Iran’s exiled prince receives Nixon Foundation ‘Architect of Peace’ award

The rial, which began its decline in September, plummeted to more than 680,000 against the dollar, while Iranian officials and state-controlled media remained silent on Wednesday. In mid-August, the currency was trading at 585,000 to the dollar, representing a drop of more than 15% in under two months.

The rial dropped to 737,000 against the euro and 885,000 against the British pound.

Iran is already grappling with soaring inflation exceeding 40%, and the rial's continued decline will drive prices even higher, further impoverishing a population that has seen its purchasing power erode significantly since 2018. That year, U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration—following its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal—targeted oil exports and banking, slashing Iran’s income and dealing a severe blow to its oil-dependent economy.

In August, Israel began its punishing attacks on Iran’s proxy, the Lebanese Hezbollah, and eventually killed its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. This led to an Iranian retaliation with ballistic missiles on October 1. Since then, Iran has been expecting a retaliatory strike by Israel, that could inflict damage on its infrastructure, including the oil sector.

On top of mounting military and economic pressures, President Masoud Pezeshkian unveiled next year’s budget on Tuesday, allocating nearly 20% of Iran’s oil export revenue—estimated to exceed $10 billion—primarily to the Revolutionary Guard. In the current budget, the military’s share of oil is around 200,000 barrels per day, while next year it would be an estimated 430,000 barrels.

The practice of handing oil to the military to export is to guarantee their share of the budget, instead of risking their allocation amid the government's constant financial challenges.

In addition to oil revenue, the military will also receive direct budget appropriations, although the exact figure was not disclosed in the published bill. This substantial military spending may have further driven the rial's decline when Tehran’s exchange markets opened on Wednesday.

Over the past five years, tens of millions of Iranians have seen their living standards erode as wages fail to keep pace with soaring inflation. Today, the average worker earns roughly $200 per month, while official estimates suggest that a minimum of $500 is needed for basic survival.

The indictment accuses the group of orchestrating a 2022 plan to kill US-Iranian citizen Alinejad, a prominent journalist an critic of Iran’s treatment of women.

"Today’s indictment exposes the full extent of Iran’s plot to silence an American journalist for criticizing the Iranian regime,” US Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said in the unsealed indictment.

Writing on X, Alinejad blasted Iran's theocratic rulers.

"The revelation that the assassination plot against me in July 2022 was orchestrated by Ali Khamenei’s IRGC is a stark reminder of the brutal lengths to which the Islamic regime will go to silence dissidents, even those far beyond Iran’s borders," said Alinejad, responding to the indictment.

The alleged plot was disrupted by US law enforcement, which had previously charged members of an Eastern European criminal organization with ties to Iran with murder-for-hire.

This latest indictment directly implicates a high-ranking Iranian official for the first time. Brigadier General Ruhollah Bazghandi, a senior counterintelligence figure within the IRGC, is named as the key organizer of the assassination effort.

The US Treasury Department had already sanctioned Bazghandi in 2022, accusing him of playing a role in the detention of foreign prisoners in Iran and overseeing multiple assassination attempts against journalists and foreign nationals.

In announcing the new charges, US officials highlighted the IRGC’s extended reach in carrying out Iran’s policies abroad, including criminal activities aimed at silencing opposition voices.

Alinejad, who had resided in Brooklyn but has since relocated to another part of New York, has long been a vocal opponent of the Iranian government’s policies, particularly its strict laws regarding women’s dress codes.

She had previously written about Tehran’s efforts to abduct her and described the IRGC’s use of criminal gangs to carry out its work overseas. "The Iranian regime always uses criminal gangs to do their dirty jobs beyond their own borders, to get away from punishment," Alinejad said on Tuesday.

Failed plot

The indictment also mentions three other Iranian operatives involved in the plot—Hossein Sedighi, Seyed Mohammad Forouzan, and an individual known only by an alias, Haj Taher.

According to US prosecutors, the group had been continuously monitoring Alinejad since a failed attempt to kidnap her. This earlier plot, which came to light in 2021, involved using private investigators to track Alinejad’s movements and developing plans to transport her from New York to Venezuela.

Alinejad, whose criticism of Iran extends back decades, has accused the government of using her family in Iran as leverage against her. She says that the Iranian intelligence ministry had even attempted to lure her to a family reunion in Turkey, a ruse she believes was part of a larger plan to capture her.

Federal prosecutors have been stepping up efforts to counter foreign influence operations in the US.

The charges come at a tense time for US-Iran relations, with Iran’s influence in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based militant group backed by Tehran, in focus as Israel prepares to hit back at Iran after an Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack.

Iran has carried out assassinations and kidnappings of its opponents abroad over the past four decades. Countries like Germany, France, Turkey, and Iraq have been targets of Iranian intelligence for its deadly operations.

The criticism also reflects growing tension, partly fueled by Israel's threats pf military retaliation in response to Iran's October 1 missile attack.

In response to Ali Asghar Shefieian, an aide to President Pezeshkian who defended the president's recent government appointments, Javad Emam, spokesperson for the Reform Front—an umbrella group coordinating over two dozen groups—posted on X: "Why did the people vote for Pezeshkian? For no change? To endorse the ultraconservative Paydari Party’s agenda? To continue the previous government's political and security policies? To prolong regional tensions? To keep filtering the Internet and maintaining the Morality Police, and to let the military steer domestic politics? Or to ignore his supporters and campaign workers?"

Meanwhile, many social media users argued that things would not have been different had Pezeshkian’s rival won the election. Mocking Pezeshkian's campaign slogans, they posted satirical comments as if hardliner Saeed Jalili were now president, saying, "If Pezeshkian were president, the shadow of war wouldn’t loom over Iran. The EU wouldn’t have called the three Iranian islands occupied, and it wouldn’t have sanctioned Iran!" Nearly all such posts emphasize the looming threat of war between Iran and Israel.

In another development, prominent "reformist" figure Mostafa Hashemi Taba urged the government to be transparent with the public and "tell them the truth." He also called on President Pezeshkian to address discrimination and curb unnecessary government spending.

Criticizing Pezeshkian's idea of national reconciliation, Hashemi Taba said, "The president has appointed individuals with varying political affiliations to key jobs in various areas, but it seems they are not committed to their mandate. In this way, the government looks like a joint stock company that has no particular policy or methodology." Meanwhile, he pointed out that the selection of the government's middle managers has been done with a bad taste.

Stressing the need for government transparency, Hashemi Taba said President Pezeshkian could maintain public trust by keeping his promise to be honest with the people. As an example, he cited the government's claim that 20 million liters of gasoline are being smuggled out of Iran daily. He questioned the Oil Ministry's role, noting that it controls all aspects of gasoline. "How is the Oil Ministry merely watching as gasoline is imported and smuggled out of the country?" he asked.

Hashemi Taba hinted at government involvement in fuel smuggling, saying, "The government shouldn't reveal only 10 percent of the truth and remain silent on the other 90 percent." He added, "The 20 million liters of gasoline doesn’t come from gas station nozzles—it's too much, and there must be a system behind it. If they were honest with the people, they might not need further economic reforms." He also emphasized that "ending discrimination and curbing overspending should be central to the government's agenda."

Further criticizing Pezeshkian's notion of national reconciliation, Hashemi Taba remarked, "What we are witnessing is not true national reconciliation, which cannot be achieved under the current circumstances." He noted that the political rivals appointed to government positions are unlikely to change their views. "There must be a clear policy in place, and individuals from different political backgrounds should be committed to following that policy," he added.

Elaborating on the theme of honesty with the public, reformist activist and social media influencer Mehdi Mahmoudian wrote on X: "Pezeshkian is an honest man. He openly admitted that everything he did during the campaign was to win votes, and that after his victory, he would follow Khamenei's directives." Mahmoudian also accused Pezeshkian of catering to the 20 percent of eligible voters who supported him, while now showing an iron fist to the 60 percent who chose not to vote.

The remarks appeared aimed at bolstering domestic morale after the Islamic Republic's armed allies in the region have been dealt heavy military blows by Israel in recent weeks.

“Israel is too small to be able to attack Iran,” Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari told reporters on Tuesday. "Israel may carry out a limited and small attack to just say that it has responded. However, it definitely cannot have an attack that is on a par with Iran's Operation True Promise 2."

Jafari was referring to the IRGC's missile barrage against Israel on October 1, which came in response to Israel's likely assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

"If it carries out a significant and notable action, it will certainly see a response several times bigger," Jafari added.

This warning follows Hezbollah’s recent drone strike targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence, escalating calls in Israel for a stronger reaction against Tehran. Channel 11 cited an Israeli official saying that the country is preparing for a very significant strike on Iran, indicating heightened military readiness.

In a show of support, the United States has authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to Israel aimed at bolstering defenses against potential missile threats.

A military source linked to the IRGC was quoted by the Tasnim news agency affiliated with the Guards that any attack on Iran's nuclear sites would prompt a decisive response from Tehran.

"If the attack only targets Iran's military positions, Tehran's response will be both certain and beyond the Zionists estimates." Tasnim quoted the source saying. "Iran is certainly not committed to maintaining the previous scope, type, or intensity of its response" if its infrastructure is affected.

In response to the escalating situation, US President Joe Biden on Friday said he was aware of the nature and timing of planned Israeli actions against Iran but declined to elaborate.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cautioned that anyone aware of an Israeli attack's timing and manner must be held accountable, in apparent reference to regional states.

On October 1, Tehran fired over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, labeling the attack as retaliation for the recent assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah and IRGC General Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon.

“The FBI is investigating the alleged leak of classified documents and working closely with our partners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community,” the agency said in a statement. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further comment.”

The information relates to intelligence gleaned from US satellites on preparations for an Israeli air attack on Iran in retaliation for an Oct. 1 missile barrage on the Jewish state.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote to Biden to request biweekly briefings on the status of its investigation into the leak.

"This leak is an outrageous betrayal of an ally and a breach of trust that will undermine our relationship with partners for years to come," Cotton, a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote according to a copy of the letter published by the Washington Free Beacon.

Donald Trump also capitalized on the opportunity to attack the Biden-Harris administration, just two weeks before his face-off with Vice President Kamala Harris.

"Israel has been seriously damaged and compromised ... MUST FIND THE LEAKER! Israel no longer wants to share documents with the US, and who can blame them!" the former President wrote on Truth Social.

Identity sought

Conflicting reports emerged on Tuesday over the progress of US investigators and the potential source of a leak.

Sky News Arabia reported on Tuesday citing a Pentagon official that a senior employee in US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s office is suspected of leaking the assessments to Tehran.

The official, the report added, serves within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and holds a security clearance that provides access to highly sensitive information.

However, the Pentagon officially denied that Ariane Tabatabai, Chief of Staff of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, is a subject of interest in the investigation for the alleged leak of US documents on Israel's plan to attack Iran. "To my knowledge, the official that is being referenced is not a subject of interest," said Press Secretary Pat Ryder.

Also veteran Pentagon correspondent for Fox News Jennifer Griffin said on Tuesday that no suspects in any leak had been identified, calling the Sky News Arabia item "irresponsible reporting."

"This story is NOT TRUE," Griffin wrote on X. "I have spoken with the person the reporter alleges was behind the leak of Israeli preparations and she is at work at the Pentagon today, has her security clearance and has NOT been contacted by ... investigators".

The documents, marked as top secret, began circulating online on Friday after being posted on Telegram by an account called "Middle East Spectator." Dated October 15 and 16, the intelligence was intended for viewing only by the US and its "Five Eyes" allies, which include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said on Monday that it remains unclear whether the documents were released due to a leak or a cyber breach. He emphasized that the government does not anticipate any further unauthorized disclosure of classified material.

Senator Roger Wicker on Monday criticized the continued security clearance for Ariane Tabatabai, the chief of staff for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations.

"The latest apparent leak to an Iranian Telegram channel reflects the Biden-Harris administration's tolerance of insider threats," Wicker wrote on X.

There was no evidence linking Tabatabai to any potential leak.

A September 2023 joint investigation by Semafor and Iran International named Tabatabai as a key figure in a network tasked by Iran's foreign ministry to echo Tehran’s strategic messaging.