Iran has turned off two cameras used by the UN organization overseeing nuclear compliance of the theocracy (Houston Chronicle). US Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Iran’s actions will “further complicate” efforts to salvage the 2015 nuclear agreement (CNN).
German intelligence has been reporting increased efforts by Iran to obtain nuclear technology. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has stated his nation reserves the right to “self defense” with regard to the Iranian program (VOA News).
It is possible Iran’s actions are simply efforts to take advantage of the current political situations. The US and NATO are focused on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. However, there seems to be a real effort on the part of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s government to complete a nuclear weapon.
The Iranian Shia sphere of influence has a strong anti Israeli and anti Saudi posture. Iran supplies weapons and training to Yemeni rebels, Hezbollah and Hamas among other groups. The Biden administration wants to negotiate an agreement and return to the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran.
Iran became a socialist Shia Theocracy after the Iranian Revolution that ousted the Shah of Iran. The exiled Ayatollah Khomeini was brought back to Iran by western powers in the hopes of smoothing out the political situation. Instead, Khomeini took over the country and instituted a bloody consolidation phase and then a war with Saddam Hussein’s Baathist led Iraq. Wars are a great way to get rid of dissidents, and program souls.
On the left is the chart of Georg Leo von Caprivi (24 February 1831 – 6 February 1899). He was a German General who served as Chancellor (March 1890 to October 1894). He was able to reform the German military but was not a successful diplomat. Constantly being out maneuvered and undermined by his own government he was eventually forced to resign. “Caprivi destroyed his papers. In retirement, he refused to speak or write publicly about his experiences as Chancellor or share his opinions on current events.”
The chart on the right is the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (24 September 1902 – 3 June 1989). He was a religious leader of Twelver Shi’a Islam. He became the Ayatollah (religious title) around 1962. He went into exile in 1963, living in Iraq, Turkey and France. In Turkey he stayed in Bursa in the home of Colonel Ali Cetiner, head of Turkish Military Intelligence. According to the BBC, recently released documents show the Ayatollah had contact with the CIA on different occasions. He returned to Iran during the Iranian Revolution with the help of the US and France. The leaders of the countries were led to believe he would help calm the situation. He promptly took over the revolutionary government and formed a Theocracy. He eliminated all competition from the original groups behind the overthrow of Shah Pahlavi. Iran was then involved in a 10 year war with Iraq (Iran-Iraq War),