Eye on Iran: Iran to land first Airbus jet within weeks under sanctions pact
TOP STORIES
Iran to land first Airbus jet within weeks under sanctions pact | Reuters
Iran expects to get its first new jet within weeks under a multi-billion-dollar deal with Airbus for 100 planes, a senior official said on Monday, as Tehran and Western firms race to reopen trade almost a year after sanctions were lifted. The first of the Airbus jets should be delivered in mid-January, part of plans to buy or lease 200 planes to renew IranAir's decaying fleet, against a backdrop of conservative criticism in both Washington and Tehran of last year's international sanctions deal to allow such business... "We have finalised negotiations with Airbus and any day we will be able to sign the deal in Tehran," Deputy Roads and Urban Development Minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan told Reuters in a telephone interview. "We are expecting some final clearances and expect to sign today or tomorrow." The first Airbus A321 could arrive before the Jan. 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has opposed the deal to lift most sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities, and well ahead of Iranian presidential elections in May next year... Airbus, which has revised up its forecasts for Iranian domestic demand, said it was still negotiating the IranAir deal... Initial plans to buy a dozen A380 superjumbos were dropped after criticism from Iranian hardliners. Kashan said the deal with Airbus will be split roughly equally between narrow-body jets including the A320 and A321 and wide-body jets including the A330 and A350.
Diplomats: UN has warned Iran about enrichment cap | AP
The head of the U.N. nuclear agency said Monday that Iran is complying with obligations limiting uranium enrichment, but two diplomats say the agency has warned Tehran that unless it slows the process it could soon bust through its cap on material that could be used to make a bomb. A nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers stipulates that Iran can possess only low-enriched uranium — which is not suitable for weapons — and no more than 300 kilograms (660 pounds) at any time. That’s far less than would be needed to make a nuclear weapon, even if it were further enriched to weapons-grade levels. But even a slight violation of Iran’s enrichment commitments would be politically volatile at a time when the deal is on shaky ground. The incoming U.S. administration wants the agreement renegotiated, and many American lawmakers oppose it. Iran says it won’t renegotiate the deal, and accuses the United States of reneging on commitments to lift sanctions.
Department of Defense Warns Contractors About Iran-Linked Malware | Motherboard - Vice
Shamoon, a piece of malware that tries to turn infected computers into unusable bricks, is back. Earlier this month, a number of cybersecurity firms reported that hackers had used the malware against thousands of computers in Saudi Arabia's civil aviation agency and other government bodies. According to Bloomberg, the attacks, like previous ones involving Shamoon, seemingly originated from Iran. Now, the Defense Security Service (DSS), part of the US Department of Defense, has issued a bulletin to cleared contractors warning them of the threat. “Between 2 and 7 December 2016, DSS was given information from another government agency regarding Indicators of Compromise (IOC) associated with a Shamoon malware variant and may be used in computer network exploitation attempts,” the bulletin, distributed on Thursday and obtained by Motherboard, reads. It does not specify the government agency that provided the information. These bulletins are sent to contractors to alert them to threats from foreign intelligence entities (FIEs), and in particular, FIEs' infrastructure, malware, tactics, techniques or procedures. “This information is being shared by DSS in order to enable potential targets of possible espionage activity to detect, disrupt or deny FIE's exploitation of cleared contractor information systems, networks or personnel,” it reads.
IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
Iran seeks meeting of nuclear deal powers to protest US sanctions | AFP
Iran formally requested a meeting of the commission that oversees its nuclear deal with world powers to complain about the renewing of sanctions by the United States, state television reported Saturday. The request was made in a letter by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, calling for "a meeting of the joint commission outlined in the nuclear deal... regarding the recent actions of the United States." ... The nuclear deal allows for the signatories -- Iran, the US, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- to hold a "joint commission" to discuss claims of a violation.
Obama Ignored Iranian Transgressions to Preserve Nuclear Deal, Hayden Says | The Weekly Standard
A veteran intelligence official slammed the Obama administration for ignoring a range of Iran's destructive activities in order to preserve the nuclear deal, and advised the incoming Trump administration to harshly retaliate against Tehran's illicit pursuits. "We have held our response to a whole bunch of egregious Iranian activity … hostage to the preservation of the near-term nuclear deal," Gen. Michael Hayden, who served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, said Wednesday during the Jamestown Foundation's tenth annual terrorism conference. Hayden's remarks come amid criticism that the administration is trivializing Iran's role in fueling the atrocities of the Syrian regime in order to salvage the nuclear agreement... Hayden advised Trump to crack down on Iran's destabilizing activities across the Middle East, regardless of whether Tehran threatens to walk away from the nuclear deal. "What they're doing in Syria, what they're doing in Iraq, what they're doing with Hezbollah, what they're doing in Lebanon, what they're doing in Yemen, what they're doing in the Gulf," Hayden said. "I would push back and push back hard."
NUCLEAR & BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM
Head of U.N. nuclear watchdog says Iran showing commitment to deal | Reuters
Iran has shown commitment to the deal on its nuclear program agreed with world powers, the head of the United Nations atomic energy watchdog said on Sunday, following complaints by Tehran over what it calls a U.S. violation of the accord... "We are satisfied with the implementation of the (agreement) and hope that this process will continue," IAEA director general Yukiya Amano was quoted as telling reporters in Tehran by the IRNA news agency. "Iran has been committed to its engagement so far and this is important," Amano was quoted as saying after meeting Iran's nuclear energy chief, Ali Akbar Salehi.
Iran discusses nuclear ships plan with IAEA chief | AFP
Iran discussed its plans for nuclear-powered ships with UN nuclear chief Yukiyo Amano on Sunday, saying it would present details within three months, local media reported... President Hassan Rouhani told Amano he hoped "Iran and the IAEA can have good technical cooperations on the production of nuclear propellants for maritime transport," the government's website reported. In an earlier meeting, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said they "discussed the nuclear-powered engines in detail," adding that talking points included the most controversial one -- the level of uranium-enrichment required for the ships. "This is not a simple matter that can be decided quickly. We have three months to review it," he told reporters. "Normally, the enrichment for such engines is between five percent and 90 percent. It depends on the type of engine and the time and goal we want to reach," said Salehi. Rouhani last week announced the plans for nuclear-powered ships in response to news that the United States was renewing sanctions legislation, which he said was a "clear violation" of the nuclear deal.
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS
Iran Toughens Talk on U.S. Jet Deal | The Wall Street Journal
Iranian officials publicly hardened their resolve to proceed with a multibillion-dollar deal to buy dozens of Boeing Co. jets, threatening to claw back any lost money if the deal is scuttled after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. The officials touted the timing of the agreement to buy 80 aircraft with a $16.6 billion list price from Boeing—ahead of the start of Mr. Trump’s administration — as possibly making it more difficult to thwart the agreement. “Both they [Boeing] and we were willing to reach the conclusion sooner, and fortunately it took place before the new government [in the U.S. takes office],” Farhad Parvaresh, the chief executive of state-owned carrier Iran Air, said Sunday. “Both sides are committed, and there are scenarios in the contracts for violation of commitments or in case of force majeure to deal with those cases.” ... Iranian Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan said that if sanctions are re-imposed invalidating the contracts with Airbus and Boeing “we will take back all the prepayments, with interest.” ... Mr. Fakhrieh-Kashan said Iran would make an initial payment of about $226 million for the first 15 Boeing planes, but didn’t say when... Mr. Fakhrieh-Kashan said Sunday Iran’s sovereign-wealth fund would help pay for the planes. Iran Air would try to raise about $120 million through Islamic bonds and $500 million will come from overseas, he said. Boeing will provide financing for six of the planes, he added... Mr. Parvaresh said Airbus would deliver seven or eight planes next year. Boeing deliveries wouldn’t start until April 2018.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
Congress wants to strengthen Trump’s hand to negotiate on Syria | The Washington Post
Congress is trying hard to give President-elect Donald Trump some leverage to pressure the governments of Syria, Russia and Iran to stop their onslaught against Syrian civilians and perhaps strike a deal on a political settlement. If Trump accepts it, he would not only be able to negotiate with Vladimir Putin from a position of strength; he might also save a lot of lives... After months of behind-the-scenes wrangling, there is new bipartisan legislation on Syria that combines input from the House and Senate. The legislation, introduced this month by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) would sanction the Assad regime, Russia and Iran for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria while providing a framework for U.S. assistance to Syria going forward... Rubio and Casey updated a Syria bill they had introduced in 2013 and incorporated a sanctions bill named after the Syrian defector known as Caesar that the House passed unanimously last month. The senators also absorbed a bill by Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) aimed at preventing Iran from further destabilizing Iraq. “It’s time for us to push back against [Iran’s Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei, Assad and Putin as they seek to expand their power across the Middle East, and this sanctions bill is our best chance at doing so,” Kinzinger told me. The bill would require the administration to report on whether top officials in all three governments are complicit in the ongoing atrocities, including the blocking of humanitarian aid from those in need. If so, they would be sanctioned. If Khamenei, Assad and Putin halt the atrocities, Trump could waive the sanctions.
BUSINESS RISK
U.S. Gives Guidance for Potential Iran Sanctions Return | The Wall Street Journal
The U.S. on Thursday quietly provided guidance that would aid companies in the event of a restoration of sanctions on Iran. The guidance, issued by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, was issued as an update to a frequently-asked-questions document first released on the day of implementation for the nuclear deal between Iran and global powers, which lifted some sanctions in exchange for freezing Iranian nuclear production. Should Iran violate the agreement, the U.S. has vowed to unilaterally retract the sanctions relief granted under the deal. A Treasury spokeswoman said the return of sanctions on Iran, if it doesn’t comply with the deal, could be “severe,” and could include everything from denying licenses for the sale of commercial aircraft to restoring financial secondary sanctions, or even a full restoration of all sanctions lifted under the agreement. “This is because, in the event of snapback, the burden of non-compliance should fall on Iran, not on foreign companies,” the spokeswoman said.
German Trade with Iran Stalls on Cautious Banks | Handelsblatt (Germany)
The future looked bright for German engineering companies after Iran reached a deal with the West in July 2015, which saw the lifting of sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program. With their historic business ties to Iran and diplomatic know-how, German firms were poised to help modernize the country’s aging infrastructure and industrial plants. With a population of 80 million, Iran was badly in need of assistance after a decade cut off from Western markets. But today trade remains sluggish, with large German banks still reluctant to provide the necessary finance and worried about paying the price for breaching U.S. sanctions still in place.
SANCTIONS RELIEF
Iran starts selling oil to Italy's Eni | Reuters
National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has signed a short-term contract with Eni to sell crude, an Iranian official said on Monday, as it seeks to revive the agreement it had with the Italian oil major prior to sanctions on Tehran. "The National Iranian Oil Company has sold one cargo of crude oil to this Italian company," Mohsen Ghamsari, director for international affairs at the NIOC was quoted as saying by Mehr news agency, adding that the negotiations were underway to sign a long term deal. "If the deal is signed we are ready to sell 100,000 barrels of crude oil to Eni," Ghamsari said. He added a contract has also been signed with Italy's Saras to sell crude oil.
Indonesia's Pertamina to buy 1 million barrels of Iranian crude in the first-quarter of 2017: CEO | Reuters
Indonesia's Pertamina will buy 1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2017, its chief executive Dwi Soetjipto told reporters on Monday. "We will try to bring in .. for the Cilacap refinery about 1 million barrels for experiment. When we know the result, the yield, then we could negotiate for the long term," Soetjipto said. He also said Pertamina will submit proposals for its plan to purchase stakes in two oil and gas blocks in Iran by the end of February. Last week, Indonesia announced it will import around 500,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Iran in 2017, according to a government statement.
Turkey's Otokar says signs licence deal with Iran's OGHAB for exports | Reuters
Turkish commercial vehicle maker Otokar said on Monday it had signed a technology and licence deal with Iran's OGHAB concerning the export and sale of its Navigo buses. In a statement to the Istanbul stock exchange, Otokar said the deal covered a three-year period with an option to extend by two years and said the deal could generate revenues of around 50 million lira ($14 million) annually.
Analysis: Iran emerges as high sulfur gasoil supplier for ARA refining hub | Platts
Northwest Europe has opened its doors to the first shipments of Iranian gasoil after a 10-year hiatus, and these nascent flows are adding to the desulfurization opportunities within the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp refining hub... The latest fixture to Northwest Europe was on board the Glorious, a 60,000 mt cargo, which discharged into Amsterdam on November 26, having left Bandar Mahshahr, Iran, on November 12, S&P Global trade flow software CFlow showed... The first gasoil shipment from Iran since its trade sanctions were removed was chartered by trading company Vitol, according to shipping sources and broker reports.
EXTREMISM
Khamenei condemns Britain after PM May calls Iran a regional threat | Reuters
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned Britain on Saturday as a "source of evil and misery" for the Middle East after British Prime Minister Theresa May called Iran a regional threat. "Shamelessly, the British have recently called ... Iran a threat to the region, but everyone knows that ... it is the British who have always been the source of threats, corruption and misery," the state news agency IRNA quoted Khamenei as telling participants at an Islamic unity conference in Tehran. Khamenei called "policies and the actions of the British in the past two centuries a source of evil and misery for the peoples of the region", IRNA added. May called on Gulf Arab heads of state at a summit last week to work with London "to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Gulf itself".
SYRIA CONFLICT
Obama denounces Aleppo 'horror' as evacuation suspended | AFP
Responsibility for atrocities committed in Aleppo lies with Syria and its Russian and Iranian backers, US President Barack Obama said as Damascus suspended the evacuation of civilians and fighters from the city's last rebel-held areas. Denouncing the "horror" in Aleppo, Obama called for impartial observers and warned President Bashar al-Assad that he would not be able to "slaughter his way to legitimacy". "The world as we speak is united in horror at the savage assault by the Syrian regime and its Russian and Iranian allies on the city of Aleppo," he told an end-of-year news conference. "This blood and these atrocities are on their hands."
Russia, Iran and Turkey to hold Syria talks in Moscow on Tuesday | Reuters
The foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey will discuss the future of Syria and the city of Aleppo at talks in Moscow on Tuesday, Turkish and Russian officials said. "(The meeting) will be to understand the views of all three sides, laying out where we all stand and discuss where we go from here," an official from Turkey's foreign ministry told international media in Istanbul on Monday. "It is not a miracle meeting, but will give all sides a chance to listen to each other," the official said.
Putin envoy meets Iran officials for Syria talks | AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy to Syria made a previously unannounced visit to Iran on Sunday for talks with top officials on the Syrian conflict. "The liberation of Aleppo (north of Damascus) was the result of the initiative by Iran, Russia and Syria and the resistance front" of Lebanon's Shiite group Hezbollah, said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in his meeting with the envoy, Alexander Lavrentiev. He called for increased cooperation between the Syrian regime and its allies, Iran and Russia.
IRGC officers killed in Palmyra | Long War Journal
As the pro-Syrian government coalition began declaring victory in east Aleppo on Dec. 11, the Islamic State retook the ancient city of Palmyra in eastern Homs and attempted to storm the T4 military air base. The base is near a strategic crossroads of routes that lead to Deir Ezzour, Raqqa, Damascus, and other key cities, according to The Guardian. Following this development, Syrian president Bashar al Assad vowed to retake Palmyra, accusing the West of encouraging the jihadist group to launch the attack in Homs in retaliation for “defeat” in Aleppo. Iran has confirmed the deaths of two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces officers in the latest Palmyra battles. Captain Ahmad Jalali-Nasab (photo 2), who was attached to the IRGC-GF Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb unit (Qom province), was announced killed in Palmyra on Dec. 13. The following day Hassan Akbari (photo 3), a Brigadier General or Brigadier General Second Class, was also declared killed. Akbari was a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War and was leading a sabotage battalion in Syria, according to state-affiliated Iranian media... The ongoing battle for Palmyra clearly illustrates that while the pro-Assad faction has achieved a significant victory in taking Aleppo, forces are both vulnerable and stretched. The Syrian war will continue to drain IRGC resources. The Guard can sustain its current model only as long as it can find foreign fighters and Iranians to volunteer.
Syrian rebel group blames Iran for holding up Aleppo evacuation | Reuters
A senior Syrian rebel blamed Iran and its Shi'ite militias on Saturday of holding up the evacuation of civilians trapped in the remaining rebel bastion in Aleppo and urged Russia to live up to its commitment to implement the deal. Munir al Sayal, the head of the political wing of the Ahrar al Sham rebel group involved in negotiations over the deal, said Iran was insisting people be allowed to leave two besieged Shi'ite villages before letting the Aleppo evacuation happen. He said Russia was failing to restrain its ally. "Iran and its sectarian proxies are using the humanitarian situation of our people in besieged Aleppo and preventing civilians from leaving until the evacuation of their groups in al-Foua and Kefyra," Sayal told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Iran summons UK envoy over Aleppo comments | AP
Iran’s foreign ministry has summoned the British envoy in Tehran after the U.K. accused Iran of playing a role in the “suffering” of the people of Syria’s Aleppo. The semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, says Iran’s foreign ministry has told the U.K. charge d’affaires in Tehran that Iran’s policy is to establish peace in Syria and provide humanitarian assistance to the people of that country. On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson summoned the Iranian and Russian ambassadors to convey his profound concern over their countries’ role in the suffering of Aleppo’s residents. Ghasemi also said Iranian officials stressed the need for the British government to cut off any assistance or support to terrorist groups.
TERRORISM
Kenya: 2 Iranian men in Israeli embassy case are deported | AP
Two Iranian men who were found with video footage of the Israeli embassy in Kenya have been deported after a deal was reached to drop charges against them, Kenyan officials said Monday. The two men had faced charges of collecting information to facilitate a terrorist attack. They were deported Saturday after a court order, the head of Kenya’s anti-terrorism unit, Munga Nyale, said. Their lawyer, Ahmednasir Abdulahi, said they were deported because there was no evidence in the charges they faced. The prosecution has said an agreement to deport them was reached after a meeting between the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Iranian embassy.
REGIONAL DESTABILIZATION
Iran: After Aleppo, we will intervene in Bahrain, Yemen | Al Arabiya
The leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched provocative statements against the Gulf states threatening to intervene in Bahrain and Yemen. The comments were reported by Iranian media after what they described as a “victory in Aleppo,” upon the massacres, starvation and displacement against civilians. Aleppo was considered as one of the strongholds of the opposition; however, the Syrian regime took a hold of it with the help and support of Iranian and Russian military troops. In this context, the deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hossein Salami told the official Iranian news agency Islamic Republic News Agency that “The victory in Aleppo will pave the way for liberating Bahrain,” pointing out that Iran has an expansion project that will extend to Bahrain, Yemen and Mosul after the fall of the Syrian city of Aleppo. Salami said that “the people of Bahrain will achieve their wishes, the Yemeni people will be delighted, and the residents of Mosul will taste victory, these are all divine promises,” as he put it. He also pointed out that Iran is still providing unlimited support for the Houthi group, highlighting that Iranian missile could destroy the enemy targets in any area.
Kuwait summons Iran's ambassador over detention of four nationals | Reuters
Kuwait's foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to demand the release of four Kuwaiti nationals detained in the western Ahvaz region of Iran, it said in a statement published by state news agency KUNA on Friday. The ministry was coordinating with Iranian security authorities to press for visits to the men and to facilitate their release, the statement said. It did not elaborate on who the men were or why they were being held.
DOMESTIC POLITICS
Iran's President Lashes out at Hard-Liners Over Human Rights | AP
Iran's president lashed out at the country's hard-liners on Monday, accusing them of ignoring human rights, which he said are enshrined in the constitution. Hassan Rouhani's remarks were apparently an attempt to appeal to the liberal-minded among the country's middle class ahead of Iran's May presidential elections. Without naming names, Rouhani said in a televised speech that "some individuals do not like to hear about some of the articles" and prefer to "ignore" Chapter 3 of the constitution, which secures the rights of the people. That part of the charter was approved in 1979 and is meant to support social and individual freedoms. Rouhani spoke at the launch of a book compiling 120 legal articles on rights-related laws, codes and regulations in Iran, entitled "Charter of Citizenship Rights." Rouhani's government has backed the project.
Iran's Rouhani unveils landmark bill of rights | AFP
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani unveiled a landmark bill of rights on Monday, guaranteeing freedom of speech, protest, fair trials and privacy, saying the achievement was "one of my oldest dreams". Although many of the rights are already enshrined in Iran's constitution written after the 1979 Islamic revolution, Rouhani said it offered the first clear list of principles that could be used to check the performance of state institutions. "I'm very pleased that today one of my most important promises is being delivered and I am achieving one of my oldest dreams," Rouhani told officials in a televised ceremony. However, many institutions, including the judiciary and the powerful Revolutionary Guards, are firmly in the grip of hardliners who do not answer to the president and say the priority is to protect the revolution against dissenters and outside interference... "This bill is a call by the Iranian nation against some arrogant Western countries who think they are ahead of Third World countries in human rights."
OPINION & ANALYSIS
How Trump Should Contain Iran | UANI Advisory Board Member Ray Takeyh & Robert Joseph in Foreign Affairs
The of the biggest foreign policy challenges facing the incoming Donald Trump’s administration could be countering Iran’s expansion throughout the Middle East. Energized by an infusion of resources and legitimacy following last year’s nuclear agreement, Tehran has doubled down on efforts to shift the Middle Eastern balance of power in its favor, as witnessed by the country’s military interventions in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and has increased its support to long-standing terrorist allies such as Hezbollah and Hamas. Those who stress the urgency of reversing Iran’s external advances usually focus on scaling back its gains in Iraq and Syria and somehow defanging its terrorist proxies. Although countering Iran’s foreign interventions would be sound policy, the most reliable means of dealing with the threat from Iran is to pressure the regime at home... There is only one long-term solution to the strategic threat posed by Iran today: the emergence of a democratic, secular state... There is only one long-term solution to the strategic threat posed by Iran today: the emergence of a democratic, secular state. The fundamental weaknesses of the present theocratic rulers make this goal achievable. Perhaps their greatest vulnerability is a lack of legitimacy. Since the Green Revolution of 2009, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has purged the Islamic Republic’s most credible and popular politicians. A restive public whose political aspirations cannot be met and whose economic predicament worsens thanks to incompetence and corruption cannot be held back forever. The gap between the state and society has never been greater. The regime spends billions promoting religion and enforcing cultural strictures, to little effect. The Islamic Republic has lost its public and is poised for another uprising similar to the one in 2009, which shook the foundations of the regime and came close to toppling it. No less than Khamenei has acknowledged that the movement brought the system to the “edge of the cliff.” Although Iran’s internal struggle will take its own course, there is a role for the United States to aid those who share its values. For one, Washington should construct a sanctions regime directed against Iran’s human rights abuses. The financial sanctions that have been most effective in constraining Iran’s trade should be imposed on human rights grounds.
Syria's Opposition Wants Trump to 'Drive a Wedge' Between Iran and Russia | Eli Lake in Bloomberg
The last person in the world one would expect to support Donald Trump's coming outreach to Russia would be Abdul Ilah Fahad. He is the secretary general of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces. His side has been bombed mercilessly by Russian aircraft for more than a year now. What's more, Fahad and his coalition opposed Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts this year to negotiate a deal with the Russians in Syria. With Trump though, Fahad believes he has a chance to strike a bargain that drives both Bashar al-Assad and his Iranian backers out of Syria. He told me that in informal meetings he held last week in Washington with Republicans, "We got a sense that Trump is open to trying to drive a wedge between Russia and Iran."
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Mon, 12/19/2016 - 15:17