsec:paragraph;cpos:8;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid-parsed="slk" data-rapid_p="8" data-v9y="1">rejected</a> the offer,&#8221; HuffPost reports. &#8220;Last month, Trump <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-swiss-formally-open-humanitarian-trade-channel-to-iran-11582846163" data-ylk="subsec:paragraph;cpos:8;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid-parsed="slk" data-rapid_p="9" data-v9y="1">authorized</a> a new channel for humanitarian exports to the country that allows companies to seek approval for deals from the U.S. and Swiss governments without fear of incurring American penalties.&#8221;
Despite Trump opening the new channels, &#8220;producers of vital supplies are still nervous about fines, as American authorities continue to target violators of the sanctions and impose new ones, and are reluctant to deal with byzantine U.S. regulations that cover broad swathes of the Iranian economy, from banks to parts of the military,&#8221; HuffPost notes.
</div>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-fauci-cautiously-offers-hope-rate-of-increase-seems-to-be-dropping-off">WATCH: Fauci Cautiously Offers Hope: Rate Of Increase Seems To Be Dropping Off</a>
</div>

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar Demand Trump End Sanctions On Iran During Coronavirus Crisis

bernie sanders

donald trump

elizabeth warren

ilhan omar

Mike Pompeo

Steve Mnuchin

In a rare appearance on Friday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, praised the country&#8217;s missile strike on a U.S. airbase earlier this month while bashing President Trump as an untrustworthy clown and accusing the U.S. of using Iran&#8217;s downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet, which Iran initially tried to cover up, as a distraction.
“The fact that Iran has the power to give such a slap to a world power shows the hand of God,” Khamenei said, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-khamenei/khamenei-says-irans-strikes-at-us-targets-show-hand-of-god-idUSKBN1ZG0O8">Reuters.</a>
“These American clowns who lie and say they are with the Iranian people should see who the Iranian people are,” said the Iranian leader.
Khameini went on to accuse the U.S. of trying to use Iran&#8217;s horrific downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 to shift international attention from the Trump-ordered strike that took out Iran&#8217;s top military leader, Qassem Soleimani, who Khameini claimed was &#8220;mourned&#8221; by &#8220;millions in Iran.&#8221;
&#8220;Khamenei told the crowd Friday that Trump is not to be trusted and only pretends to support the Iranian people,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/irans-supreme-leader-calls-trump-a-clown-praises-missile-attack">Fox News</a> reports. &#8220;He said Western countries are too weak to &#8216;bring Iranians to their knees.&#8217; He said Iran was willing to negotiate, but not with the U.S.&#8221;
Since Khamenei has not addressed Friday prayers in Tehran since 2012, one Middle East scholar told the Washington Post that his address is a &#8220;symbolically significant act.&#8221;
On January 8, the Iranian regime launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq at the Asad airbase in Anbar Province. The attack followed an airstrike in Baghdad ordered by President Trump that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who he described as one of the &#8220;worst terrorists in history and the father of the roadside bomb.&#8221;
Though no Americans or Iraqis were killed or wounded in the blast, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-11-u-s-troops-treated-after-iran-missile-attack-cnn-politicizes-theres-more-to-the-story">recent report</a> shows that at least 11 U.S. troops were treated for injuries like concussions.
“No one was killed or wounded in the five barrages of multiple missiles that night, although several military personnel who were working were checked for concussions,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/13/world/middleeast/Iran-missile-attack-American-base.html">The New York Times</a> reported. “The absence of casualties seemed to be the result of luck and warnings.”
A spokesman for the U.S. military command in Baghdad also said: “As previously stated, while no U.S. service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on Al Asad Air base, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed.”
Shortly after the missile strike, Iran shot down a Ukranian jetliner that killed 176 people, presumably mistaking the plane for a U.S. counter-attack. Khamenei referred to the tragedy as a &#8220;bitter accident&#8221; that Iranians mourned.
Meeting in London on Thursday, ministers from Afghanistan, Britain, Canada, Sweden and Ukraine – all of which lost citizens in the crash – demanded full-transparency from Iran during the downed-plane investigation as well as compensation.
&#8220;We are here to pursue closure, accountability, transparency and justice for the victims – Ukrainian, Swedish, Afghan, British, Canadian as well as Iranian, through a full complete and transparent international investigation,&#8221; said Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne. &#8220;In the wake of such a horrific tragedy there are many many questions. Families want answers, all of the countries assembled here today want answers, and the international community want answers. The world is waiting for those answers and we will not rest until we get them.&#8221;

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

In Rare Sermon, Iran Leader Praises Missile Attack, Accuses U.S. Of Using Plane Tragedy As Distraction

Qassem Soleimani

Menu