The United States carried out an airstrike on a headquarters in Baghdad of the Iran-aligned Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba militia group, killing one of its leaders, Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi, also known as Abu Taqwa. Iraq's military spokesman condemned the strike as a "dangerous escalation" and said that the United States did not have authorization for it.
News Briefs
December 27, 2023
Iran and Russia have finalized an agreement to conduct trade in their own currencies rather than use the U.S. dollar, according to Iranian state media. The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), led by Russia, also signed a free-trade agreement with Iran.
-- Reuters
December 26, 2023
Iran tripled the rate at which it is enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, according to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The production rate reached nine kilograms per month, where it stood in early 2023 before Iran slowed its pace of enrichment beginning in June. The IAEA also said that Iran had once again connected two cascades of advanced centrifuges using modified subheaders, a modification that would allow it to produce weapons-grade uranium faster if it chose to do so.
-- Wall Street Journal
December 23, 2023
The United States said a one-way attack drone that struck a chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean was launched from Iran. The tanker, the Chem Pluto, is flagged in Liberia but is owned by the Japanese company Rio Brilliante and managed by the Netherlands-based Ace-Quantum Chemical Tankers, which is connected to Israeli businessman Idan Ofer. Iran declined to comment on the attack. The Houthis, an Iranian allay that has recently attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea, neither denied nor confirmed involvement, though the attack took place nearly out of range of drones known to be possessed by the Houthis in Yemen.
-- Wall Street Journal
December 22, 2023
A White House spokesperson said that Iran is providing monitoring, tactical intelligence, and weaponry to enable Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Anonymous Western and regional security officials pointed to a surveillance vessel in the Red Sea operated by Iran's paramilitary forces as key node for the intelligence collection, and claimed that Houthi missiles rely on radar capabilities provided by Iran. The United States also released declassified intelligence linking Iran to the specific weaponry that the Houthis have used in recent attacks. A spokesperson for the Houthis denied that it relied on Iran for intelligence.
December 19, 2023
The United States launched a multilateral task force to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea in the face of repeated attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Countries joining the U.S.-led operation included Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The Houthis have threatened to target Israeli ships as well as those heading to Israeli ports. The attacks have prompted oil companies such as BP and Frontline as well as shipping firms such as Maersk to divert shipments around the Red Sea.
-- Reuters
December 19, 2023
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Iranian national Hossein Hatefi Ardakani and China-based Gary Lam (Lin Jinghe) with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured electronics for Iran's drone program. In one instance, in 2015, Ardakani, Lam, and their co-conspirators caused an unwitting French company to purchase analog-to-digital converters from a U.S.-based company. A division of the French company then shipped the goods to Hong Kong, where they were re-exported to Iran. The conspirators also arranged similar transfers using companies in Canada and mainland China. In addition, the Justice Department announced the related seizure of more than $800,000 in property from Nava Hobbies SDN BHD and Arta Wave SDN BHD, both involved in Ardakani and Lam's procurement efforts.
-- U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
December 6, 2023
Iran launched a 500-kilogram biocapsule, developed by the Aerospace Research Institute, into space. The capsule, which reached an altitude of 130 kilometers before returning to Earth, was carried by a rocket called Salman, produced by the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO).
-- Tasnim News Agency
November 21, 2023
Iran unveiled the Fattah-2 missile during a visit of the Supreme Leader to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force museum. The missile had a primary rocket motor similar in appearance to that of the earlier Fattah missile, unveiled in June, but it differed in its wedge-shaped re-entry vehicle apparently powered by a liquid-propellant engine. Iranian media stated that the missile's maximum range was 1,500 kilometers.
-- Janes
November 21, 2023
The United States expressed concern that Iran may provide Russia with Ababil and Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missiles to use in Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had viewed displays of the missiles during a visit to Tehran in September. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that, in return, Iran wants to purchase combat aircraft, radars, and attack helicopters from Russia. He added that Russia has already helped Iran on its space program and has offered cooperation on missiles, military electronics, and air defense.
-- Wall Street Journal