Latest news with #QasemSoleimani
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Trump slams Biden's handling of Iran and rules out uranium enrichment
President Donald Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for the U.S.'s current Iran woes - and denied that the new Iran nuclear deal would allow for uranium enrichment. On Monday, Axios reported that the 'secret' nuclear deal proposed Saturday by the United States would allow Iran to enrich low levels of uranium for a period of time that was yet to be determined. 'The AUTOPEN should have stopped Iran a long time ago from "enriching,"' Trump chimed in Monday evening. 'Under our potential Agreement - WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!' The president has nicknamed 82-year-old Biden 'autopen,' using it as a way to disparage the Democrat for allegedly being asleep at the wheel - and allowing aides to sign documents for him. Not much progress was made with Iran during Biden's four years in office, after Trump pulled out of the Obama-era nuclear deal in 2018. The Biden administration initially tried to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Obama deal, but it was later declared 'dead.' In the meantime there were warnings about Iranian assassination plots against Trump and other key Trump 1.0 administration figures over the U.S.'s 2020 targeted strike in Iraq that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Now the U.S. is once engaged in Iran nuclear talks, this time with Witkoff at the helm. Axios reported that the proposal Witkoff submitted on Saturday included 'preliminary ideas' that would be discussed in the next round of talks. Under the proposal, Iran would be barred from building new enrichment facilities and would have to 'dismantle critical infrastructure for conversion and processing of uranium.' It also stated that Iran would have to halt new research and development of centrifuges. At the same time, it would allow for some domestic enrichment, though not beyond those necessary for civilian purposes. Upon signing the agreement, Iran would have to temporarily reduce its enrichment concentration to 3 percent, sources told Axios. Iran's underground nuclear facilities would have to become 'non-operational' for a period of time that was agreed to by the parties. The country's above-ground facilities would be limited to to the level needed to make nuclear reactor fuel using International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines. Sanctions relief would follow if Iran 'demonstrates real commitment' to the satifaction of the U.S. and the IAEA. And overall the nuclear deal would focus on creating a regional enrichment consortium. Those terms would make it easier for the U.S. to strike a deal. But they would likely irritate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has called on the U.S. to only strike a deal with Iran under the strictest terms. 'President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios in a statement. 'Special Envoy Witkoff has sent a detailed and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it's in their best interest to accept it,' she said. 'Out of respect for the ongoing deal, the Administration will not comment on details of the proposal to the media.' When asked for comment on the Axios story, a White House official told the Daily Mail that the deal was 'tough' and it would prevent Iran from getting the bomb. 'President Trump is speaking the cold, hard truth,' the official said via email. 'The terms we gave Iran were very tough and would make it impossible for them to ever obtain a nuclear bomb.'
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
How Iran's Trump assassination plot would trigger full-scale invasion by the US and topple Ayatollah's evil regime
FURIOUS Iran would face a devastating invasion if it followed through on threats to assassinate Donald Trump, a former US advisor has warned. Dr Kenneth Katzman, a retired Middle East analyst for the US Congressional Research Service, even warned of a 'full-scale invasion' with special forces storming the streets of Tehran. 8 8 8 8 He spoke after Trump's former security advisor, John Bolton, said the US President is "at the top" of an 'assassination list' from the Middle East nation. Bolton, who claimed he is also on the hit list, said it would be revenge for a US airstrike in 2020 in Iraq that killed military leader Qasem Soleimani, ordered by Trump. But Dr Katzman warns Iran would face a response so dramatic it would overthrow its regime. Analysts have previously warned such a conflict would be a devastating quagmire. US historian Max Boot predicted would take up to 1.6million troops for the US to fully invade and occupy Iran. The US forces would face a war that spill across the Middle East as they tried to battle Iran's wide-ranging proxy forces. Other forecasts have predicted smaller attacks - such as the long mulled joint-strike with Israel on Iran's nuclear sites. Dr Katzman told The Sun: 'If Trump were to be assassinated, there would be many targets in Tehran that would be attacked. 'Islamic Revolutionary Guard Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters is in Tehran, the besieged headquarters, all the security forces I'm sure would be attacked. 'If they assassinated the US president you could even see, conceivably, US ground operations in Iran if that happens. 'It would be just so dramatic. You could even see US special forces operations in Iran and infantry operations in Iran, the marketplace is wide open. 'The objective of troops in Iran? To take the regime out. He added: "If they assassinated a US president, a full-scale invasion is very much an option." In November last year the Justice Department said it charged a man, Farhad Shakeri, 51, for his alleged role in a plot to assassinate Trump, tasked by the Iranian regime. Iran, where the suspect is now believed to be, denies this. Dr Katzman also warned that Bolton's comments may have been a cry for help over an "active plot" He continued: 'I think he's trying to highlight that he feels threatened. Trump withdrew the security protection for some of these guys that served in the first term that I mentioned, including Bolton. 'So I think Bolton, by bringing this up again, is trying to signal that he feels he needs security, there is still a threat, still an active plot.' 'Iran knows full well that that's the kind of thing that could bring a massive US intervention, on enough scale that the regime is gone." But Dr Katzman believes the extent of the retaliation will deter Iran from following through with any threats. Instead, he believes the threats serve as leverage to intimidate the US. He added: 'What's always puzzled me and other experts like me: what is Iran hoping to achieve here? Because the retaliation presumably would be so dramatic. 8 8 8 Trump on Iran 'hit list' by James Moules, Foreign News Reporter DONALD Trump is right "at the top" of Iran's chilling assassination hit list, a former White House official has claimed. John Bolton, who served in Trump's first administration, made the ominous warning that Iran has an "assassination list" on Sky News' The World. The ex-National Security Adviser warned: "I think Iran's terror network is really quite extensive in Europe and in the United States." He claimed that a number of US government officials were being targeted in relation to the assassination of top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Soleimani, who was designated as a terrorist by the United States, had been a highly powerful figure in the brutal Iranian regime. He commanded the Quds Force, a branch of Iran's security forces that is responsible for operations outside Iranian territory. Bolton claimed he is himself on Iran's hit list, although he made clear that Trump is the number one target. "President Trump is at the top of their list of their targets," he said. The Iranian regime would target people using "Eastern European criminal gangs and others", Bolton further claimed 'No one could quite figure out what the percentage is for Iran in actually going ahead with these types of operations. 'The retaliation is sure to be dramatic, but I think the sense is that Iran feels that these operations do give it a certain leverage and ability to intimidate, an ability to exert leverage. 'That's the way Iran sees it. I don't think anybody here necessarily sees it that way, but that's how Iran sees it. 'There have been no policy changes by the threat of Iranian assassination attempts in the United States. 'These threats have not caused any change in policy more favorable to the regime, so it's a mystery what Iran is really thinking with these plots.' Dr Katzman served his role – specialising in Iran, the Persian Gulf States, Afghanistan, Iran back groups in Iran and South Asia – from 1991 to 2022. His job was to provide reports and briefings to Members of Congress on US policy, analysing legislative proposals. 8
Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Fears over Iran-linked charity's plans for children's summer camp
An Islamic group with links to Iran has raised concerns with its plan to run a summer camp for children. Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM) routinely shares material online from sermons and speeches by Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini. In one post, AIM called Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander who was killed in 2020 in a US drone strike, a 'great hero'. AIM, a not-for-profit organisation, has also shared material from an imam who is Khamenei's representative in the UK. A preacher who previously spoke at its summer camp has shared antisemitic material online. On October 12, 2023, five days after the Hamas attack on Israel, AIM's Instagram account shared a message saying that 'a flood was
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Trump is top of Iran's assassination hit list – they will pay hitmen in West to kill their enemies, warns ex-US official
DONALD Trump is right "at the top" of Iran's chilling assassination hit list, a former White House official has claimed. John Bolton, who served in Trump's first administration, made the ominous warning that Iran has an "assassination list" on Sky News' The World. 4 4 4 The ex-National Security Adviser warned: "I think Iran's terror network is really quite extensive in Europe and in the United States." He claimed that a number of US government officials were being targeted in relation to the assassination of top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Soleimani, who was designated as a terrorist by the United States, had been a highly powerful figure in the brutal Iranian regime. He commanded the Quds Force, a branch of Iran's security forces that is responsible for operations outside Iranian territory. Bolton claimed he is himself on Iran's hit list, although he made clear that Trump is the number one target. "President Trump is at the top of their list of their targets," he said. The Iranian regime would target people using "Eastern European criminal gangs and others", Bolton further claimed The US justice department issued an arrest warrant for Iranian national Shahram Poursafi in 2022 for allegedly plotting Bolton's assassination. 4 "I'm not the only person in addition to Trump," Bolton added. "Other former cabinet officials are targets of Iran. This really is unprecedented. "We're not being targeted because we're dissidents from Iran, but because of things that were done carrying out our official duty." Bolton went on to say there is a "good argument" that if Iran did succeed in targeting a senior US official, it would be considered an "act of war". "That's really dangerous behaviour," he warned. Bolton, a well known foreign policy hawk, served as National Security Adviser in Donald Trump's first administration. However, he has since become a vocal critic of the president, and even once floated to prospect of running against him. He described working in the Trump White House as being like "living inside a pinball machine". Bolton had been given a security detail to protect him from hostile threats to his safety, but Trump withdrew it upon his return to office. "On what one might have thought was a pretty busy inauguration day, President Trump had the time to cancel my secret service protection," he said. "It sends a very bad signal to adversaries of United States around the world." He added that he has his own arrangements now in place of the secret service. Bolton said: "It's going to have an effect decision making in Trump's own administration if people who had our jobs see what happens to them if you fall out of Trump's favour." Iran has long been linked to numerous terror networks and plots across the Middle East and Europe.
Memri
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei: Negotiations Are Just the Means 'Bully Governments' Use to Present New Demands That Are Unacceptable to Iran
In a March 8, 2025, address, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized what he called the double standards in the West, claiming they put Western civilization to shame. He noted that while the West claims there is a free flow of information, certain topics are restricted, such as mentioning the names of Qasem Soleimani, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, or Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, protesting 'the crimes perpetrated by the Zionists in Palestine and Lebanon,' or denying the "alleged deeds" committed by Nazi Germany against Jews. Khamenei further stated that for some "bully" countries, negotiations are merely a means of presenting new demands, which not only pertain to the nuclear issue but also to Iran's defensive and international capabilities. He made it clear that Iran would not accept these demands.
