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Man on a mediation mission: Japan's Abe heads to Iranafp.comJapan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heads to Iran this week on a rare diplomatic mission, hoping to ease tensions between the Islamic Republic and Tokyo's key ally Washington.Tehran is locked in a bitter standoff with the US after president Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal last year.Washington has now reimposed sanctions and shifted troops to the region, putting military and economic pressure on Iran, including by forcing US allies like Japan to stop purchasing Iranian oil.Read more at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/man-on-a-mediation-mission-japans-abe-heads-to-iran/ar-AACDyz5
U.S. Commander Weighs an Expanded Mideast Force to Counter IranGordon LuboldABOARD THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN THE NORTH ARABIAN SEA—The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said he may recommend a return to a larger U.S. military presence in the area after concluding that the deployment of this aircraft carrier and other capabilities helped curtail Iranian threats.Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, asked in early May that the carrier, bombers, troops and an antimissile system be sent to the region after learning of “specific†threats against U.S. and allied forces and interests in Iraq and elsewhere.The rapid U.S. buildup for now has stabilized the threat from Iran, Gen. McKenzie said during a swing through the region this week, but he said the dangers posed by Tehran remain real and an attack could be imminent.Read more at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-commander-weighs-an-expanded-mideast-force-to-counter-iran-11560110885
UK exposed Hezbollah explosives in London in 2015 Hezbollah is an Islamist and militant group based in Lebanon.By JERUSALEM POST STAFFJune 10, 2019 Radicals linked to Iranian-backed Hezbollah were caught stashing tonnes of explosive materials in north-west London in a secret British bomb factory, M15 and Metropolitan Police officers discovered in 2015, a matter of months after the UK signed up to the Iran nuclear deal.According to a breaking report by the Daily Telegraph, thousands of disposable ice packs were found in the factory that contained ammonium nitrate, an ingredient for homemade bombs. The report said that the raid was hidden from the public for years, including from MPs who were debating the Hezbollah ban earlier this year. It also quesioned whether senior figures in the British government did so as to not impact the Iran nuclear deal. More at: https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/British-Police-expose-Hezbollah-explosives-outside-of-London-in-2015-592003
Iran frees Lebanese man, U.S. resident imprisoned for spyingBy Nicholas SakelarisJune 11 (UPI) -- A Lebanese man who spent nearly four years in an Iranian prison on spying charges will be released, the government in Tehran announced Tuesday.Nizar Zakka, 52, is a permanent U.S. resident who was accused of spying on Iran for the United States when he attended a conference in 2015. The United States subsequently called for his release.Zakka operated the Arab ICT Organization, which promotes information technology and Internet freedom in the Middle East. Zakka was arrested by Iran's Revolutionary Guard and eventually sentenced to 10 years in prison on spying charges. He was also fined $4.2 million.Read more at: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2019/06/11/Iran-frees-Lebanese-man-US-resident-imprisoned-for-spying/8731560248240/
Nizar Zakka: I was subjected to all kinds of torture from the Iranians Lebanese IT expert Nizar Zakka, who arrived in Beirut on Tuesday after being detained in Iran since 2015, told Al Arabiya that he was "subjected to all kinds of torture from the Iranians" when he was first arrested.Zakka also said that it was the Revolutionary Guards that interrogated him, not the Iranian intelligence.“My next mission is explaining the conditions of the detainees in Iran,†he told Al Arabiya.Read more at: https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2019/06/11/Nizar-Zakka-I-was-subjected-to-all-kinds-of-torture-from-the-Iranians-.html
Two large explosions target tankers in the Gulf of OmanTwo tankers were hit in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman and the crew have been evacuated, shipping sources said on Thursday, a month after a similar incident in which four tankers in the region were struck.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy, put out the alert but did not elaborate on the incident. It said it was investigating.Cmdr. Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the US Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said his command was “aware†of a reported incident in the area. He declined to elaborate. “We are working on getting details,†Frey told The Associated Press.Read more at: https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2019/06/13/UK-maritime-safety-group-warns-of-unspecified-incident-in-Gulf-of-Oman.html
It seems very likely we have sonobuoys out there, picking up acoustic data to analyze, then match with possible known signatures of vessels/weapons.
I bet they Pentagon is wishing they'd sent the Lincoln carrier group into the Hormuz Strait instead of keeping them just outside.Iran just gave us the middle finger for doing that.
I’m sure that’s true. Someone in the vicinity would be pretty hesitant to put ‘fish’ in the water, when there are vessels who may react unfavorably and shoot back.
Iran responsible for 'blatant assault' on oil tankers in Gulf of Oman, Mike Pompeo saysU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iran for the "blatant assault" on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier Thursday.In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Pompeo said: “This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication.â€He charged that Iran is working to disrupt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz and this is a deliberate part of a campaign to escalate tension, adding that the U.S. will defend its forces and interests in the region, although he did not elaborate.https://www.foxnews.com/world/highly-likely-iran-responsible-oil-tanker-attack-gulf-oman-defense
Yeah it's real easy to pick on a slow lumbering tanker with no ASW capabilities.Lets see how well you do against one of the attack subs in our carrier group...or an Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigate.You know...ships that can shoot back.
Let’s get a few of our frigates over there and beat the hell out of him with active sonar, for a couple of hours. That’ll be fantastic, for the sub crew.
Actually I have to correct myself...we have no Frigates at this time in the Navy...first time since 1943...they were replaced with those stupid Littoral Combat Ships...the next Frigate Design won't start through the building process until next year.
Iran has three Russian Kilo Class diesel/electric boats...their primary role is anti-shipping and anti-submarine activity in shallow waters. They also have a fleet of mini subs.If the torpedo attack claim turns out to be true... like it's time to deploy some more ASW assets into the gulf and track down these subs.
Gulf of Oman tanker attacks: US says video shows Iran removing mineThe US military has released a video which it says shows Iranian special forces removing an unexploded mine from the side of an oil tanker damaged in an attack in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.The US also released images of the Japanese tanker apparently showing the unexploded mine before it was removed.A Norwegian tanker in the gulf also reported being hit by three blasts.Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48633016
Busted!
Oil tanker attacks echo Persian Gulf's 1980s 'Tanker War'By The Associated Press By JON GAMBRELL (Associated Press)DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - (AP) -- Mysterious attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz this week show how one of the world's crucial chokepoints for global energy supplies can be easily targeted, 30 years after the U.S. Navy and Iran were entangled in a similarly shadowy conflict called the "Tanker War."While the current tensions are nowhere near the damage done then, it underscores how dangerous the situation is and how explosive it can become.The so-called "Tanker War" involved American naval ships escorting reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf and the strait after Iranian mines damaged vessels in the region. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw America accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet, killing 290 people.Read more at: https://www.newsday.com/news/world/oil-tanker-attacks-echo-persian-gulf-s-1980s-tanker-war-1.32361954
Fazel Hawramy@FazelHawramyPutin thanked Rouhani in Bishkek during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for helping to rescue 11 Russian crew members in the tanker incident in Gulf of Oman , Tasnim says (link: https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1398/03/24/2032062/) tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1398/0…روØانی-در-دیدار-با-پوتین-اقدامات-ایران-در-چارچوب-Øقوق-خود-در-برجام-است11:19 AM · Jun 14, 2019 · Twitter for iPhonehttps://mobile.twitter.com/FazelHawramy/status/1139568097399058432