Iran, US discuss frozen funds mechanism in deal push - Reuters

The US State Department is investigating NIAC founder Trita Parsi and weighing whether to revoke his green card, The Free Press reported, in a case that revives long-running questions over Tehran’s influence in Washington.

The report, by Jay Solomon, said US officials and documents reviewed by The Free Press show Parsi has become a target of the State Department investigation as Secretary of State Marco Rubio seeks to counter Iranian influence inside the United States.

Parsi, 51, was born in Iran, raised in Sweden and has lived in the United States for more than 25 years. He is a green-card holder and co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington think tank that argues for diplomacy, military restraint and a smaller US military role overseas.

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A senior Iranian armed forces spokesperson said on Thursday that the forces were fully prepared, and the country’s military power was far greater than during the 12-day war.

Abolfazl Shekarchi rejected what he called enemy claims that Iran’s defense equipment had been destroyed.

He added that Iran’s armed forces had inflicted heavy losses on the US.

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that recent US attacks on Iran had effectively made the April 8 ceasefire meaningless and warned that Washington would bear responsibility for the “very dangerous consequences of the escalation.”

The ministry warned that regional countries allowing the United States to use their territory or facilities to prepare or carry out strikes would be placing themselves alongside the attackers.

The ministry said the attacks violated the UN Charter and international law on respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A US projectile hit a 150-ton cargo dhow from Sirik in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province in the Sea of Oman early on Thursday, Sirik governor said.

Reza Shahidian said the dhow had five crew members, who were rescued with help from passing vessels and transferred to Oman.

The vessel was hit five miles from Oman’s Khasab port while carrying basic goods from Khasab toward Sirik, he said.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a phone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Thursday to discuss regional developments and continued diplomatic engagement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.

The ministry said Abdelatty welcomed Pakistan’s mediation efforts and that both sides hoped ongoing efforts would lead to an early understanding between the parties.