Iran International
Amid calls for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, criticism of his Iran policy has erupted beyond the Republican National Convention, fueled by major flashpoints such as Houthi aggression and Iran's nuclear program.
At 81, President Biden is under mounting pressure from his own party to step aside following a poor debate against Republican nominee Donald Trump, which sparked concerns about his age and viability ahead of the November election.
In response, Biden has defiantly countered these calls, insisting he remains the preferred candidate among Democratic voters. As recently as Wednesday, he affirmed his commitment to the 2024 race, stating, "I am all in."
Joe Biden’s approach, often labeled as lenient by critics, has been under fire for some time, but now, with elections looming, the criticism has reached a fever pitch.
Recent developments have brought the issue to the forefront, making it more relevant than ever for US politicians and Iranians as well.
Early Friday morning, an Iranian-made drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels detonated in Tel Aviv, claiming the life of one person near a US embassy branch. The incident, the first Israeli casualty amidst a spate of Houthi drone attacks on Israel in recent months, has US lawmakers clamoring for the State Department to reclassify the Iran-backed militant group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This label would pave the way for more robust US sanctions and targeting.
Ritchie Torres (D-NY) took to X to voice his critique, stating: “The message of the Houthis, an Iranian proxy armed with Iranian drones, couldn’t be clearer: ‘Death to America. Death to Israel. Curse upon the Jews.’ The time has come for the US State Department to designate the Houthis as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.’”
Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) expressed his dismay on X: “This latest Iran-backed Houthi drone attack against civilians in Tel Aviv is shocking. Iran and the Houthis must be held accountable.”
The sentiment was also echoed by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), who strongly condemned the attack on Israel by the Houthis, describing them as terrorists funded by Iran with no regard for human life.
President Trump had placed the Houthis on the FTO list. Still, President Biden quickly reversed this decision, arguing that branding the Houthis as terrorists would throw a wrench in the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid to Yemenis in desperate need.
Another development fanning the flames of criticism on Friday came straight from the Biden administration's admissions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a stark warning, stating that Iran could produce material for a nuclear bomb in a mere week or two if it chose to do so. This statement only intensified the scrutiny of Biden's Iran policy.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) attributed this escalation to what she described as President Joe Biden’s “failed leadership,” arguing that it has encouraged US enemies. "We must return to President Trump’s peace through strength strategy," she asserted, advocating for a more assertive approach.
Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) criticized the Biden-Harris administration's approach, attributing Iran's proximity to obtaining nuclear weapon material—just one to two weeks away—to what he described as their "weakness and appeasement." Budd emphasized the need to "return to a policy of maximum pressure" to address the escalating threat.
Another wave of criticism erupted last week during the Republican National Convention from July 15-18, where prominent speakers lambasted President Joe Biden’s Middle East policies. Accusations of appeasement and "putting America last" echoed through the convention hall as Republican members of Congress, along with several former officials and diplomats, took aim at the Biden's Iran policy. They argued that the Democrats’ policies since 2021 have not only made the US unsafe but also weakened its standing on the global stage.
Additionally, the US presidential candidates' tone during the campaign plays a pivotal role in shaping this narrative.
During the final leg of his presidential campaign in 2020, Joe Biden pledged to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Critics argue that this stance emboldened Iran, prompting it to adopt a stricter negotiating position and accelerate its uranium enrichment, believing it had gained a strategic advantage. Consequently, negotiations stalled as Iran's expectations soared, leading to an impasse in diplomatic efforts.
This is something the Biden administration has acknowledged. In a 2022 interview with Foreign Policy, former US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley admitted that the US and Iran came very close to reviving the 2015 nuclear deal multiple times. However, Iran stepped back each time, introducing new demands often unrelated to the nuclear negotiations, leading to repeated setbacks in reaching a final agreement.
The Biden administration released $16 billion in frozen funds to Iran for reported humanitarian purposes such as food and medicine. Critics, however, argue that this move indirectly bolsters Iran's military and proxy activities by freeing up other resources.
Critics contend that the administration’s lax enforcement of sanctions has allowed Iran's oil sales to skyrocket. Since Biden took office, Iran's oil exports have surged from around 300,000 barrels to 1.5 million barrels per day, primarily driven by increased sales to China. This surge has generated approximately $80 billion for Iran, providing significant financial resources to support its military and proxy groups across the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
One person was killed and at least ten people injured in the drone attack, which happened around 3 a.m. local time Friday.
Evidence from the aftermath shows it was an Iranian-made drone Samad- 3 model sent by Houthi rebels that struck very close to the US consulate, which was the site of the former US Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Until Friday, Houthi drones or missiles directed at Israel had all been intercepted. Israel's military is investigating why it missed the drone. However, the Houthis have seriously disrupted international commercial shipping in the Red Sea by attacking cargo ships and tankers since November. The US and Britain have retaliated several times against Houthi military targets without deterring the Iran-backed militia ruling over more than half of Yemen.
Alex Selsky, an advisor to the Middle East Forum, said the explosion proves that this is not a war between Israel and Iran's proxies, but rather a broader conflict that is being fought in Israel. He said Israel is a symbol of the United States and the West in the Middle East, and pays a price for it.
"It proves again and again that it's not only about Gaza, it's not only about Lebanon, and it's not only about Israel. It's about the United States and the West. Because no such attack can be executed without minimum coordination, maximum instruction from Iran. And no such thing can be done without Iran being backed by its biggest allies: Russia and China," said Selsky.
Selsky, who was also a former advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the timing of the attack and location are significant.
The strike happened just as former President Donald Trump, gave his keynote address at the fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) Thursday evening in Milwaukee just five days after an assassination attempt that could have ended his life. Then the drone attack taking place near the US consulate in Tel Aviv.
Selsky said ultimately no one knows for sure if that was all intentional but when you connect the dots a pattern does appear.
Beni Sabti, an expert on Iran from the Israeli National Security and Strategy Institute (INSS) said the drone attack in Tel Aviv exposes a weakness in Israeli defensive strategy policy, that may embolden its adversaries if action isn't taken.
The cornerstone of Israel's national security strategy is its 'defensive strategy,' reflecting its preference to manage conflicts as much as possible.
"It's the time that Israel has to show itself and its capabilities and its quality," Sabti told Iran International.
He made an analogy to a soccer match, saying you can't always be on the defense when you're playing, you have to also attack to win the game.
"You cannot only defend. You have to go to the source to neutralize it, even if it's in Yemen. If you don't want to deal directly with Iran, then we need to deal with the shooter. If we don't go to the head, we have to deal with the fingers or the hands that are doing it," he said.
In April Iran launched a massive barrage of 350 missiles and drone at Israel. Israeli air defenses and allies warplanes shot down 99% of the projectiles, but it was the first time that the Islamic government in Iran dared to directly target Israel. There was a limited Israeli retaliation against one target in Iran and since then no escalation took place.
The IDF posted to X on Friday "regardless of who pulls the trigger, we know who is the loading the gun."
Israeli officials are hinting of a possible response on Yemeni territory with a retaliatory attack under consideration, according to the Jerusalem Post.
An official comment has not been made yet by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari posted to X addressing the latest attack.
“We are fighting a multi front war. Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the militias in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Houthis in Yemen, all the Iranian proxies, and Iran itself.”
A spokesperson for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, said they would continue to attack Israel, according to Reuters.
There are fears of wider regional conflict with Israel exchanging daily missiles and artillery fire from Hezbollah since the war in Gaza.
What happened globally?
A global IT outage hit various industries, including airlines, hospitals, retailers, and other businesses. Nearly 1,400 flights were canceled on Friday, and essential banking, healthcare, and retail services were also affected.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and X, has described Friday’s incident as the "biggest IT failure in history."
What caused the crisis?
Two significant issues involving Microsoft's widely used cloud systems have occurred in quick succession. First, an outage affected Microsoft clients using the Azure cloud service. Second, Windows devices experienced problems shortly after due to an update from CrowdStrike's Falcon antivirus software, designed to protect against malicious attacks.
Microsoft said it has addressed the root cause, but some services still face residual issues. Despite the fix, cyber-security experts warn that restoring full functionality will require significant effort.
Why is Iran unaffected by this global crisis?
Iran is unaffected by the global IT outage mainly because it uses a different system to control, monitor, and analyze industrial devices and processes.
Iran relies on SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, which are crucial for managing infrastructure like power grids, water treatment facilities, and the petroleum industry, Sahar Tahvili, an AI researcher, told Iran International.
What exactly is SCADA, and how does it differ from a cloud system?
SCADA focuses on the local, real-time control and monitoring of physical systems. It operates within a limited connectivity framework, typically confined to a local or regional network, processing data in a central computer system to manage and optimize operations. Tahvili, the co-author of “Artificial Intelligence Methods for Optimization of the Software Testing Process,” told Iran International.
Conversely, a cloud system emphasizes remote access, extensive data storage, and powerful computing capabilities over the Internet. It easily scales to handle large volumes of data and users, providing broad connectivity and resource flexibility that extends beyond the constraints of local networks.
But why is Iran using a different system?
According to Tahvili, Iran relies on SCADA systems for industrial and facility-based processes primarily due to international sanctions and the lack of advanced infrastructure and technology management options.
Do other countries utilize SCADA systems?
Other countries might use SCADA mostly for managing the manufacturing process but not as the main system for managing and monitoring their industrial and infrastructure processes.
Is SCADA a domestic system? If not, how can Iran utilize it despite sanctions?
The expert explained that SCADA is not Iran's invention. It consists of hardware and software components that can be sourced from various international suppliers. In response to sanctions, Iran might have developed its own SCADA systems or adapted existing ones to meet its needs.
“This involves using local expertise to design, manufacture, and maintain SCADA components. Iran might procure SCADA components and software through third-party suppliers from countries that do not adhere to the same sanctions or through indirect channels, making it possible to bypass certain restrictions,” according to the AI researcher.
Iran seems to have deftly navigated the recent global IT chaos, but what is the unseen factor at play here?
Iran's National Center for Cyberspace presented the situation positively, stating, "No damage or disruption in services to the public has been reported in Iran. Due to Western sanctions, Iran has been barred from receiving these services for years. Consequently, local, alternative services were developed by the country's youth and experts and are currently operational."
The statement further highlighted, "Additionally, the country has developed robust capabilities in providing indigenous cloud services, which are now ready for export to other countries. Iran is prepared to share its expertise and export products in this field."
However, Tahvili holds a different perspective.
She remarked, "SCADA systems are often considered outdated and face several challenges, particularly regarding integration and compatibility with newer technologies such as cloud computing." As industries increasingly move towards advanced data analytics and cloud-based solutions, "the compatibility of SCADA systems becomes a significant concern," Tahvili explained. This integration challenge can "lead to inefficiencies and limit the ability to leverage cutting-edge technological advancements fully."
She further highlighted that "the connectivity of SCADA systems to corporate networks and the internet introduces severe security vulnerabilities." While remote monitoring and control are essential, this connectivity "exposes SCADA systems to external threats, including cyber-attacks and malicious software like the Stuxnet worm." Referring to the infamous Stuxnet incident in 2010, Tahvili pointed out that it "specifically targeted SCADA systems and caused substantial damage to Iran's nuclear program."
Tahvili emphasized the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, stating, "Several security breaches have highlighted the need to protect these critical infrastructures." Despite SCADA systems being essential for Iran's industrial processes due to sanctions and limited infrastructure, their "outdated nature and compatibility issues with new technologies pose significant challenges." Additionally, she warned that "the security vulnerabilities arising from their connectivity to broader networks underscore the urgent need for enhanced security protocols to safeguard against potential threats."