Iran, U.S. Rattle Sabers One Year after Killing of Soleimani

While honoring deceased Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, Tehran pledged to defend itself against American military muscle-flexing. Iran is also increasing its uranium enrichment, defying the 2015 nuclear deal to which Europe is still committed.

Summary

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the death of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, Iran is rattling their saber while the United States maneuvers military assets in the Gulf region.

• Speaking at an event honoring Soleimani, a top Iranian general promised continued “resistance” to the United States.
• As a show of force to deter Iran from executing attacks connected to the anniversary of Soleimani’s demise, the United States dispatched B-52 bombers non-stop from America to the Middle East, which the Iranian Foreign Minister accused of being an attempt “to fabricate a pretext to attack Iran.”
• American defense officials have heightened concern that Iran may target American assets and allies soon, though there are disagreements with how serious the threat is.
• Despite Iran’s vocal threats, the United States announced it will move an aircraft carrier out of the region, speculated to be part of a complicated effort to deter aggressions and lessen the likelihood of “a wider war” between the U.S. and Iran.
• In addition to Iran’s warnings of attacks, Tehran has also notified international authorities of their intent to increase the enrichment of uranium at a site prohibited by the 2015 nuclear deal, which the United States pulled out of in 2018.
• In recounting a series of recent events escalating tensions between Iran and the West, AP noted a scientist who created Iran’s nuclear weapons program was assassinated in Tehran this past November, a move Iran blames on Israel.

• CNN’s reporting framed Iran’s move as requiring careful calibration as the incoming Biden administration wants to “resume engagement and return to the Iran nuclear deal”, and reporting on accusations the Trump administration of fabricating intelligence playing up the threat of Iran.
• Twitter scold, author, and professor Tom Nichols wrote for The Atlantic that President Trump could be clamoring for war and that “Trump took a bad situation and made it worse.”
• NPR reporters discussed the Trump administration’s moves and that it “hasn’t substantially altered the dynamics of the region” and the incoming Biden administration’s expected efforts to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal.
• The New York Times framed American military movements as sending “mixed messaging” as the aircraft carrier is repositioned out of the region.”

• Fox News emphasized Trump’s warnings in mid-December of retaliation if Iran continued its attacks on American facilities in Iraq.
• Wall Street Journal was the lone outlet to report extensively on last year’s attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad that prompted the killing of Soleimani.
• In its most recent edition published before the last few days’ hostilities, National Review magazine acknowledged Trump’s success in boxing in Iran and recognizing that while he eschewed international agreements to contain the Islamist regime, Trump was able to cleave social division in Iran at the expense of the ruling clerics.

Return to Freespoke

© Dallas Gerber, 2021