1/15 President Trump is the first American president to come to the rescue of the Iranian people and stand against this tyranny. That takes courage and historic vision. What comes next can't be worse than the Islamic Republic. Believe me, I've lived there, and then witnessed

Iran’s armed forces are facing acute supply shortages, rising desertions and deepening friction between the regular army (Artesh) and the Revolutionary Guards, according to informed sources who described a military system under growing strain as the war intensifies.

The irony is that no one did more to build this alliance than Khamenei, the man who spent decades trying to destroy it. He sought to isolate Israel and weaken American influence in the Middle East. Instead, he achieved the opposite. He created the conditions for the most powerful

It's vital to target the assets owned by this terrorist regime, and cripple their ability to pay their minions worldwide. The hit against Bank Sepah is likely part of a wider campaign against the street level regime thugs.

Actions speak louder than words. Countries that want to step up and help the people of Iran rise up against the regime should do what they can to block funds within their respective jurisdictions. IRGC-linked banks maintain branches in several European countries. Freeze the

6/ So while hitting Bank Sepah disrupts the regime's ability to pay its foot soldiers, the IRGC's hands must be cut from across Iran's entire economy — their construction monopolies (Khatam al-Anbiya), their crypto operations ($3B+ in 2025), their smuggling networks, and their

5/ BUT; the senior IRGC leadership doesn't rely on salaries. The IRGC controls an estimated $30–$50 billion in annual economic turnover across oil, construction, telecom, agriculture, and smuggling. Their budget just tripled to $12.4B in direct oil revenue. IRGC-affiliated

4/ Mid and low-level IRGC and Basij forces depend on government salaries. If they don't get paid, their willingness to brutally suppress protesters, as they did in the Jan 2026 crackdown killing thousands, is seriously undermined. Unpaid security forces are unreliable security

3/ Bank Sepah maintains foreign branches in Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, and a wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank Sepah International plc in London. This disruption may cut access between Tehran HQ and those foreign operations, presenting a unique window for host governments to freeze

2/ Bank Sepah isn't just "a bank." In 2019-2020, five IRGC/Basij-affiliated banks, Ansar Bank, Mehr Eqtesad Bank (IRGC), Ghavamin Bank (police), Hekmat Iranian Bank, and Kosar Credit Institution (defense ministry), were all merged into Bank Sepah. Their ~1,800 branches still

This is potentially massive. Here's why the Bank Sepah data center hit matters far beyond delayed paychecks: 1/ Iran is already in the middle of a severe cash liquidity crisis. As of Jan 2026, banks were running out of physical banknotes daily, with informal withdrawal caps of

Latest from @FDD @ReuelMGerecht and @CFR_org Ray Takeyh: If the Islamic Republic survives, it will be even more radical. Assured of their verities by the fact of their survival, the ruling elite will repress Iranians with even more gusto and—a much harder task—work to export

Lebanon’s leaders can reassert sovereignty by confronting Hezbollah’s leadership and dismantling the terrorist group’s independent military power. Or allow Iran’s proxy to dictate Lebanon’s fate and plunge the country into another destructive war with Israel. My latest:

“The Gaolan port hosts some of the largest liquid chemical storage terminals in south China,” said Miad Maleki, a former U.S. Treasury official who worked on Iran sanctions efforts and is now a senior adviser @FDD.
 Maleki said that based on the history of transfers of the

Two ships of Iran’s main shipping company are carrying cargos from a Chinese chemical-storage port to Iran. I told @washingtonpost that based on the history of transfers of the chemical from the Gaolan port to Iran, the involvement of IRISL, and the movements of the Barzin and

“This really is Trump,” said Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the @FDD. To say so does not deprecate Israel’s role in Operation Epic Fury. Indeed, it requires it and honors it. Israel is the most potent nation of the Middle East, and it has flown about as many attack missions as the United

Iran 30 mins after apologizing to neighboring countries

Iran is trying to restrain Trump by shaping American public opinion against the war. He is now the sixth US president since 1979 consumed by events tied to Iran. @washingtonweek https://t.co/qU6QkOufpS

An hour after Iran’s President Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring countries for attacking them and reassured them it would stop, an Iranian drone hits Dubai airport. I wrote about the division of labor within the Islamic Republic years ago https://t.co/YOJ1fMlAMX

Just a reminder that Trump had also used the term “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” during the June war against the Islamic Republic. The difference is that at that time he was addressing Khamenei, and now a regime on the verge of collapse.

Ali Shamkhani was a close adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. He led Iran’s top security body for a decade, making him one of the longest serving officials in the role.🔥 @miadmaleki