IAF F-35s penetrated Iranian airspace months ago - Saudi report

Israeli Air Force F-35 advanced fifth-generation fighter jets penetrated Iranian airspace multiple times over the last two months, according to the Saudi media outlet Elaph. Both Iranian and Russian radars failed to locate them, according to the report. 

According to the news site, Israel and the US have conducted large-scale exercises over the Red Sea in order to simulate an aerial and maritime strike on Iran and the seizure of Iranian vessels in the Gulf Sea. The exercises come as part of a series of drills conducted by the two countries both secretly and publicly in order to prepare for strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The IAF recently integrated a new one-ton bomb into the arsenal of weapons used by the F-35s (known in the IAF as the “Adir”) that can be carried inside the plane’s internal weapons compartment without jeopardizing its stealth radar signature.

The IDF has held independent as well as joint F-35 drills with other countries over the last few months. 

The Israeli Navy has also strengthened its presence off the coast of Lebanon and in the Red Sea, according to the report.

An Arab source told Elaph that the exercises between the US and Israel show that Israel will receive support and assistance if it strikes Iranian facilities after a deal is reached with Tehran in Vienna. The source added that he does not rule out the outbreak of a conflict between Israel and Iran soon.

The Saudi news report comes on the heels of heightened tensions with Iran and the final text of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action deal. Iran has, over the last few days, demanded that the probe opened by the International Atomic Energy Agency into its enriched uranium sites be closed.

Zinsky khan. Abandoning JCPOA was a behind the scene deal between Russian puppet Trump and Putin. You have to see the big picture.

Keefer jan. No worries. I hear you. I am honestly totally confused what the right thing for iran is anymore. West says with JCPOA, iran will enter the oil market and relieves the pressure as iran will sell oil to West and Russia's oil will remain sanctioned. OK! And Russia is going to say great idea?!!! The other story is right before USA responds to Iran they first go and bomb Iranian group in Syria and they ask Russia for permission. Then as you mentioned iran is selling her oil by bypassing sanctions. At the current higher price actually. Now if they sign JCPOA, price of oil will go down to 70s. Why would they do that? They should not enter Jcpoa, that way oil price remains high and Iran will sell at higher price. No? Thoughts?

Rest in peace, 

!فرزند وطن

هوشنگ ابتهاج به وطن بازگشت + جزییات مراسم تشییع و خاکسپاری

پیکر مرحوم هوشنگ ابتهاج ساعاتی پیش با حضور محمود شالویی، دستیار وزیر فرهنگ و سیدمحمود اسلامی معاون توسعه و منابع انسانی وزارت فرهنگ و اعضای خانواده مرحوم ابتهاج از طریق فرودگاه بین المللی ام

به گزارش خبرگزاری مهر به نقل از مرکز روابط عمومی و اطلاع‌رسانی وزارت فرهنگ و ارشاد اسلامی، محمود شالویی دستیار وزیر فرهنگ و مدیرکل حوزه وزارتی این وزارتخانه در حاشیه این مراسم درباره آخرین جزئیات مراسم وداع با پیکر مرحوم ابتهاج گفت: پیکر مرحوم ابتهاج بزودی به بهشت زهرا منتقل می‌شود تا آئین وداع با پیکر استاد ابتهاج طبق برنامه از ساعت ۸ صبح جمعه از مقابل تالار وحدت برگزار شود.

وی افزود: پس از برپایی مراسم وداع در تالار وحدت، پیکر مرحوم ابتهاج با بدرقه اهالی فرهنگ و ادب برای تدفین و خاکسپاری رهسپار استان گیلان شده و در زادگاهش آرام خواهد گرفت.

“EU is heading to brushing aside the sanctions against Russia with headlights off, if the US does not sign the agreement.” 

You'd think, them useless poodles, have grown some nuts by now.

Taken from Iranian sources:

Several Zionist officials have admitted that they have failed to convince Washington not to sign the nuclear agreement with Iran, and Israel is now left alone in the dream of meeting with Iran.

Before this, the Zionist Kan network announced that the security officials of the Zionist regime regret the pressure that Tel Aviv brought to Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, to withdraw from the JCPOA.

The network announced that the regret of the Zionist authorities is because Iran and the world's major powers are once again moving towards the same agreement, but this is while Tehran has made extensive progress in its nuclear program, especially in the field of uranium enrichment. And this would not have happened if Washington had not withdrawn from the agreement.

In a report referring to the text proposed by the European Union in the Vienna negotiations to reach an agreement on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Haaretz newspaper announced that Israel will send its internal security adviser to Washington on an urgent mission to The US government should warn about what it sees as obvious weaknesses in the final draft of the European Union.

The newspaper added: Israel has carefully examined and analyzed this document, while the White House, the National Security Council (US), the US State Department and the CIA have either not read this document or have not understood it.

Haaretz went on to claim that Israel's "concerns are legitimate and real," but we have passed the time when Israel's grievances received the attention of the United States. Israel has entered the stadium when the crowd has left the stadium, the lights are off and the cameras are down. In fact, Israel is giving his explanations to the cafeteria workers and cleaning staff and has no influence on whether or not an agreement will be reached.

Arash,

How come we  don’t blame Israel for the US not signing the deal rather than Russia? Not that I give a damn about them, but Israel openly says they are against it and they go as far as murdering our people.

“ but your posts fancies Russia too much”. Well a little “secret” between you and I: whenever I see eyeranians  کاسه داغتر از آش on some false American patriotism, I do have a tendency of leaning the other way. I do that, even in Iran, when faced with too much religious dogma. I am too American there, and too Russian here. Go figure. Other wise both East and West are of the same material. Each pursuing his own interest, and Iran considers the same for herself. Now, that “considers the same for herself” has different meaning for them over there than to you and I can interpret from distance. Iran has gone from buying from them, in the past, to selling them stuff today! Is that bad from our position?

 I hope you see that there are so many false duplicate handles in this board that makes it hard for one to respond to their comments. You would answer one comment to one handle, then you see the  same handle appear as different false ones pulling you to different directions. I paid dearly for this problem here. Treatment by our “own” hamvatans can, at times, be very cruel and ugly!

That’s why, our good and valued friend DESERT MAN, advising us to stay away from one on one and I broke that promise. I stop there.

U.S. officials confirmed on Wednesday that the Biden administration sent its response to Iran's comments on the EU draft agreement that would restore the Iran nuclear deal. 

Why it matters: The U.S. move is another step toward a deal, though there are still gaps between the parties on several issues. It's not clear whether there will be another round of negotiations as a result of the U.S. response.

Driving the news: An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed the U.S. response was received through the EU coordinator. 

• The spokesperson said Iran will carefully study it and will share its comments with the EU coordinator.
• A State Department spokesperson did not provide any details about the U.S. response. 

The big picture: Separately on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stressed in a briefing with the international press that he is concerned the U.S. and other Western powers will give more concessions to Iran in order to reach a deal on a return to the 2015 nuclear agreement.

• The White House has repeatedly denied it's considering new concessions. 

What he's saying: Lapid said the EU draft agreement was defined as a “final offer” and presented as "take it or leave it," but the Iranian response to it included more changes that led to further discussions.

• “The Iranians are making demands again. The negotiators are ready to make concessions, again. The countries of the West draw a red line, the Iranians ignore it, and the red line moves. If the Iranians didn’t take it, why didn’t the world leave it?” Lapid said.
• The prime minister also said Israel thinks the nuclear deal does not meet the standards set by President Biden for preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state.
• Lapid added that, if a deal is signed, Israel won’t be bound by it and will act to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Israeli national security adviser Eyal Hulata met with his U.S. counterpart Jake Sullivan at the White House Tuesday to discuss the negotiations with Iran.

• One of the main goals of Hulata’s trip was to press the White House on not making any further concessions, mainly on the International Atomic Energy Agency investigations against Iran and the sanctions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• Sullivan told Hulata that Biden is committed to ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, the White House said in a readout of the meeting. 
• Sullivan expressed Biden's "steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel’s capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats, including from Iran and Iranian-backed proxies," the White House said.

Between the lines: Lapid’s strong public statements and Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s upcoming trip to Washington are also connected to the domestic political situation and the upcoming Israeli elections.

• The two Israeli leaders want to show they are taking a hard line and working against the nuclear deal, fearing attacks from their political rival and ardent Iran hawk Benjamin Netanyahu.