Rouhani Accuses US of 'Childish Behavior' Over New Sanctions
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-01
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursdayslammed the U.S. Treasury's recent decision to sanction Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, describing the move as puerile and senseless. | RELATED: | Iran to Europe: Fix INSTEX or Will Reduce Deal Commitments | According to the state-owned Islamic Republic News Agency, Rouhani accused the U.S. of "childish behavior", especially after the Trump administration expressed an interest to meet with the Iranian government in Tehra…
telesurenglish.net/news/Rouhani-Accuses-US-of-Childish-Behavior-Over-New-Sanctions-20190801-0004.html

US Sanctions Iran's Foreign Minister; Move Seen as Rebuke of Diplomatic Offer
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-08-01
The latest US sanctions on Iran are very specific, hitting FM Javad Zarif, blocking all property and financial interests he has in the US.

US Sanctions Iran's Foreign Minister; Move Seen as Rebuke of Diplomatic Offer

Latest Proof Trump 'Unwilling and Incapable' of Engaging in Peace Talks as US Sanctions Iran's Top Diplomat
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-08-01
"Again, President Trump has chosen an action to push Iran away from the negotiating table, isolate America on the world stage, and take diplomatic options off the table." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/javad_zarif.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2019/08/01/latest-proof-trump-unwilling-and-incapable-engaging-peace-talks-us-sanctions-irans?cd-origin=rss

German politicians and media urge military action in the Persian Gulf
wsws.org | 2019-08-01
The more the US pushes ahead with its preparations for war against Iran, the louder the voices will become in Europe that are pushing for military action.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/01/gulf-a01.html

Thanks Miranda Devine, but we will win abortion reform
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-01
Thank you Miranda Devine for your wild overreaction to the bill before NSW parliament to treat abortion as a health issue ("Vote Libs, get Greens", Daily Telegraph, July 31), as it will no doubt lose you and News.com support. | It must also surely rank as top fake news of the week. Far from being "one of the most dangerous radical abortion bills on the planet", the bill is modelled on existing Queensland and Victorian law. | Moreover, your view that Coalition MPs' support for basic health care for women is somehow a Labor-Green plot is equally bizarre. This bill is not about late-term abortions, as you suggest. I…
greenleft.org.au/content/thanks-miranda-devine-we-will-win-abortion-reform

Gunboat diplomacy in the Persian Gulf
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-01
The United States and Britain are ensuring that tensions remain high in the Straits of Hormuz as they continue beating the drums of war against Iran. | A second British warship arrived in the Strait of Hormuz on July 29, tasked with escorting British-flagged commercial vessels between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. | This latest escalation follows a number of incidents since June 13 when two oil tankers (one Japanese, the other Norwegian) were hit by explosives and caught fire. The US immediately blamed Iran for the attacks, accusing it of trying to disrupt oil supplies. | A few days later a US spy drone…
greenleft.org.au/content/gunboat-diplomacy-persian-gulf

Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Build Nuclear Weapons
Eugene E Ruyle | indybay.org | 2019-08-01
NPML, 6501 Telegraph Ave, Oakland (just North of Alcatraz Ave.)…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/07/30/18825071.php

Warren Backs "No First Use" Nuclear Policy as Buttigieg Calls for Withdrawal from Afghanistan
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-31
While most of Tuesday's debate focused on domestic issues, Democratic candidates were briefly asked about nuclear weapons policy and the war in Afghanistan. Senator Elizabeth Warren defended her "no first use" policy on nuclear weapons, despite criticism from Montana Governor Steve Bullock. Meanwhile, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper sparred on whether the U.S. should withdraw from Afghanistan after 18 years of war.
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/31/cnn_debate_foreign_policy_mehdi_hasan

United, Warren and Sanders Show What a Left-Wing Democratic Party Looks Like
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-07-31
| Late in the first night of the second round of the 2020 Democratic debates on Tuesday, CNN moderator Jake Tapper asked Sen. Elizabeth Warren a serious question in an unserious way. "Senator Warren, you want to make it U.S. policy that the U.S. will never use a nuclear weapon unless another country uses one first," Tapper said. "Why should the U.S. tie its own hands with that policy?" | Warren's response was clear, direct, and morally and strategically sound. "Because it makes the world…
truthout.org/articles/united-warren-and-sanders-show-what-a-left-wing-democratic-party-looks-like/

Iran simply won't let itself be hemmed in by the U.S. and UK
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2019-07-31
The United States is leading a process to create a naval force that would patrol the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has said it will send "command and control" ships to coordinate the escort naval vessels from different countries. But there are cracks in the coalition. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/07/30/iran-simply-wont-let-itself-be-hemmed-in-by-the-u-s-and-uk/

12th Round of Sino/US Trade Talks Falls Flat. US Rage for Global Dominance
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-07-31
Over a year of Sino/US trade talks failed to resolve major differences because of unacceptable Trump demands. | On matters of statecraft, China, Russia, Iran, and other countries have outwitted the US. | Sino/US disagreements have little to do with the trade …
globalresearch.ca/12th-round-of-sinous-trade-talks-falls-flat-us-rage-for-global-dominance/5685174

Warren Backs "No First Use" Nuclear Policy
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-07-31
| While most of Tuesday's debate focused on domestic issues, Democratic candidates were briefly asked about nuclear weapons policy and the war in Afghanistan. Senator Elizabeth Warren defended her "no first use" policy on nuclear weapons, despite criticism from Montana Governor Steve Bullock. Meanwhile, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper sparred on whether the U.S. should withdraw from Afghanistan after 18 years of war. | TRANSCRIPT: | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, de…
truthout.org/video/warren-backs-no-first-use-nuclear-policy/

US Imposes Sanctions on Iran's Foreign Minister
telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-31
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said on its website. | The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on Zarif for acting on behalf of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. | RELATED: | Trump Claims Iran has Never Won a War in New Twitter Rant | "Javad Zarif implements the reckless agenda of Iran's Supreme Leader, and is the regime's pri…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Imposes-Sanctions-on-Irans-Foreign-Minister-20190731-0013.html

Hormuz Strait Coalition
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-07-31
Following the outbreak of a tanker crisis between the UK and Iran, the U.S. has decided to take on the role of the main mediator in the conflict and has made an attempt to knock together an international coalition for guarding the Hormuz Strait. CONTEXT Tensions in the Hormuz Strait are running practically unabated already …
uwidata.com/4579-hormuz-strait-coalition/

Iran to Europe: Fix INSTEX or Will Reduce Deal Commitments
telesurenglish.net | 2019-07-31
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif lamented Wednesday, on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Teheran that France, Britain, and Germany are not abiding by the terms of the multilateral nuclear deal they signed in 2015. | RELATED: | US Imposes Sanctions on Iran's Foreign Minister | The deal is not being respected, or the responsibility of these European countries, to find a solution to the consequences of the United States' leaving the accord, officially called the Joint Comprehen…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iran-to-Europe-Fix-INSTEX-or-Reducing-Deal-Commitments-Again-20190731-0016.html

Expert Letter on Deescalating with Iran
Jamal Abdi, Andrew Bacevich, Juan cole, et al. | commondreams.org | 2019-07-31
The letter outlines a series of eight bold but practical recommendations to the U.S., Iran, and Europe that could widen the path to diplomacy that has narrowed considerably since the U.S. initiated a tit-for-tat ratcheting up of tensions with Iran. (Photo: LobeLog) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/us-iran-hands3-620×3501.jpeg …
commondreams.org/views/2019/07/31/expert-letter-deescalating-iran?cd-origin=rss

Will Shake Up at IAEA Impact Iran? Washington's Abuse of International Institutions
Tony Cartalucci | globalresearch.ca | 2019-07-31
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano's passing has stirred up suspicion and further tensions amid US-Iranian tensions. | Amano was 72 years old and as of mid July 2019 had already begun preparing to step down due to …
globalresearch.ca/will-shake-up-iaea-impact-iran/5685127

The Injustice of Economic Warfare
Daniel Larison | globalresearch.ca | 2019-07-31
The AP reports on the harmful effects of sanctions on the availability of medicine in Iran: | "Our biggest concern is that channels to the outside world are closed," said Dr. Arasb Ahmadian, head of the Mahak Children's Hospital, which | …
globalresearch.ca/injustice-economic-warfare/5685211

Preparing for great-power war, France creates space command
wsws.org | 2019-07-31
The implication, covered over by the media and political establishment, is that the French ruling class is preparing for war against militarily-advanced, nuclear-armed powers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/07/31/spac-j31.html

2nd Democratic Debate, Pt. 1: The Moderate/Progressive Divide Came Through (1/3)
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-07-31
The first part of the second democratic debate showed a non-rancorous divide on how to beat Trump and fresh discussions first-use of nuclear weapons and for getting out of Afghanistan…
therealnews.com/stories/second-demcoratic-debate-part-one-the-moderate-progressive-divide-came-through-1-3

Dear Moderators of the Presidential Debates
Lawrence Wittner | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-30
You mass media folks lead busy lives, I'm sure. But you must have heard something about nuclear weapons — those supremely destructive devices that, along with climate change, threaten the continued existence of the human race. Yes, thanks to popular protest and carefully-crafted arms control and disarmament agreements, there has been some progress in limiting …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/dear-moderators-of-the-presidential-debates/

The Future of Iran-UK Tanker Crisis
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-07-30
WAS IRAN RETALIATING AGAINST THE UK FOR SEIZING ITS TANKER? Even though Mr. Ali Rabei, the newly appointed speaker of the Iranian Government, and Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, officially rejected the claims that Iranian seizure of the British Tanker in the Persian Gulf was a response to the …
uwidata.com/4514-the-future-of-iran-uk-tanker-crisis/

Who Will American Soldiers Fight With in Saudi Arabia?
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-07-30
President Donald Trump's Administration is getting ready to deploy hundreds of servicemen to Saudi Arabia as tensions with Iran are mounting, CNN said in a report quoting a well-informed official at the Pentagon. He revealed that some 500 soldiers would be sent to Prince Sultan airbase to the south of Riyadh. US is preparing to …
uwidata.com/4554-who-will-american-soldiers-fight-with-in-saudi-arabia/

Nuclear Disarmament Should Be a Top 2020 Campaign Issue But Is Being Ignored
Howie Hawkins | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-29
Two years ago on July 7, 2017, 122 nations approved the text of the Treaty on the Prohibition of NuclearWeapons (TPNW). The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for spearheading this achievement. Few Americans are aware of it and none of the major presidential candidates are informing …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/nuclear-disarmament-should-be-a-top-2020-campaign-issue-but-is-being-ignored/

Why Should Iran be Cherished and Defended?
Andre Vltchek | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-07-29
As I pen this short essay, Iran is standing against the mightiest nation on earth. It is facing tremendous danger; of annihilation even, if the world does not wake up fast, and rush to its rescue. Stunning Iranian cities are in danger, but above all, its people: proud and beautiful, creative, formed by one of …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/07/why-should-iran-be-cherished-and-defended/

Ohio Republicans Balked at a Nuclear Bailout, so the Industry Elected New Republicans — and Walked Away With $1.1 Billion
Ryan Grim | theintercept.com | 2019-07-26
A newly elected state legislature, backed by a dark-money effort linked primarily to the nuclear industry, overcame years of opposition to pass the bailout.
theintercept.com/2019/07/26/ohio-billion-dollar-nuclear-bailout-firstenergy/

A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Trump's Middle East Policy Could Push Yemen's Houthis into Iran's Hands
Ahmed Abdulkareem | mintpressnews.com | 2019-07-20
As both the United States and Saudi Arabia continue to wage war and impose economic blockades on both Yemen and Iran, it is likely that the Houthis' political alliance with Iran against their common enemies will grow, turning the fears of both the Saudi Arabia and the United States into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
mintpressnews.com/trump-middle-east-policy-pushing-yemen-houthis-iran-hands/260719/

Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran
Paul Kawika Martin | peaceaction.org | 2019-07-18
Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
peaceaction.org/2019/07/18/diplomacy-instead-of-a-disaster-in-iran/