Iran Integrates New Drones Into Army

“The American-British aggression will only increase the Yemeni people’s determination to carry out their moral and humanitarian responsibilities towards the oppressed in Gaza,” Mohammed Albukhaiti, a member of the Houthi’s ruling council, said Monday evening, shortly after the latest round of airstrikes.

US and British forces carried out a fresh round of strikes late on Monday against eight locations in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned group against Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said.

This is the eighth time in about two weeks that the US has hit Houthi targets, validating suggestions last week that the Biden administration may be gearing up for an extensive and prolonged campaign against Iran’s ‘wild card’ in its fight against the interests of the United States and its allies.

Iran has made it known that its ultimate goal is to ‘oust’ the Americans from the Middle East and fill in the ensuing power vacuum.

Late Monday, hours after the airstrike on Houthis in Yemen, Iran’s foreign minister Amir-Abdollahian once more threatened the US and UK –this time on US soil.

“We have sent a serious message to the Americans, warning them that what they did with the UK in attacking certain areas in Yemen endangers peace and security in the region,”Amirabdollahian told Iran’s official news agency IRNA, while in New York to take part in meetings at the UN. “This is intensification of war.”

Iran and the US seem to be on a collision course, despite signs that both the Iranian regime and the Biden administrations prefer to avoid direct confrontation.

On Monday, a top US Navy commander told the Associated Press that Iran was “very directly involved” in the Houthi operations in the Red Sea, which began in response to Israeli onslaught in Gaza mid-October.

“What I’ll say is Iran is clearly funding, they’re resourcing, they are supplying and they’re providing training,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet “They’re obviously very directly involved. There’s no secret there.

He said Iran-related attacks have outgrown the Persian Gulf to reach waters across the Middle East.

Iran and its regional proxy forces are engaged in attacks on the US and its allies almost daily, from Yemen to Iraq and Syria and Lebanon. The Biden administration seems to have failed to stop the attacks, despite repeated warnings and airstrikes.

Biden critics say his soft stance against Iran in the past three years has emboldened the regime and its proxies to the detriment of American troops and interests.

“There's a direct link between the Biden Admin’s futile Iran policy and our inability to stop attacks against American troops,” Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee posted on X Monday night. “Iran doesn't think the U.S. is willing to act. We must permanently freeze funds, enforce oil sanctions & restore credible deterrence.”

Experts warn that the Houthis may continue their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea –as they have repeatedly stated– and force the Biden administration to pursue harsher measures that some argue should include direct attacks on IRGC targets.

Early Tuesday local time, Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, vowed to leave no airstrike unanswered.

“Trust well that every operation and every aggression against our country will not be without a response,” he wrote on X.

The latest round of airstrikes on the Houthis was not as extensive as the first round ten days earlier. The objective, as set out by the Biden administration, is to degenerate the Houthis’ capabilities –something that the President himself has admitted has not been achieved.

Mohammad Ghobadlou was accused of hitting and killing a policeman with his car during the 2022 protests in Iran. He and his defense attorney consistently denied the charge, providing evidence to show his innocence.

In a complete collapse of judicial process, Ghobadlou’s defense was informed of the decision to hang him with half a day's notice. Attorney Amir Raisian published the notice on his X account, saying that the execution would amount to “murder”, since the initial verdict had been overturned and his client had a right to appeal.

Monday night, hours after the news broke out that the imminent execution of the 23-year old, his family and dozens of concerned citizens gathered in front of the prison, hoping that their presence could at least delay the execution –that is usually carried out with the morning call to prayer just before the sunrise.

Right after sunrise, the Islamic Republic Judiciary outlet Mizan News announced that Ghobdalou had been executed.

A short clip emerged on X, showing Ghobadlou’s mother at the prison gate shouting at the guards, “you killed my Mohammad, he’d taken to the streets for all you youngsters.”

Iran executed around 800 people in 2023, including several political prisoners. Political detainees almost in all cases face unfair trials without due process of law or a fair chance of self-defense.

This the first time, however, that a death sentence has been carried out after being rejected by a higher court, raising questions over the reasons and the timing of the execution, in particular.

During nationwide anti-regime protests in 2022-2023, security forces killed around 550 protesters and arrested 22,000 people. Hundreds of civilians, mostly young people, were injured, many bearing permanent loss of eyes and other permanent damages.

Utilizing renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power, "green hydrogen" is produced by electrolysis, which produces hydrogen without any emissions. This contrasts with traditional techniques that release carbon dioxide.

Experts anticipate the global hydrogen market, a pivotal energy source, to reach a staggering annual value of $700 billion by 2050. However, Iran finds itself outside the current trajectory of this evolving market.

Hydrogen, recognized for its cleanliness and sustainability, holds immense potential as a major contributor to power generation. Its significance lies in fuel cells, combustion, and energy storage, making it a crucial element in transitioning to a low-carbon and sustainable energy system. The appeal of hydrogen for practical applications stems from its remarkable energy content per weight, approximately three times higher than gasoline.

Iran faces vulnerabilities in its energy security due to market and geopolitical risks, given its heavy reliance on natural gas, especially from the South Pars field in the Persian Gulf. To enhance resilience, Iran must diversify its energy sources, with a particular emphasis on hydrogen and renewables. This shift aligns with global environmental trends and is imperative for the nation's economic and energy security.

Last July, Mahmoud Kamani, the Deputy Minister of Energy, announced that the drafting of a national hydrogen document by the Renewable Energy and Electricity Efficiency Organization of Iran (SATBA) is underway. In the context of Iran, Kamani stressed the need to draft a national hydrogen document to leverage its diverse applications effectively. SATBA, serving as the secretariat for this initiative, has activated relevant working groups to facilitate the process. According to Kamani, while hydrogen is currently produced from natural gas, there is a potential to shift towards hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources, although Iran’s renewable energy sector is underdeveloped and very small.

To compete in the hydrogen production market, Iran must establish a sustainable energy generation infrastructure. However, it lags behind regional counterparts like Turkey and Saudi Arabia in various forms of renewable energy. Turkey, for instance, surpasses Iran significantly in wind and solar power, as well as hydroelectric capacity. Building a robust energy infrastructure is essential for Iran to catch up and contribute meaningfully to the hydrogen market.

Jalil Salari, Deputy Minister of Oil for Refining and Distribution of Petroleum Products, has highlighted that the cost of producing a ton of hydrogen from hydrocarbon sources is around $400. Economic considerations are crucial, especially for incorporating hydrogen into the transportation sector. Currently, Iran's oil refineries produce approximately 300 million cubic feet of hydrogen per day, or about 700 metric tons daily, amounting to around 260,000 tons annually.

Despite challenges, Iran pursues a hydrogen energy system, particularly in transportation. The country's hydrogen plan aims to leverage its natural gas reserves for production. Overcoming cost variations, especially in electrolysis, is a key challenge. Implementing the plan not only addresses environmental concerns but also positions hydrogen as a viable alternative in Iran's transportation sector. 

In contrast, the GCC is strategically diversifying its economy and investing in renewable energy, including hydrogen, to reduce reliance on oil revenue. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman actively engage in green hydrogen production, with Saudi Arabia aiming for 2.9 million tons annually by 2030, the UAE aspiring to be a top 10 hydrogen producer by 2031, and Oman planning over 1 million tons by 2030, increasing to 8.5 million tons yearly by 2050. These nations aim for a significant role in the global green hydrogen economy, contributing to emission reduction and the transition to sustainable energy sources. Neighboring countries of Iran have also initiated their own long-term hydrogen plans with substantial investments and advanced technologies.

Iran risks setbacks in the global hydrogen market by prioritizing crisis management over long-term economic development. While still potentially exporting hydrogen, neighboring countries are reducing reliance on oil revenues, highlighting the need for Iran's strategic planning in the evolving energy landscape.

Concerns arise about Iran's historical reliance on crisis management in navigating the global energy transition. The establishment of a hydrogen working group by the National Iranian Oil Company is a step forward, but substantial efforts are crucial for organized planning and economic growth. The working group's effectiveness depends on developing a comprehensive plan, stressing the necessity of integrating hydrogen into Iran's overarching economic and energy strategy.

Iran has several obstacles in its efforts to produce hydrogen from the refining of oil, including technological, financial, and environmental ones. Using cutting-edge techniques like partial oxidation or steam methane reforming (SMR) presents issues with cost, efficiency, and environmental effect. The technological difficulty of ensuring hydrogen purity increases, necessitating large infrastructure expenditures in the face of budgetary restrictions. 

Before conservative President Ebrahim Raisi took office in 2021, major film festivals in Europe and the United States, including those in Berlin, Cannes, and Chicago looked forward to the event to select some of the finest Iranian movies for their own events.

Until three years ago, no international film festival was perfect without an Iranian movie directed by an internationally renowned Iranian filmmaker. Things have now changed.

Iran's populist Culture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili even cautioned reporters not to use the words Festival Palace, and to use the revolutionary expression Festival House instead, as "Palace" was a place for taghooties (those who do not worship God). The word came back to the press from the darkest dungeons of the overtly fundamentalist and seemingly militant 1979 Islamic revolution.

The same Culture Minister tried earlier this week to lure a popular Iranian singer in Los Angels to return to Iran after four decades. This was of course a move to pacify a sulking nation to encourage them to take part in the upcoming elections. Minutes after the statement by the Culture Minister an Iranian lawyer warned the singer that he would be facing a 28-year jail sentence if he ever set foot in Iran again.

Iranian social media users, including a former presidential chief of staff, who can crack dark jokes about any serious matter, reminded the singer, Nasrollah Moin, that the Minister was right. He can always arrive at the Tehran international airport, but there is no guarantee he would be able to depart.

Film critics widely agree that the quality of Iranian cinema has declined in recent years. It's important to note that the deterioration in the film industry didn't solely occur during President Raisi's administration. The decline began during former President Hassan Rouhani's second term when Iranian filmmakers faced pressure from the IRGC and intelligence organizations. Even internationally acclaimed director Jafar Panahi received a lengthy prison sentence. The situation worsened after the 2022 protests. 

At present, most Iranian films are produced by intelligence organizations and the IRGC, with a directive to promote official ideology. As a result, numerous uninspiring movies are being made, often featuring the same group of actors and filmmakers. Many other talents in the industry are no longer favored by the government, as some prominent figures, such as Mahnaz Afshar and Hamid Farrokh Nejad, have left Iran to join opposition groups

Some 106 Iranian movies are to be screened for the first time in this year's festival from February 1 to 11, during the Ten Days of Dawn, or the anniversary of the 1979 revolution. These movies are mainly directed by individuals hitherto unknown to Iranian film industry and movie-goers. They are well-connected individuals who can get hold of hefty government budgets to make these films.

However, a few like comedian Mehran Modiri and Soroush Sehhat and renowned cinematographer Mahmoud Kalari have also presented their films to the festival. The first two artists were reportedly barred from entering the Festival House to meet the formalities for screening their films and were branded as taghooties.

Meanwhile, asked why all the members of the festival's selection committee are men and there are no women among them, the festival's secretary, Mojtaba Amini, said selecting films is a tough job and women cannot do that, but he will make sure that a woman filmmaker is on the board of the jury. Interestingly, Amini was the producer of IRGC-funded TV series Gando that levelled many unfounded accusations against former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

All of the members of the Selection Committee of the festival have been carefully chosen from among hardliners in Iran's film industry. 

The attack on the Conoco Base in Deir Ezzor marks the 164th attack on US facilities and personnel in Syria and Iraq in the past 96 days, escalating since October 7 when Iran-backed Hamas invaded Israel. Iran's proxies have since launched attacks on the US in response to the country's support of Israel's right to defend itself in the face of the Hamas attacks which killed 1,200 mostly civilians and saw over 250 more taken hostage to Gaza.

“In adherence to our continuous resistance policy against American forces in Iraq and the region, and in response to the Zionist regime's actions against the people of Gaza, our fighters launched multiple rockets at the American base in the Conoco oil field in eastern Deir Ezzor," the group said.

Currently, the United States has several hundred troops stationed in northern and eastern Syria, primarily engaged in the international coalition against ISIS.

The coalition bases in the region have faced intermittent attacks over recent years but not to the extent seen since October 7. While the Iranian government has consistently denied any direct involvement in the attacks by Hamas, Tehran claims that the proxies operate independently, in spite of the fact the militias are the brainchild of Iran's supreme leader as a weapon against both Israel and the West.