On Wednesday, a Staten Island man was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/staten-island-man-sentenced-murder-hire-plot-and-stalking-journalist-and-prominent-critic">sentenced</a> to 10 years in prison for his role in a yearslong, state-sponsored plot directed by the government of Iran to assassinate prominent journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad on U.S. soil.
Jonathan Loadholt, 37, received the decade-long sentence from U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit stalking and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Federal prosecutors revealed that Loadholt and his co-defendant, Carlisle Rivera, were hired as local &#8220;guns for hire&#8221; by an asset of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — the primary military and intelligence branch reporting directly to Iran’s supreme leader.
According to court documents, the IRGC’s operation relied on a chain of proxies. High-ranking Iranian officials directed Farhad Shakeri, an IRGC asset who remains at large, to orchestrate the murder. Shakeri subsequently offered Rivera $100,000 to execute the hit. Rivera then recruited Loadholt.
Using funds funneled from Iran, Loadholt and Rivera purchased a firearm and &#8220;burner&#8221; cellphones and tracked Alinejad for months. The plotters used fake license plates to stalk her at her Brooklyn residence and even followed her to a public speaking event at Fairfield University in Connecticut. Law enforcement disrupted the plot and arrested Loadholt on November 7, 2024, uncovering more than two dozen rounds of ammunition at his residence.
“The Government of Iran tried to silence Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to stand up to the Iranian regime,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. “While this plot was directed from Iran, the would-be assassins were American citizens who agreed to kill Ms. Alinejad for money — out of greed.”
Loadholt is the second operative sentenced in this specific branch of the conspiracy. In January 2026, Rivera was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Judge Liman after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.
The sentencing marks yet another flashpoint in Tehran’s relentless, multi-year campaign to eliminate Alinejad, a U.S. citizen who has long been a fierce critic of the theocratic Iranian regime. Through her work, including reporting for the Voice of America Persian Service, Alinejad has consistently exposed Iran&#8217;s human rights abuses, its corruption, and its restrictive laws against women, such as the compulsory hijab. Her advocacy has drawn severe retaliation; her brother was <a href="https://x.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1215672611386134530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1215672611386134530%7Ctwgr%5E3d2ed1f6122544a82b11bb3f5d458e8cf61b3275%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Filhan-omar-promotes-smear-of-famed-anti-iranian-regime-journalist-journalist-issues-stunning-response">previously jailed</a> in Iran by the IRGC, and her elderly mother has faced aggressive interrogations.
Federal authorities noted that the IRGC has repeatedly shifted tactics to silence her:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>2020–2021: Iranian intelligence assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad in New York for forced transfer to Iran.</li>
<li>2022: The IRGC hired violent members of the Russian mafia to assassinate her.</li>
</ul>
That Eastern European mob network collapsed when an Azerbaijani hitman was caught outside Alinejad’s home with an AK-47. In October 2025, Russian underworld figures Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov each <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russian-mobsters-get-25-years-for-iranian-regimes-plot-to-kill-dissident-on-american-soil?utm_source=chatgpt.com">received</a> 25-year federal prison sentences for their roles in that $500,000 murder-for-hire scheme.
“Once upon a time, a little girl in Iran was taught to shout Death to America so loud the White House would shake,” Alinejad wrote. “Life’s irony: the same country she was told to hate gave her a second life. Yes, her adopted country, America, arrested the killers sent by her birth country, Iran to murder her in her sunflower garden in New York and sentenced them to 25 years in prison. From Iran to the United States of America, this is the story of freedom, survival, and truth that can’t be silenced.”

Presentation of the European Paulskirche Prize for Democracy

Iran Hired Americans To Assassinate Famed Dissident. One Just Got Sentenced.

assassination attempt

Department of Justice

Iran

Masih Alinejad

Untitled design – 2026-04-17T112129.656

Iran’s Ceasefire Move Sparks Immediate U.S. Military Rebuke

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Protest

Revolution

A social media post buried inside a newly unsealed federal terrorism complaint appears to place an Iran-backed terror group frighteningly close to first daughter Ivanka Trump during a family trip to Disneyland Paris earlier this year.
According to the complaint, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya — a group the Department of Justice says is part of the U.S.-designated terror organization Kata’ib Hizballah — issued a message to President Donald Trump via Snapchat on April 20 that specifically referenced Ivanka Trump.
“From the heart of the matter, where your daughter Ivanka, that whore who throws herself into the arms of men, adorns her face lightly and breathes with delight wherever she falls upon the edge of a rich wealthy man,” the message read before warning: “You moron, your daughter was on the brink of death thirteen days ago, but our men don’t kill whores.”
The post goes on to encourage people to kill “arrogant, criminal, cursed Trump.”
Thirteen days before April 20 was April 7, which is the same day Ivanka Trump was visiting Disneyland Paris with her children, according to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/09/ivanka-trump-at-disneyland-when-president-threatened-iran/">TMZ</a>. The outlet reported the family was accompanied by security, including guards stationed outside rides. 
No major outlet appears to have connected the date in the threat to Ivanka Trump’s publicly documented Paris trip.
The timing is especially notable because prosecutors say the threat network was overseen by 32-year-old Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a senior Kata’ib Hizballah operative tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who was recently arrested on terrorism charges.
According to the complaint, Al-Saadi and his associates were actively operating in Paris around the same time as Ivanka Trump’s visit and had allegedly attempted to bomb the Bank of America building in the city on March 28. Prosecutors say Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya released a propaganda video on March 16, 2026, previewing an attack against the exact building.
Al-Saadi allegedly made a “pledge” to assassinate Ivanka Trump, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/22/world-news/ivanka-trump-targeted-for-assassination-by-iraqi-terrorist-in-twisted-plot-to-avenge-president-taking-out-his-mentor-sources/">reported The New York Post</a>.
“After Qassem was killed, he went around telling people ‘we need to kill Ivanka to burn down the house of Trump the way he burned down our house,’” former Iraqi diplomat Entifadh Qanbar told the Post.
In posts on X in both 2021 and 2023, Al-Saadi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ivanka-trump-targeted-in-chilling-plot-tied-to-iran-linked-terror-network">posted a map</a> showing the Florida neighborhood where Ivanka Trump — who is Jewish — lives with her husband, Jared Kushner, and their three children. 
“I say to the Americans look at this picture and know that neither your palaces nor the Secret Service will protect you,” he wrote in the 2021 post. “We are currently in the stage of surveillance and analysis. I told you, our revenge is a matter of time.”
Al-Saadi allegedly coordinated or inspired nearly 20 terrorist attacks across Europe and Canada through Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which first emerged following the U.S. Operation Epic Fury attacks on Iran. The group was allegedly created to obscure its ties to Kata’ib Hizballah, Hezbollah, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
<div id="attachment_1102441" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1102441" class="size-large wp-image-1102441" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-1024x499.png" alt="" width="1024" height="499" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-1024x499.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-300x146.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-768x374.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM.png 1322w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Surveillance footage allegedly showing the aftermath of an April 2026 arson attack targeting a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, which includes Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya&#8217;s logo. (U.S. Department of Justice.)</div>
According to the complaint, Al-Saadi’s group specifically targeted American, Israeli, and Jewish sites, including an explosives attack against the Bank of New York Mellon building in Amsterdam in March 2026, and attempted to target Jewish institutions inside the United States in early April. The DOJ also cited an arson attack targeting a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, on April 12. Days later, Al-Saadi posted a video showing the synagogue engulfed in flames alongside a red target symbol.
The complaint also says Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya claimed responsibility for a violent stabbing attack in London on April 29, 2026, in which two Jewish men were seriously injured, including a dual U.S.-British citizen. The group allegedly posted a propaganda video on Telegram the same day claiming credit for the attack.
Federal prosecutors say Al-Saadi repeatedly used Telegram, Snapchat, and X to encourage attacks against Americans and Jews. 
On February 28, 2026, the day the Iranian military conflict began, prosecutors say Al-Saadi posted a message urging followers to “kill everyone who supports America and Israel” and target both civilians and military personnel worldwide. That same day, he allegedly issued another call on X encouraging anyone capable of killing an “American or Zionist target” anywhere in the world to begin doing so.
Days later, Al-Saadi “posted a Snapchat message titled ‘Shadow soldiers’ that investigators say was intended to activate terrorist ‘silent cells’ around the world to begin operations in support of Iran and its proxy groups.&#8221;
Authorities also cited a July 2020 post allegedly published by Al-Saadi showing the U.S. Capitol in ruins beneath images of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis alongside the message: “Our revenge for the martyred leaders is ongoing. No negotiations with the occupier.”
Federal prosecutors say Al-Saadi was driven by a desire to avenge the death of Qassem Soleimani, the longtime commander of Iran’s IRGC-Qods Force who was killed in a U.S. airstrike ordered by President Trump near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kata’ib Hizballah.
Al-Saadi, who grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, allegedly trained in Iran with the IRGC and worked closely with Soleimani prior to his death. Prosecutors say Al-Saadi repeatedly pledged revenge online, posting photos with Soleimani across his social media platforms and portraying the slain commander as a martyr.
<div id="attachment_1102437" style="width: 877px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1102437" class="size-large wp-image-1102437" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-867x576.jpeg" alt="Qassem Soleimani" width="867" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-867x576.jpeg 867w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-300x199.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-768x510.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7.jpeg 960w" sizes=" (max-width: 867px) 100vw, 867px" />Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi and Qassem Soleimani (X)</div>
Al-Saadi was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-backed-terror-operative-brought-to-u-s-over-plot-targeting-american-jews?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Iran-Backed+Terror+Operative+Brought+To+U.S.+Over+Plot+Targeting+American+Jews">reportedly arrested</a> in Turkey before being brought to the United States to face terrorism charges. The Department of Justice said he appeared in federal court in Manhattan earlier this month after being captured overseas and transferred into U.S. custody. Prosecutors say the Iraqi national has been active with Kata’ib Hizballah since approximately 2017.
Federal prosecutors <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/iraqi-national-arrested-and-charged-providing-material-support-iranian-backed-terrorist">charged</a> Al-Saadi with six terrorism-related offenses for his activities, including conspiring to provide material support to Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, plotting attacks targeting Americans, conspiring to bomb places of public use, and attempted destruction of property using fire or explosives. Some of the charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from 15 years to life.
According to the Post, Al-Saadi also possessed an Iraqi service passport issued by the Iraqi government, a document typically used by government employees and civil servants that allows for easier international travel.
The Iraqi government has appeared largely silent following Al-Saadi’s arrest, prompting backlash and protests from members of one of Iraq’s largest Shiite Arab tribes, Bani Saad tribe, who described his detention as a “kidnapping.”
According to the Iraqi Kurdistan-based outlet <a href="https://thenewregion.com/posts/5380">The New Region</a>, tribal leader Mazhar Atallah Hussein Alwan Al-Saad sent a letter to senior Iraqi officials condemning the arrest of Mohammad Baqer al-Saadi in Turkey by U.S. authorities and demanding his return to Iraq.
“We consider this a blatant violation of the sovereignty of Iraq, its land and its people,” the tribal leader wrote, while also calling for a case to be filed at the International Court of Justice against those responsible for the arrest.
Videos <a href="https://x.com/iq_alm/status/2057901897508364289?s=42">circulating</a> online on May 22 appeared to show protests in Baghdad over Al-Saadi’s arrest.
At the time of his arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel described Al-Saadi as a “high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism” and praised FBI agents, tactical units, and international partners involved in the operation.
“This was a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG tactical units, and interagency partners who delivered yet again,” Patel wrote.
Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, <a href="https://x.com/stateseas/status/2055456405398683712?s=46">praised</a> the operation that led to Al-Saadi’s capture and transfer to the United States.
“I am proud that my office assisted efforts to ensure Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi — accused of directing and urging others to attack U.S. interests, including by killing Americans and Jews across the globe — will face justice,” Kaploun wrote on X.
Kaploun added that President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “have been clear: If you target Americans or American interests, we will find you and hold you accountable.”

Ivanka Trump

Chilling Post Adds New Twist To Ivanka Trump Assassination Plot

Hezbollah

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi

Qassem Soleimani

The media are fully convinced that the best way for the United States to confront China and Iran is simply to do whatever they want.
President Donald Trump has been confronting both countries for two terms. And yet, according to The New York Times and The Washington Post, somehow China and Iran have the upper hand.
That&#8217;s a weird thing to say. Iran does not have a leadership class. They are all dead. Iran does not have forward military capacity. It&#8217;s been destroyed. Iran does not have a navy. They&#8217;re at the bottom of the Strait of Hormuz. They don&#8217;t have an air force. They can&#8217;t fly anything but low-level drones.
Iran doesn&#8217;t have a functioning economy, but somehow, Iran is winning?
Meanwhile, China, which has a massive debt problem, a massive demographic problem, and serious military issues — its military is wildly inferior to that of the United States — is also winning?
According to these media outlets, the best strategy is to make nice with the Chinese, to hug them, to give them everything they could possibly want; to go to the Iranians and cut a deal where we free up billions of dollars so they can rebuild their entire military machine.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ben-shapiro-dubunking-nytimes-iran?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-981859" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner.avif" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner.avif 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner-768x128.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
I&#8217;m not sure what else you&#8217;re supposed to gain from news analysis from The New York Times that says Iran gained leverage in the war, or this from The Washington Post: “China gains major edge on U.S. amid Iran war, intelligence report finds.”
China has no oil. It receives a majority of its oil from the Strait of Hormuz, which is closed. How is China trying to become magically stronger in some way? Iran has nothing functional in it. Yet somehow they are magically winning.
The media’s perspective is that China and Iran have gained leverage.
The Times reports, “Nearly three months into the conflict, the Iranian regime has succeeded in confounding U.S. and Israeli expectations for a speedy victory.”
Of course, all of this depends on your definition of victory. We have not had a victory on planet Earth in which one side gets on the deck of an aircraft carrier and signs a surrender document for roughly 80 years.
If by victory over the U.S. you mean Iran has no top-level military, their government is barely holding on to power, their economy is nonfunctional, and that they are, in desultory fashion, firing drones at shipping — that’s a pretty narrow definition of victory.
The Times writes: “The regime survived a wave of targeted killings early in the war. It then managed to turn the tables on its more powerful adversaries, introducing something of a stalemate. Since mid-March, Iran has maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway crucial to the world&#8217;s oil and gas trade. It has been able to limit U.S. and Israeli strikes on its energy industry. It even got President Donald Trump to rein in Israel&#8217;s war in Lebanon against Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militia.”
Most of these points are false. If Iran maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz, they would be able to ship their own oil out; they would be able to toll ships that were traveling.
They can’t.
Sure, President Trump is concerned about the spike in oil prices that would accompany an Iranian counter-fire against the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. But as far as limiting U.S. and Israeli attacks on its energy industry, President Trump is not sure that he wants to do that, because he is not sure that he wants to destroy the lifeline of a future Iranian regime if they were too moderate. He&#8217;s concerned that hurting the energy supplies in Iran would hurt the Iranian people.
As far as the war in Lebanon, the Israelis are still pursuing military action in Lebanon, and they&#8217;re likely to pursue it further as time goes on because Hezbollah is not giving up the ghost.
Nonetheless, The New York Times did find “experts” to explain that Iran is winning. Nicole Grajewski, who teaches at the Center for International Studies at Sciences Po in France, said, “Iran definitely has the advantage here. The U.S. is just kind of flailing at the moment.”
In what sense do they have an advantage?
The idea here is that Iran is pressuring the UAE and Qatar, except the UAE wants the United States to go even further. Saudi Arabia may be lobbying the United States not to go further, but that&#8217;s only because the United States has not evidenced a willingness to go all the way. If the United States were to say to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, “We&#8217;re toppling the regime,” both of those states would be onside, but they don&#8217;t want half-measures.
Thus, the pressure is not on the United States in the sense that America is about to be damaged; the pressure is on Iran regarding whether the regime lasts.
Iran&#8217;s strategy, according to The New York Times, of targeting oil fields and surrounding countries, “has shifted much of the focus of the war to the crucial question of how to get the strait reopened —  and how to limit Iranian leverage over it in the future. Efforts to pressure Iran to reopen the crucial waterway have proved unsuccessful.”
There are options that President Trump does not want to use, but he certainly could. Nonetheless, according to the New York Times, “Iran, though deeply damaged by the war, is likely to emerge from it with a valuable new asset” — I assume this means shutting down the shipping in the Strait — “having at least partial control over the strait would not only be a source of revenue for the regime, but also a form of geopolitical strength.”
They could have done that before. That&#8217;s the whole point. Do you want a regime that could have shut the Strait at any point to have a ballistic missile umbrella and nuclear weapons?
The answer is no.
It is yet to be seen how the war ends, but to suggest that Iran is somehow stronger now than they were before the war is crazy.
They just did something that they had to do because they were basically on their last legs if they had not shut the Strait of Hormuz. That was their last point of leverage, which, by the way, puts them at odds with China, which needs that oil. If they had not closed the Strait of Hormuz, and if it were to reopen without their economy reopening, they would be in very, very serious trouble.
How about China? The Washington Post is trying to claim that China is benefiting from all this, which is hard to see since their economic growth has slowed and they&#8217;ve been relegated to stealing our tech.
Nonetheless, according to The Washington Post, “A confidential U.S. intelligence analysis details how China is exploiting the war in Iran to maximize its advantage over the United States across military, economic, diplomatic, and other fields &#8230; The assessment, the officials said, was produced this week for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, and has raised alarm within the Pentagon about the geopolitical cost of Washington&#8217;s standoff with Tehran.”
We should be very clear. There are many intelligence reports presented to the military, so we don&#8217;t know how important this one was. Was it sort of a consensus? Unclear.
“Officials talked about the finding,” the Post continued. “China has sold weapons to Persian Gulf allies of the United States&#8230; Beijing has also assisted countries around the world struggling to meet their energy needs.”
That would be weird given that Beijing does not have access to oil and natural gas.
The reality is that the United States has become the chief exporter of oil and natural gas on Earth, thanks to developments in the Strait of Hormuz. You can see graphics showing the large number of ships leaving American shores with American LNG.
According to the Washington Post, “The war has also drained the U.S. with massive stocks of munitions that would be critical in a potential standoff with China over the fate of Taiwan. The Iran conflict &#8230; has allowed Beijing to observe how the U.S. fights war and learn how to plan its own future operations.”
Beijing would have learned that in any conflict anyway. As far as munitions stocks being short, the reality is that&#8217;s why we need to ramp it up. We should have been ramping it up beforehand. The fact that Joe Biden didn&#8217;t ramp it up, the fact that Barack Obama slashed our military by leaps and bounds, did not help.
“The report notes that Beijing has incorporated popular criticisms of the war into public messaging,” the Post writes.
Of course that&#8217;s true, but none of this is a surprise. China trying to take advantage of an international conflict is not a gigantic shock. But the notion that China is somehow better off when it can&#8217;t import oil from Iran or Qatar or UAE or Saudi Arabia, how?
This doesn&#8217;t mean China doesn&#8217;t have counter moves. Any country worth its salt has counter moves. The question is, are they better off now or were they better off five months ago? And the answer is China was a lot better off five months ago.
But don&#8217;t worry, you can always find an expert. Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security — a left-wing think tank — says, “On balance, the war in Iran is massively improving China&#8217;s geopolitical position.”
I have doubts that that is the case.
Nonetheless, there are people who are trying to pretend that Beijing is doing well, that Beijing is actually somehow making common cause with Japan and South Korea and Australia.
I don’t think so.
People who don&#8217;t like Trump are claiming that China is going to step in and win the moral party arguments.
I have a hard time believing that unless you&#8217;re an idiot.
Stokes says, “China has an opening to portray the United States as an aggressive, unilateralist power in decline because Washington cannot stop itself from getting embroiled in a bloody and costly Middle East wars.”
First, this is not a particularly bloody nor particularly costly Middle East war. Second, if you want to believe a Chinese attempt to portray us as an aggressive unilateralist power while they threaten Taiwan, eat Hong Kong, threaten Japan, and build bases in the middle of the ocean to attack the Philippines, you are simply stupid.
If you&#8217;re the kind of person who wants to believe that China can make a moral case on the world stage, I would suggest you need to get your brain checked because you have a serious disability of some kind.
But count on the media, in all circumstances, to take the side that says that America ought to be weaker in the world. That&#8217;s become a popular point of view on both the Left and the Woke Right.
The truth has always been that the world is a much better place when America is stronger.
President Trump understands that.

haters_gonna_hate

Haters Gonna Hate. What The Anti-America Crowd Is Lying About

Ben Shapiro

Communist China

Media Bias

Opinion

“This problem will be solved, as the president’s made clear, one way or the other.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered that blunt warning while hinting the Trump administration could be on the verge of a major breakthrough with Iran after weeks of escalating tensions tied to Operation Epic Fury and the growing standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio repeatedly teased that behind-the-scenes negotiations are actively underway and suggested a major development could come within days.
“There may be news later today,” Rubio said. “There may not be. I hope there will be. I’m not sure yet.”
Rubio’s comments also come as Trump appears to be quietly reshuffling his schedule because what’s happening between the United States and Iran is becoming increasingly serious behind the scenes.
Trump announced Friday that he would skip Memorial Day weekend plans and miss Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration in the Bahamas in order to remain in Washington during what he described as an “important period of time” for the country.
Trump previously told reporters he had “a thing called Iran” preventing him from fully committing to attending the wedding.
The Trump administration has continued ramping up pressure on Iran following Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear-linked facilities earlier this year.
Since then, tensions across the Middle East have continued boiling over as the White House pushes Tehran to back down from several key demands.
Among the administration’s biggest conditions: Iran must fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Rubio suggested that progress may finally be happening.
“There’s been some progress done, some progress made,” Rubio said. “Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done.” 
He added that the administration could potentially have something to announce “later today, tomorrow, or in a couple days.”
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The Strait of Hormuz is now turning into one of the biggest pressure points in the entire Iran showdown.
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moves through the narrow waterway, meaning any disruption could immediately send shockwaves through the global economy and energy markets.
Rubio also reiterated one of President Donald Trump’s biggest red lines: Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“They need to turn over highly enriched uranium. We need to address that issue. We need to address the issue of enrichment,” Rubio said.
At the same time, Rubio emphasized that Trump still prefers to resolve the conflict diplomatically instead of militarily, though he made clear the administration believes the issue will ultimately be resolved regardless.
“These are the president’s points consistently,” Rubio said. “His preference is always to solve problems such as these through a negotiated diplomatic solution.”
Meanwhile, Iran appears to be publicly signaling some openness to negotiations for the first time in weeks.
Iranian officials confirmed that Tehran is working to finalize a “memorandum of understanding” with the United States through talks reportedly being mediated by Pakistan.
Still, Iranian officials are simultaneously insisting the United States has “nothing to do” with how the Strait of Hormuz is managed, showing just how shaky any possible agreement still is.
Rubio previously warned during a NATO foreign ministers meeting earlier this month that if Iran refuses to cooperate, the United States and its allies may ultimately be forced to intervene.
“Then someone’s going to have to go in and do something about it,” Rubio said at the time.

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

Rubio Drops Major Hint About Iran As Trump Clears His Schedule

Marco Rubio

President Trump

This sounds like the plot of a spy thriller movie, except federal prosecutors say it was real and the target was Ivanka Trump.
Federal prosecutors say a suspected Iran-linked terrorist plotted against Ivanka Trump as payback for President Trump ordering the strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani back in 2020.
According to the New York Post, recently captured terror suspect Mohammad Baqer Al-Saadi vowed to target Ivanka Trump after Soleimani was killed in the U.S. drone strike ordered during Trump’s first term.
Sources told the Post the suspect viewed Ivanka as a symbolic way to “burn down the house of Trump” in retaliation for Soleimani’s death.
The report claims Al-Saadi had a map of the Florida enclave where Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, own a multimillion-dollar home, along with threatening social media posts warning that neither “palaces nor the Secret Service” would protect Americans.
Federal prosecutors say Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey earlier this month before being extradited to the United States.
According to court filings cited by the Post, investigators accuse him of involvement in multiple terror attacks and attempted attacks targeting American and Jewish sites across Europe and North America, including alleged firebombings, stabbings, and shootings tied to Iran-backed extremist networks.
The Post also reported that Al-Saadi maintained close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iraqi militia groups connected to Soleimani.
Photos included in federal filings reportedly show the suspect meeting with Soleimani at military facilities, posing with missiles, and posting threats online for years.
One image allegedly posted by the suspect showed a map near Ivanka Trump’s Florida neighborhood alongside an ominous message about “surveillance and analysis.”
The allegations arrive as tensions involving Iran and Iranian-backed terror groups remain a major focus for the Trump administration following Operation Epic Fury.
Neither Ivanka Trump nor the White House publicly commented on the alleged plot.

Ivanka Trump Targeted In Chilling Plot Tied To Iran-Linked Terror Network

terror

Fresh polling shows only one demographic group believes Iran is winning the war against the United States. 
By a 13-point margin, Democrats say the United States is losing the war against Iran, <a href="https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/05/fox_may-15-18-2026_national_cross-tabs_may-21-release.pdf?_gl=1*1u4uuop*_ga*TTJPbE8yN2xlNFB0cHB2LUVuTzhaRmlXWFJNNHFyNEROZWVDQlFwZ2tqS1c0LW45bWNGaDAxX0dpbUZxRk9Ucg..*_ga_RH94J2NTVM*MTc3OTQwMzY3OS4yMC4xLjE3Nzk0MDM2ODUuMC4wLjA.&amp;shem=rimspwouoe,">according to Fox News polling</a>, the only demographic group to say so. About 56% of Democrats buy into that narrative, mostly 2024 Kamala Harris voters and white women with advanced degrees. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fox News Poll: Who do you think is winning the war in Iran &#8211; The U.S. or Iran?
🇺🇸 U.S. &#8211; 65% 
🇮🇷 Iran &#8211; 34% 
—— 
Net 
🇺🇸 White: US +31 
🇺🇸 Black: US +39 
🇺🇸 Hispanic: US +48 
🇮🇷 Democrats: Iran +13 
🇺🇸 Republicans: US +79 
🇺🇸 Independents: US +32<a href="https://t.co/neoRG9F023">https://t.co/neoRG9F023</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q032Gz2NaV">pic.twitter.com/Q032Gz2NaV</a>
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAPolls2022/status/2057635369965732063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
Overall, a significant majority of Americans — 65% — say the U.S. is besting Iran in the Middle East conflict. 
That large coalition includes most Republicans and independents, plus large swaths of white, black, and Hispanic voters. The voters most likely to say America is winning the conflict consist of Trump 2024 voters (89%), white evangelicals (80%), and Catholics (73%). 
For months, Democrats have led the charge in the anti-war messaging, forcing weekly votes on war powers resolutions and even calling for the president&#8217;s removal from office during negotiations.
“This is a threat of genocide and merits removal from office. The president’s mental faculties are collapsing and cannot be trusted,” Congresswoman Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/AOC/status/2041563794787193194?s=20">said in an April 7 social media post.</a>
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) accused Trump of “threatening mass death if he doesn’t get his way.”
“Congress needs to pull the emergency brake now,” <a href="https://x.com/SenWarren/status/2041615549797470590?s=20">she said in a video.</a> “Every Republican who votes to let this war continue bears a portion of the responsibility for what is happening in Trump’s war.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-war-powers-vote-iran-tammy-duckworth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed to force votes</a> on war powers resolutions every week until the war ends or enough Republicans cross over.
While most Americans agree that the United States is winning the war, voters appear frustrated by rising fuel prices and are increasingly blaming the conflict for pain at the pump. A whopping 91% — which stretches beyond party and demographic lines — say the war with Iran is responsible for high gas prices, according to the Fox News survey. 
All 50 states now report average gas prices at $4 or higher, adding more pain at the pump for travelers ahead of Memorial Day weekend, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gas-prices-surge-past-an-ugly-mark-in-all-50-states?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Gas+Prices+Surge+Past+An+Ugly+Mark+In+All+50+States">The Daily Wire previously reported</a>.
Despite the pain at the pump, AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25. The forecast is slightly higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record, according to AAA. 
“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, <a href="https://newsroom.aaa.com/2026/05/45-million-americans-planning-memorial-day-weekend-getaways/">said</a>. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.”

House Republican Hardliners Warn Of A Delay To Tax Vote

Only One Group Of Americans Think Iran Is Winning

Democrats

Gas Prices

News

Trump

Director Michael Bay is on tap to direct a movie based on the epic rescue mission to retrieve two downed American airmen in Iran.
Bay, in partnership with Universal Pictures, is developing a feature-length film based on an upcoming 2027 book by author Mitchell Zuckoff. The book — and by extension, the movie — will tell the story of the two U.S. airmen who went down behind enemy lines in Iran during Operation Epic Fury.
The project will describe how their F-15E Strike Eagle operating under the call sign &#8220;Dude 44&#8221; was shot down over Iranian territory in early April, just weeks after the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation in Iran.
According to the planned adaptation, the pilot, known as Dude 44 Alpha, was located and extracted within hours. But the plane&#8217;s weapon systems officer, Dude 44 Bravo, remained stranded in the rugged Zagros Mountains.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/daily-wire-explains-the-world-ep-8">DON&#8217;T WAIT FOR HOLLYWOOD: WATCH THE DAILY WIRE&#8217;S &#8220;RACE TO RESCUE&#8221; NOW!</a>
For nearly two days, the injured Dude 44 Bravo actively evaded capture by Iranian forces, hiding in the mountains and ravines while he waited for the rescue mission he knew was coming.
That eventual rescue came in the form of a daring night raid that included dozens of aircraft and hundreds of American special operations forces, all coordinating to fight off the Iranian forces — who were still desperately trying to locate the downed American first — and safely extract Dude 44 Bravo.
Bay may have gotten his start directing music videos — for everyone from Styx and Donny Osmond to Vanilla Ice and Meat Loaf — but he is no stranger to bringing heroic military stories to the silver screen. In 2016, he directed &#8220;13 Hours,&#8221; a film based on the siege of the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that took place on September 11, 2012.

TOPSHOT-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-CONFLICT

One Of America’s Most Dangerous Rescue Missions Is Becoming A Movie

Hollywood

Iran war

Media

Military

Movies

All 50 states now report average gas prices at $4 or higher, adding more pain at the pump for travelers ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
As of Wednesday, the national average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. stands at $4.56, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according to AAA</a>, a slight increase from a week earlier and up 49 cents from a month ago. One year ago, the average price of gas sat at $3.17. 
Gas prices have slowly but steadily climbed for three straight months since President Trump, on February 28, launched military strikes against Iran&#8217;s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. In response, the Iranian government closed the Strait of Hormuz, significantly straining global oil stockpiles and pushing energy prices higher. 
&#8220;We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon. You want to see the world exploded? You want to see a problem? And this is peanuts,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/nypost/status/2057133359931777327?s=20">Trump said when asked about gas prices</a>. &#8220;And I appreciate everybody putting up with it for a little while. It won&#8217;t be much longer.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Trump dismisses rising gas prices as &#8216;peanuts&#8217; <a href="https://t.co/IabdsJSVRF">pic.twitter.com/IabdsJSVRF</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2057133359931777327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
Georgia has the lowest gas prices at $4.01 per gallon, according to AAA. Other Southern states, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama, also report prices just over $4.
Across the country, California has the highest average gas prices in the United States, with a gallon of gas averaging $6.14 in the Golden State. The top Democrats running for California governor refuse to consider suspending the 61.2-cent state-imposed gas tax, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-democrats-could-instantly-lower-gas-prices-they-refuse-to-do-it">The Daily Wire previously reported</a>. Both Republicans in the race, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, said they were in favor of suspending the tax.
Other Western states report higher-than-average gas prices, including Washington at $5.79, Hawaii at $5.65, Oregon at $5.35, and Nevada at $5.27. Gas prices in the Rust Belt, including battleground Michigan, report higher-than-average as well. 
Despite the pain at the pump, AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25. The forecast is slightly higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record with 39.1 million people traveling by car and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations, according to AAA. 
“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, <a href="https://newsroom.aaa.com/2026/05/45-million-americans-planning-memorial-day-weekend-getaways/">said</a>. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.” 
Trump, in recent weeks, has teased eliminating the federal gas tax for temporary relief, a proposal that faces an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Congress. 
“I think it’s a great idea,” the president said in a <a href="https://x.com/nancycordes/status/2053849805185548395">phone interview</a> with CBS’s Nancy Cordes. “Yup, we’re going to take off the gas tax for a period of time, and when gas goes down, we’ll let it phase back in.”

Gas Prices Surge Past An Ugly Mark In All 50 States

Donald Trump

Memorial Day

On Tuesday, two Democratic congressmen, one of whom is seeking the U.S. Senate seat in his state, berated CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper in an obvious attempt to make a splash with their constituents and on social media.
Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton, who is seeking the Senate seat currently held by hard-Left Ed Markey, started his attack by consistently insinuating that the US war on Iran was failing.
“You keep using the term &#8216;significantly degraded,’” he said to Cooper. “Last summer, we were told that Iran&#8217;s nuclear weapons program was obliterated. Can you clarify the distinction between obliterated and significantly degraded?”
When Cooper replied regarding the Iranian nuclear program, Moulton said patronizingly, “I&#8217;m not asking you to talk about the Iran nuclear program. I&#8217;m asking you to talk about the English language.”
Moulton segued to asking Cooper about General William Westmoreland, who was vilified during the Vietnam War for speaking of body counts. &#8220;Admiral, are you familiar with General Westmoreland?” Moulton asked snidely.
“I&#8217;m very familiar, Congressman,” Cooper replied.
“He&#8217;s well known for talking about body counts,” Moulton declared. “Now, when I think about you and this war, I always think about how you always got up there and would say everything&#8217;s going according to plan.”
Moulton mocked President Trump’s war effort, saying, “I will actually give you credit for regime change. I know that was part of the plan. You&#8217;ve replaced an 86-year-old in failing health with a fatwa against producing nuclear weapons with a more hardline guy in his 50s, who, in case he wasn&#8217;t hardline enough, he killed his immediate family. Was that part of the plan? Is that the regime change you wanted?”
“Congressman, we were given very specific military objectives to degrade Iran&#8217;s power projection capability. That&#8217;s exactly what we did,” Cooper responded.
“On March 5, you talked about how you built the most integrated air missile defense or air defense system in the Middle East. And yet, well into the war, you had to ask Ukraine for help with defenses against drones,” Moulton suggested.
“That&#8217;s not accurate,” Cooper said tersely.
Moulton then pirouetted away from that question to ask about oil prices.
“What&#8217;s the plan now to actually win this war? Because it feels like we&#8217;re losing,” Moulton huffed a bit later.
“We achieved all our military objectives. We&#8217;re presently in a ceasefire. We&#8217;re executing a blockade, and we&#8217;re prepared for a broad range of contingencies,” Cooper answered.
Then Moulton descended into outright and complete malevolence, spitting, “I would like to know how many more Americans we have to ask to die for this mistake. Do you know?”<iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/gMAxRifo8favPWLA68u9BkvBFxGDTht00?metadata-video-content-type=short&amp;metadata-video-id=7ad13436-597d-49c7-8eda-2782efc02b8f&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Democrat%20sparks%20outrage%20with%20comment%20about%20dead%20American%20troops&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fshorts%2Fa4f69877-1cff-4b51-93dd-b631e7a85adb.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
With dignity, Cooper replied, “I think it&#8217;s an entirely inappropriate statement from you, sir, with all due respect. With all due respect.”
Moulton dodged, “It&#8217;s not a statement. It&#8217;s a question.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rep. Seth Moulton spent 5 minutes trying to corner CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper today.
“How many more Americans do we have to ask to die for this mistake?”
“I think that’s an entirely inappropriate statement from you, sir.” <a href="https://t.co/OpYR6SiUaG">pic.twitter.com/OpYR6SiUaG</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2056766967134970179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At the same hearing, Colorado Rep. Jason Crow attacked Cooper by consistently asking him if he would ever use the phrase “no quarter will be given,” a phrase formerly used by War Secretary Pete Hegseth when speaking of the military’s campaign against narco-terrorists.
“The U. S. military follows the law,” Cooper replied, adding, “We will follow everything that&#8217;s in the law.&#8221;
“Answer the question, Admiral Cooper,” Crow said. “You have tens of thousands of service members under your command. I literally just read a provision from the law of war manual, our own manual. Will you not just say what I just read to you?”
When Cooper answered simply, “I will say that we will follow the law of armed conflict to the T,” Crow clutched his pearls, hyperventilating, “This is just unbelievable to me.”
“I find the same thing, sir,” Cooper said calmly.
“This is not leadership,” Crow said, about to evaporate. “This is not leadership.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Another Congressman trying to corner Admiral Brad Cooper.
Seems they have a new strategy to go after America&#39;s non-political military leaders in order to attack President Trump. <a href="https://t.co/2ENhlq868w">pic.twitter.com/2ENhlq868w</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2056772318144200738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Chairman Mike Rogers pointed out, “I want to make it clear that when a member is recognized, it is the member&#8217;s time. They can make a speech with their time if they want to. They can ask a question with their time if they want to. They can do a little of both. They can try to ask the witness leading questions. It does not mean the witness has to answer the way they want. The witness is in charge of their answers. The member may or may not like their answers, but you cannot compel the witness to give the answer you want them to give.”
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), a retired Navy SEAL expressed his fury over the exchanges, saying:
<blockquote>
I think it’s wholly inappropriate to ask active duty members of the United States military to answer political questions because that&#8217;s not what you are here to do. And when my colleagues berate active duty members of the United States military to try to demand that they answer political questions, it’s wholly inappropriate, and it’s inexcusable. When we are seeking different offices than we are in currently, and we’re trying to make splashes for television, that’s what you get.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Navy SEAL veteran and Rep. Derrick Van Orden blasted Democrat lawmakers for “berating” active-duty military officers during today’s Iran hearing. <a href="https://t.co/PmJDSoxVln">pic.twitter.com/PmJDSoxVln</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2056774153156386993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Senate Armed Services Committee Holds Hearing On CENTCOM Budget

Dems Try Bullying CENTCOM Commander. It’s Ugly To Watch.

Brad Cooper

Centcom

Jason Crow

seth moulton

Leave it to the bloodthirsty, despotic mullahs running the totalitarian regime in Iran to turn the sacred institution of marriage into a grotesque assembly line for human shields.
On Monday, the Islamic Republic <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260519-iran-stages-mass-weddings-for-couples-ready-for-war-sacrifice">staged mass public weddings</a> across Tehran for hundreds of young couples. But this wasn’t a celebration of love or family; it was a sick, state-sponsored propaganda stunt designed to boost wartime morale. Under the shadow of a giant image of the new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei — who inherited power after his father was eliminated on day one of the war — couples arrived at Imam Hossein Square in military jeeps mounted with machine guns.
These couples were there to enlist in the regime&#8217;s twisted janfada (&#8220;self-sacrifice&#8221;) scheme. By signing up, these brainwashed or coerced newlyweds literally pledged to sacrifice their lives for the state — agreeing to form human chains outside targeted power stations to act as shields against potential U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. One bride, clad in a white Islamic dress, spoke to state media as if this madness were normal, saying, “Certainly, the country is at war, but young people also have the right to marry.”
The sheer desperation of this tyrannical regime is entirely on brand, as the regime views its own population as completely expendable. Just two months ago, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-sparks-international-outrage-turns-12-year-olds-into-expendable-tools-of-war?utm_source=chatgpt.com">officially lowered</a> the minimum age for military support roles to just 12 years old, deploying heavily armed, untrained children to roam the streets of Tehran with assault rifles.
The mullahs are pulling directly from their darkest, bloodiest playbook. During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the regime notoriously sent tens of thousands of children — some as young as 12 — into &#8220;human wave&#8221; attacks, handing them plastic &#8220;Keys to Paradise&#8221; before forcing them to detonate Iraqi minefields with their own bodies.
Now, facing a renewed existential threat from President Donald Trump, the regime is doing what it has always done: using the most vulnerable as meat shields. Whether it is 12-year-old boys at checkpoints or newlyweds in bridal gowns on the front lines, the survival of the dictatorship is all that matters to Tehran.

The Wedding Of SelfSacrificing Couples

Marriage As Martyrdom: Iran’s Mullahs Turn Newlyweds Into Human Shields

Marriage

The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of a former U.S. Air Force intel specialist charged with defecting and sharing American secrets with the Islamic Republic of Iran. 
In February 2019, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia indicted Monica Witt, a former U.S. service member and counterintelligence agent, on charges of espionage, including transmitting national defense information to the government of Iran.
Witt served in the U.S. military from 1997 to 2008 and later worked as a U.S. government contractor until 2010, according to the FBI. Her combined military and private-sector experience <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/washingtondc/news/fbi-washington-field-office-announces-200000-reward-for-information-leading-to-apprehension-of-former-us-counterintelligence-agent-charged-with-espionage-for-iran">reportedly gave her access to classified information at the “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET” levels,</a> including the identities of undercover personnel within the U.S. intelligence community.
In 2013, Witt defected to Iran and provided classified information to the government of Iran, according to the FBI. The Texas native is said to have defected after being invited to two all-expense-paid conferences in Iran that the Justice Department says &#8220;promoted anti-Western propaganda and criticized American moral standards,&#8221; <a href="https://apnews.com/article/monica-witt-iran-fbi-counterintelligence-defector-1e11b09b9cb7d8a0d568019d8adf7942">according to the Associated Press. </a>
Witt is accused of intentionally providing information that endangered U.S. personnel stationed abroad. Authorities also allege she researched on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran to help identify and target her former colleagues in the U.S. government.
&#8220;Witt’s defection to Iran has benefitted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has elements responsible for intelligence collection, unconventional warfare, and providing direct support to multiple terrorist organizations targeting U.S. citizens and interests,&#8221; <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/washingtondc/news/fbi-washington-field-office-announces-200000-reward-for-information-leading-to-apprehension-of-former-us-counterintelligence-agent-charged-with-espionage-for-iran">the FBI said in a statement. </a>
Despite the indictment and pending charges, Witt remains on the run, and the federal government is unable to locate her. 
“Monica Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime National Defense Information and likely continues to support their nefarious activities,” Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division, said.
“The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts. The FBI wants to hear from you so you can help us apprehend Witt and bring her to justice,&#8221; he added. 
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Screenshot

FBI Offers $200K Reward To Catch Veteran Charged With Spying For Iran

Espionage

Monica Witt

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