Iran News Round Up

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes against Iranian assets in western Syria on April 29. The IDF targeted an Iranian missile storage site near Hama, Hama Governorate as well as the al Nayrab airbase in Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate. Unconfirmed sources reported that the airstrikes resulted in the death of at least 18 Iranian fighters, including an Iranian commander. Unidentified Iranian sources, including an unnamed commander of the IRGC-backed Afghan Shia Fatemiyoun Brigade, denied the reports of damage to Iranian assets and personnel. The strike follows Israel’s April 8 airstrike on Iranian forces at the pro-Syrian regime T-4 airbase in Homs Governorate, Syria. The April 8 strike resulted in death of seven IRGC fighters. Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Shamkhani stated that a “punishment for [Israel] is certain” following the April 8 strike. (New York Times) (E) (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights) (E) (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights) (E) (Jamaran) (Tasnim News Agency) (Fars News Agency)

• Hatami tells Israel to stop “scheming.” Defense Minister Artesh Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami warned Israel to stop its “scheming and dangerous behaviors” on May 1. Hatami also suggested that the Axis of Resistance and Iran will avenge the spilt blood of their fighters and will confront Israel with a “regrettable and blindsiding” response. (Tasnim News Agency)

The Judiciary issued a nationwide ban on the popular messaging application Telegram and mandated all Iranian internet providers to block Telegram on April 30. The Judiciary accused Telegram of disrupting national unity, collecting information on people, publishing illicit material, spreading propaganda, and facilitating the smuggling of contraband. The Judiciary’s statement warned that individuals using virtual private networks (VPN) to access Telegram will be subject to prosecution. The Judiciary’s decision to ban Telegram follows a revocation of Telegram’s license to house servers in Iran and government directives obligating governmental institutions to stop using Telegram and instead use domestic messengers. (Mizan Online)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel’s intelligence service Mossad acquired a cache of documents that verify Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu claimed that Iran has continued its pursuit of a nuclear weapon after the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July 2015. Netanyahu presented evidence that Iran conducted nuclear simulations, undertook metallurgical work for the creation of nuclear devices, and mapped out several locations in eastern Iran for nuclear testing. Netanyahu made his remarks and offered his evidence during a presentation in Israel on April 30. Netanyahu’s presentation follows newly-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s meeting with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel on April 30. Netanyahu’s presentation also follows official visits from French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Washington, D.C. where both urged President Donald Trump to remain in the Iran nuclear deal ahead of the Trump-imposed May 12 deadline. (YouTube)

• Ghassemi: Netanyahu’s presentation was “shameful and comical.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bahram Ghassemi dismissed Netanyahu’s allegations and called Netanyahu’s presentation “propagandistic” as well as “shameful and comical.” (IRIB News)
• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a statement on May 1 restating the IAEA’s December 2015 Final Assessment on past and present outstanding issues on Iran’s nuclear program. The report detailed that the IAEA had “no credible indications of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009.” (IAEA) (E)