The U.S. representative told the IAEA Board of Governors that “Iran continues to expand its nuclear program far beyond JCPOA limits… Although we note that Iran’s reduction in its production rate of uranium enriched to 60 percent, we once again call on Iran to halt all such production”. She also highlighted that “Iran’s level of [safeguards] cooperation remains significantly lacking overall, and far short of the expectations outlined by the Board last November and the Director General in the March 4 Joint Statement”.

A U.S. representative told the Security Council that “there is extensive documentation of Russia receiving hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles from Iran for use against Ukraine. Including recently downgraded information provided by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency and shared with this Council. Such transfers are violations of Security Council Resolution 2231, and we know these weapons have been used in attacks of Ukraine civilian infrastructure”. He further renewed the call “on the Secretary-General to authorise an investigation into these serious violations”. On 16 September, Iran characterised the accusations as “baseless” and argued the “investigation into the alleged violation of resolution 2231 lacks a legal basis”.

A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson confirmed that “the U.S. has agreed to allow the transfer of funds from South Korea to restricted accounts held in financial institutions in Qatar and the release of five Iranian nationals currently detained in the U.S. to facilitate the release of five U.S. citizens detained in Iran”. The following day, President Raisi claimed that the “money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money”; a U.S. spokesperson countered that “the money can only be used for humanitarian purposes and we will remain vigilant in watching the spending of those funds and have the ability to freeze them again if we need to”.

The Department of Justice publicly confirmed the April seizure an Iranian oil cargo aboard the Suez Rajan, describing it as a “successful disruption of a multimillion-dollar shipment of crude oil by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... This is the first-ever criminal resolution involving a company that violated sanctions by facilitating the illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil”.

Asked whether the U.S. sensed a decrease in threats to U.S. forces in the region and maritime security, a Pentagon spokesperson stated: “I wouldn’t know that I’d make an assessment on temperature dropping. We continue to see harassment. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen harassment from IRGC-backed groups over commercial ships... We have not seen that threat drop, I would say, so we haven’t seen a reason to move our forces out”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan remarked that “things are proceeding according to the understanding that we reached with Iran [regarding five Iranian-American detainees]. I don’t have an exact timetable… because there’s steps that need to yet unfold”. He further emphasised that “we’re not sending $6 billion to Iran. We are transferring funds from one restricted account outside of Iran to another restricted account outside of Iran to operate under supervision to ensure that those funds are spent on non-sanctionable transactions”.

After an oil tanker seized by the U.S. for carrying Iranian crude oil reportedly offloaded its cargo, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson maintained: “I have no confirmed information. There is a general principle that says the era of hit-and-run is over. Iran will not stand idly by in relation to any violation of the nation’s rights and will cut the hands of the aggressors… Acts of trespassing on tankers carrying Iranian oil are a clear example of piracy”. On 28 August, the official confirmed that the foreign ministry had summoned the Swiss chargé d’affaires, whose country represents U.S. interests in Iran, over the seizure.

A U.S. official indicated that “what we’re trying to do, is find a way to kind of move the ball forward... But Iran has to be a reasonable actor in all of that as well. If they’re escalating, there’s just not going to be a way to do any of that”. The official, who was unnamed, also assessed that “there are parts of their system that recognise escalation does not address some of their critical needs... They’ve also seen, because we... protect our interests, we punch back, we’re not pulling any punches... I feel like that Iranians have seen that. And so that is changing their calculus”.

A Pentagon spokesperson assessed that following an increased U.S. military presence in and around the Strait of Hormuz, “we do believe that we are having a deterrent effect... Our hope would be that the trend would be downward, but ultimately that's up to Iran”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that “nothing about our overall approach to Iran has changed. We continue to pursue a strategy of deterrence, of pressure and diplomacy... We’ve been clear that Iran must de-escalate to create space for future diplomacy. This development - that is, the move of our detainees out of prison and to home detention - is not linked to any other aspect of our Iran policy”. He went on to assert that “we would welcome any steps that Iran takes to actually de-escalate the growing nuclear threat... There is no agreement between us on nuclear matters”.

A U.S. navy spokesperson confirmed that the International Maritime Security Construct had been “notifying regional mariners of appropriate precautions to minimise the risk of seizure based on current regional tensions, which we seek to de-escalate… Vessels are being advised to transit as far away from Iranian territorial waters as possible”. The same day, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued an advisory regarding “an increased threat within the vicinity of Strait of Hormuz. All vessels transiting are advised to exercise caution”.

Asked to comment on a report about Iran having “significantly slowed” its accumulation of 60 per cent enriched uranium, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said: “We’re not in active negotiations about the nuclear program. But certainly, those sorts of steps, if they were to be true, would be welcome”.

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council confirmed that Iran had “released from prison five Americans who were unjustly detained and has placed them on house arrest... Negotiations for their eventual release remain ongoing and are delicate. We will, therefore, have little in the way of details to provide about the state of their house arrest or about our efforts to secure their freedom”. Relatedly, a senior Iranian diplomat indicated that “the process of releasing billions of dollars of Iranian assets, illegally seized by the U.S. for several years, has commenced. Tehran has received the guarantee of Washington’s commitments. The release of several Iranians who were illegally detained in America is in this context”. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored that “Iran will not be receiving any sanctions relief. And in any instance where we would engage in such efforts to bring Americans home from Iran, Iran’s own funds would be used and transferred to restricted accounts such that the monies can only be used for humanitarian purposes, which, as you know, is permitted under our sanctions… We will continue to enforce all of our sanctions”. A White House official the following day elaborated that “the funds can only be accessed for food, medicine, medical equipment… And there will be a rigorous process of due diligence and standards with input from the U.S. Treasury Department”.

The U.S. and Iraq convened a Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue, noting “that U.S. forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government only to support the Iraqi Security Forces in their fight against ISIS… Iraq reaffirmed its commitment to protect U.S. And Global Coalition personnel and advisors, convoys and diplomatic facilities”.

Asked to comment on reports about a fifth Iranian-American detainee in Iran, a U.S. diplomatic spokesperson asserted: “Our top priority is obtaining their release and their safe passage from the country… It’s obviously a very sensitive topic and I don’t think it’s productive for me to comment on it in detail”.

Speaking at the 2023 NPT Preparatory Committee, the U.S. representative said Washington was “deeply concerned that, to date, Iran has failed to provide the cooperation required by its safeguards obligations under the [Non-Proliferation] Treaty”, emphasising: “The burden is on Iran to resolve outstanding safeguards issues”. “Iran’s decision to end implementation of its Additional Protocol is also deeply troubling”, he added. “The IAEA remains unable to provide assurances regarding the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, or that Iran has placed all nuclear material under safeguards… Iran’s production of highly enriched uranium and deployment of advanced centrifuges amplify these legitimate concerns”. The U.S. envoy further highlighted that the Biden administration “remains committed to diplomacy. It was Iran that rejected a swift return to full implementation of the JCPOA almost a year ago, demanding the closure of the IAEA’s open safeguards investigations as part of the agreement. As we’ve made clear, the power to resolve these issues is in Iran’s hands alone”.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that “more than 3,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the Middle East… as part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment”, highlighting that the additional forces “bring to the region additional aviation and naval assets, as well as more U.S. Marines and Sailors, providing greater flexibility and maritime capability to U.S. 5th Fleet”. The following day, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson asserted that “ensuring the security of waterways and safe shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is one of Iran’s priorities and an issue that should be carried out in the framework of joint cooperation between the coastal countries… without any foreign intervention and extra-regional forces”. The same day, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei contended that the U.S. was “attacking oil tankers and helping maritime smuggling gangs in our region and other regions”, while an IRGC spokesperson emphasised Iran’s power to “respond in kind to any U.S. action and mischief [in the region], including the seizure of ships”.

The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command met with the GCC secretary-general, conferring on “maritime collaboration for ensuring the free flow of global commerce in and near critical regional waterways”. According to a GCC readout, the secretary-general “emphasised that the matter of maritime security is a top priority within the framework of the strategic partnership with the U.S.”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited Saudi Arabia and conferred with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi officials on “bilateral and regional matters, including initiatives to advance a common vision for a more peaceful, secure, prosperous and stable Middle East region interconnected with the world”. According to a White House readout, “Sullivan also reviewed significant progress to build on the benefits of the truce in Yemen… and welcomed ongoing UN-led efforts to bring the war to a close”.

A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson confirmed that “earlier in July the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York removed fourteen banks from access to the Central Bank of Iraq’s foreign currency sale window, known as the dollar and wire auctions. These actions help limit the ability of bad actors seeking to launder U.S. dollars, profit from the exploitation of money owned by the Iraqi people, and evade U.S. sanctions”.

Asked about reports of Iran’s defence cooperation with Bolivia, including potential drone transfers, a spokesperson for the National Security Council asserted that “we're concerned about any export of Iranian technology that can be destabilising… We urge all nations, no matter where they are, to carefully consider before they enter into defense arrangements with a nation like Iran”.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, “discussed the range of Iran-backed threats to regional security and stability and agreed to continue working together to counter these threats”. The following day, Gallant met the commander of CENTCOM and, according to an Israeli readout, conferred on “progress in the security-military coordination between Israel and the U.S. to prevent military nuclear weapons from Iran” and “the security challenges in the region, focusing on Iranian terrorist activity throughout the Middle East, including funding, training and the transfer of weapons to terrorist organisations in Syria and in Lebanon”.

Discussing a U.S. waiver allowing Iraq to pay Iran via third-party banks for energy imports, a U.S. diplomatic spokesperson confirmed that “Oman has indicated a willingness to receive a portion of these funds, and we expect that to happen… We thought it was important to get this money out of Iraq, because it is a source of leverage that Iran uses against its neighbor”. He further highlighted that the funds would “still be subject to the same restrictions as when the money was held in accounts in Iraq, meaning that the money can only be used for non-sanctionable activities such as humanitarian assistance, and that all the transactions need to be approved by the U.S. Treasury Department in advance”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked that “we’re not talking about a nuclear agreement [with Iran]. We are very clearly making it known to them that they need to take actions to de-escalate, not escalate, the tensions that exist in our relationship across a whole variety of fronts.  We’ll look to see if they do that”. He further asserted: “To the best of our judgment and that of many others, they have not pursued [weaponisation] work in a number of years. If they were to restart that part of the program, too, and these two things came together, then it would become an even more urgent problem. But we are working across a whole series of lines of effort to push back on them, to make sure we have a strong deterrent, to make sure we have the appropriate pressure, and then to see if we get back to an opportunity where we can work on a nuclear deal”.

The U.S. and Bahrain concluded a strategic dialogue with a joint statement in which they underscored “their commitment to freedom of navigation in international waters, noting especially the importance of ensuring safe passage for commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and condemned acts that put free navigation in jeopardy”. They also expressed “their shared commitment to deterring and confronting threats to the Kingdom of Bahrain and enhancing regional peace and security”.

The Pentagon announced that “in response to recent attempts by Iran to threaten the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of a portion of the BATAAN Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) comprised of the USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall and its associated personnel and equipment into the U.S. CENTCOM area of responsibility”. “Through these actions”, the statement added, “the U.S. is demonstrating commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and deterring Iranian destabilisation activities in the region. We will continue to work with like-minded allies and partners who are committed to the free flow of commerce to take appropriate, coordinated actions against threats to this fundamental principle of the rules-based international order”.

CIA Director William Burns remarked that “the defence partnership between Russia and Iran right now is a useful two-way street…Russian technicians [are] working on the space launch vehicle program in Iran and other aspects of their missile programs. We've seen discussion, at least, of the possibility of the Russians providing advanced combat aircraft to Iran which expands the threat from the innocent Ukrainian civilians… the provision of advanced combat aircraft obviously creates threats to our friends in the region as well”. He further noted indications “where the Iranian leadership has hesitated about supplying ballistic missiles to the Russians, which was also on their wish list as well, partly because they were concerned not just about our reaction, but about European reactions as well”.

Media reports cited U.S. officials confirming that the U.S. had “barred fourteen Iraqi banks from conducting dollar transactions… after uncovering information that they engaged in money laundering and fraudulent transactions”. A senior U.S. official indicated that “we have strong reason to suspect that at least some of these laundered funds could end up going to benefit either designated individuals or individuals who could be designated… Of course the primary sanctions risk in Iraq relates to Iran”.

The U.S. and the Arab League concluded a strategic dialogue with a joint statement in which they denounced “any threats, armed seizures and attacks against commercial ships that interfere with navigational rights and freedoms in the strategic waterways of the region”, adding: “We resolve to increase our commitment to pursue collective efforts to address threats to the security of vessels traveling through the region’s waterways that are critical to international trade and the global economy”.

Media reports cited a U.S. official confirming that the State Department had issued “a new national security waiver letting Iraq pay Iran for electricity that for the first time allows such payments to go to accounts at non-Iraqi banks”. The following day, a U.S. diplomatic spokesperson clarified that the waiver would “authorise the transfer of funds… to restricted accounts in select third-party banks… where they can only be used for non-sanctionable activity, and with every transaction approved in advance by the Department of Treasury”. He further indicated that “we continue to review Iraq’s announced oil for gas swap [with Iran], including in relation to our current sanctions. We continue to implement all U.S. sanctions on Iran”.

President Biden conferred with Prime Minister Netanyahu on, inter alia, “close coordination to counter Iran, including through regular and ongoing joint military exercises”, while highlighting “that U.S.-Israel partnership remains a cornerstone in preventing Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon”. The following day, Biden met with President Herzog in Washington, where the two also discussed “key issues of mutual concern, including enhanced coordination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and Iran’s growing defence partnership with Russia”.

A Pentagon spokesperson announced that “in response to a number of recent alarming events in the Strait of Hormuz, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, F-35 fighters and F-16 fighters to the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility to defend U.S. interests and safeguard freedom of navigation in the region”. Referring to Iran’s attempts to seize two merchant vessels early July, she noted: “In light of this continued threat and in coordination with our partners and allies, the department is increasing our presence and ability to monitor the strait and surrounding waters. We call upon Iran to immediately cease these destabilising actions that threaten the free flow of commerce through this strategic waterway of which the world depends on for more than one fifth of the world’s oil supply”.

A senior Pentagon official said that “there’s a confluence of interests between those three groups – the Iranians, Russians and Syrians… I see evidence of operational-level planning between mid-level Quds Force leadership that’s operating in Syria [and] Russian forces that are operating in Syria”, describing the nature of the relationship as “collaborative planning, collaborative understanding and intelligence sharing”. He also noted that “what has been qualitatively different since March is that there’s been an increase in activity and an increase in the unprofessional nature of [Russia’s] interactions. [Before] they wouldn’t turn and attempt to dogfight our aircraft. That is almost routine now”.

The Israeli military announced the start on 9 July of “a joint U.S. and Israeli Air Forces exercise… as part of the Juniper Oak joint exercise series”, adding: “The exercise will incorporate a number of scenarios, including long range strategic striking, the achievement of aerial superiority in the region and cyber defense in the face of a variety of threats and challenges”, in addition to “midair refueling using American tanker aircraft”. CENTCOM Commander Kurilla emphasised that “events like the Juniper Oak series demonstrate our commitment to strengthen military-to-military relations throughout the region. These exercises test our forces interoperability in multiple domains to bolster the kinds of firm partnerships we will lean on in times of crisis”.

U.S. intelligence assessed that “Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities that would be necessary to produce a testable nuclear device”, while noting that it had “undertaken research and development activities that would bring it closer to producing the fissile material needed for completing a nuclear device following a decision to do so”. The assessment further highlighted that “Iran’s ballistic missile programs, which already include the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region, continue to pose a threat to countries across the Middle East... Iran’s work on space launch vehicles (SLVs) – including its Simorgh – shortens the timeline to an ICBM if it decided to develop one because SLVs and ICBMs use similar technologies”.

The U.S. military reported that its “forces prevented two attempted commercial tanker seizures by the Iranian Navy after the Iranians have opened fire in one of the incidents near the coast of Oman”. According to a statement from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, “one Iranian naval vessel approached the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker TRF Moss in international waters in the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian vessel departed the scene when U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) arrived on station”. Subsequently, “the U.S. Navy received a distress call from Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager… Another Iranian naval vessel had closed within one mile of Richmond Voyager while hailing the commercial tanker to stop… Prior to McFaul’s arrival on scene, Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons. Richmond Voyager sustained no casualties or significant damage. However, several rounds hit the ship’s hull near crew living spaces. The Iranian navy vessel departed when McFaul arrived”. The following day, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation claimed that Richmond Voyager had “ignored basic international maritime laws by escaping the scene of a collision with an Iranian vessel”, in which it said five crew members had been injured. It further noted: “Iran has informed Omani authorities of the case and will continue efforts to confiscate the ship”. Chevron, which managed the Richmond Voyager, denied Iran’s claims. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked that “there is no agreement in the offing [with Iran], even as we continue to be willing to explore diplomatic paths”. “We’ve been building up our deterrence, and we have been working closely with our partners in the region… as well as continuing to take a whole variety of measure to push back against Iranian misbehaviour in different areas”, Blinken added. “I think whether Iran chooses itself to take actions – or maybe better put, not to take actions – that further escalate the tensions not only between us but with other countries, we’ll see by their actions”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred with his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, on, inter alia, “efforts to advance Israel’s integration into the region and countering Iran’s destabilising behaviour”; Cohen’s readout noted that the conversation touched on “advancing the fight against a nuclear Iran”.

Representatives from the U.S., the GCC and GCC member states participated in a “high-level, multilateral meeting in Bahrain… to discuss current maritime security and ways to further enhance maritime security in the region”. The participants issued a joint statement, expressing their “commitment to uphold navigational rights and operate consistent with international law, as well as pursue collective efforts to prevent threats to vessels traveling through regional waterways that are critical to international trade and the global economy”.

In a joint statement with Albania, France, Ukraine and the UK, the U.S. ambassador to the UN asserted that “Russia has not only procured hundreds of Mohajer and Shahed series UAVs from Iran in clear violation of [UNSC] Resolution 2231, but it is also now working with Iran to produce these weapons inside Russia. Russia has been using these UAVs in recent weeks to strike Kyiv, destroy Ukrainian infrastructure and kill and terrorise Ukrainian civilians”. She further emphasised that “Russia’s and Iran’s actions violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231. That resolution prohibits all countries, including permanent members of the Security Council, from transferring these types of weapons from Iran, absent advance Security Council approval. Approval was, of course, not given”. The ambassador went on to state: “Resolution 2231 does give the [UN] Secretary-General a mandate to carry out… investigations, and we have encouraged the UN to move forward on carrying out these investigations immediately”.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met his Israeli counterpart and the two, per a Pentagon readout, “agreed to continue working together to address the wide range of threats posed by Iran, including its nuclear program, destabilising regional activities and proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems and other lethal assistance throughout the Middle East and to Russia”.

The U.S. Treasury Department renewed, through June 2024, a general license related to Iran authorising “transactions and activities related to the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19”.

A senior U.S. diplomat stated that “there is a lot of misinformation and a lot of disinformation churning around in the media ecosystem [about U.S.-Iran talks]… We have been very clear that we’ll use diplomacy, indirect or direct, to get after the various threats that Iran poses internationally. The best way to constrain the [nuclear] program is to get it back into a diplomatic box with rigorous oversight and inspection regime and so on. JCPOA, for a variety of reasons, is really not actively on the table as it were. But we are trying to get to a place where we can get Iran to deescalate on a variety of fronts”. She further commented on Washington’s “absolutely unvarnished message” to Iran, noting: “The president has been clear that he’s committed to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. While diplomacy is the best means to address this issue, it must be coupled with deterring Iran’s adventurism. That effort is bolstered by building a deep coalition of partners with integrated defense capabilities and the willingness to hold Iran to account”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on “regional challenges, such as the threat posed by Iran”, highlighting “the U.S.’s ironclad commitment to Israel’s security”. According to an Israeli readout, Netanyahu “expressed his appreciation for the military and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the U.S., which is at an all-time peak”, while asserting that “returning to the nuclear agreement with Iran won’t stop the Iranian nuclear program and that no arrangement with Iran will obligate Israel, which will do everything to defend itself”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Iraqi counterpart, and “encouraged the Government of Iraq on its efforts to become energy independent and to increase innovation in its energy sector”. According to an Iraqi readout, Foreign Minister Fuad Hossein discussed, inter alia, Iraq’s debt to Iran for energy imports and “how to deal with the American measures on international banks, including Iraqi banks”, noting the “need to find a solution to this problem as it directly affects the electrical sector in Iraq”. He further “thanked the American side for allowing to solve the issue of financial payments to Iranian pilgrims and Iranian money in Iraqi banks”. On 11 June, a U.S. spokesperson underscored that “no funds are allocated to Iran and any reporting to the contrary is false. For several years, the U.S. has approved similar transactions on an ongoing basis consistent with OFAC regulations and in full coordination with the Government of Iraq… The U.S. has maintained strict compliance with all Iran-related sanctions and will continue to do so unless and until Iran’s nuclear program returns to compliance with prior commitments”.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Riyadh for meetings with senior Saudi officials and GCC counterparts. A joint U.S-GCC ministerial statement reaffirmed “their commitment to freedom of navigation and maritime security in the region and their determination to counter aggressive and illegal actions at sea or elsewhere that might threaten the shipping lanes, international trade and oil installations in the GCC states”. The ministers also urged “Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency”, while hailing “the decision by Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations”. During his visit, Blinken commented on Iran-Saudi normalisation mediated by China, maintaining: “If countries, whoever they are, can play a positive role in helping to advance peace, de-escalate tensions… we think that’s a good thing.  And of course, the Saudis and Iranians have been talking together for at least a couple of years to get to this place. We’ll see what happens now. But again, if it reduces tensions, if it at least takes one problem off of the board, that’s very positive”.

The U.S. sanctioned “a network of seven individuals and six entities in Iran, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong in connection with Iran’s ballistic missile program”. According to the Treasury Department, “this network has conducted financial transactions and facilitated procurement of sensitive and critical parts and technology for key actors in Iran’s ballistic missile development”. The State Department asserted that “the U.S. remains firmly committed to using every tool at our disposal to disrupt Iran’s procurement networks, and we will work with allies and partners to hold Iran accountable for its actions”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that “we continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to verifiably, effectively and sustainable prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. In parallel, economic pressure and deterrence reinforce our diplomacy. If Iran rejects the path of diplomacy… All options are on the table”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently asserted that “the threat of using force by the U.S. against other states runs counter to the international law… Therefore, the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to strengthen its deterrence capability and protect its rights and security”.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that U.S. and UK vessels, supported by a patrol aircraft, had “responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, June 4, as Iranian [IRGC Navy] fast-attack boats harassed the commercial ship”. “The situation deescalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene”, the statement added, further highlighting: “U.S. 5th Fleet remains vigilant and is bolstering defence around the key strait with partners to enhance regional maritime security and stability”. The IRGC Navy denied the report, claiming that after receiving a distress call from a Marshall Islands-flagged merchant vessel, “the command and control center of Iran at the Hormuz Strait… resolved the ship’s concerns about the presence of [three] non-military light boats near it”.

The U.S. sanctioned four persons and entities based in Iran and the UAE citing “their roles in facilitating the Iranian regime’s censorship of the Internet in Iran”. The State Department emphasised that the designations were “just one component in our multi-pronged strategy to support and preserve the free flow of information to the Iranian people in the face of the Iranian regime’s unprecedented campaign of Internet disruptions and censorship, part of a broader crackdown on dissent”.

The U.S. designated a total of six individuals and entities based in Iran and Turkey described as “members and affiliates of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its external operations arm, the IRGC-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) who have participated in a series of terrorist plots including assassination plots targeting former U.S. government officials, dual U.S. and Iranian nationals and Iranian dissidents”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with senior Israeli officials and discussed, inter alia, “enhanced coordination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and ways to counter threats from Iran and its proxies”. The two sides also conferred on their “shared concern with Russia’s deepening military relationship with Iran, and the importance of supporting Ukraine in the defence of its territory and citizenry, including from Iranian drones”.

The U.S. sanctioned five Syrian entities and individuals for having “secretly helped the Syrian regime under Bashar al-Assad and its Hizbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) allies maintain access to the international financial system in violation of international sanctions”.

U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley remarked that “a diplomatic option… [has] been proven to be the most effective way and the most sustainable way to make sure that Iran doesn’t acquire a bomb. And we have a credible diplomatic path, but we also have a credible deterrence path… [President Biden] has said explicitly that the military option will be on the table. It is far from the preferred option, but he will do what it takes to make sure Iran doesn't acquire a bomb. And we hope that we could resolve this through diplomatic means, and we’re prepared to go down that path”.

Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) announced the establishment of a new U.S.-commanded task force whose objective was to “train partner navies and improve operational capabilities to enhance maritime security in the Middle East”.

The U.S. sanctioned four entities described by the State Department as “part of a logistics network deepening ties between Russia and Iran”, adding that “these designations will constrain military-related transfers between Russia and Iran as Tehran deepens its support for Moscow’s war against Ukraine”.

A White House spokesperson indicated that Iran “continues to provide Russia with one-way attack UAVs. Since August, Iran has provided Russia with more than 400 UAVs primarily of the Shahed variety… Russia has expended most of these UAVs, using them to target Ukrainian critical infrastructure inside Ukraine. By providing Russia with these UAVs, Iran has been directly enabling Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine”. He further noted that “Russia has been offering Iran unprecedented defence cooperation including on missiles, electronics, air defence… The partnership between Russia and Iran is directly enabling Iran's destabilising activities in the Middle East, posing a threat not just to Ukraine, of course, but also to Iran's neighbours”.

U.S. Naval Central Command announced that “U.S. 5th Fleet is working with regional allies and partners to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling in and around the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s recent unlawful merchant vessel seizures”, in addition to “bolstering international maritime security collaboration among the International Maritime Security Construct and European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson on 17 May insisted that “the new accusations against Iran… are aimed at justifying the continuation or intensification of interventionist presence in the region”. He went on to assert that “the presence and destabilising actions of American forces double Iran’s responsibility in ensuring the security of the region and the Strait of Hormuz and in dealing with lawbreakers”, adding: “Iran considers the continued presence of foreign military forces in the waters of the Persian Gulf as a threat to the security of navigation in this strategic waterway”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan remarked that “we are… engaging Iran diplomatically regarding its nuclear program, and we continue to believe that it was a tragic mistake to leave the deal with nothing at all to replace it. But we have made clear to Iran that it can never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. As President Biden has repeatedly reaffirmed, he will take the actions that are necessary to stand by this statement, including by recognising Israel’s freedom of action”. He further explained that “on the deterrence side, working with our partners – including working very closely with Israel... we will continue to send a clear message about the costs and consequences of going too far, while at the same time continuing to seek the possibility of a diplomatically brokered outcome that puts Iran’s nuclear program back in the box”. “This is an issue that occupies the president’s attention, my attention, on a daily basis”, Sullivan added, while warning: “Iran’s program has advanced considerably. It is a genuine danger to regional security and to global security, and, indeed, to the U.S.”. The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that Sullivan’s remarks meant the “U.S. has been and will be responsible for all terrorist acts of Zionists [ie, Israel] against Iran's facilities and people, accepting its consequences”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasised that Iran-Saudi rapprochement “is in line with the fundamental direction and trend of de-escalation that we have supported and encouraged even while we maintain pressure on Iran through sanctions and other means”.

Microsoft Threat Intelligence issued a report assessing that “Iran continues to be a significant threat actor, and it is now supplementing its traditional cyberattacks with a new playbook, leveraging cyber-enabled influence operations (IO) to achieve its geopolitical aims. Microsoft has detected these efforts rapidly accelerating since June 2022”. “These operations remain focused on Israel, prominent Iranian opposition figures and groups and Tehran’s Gulf state adversaries”, it noted. “Iran directed nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of its cyber operations against Israel between October of 2022 and March of 2023, with the U.S., United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia also bearing the brunt of these efforts… The goals of its cyber-enabled IO have included seeking to bolster Palestinian resistance, fomenting unrest in Bahrain, and countering the ongoing normalisation of Arab-Israeli ties, with a particular focus on sowing panic and fear among Israeli citizens”. The report also predicted that “that future threat of increasingly destructive Iranian cyberattacks remains, particularly against Israel and the U.S., as some Iranian groups are likely seeking cyberattack capabilities against industrial control systems. Iranian cyberattacks and influence operations are likely to remain focused on retaliating against foreign cyberattacks and perceived incitement of protests inside Iran”.

The State Department sanctioned “Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence Organisation (IRGC-IO) for its involvement in the wrongful detention of at least one U.S. national abroad”. Simultaneously, the Treasury Department designated four senior IRGC-IO officials. In a statement, President Biden asserted that “today – and every day – our message to Russia, Iran and the world is holding hostage or wrongfully detaining Americans is unacceptable. Release them immediately”.

In parallel to EU and UK sanctions, the U.S. designated four senior law enforcement and IRGC commanders, who the Treasury Department described as “the primary Iranian security forces responsible for the regime’s brutal suppression of the protests that broke out in September 2022”. Also designated was “the new Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC), the authority responsible for Iran’s cyberspace policy and blockage of popular websites”. Simultaneously, the State Department set “visa restrictions… on eleven additional Iranian government officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the abuse, detention or killing of peaceful protestors or inhibiting their rights to freedom of expression or peaceful assembly”.

The U.S. sanctioned seven individuals and entities constituting, according to the Treasury Department, “a sanctions evasion network that has facilitated Iran’s procurement of electronic components for its destabilising military programs, including those used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)”.

G7 foreign ministers expressed “our clear determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon, and urge[d] Iran to cease nuclear escalation”, which they indicated was coming “dangerously close to actual weapons-related activities”. They further underscored that “a diplomatic solution remains our preferred way”, and referred to the JCPOA as “a useful reference”. The ministers went on to note "grave concern regarding Iran’s continued destabilising activities”, as well as “profound concern over Iran’s systematic human rights violations and abuses”. The following day, Iran’s foreign ministry characterised the accusations as “baseless and meddlesome”, urging the G7 countries to “adopt a realistic approach based on mutual respect, in which case, Iran will give a positive response”.

Senior diplomats from the U.S. and G7 partners discussed Iran and, per a statement from the Japanese hosts, “reaffirmed that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon and shared the view that they will continue to call on Iran to fulfill its obligations and political commitments regarding nuclear non-proliferation”. They further “confirmed that they will call on Iran to stop assisting the Russian military in its war of aggression against Ukraine”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated: “The U.S. welcomes the exchange of nearly 900 prisoners across both sides of the conflict today in Yemen”, adding: “We will continue to do all we can to help consolidate the truce that now been in effect for over one year... We encourage all parties to further consolidate these positive trends and ultimately forge a diplomatic resolution to the conflict”. 

Senior U.S. and Israeli defence officials discussed, per an Israeli readout, “the need to act against the Iranian nuclear program, promote IDF force buildup and bolster the State of Israeli’s qualitative military edge... the leaders addressed Iranian actions to undermine regional and global stability and encourage terrorism Israeli citizens. Furthermore, they discussed recent attacks against Israel including rocket fire and terrorist attacks”.

Amid a visit by Syria’s foreign minister to Saudi Arabia, a U.S. official asserted that “our position is clear: we will not normalise relations with the Assad regime absent real progress towards a political solution to the underlying conflict… We have also made clear that the core architecture of our sanctions remains firmly in place”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, hailing “Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary efforts to pursue a more comprehensive roadmap for ending the war in Yemen” and extending “full U.S. support for those efforts”. According to a U.S. readout, the two also conferred on “broader trends toward de-escalation in the region, while underscoring the need to maintain deterrence against threats from Iran and elsewhere”. Sullivan further “reaffirmed President Biden’s unwavering commitment to ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon”.

The U.S.-led counter-ISIS coalition reported that “service members responded to an indirect fire attack in the Deir al-Zor region. There were no Coalition casualties and no damage to Coalition infrastructure”.

The U.S. announced the deployment of a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine to the Middle East “to help ensure regional maritime security and stability”, adding: “Recent events, including the strikes in Syria and public threats made by Iran against merchant vessels, prompted us to remind regional mariners to remain vigilant”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson reacted to the announcement by saying: “The U.S. regime has trodden a path against the will of regional nations by its frequent warmongering and spreading instability and division in the West Asia region. Washington would better be realistic and understand the realities and avoid attempting to interfere in West Asia region and the Persian Gulf, in the interest of the shaky Zionist regime [ie, Israel]”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Israeli counterpart on, inter alia, “shared challenges including Iran, as well as efforts to advance mutual interests, such as Israel’s further regional integration”.

A Pentagon spokesperson stated that “we now assess that eight militants were killed in our [23 March] strikes against two IRGC Quds Force facilities near Deir al-Zor”. He also confirmed seven injuries, and that “there were additional six U.S. service members that have subsequently diagnosed with traumatic brain injury as a result of Iranian backed attacks” on 23-24 March. The spokesperson further reiterated that “we will take all necessary measures to protect our troops and our interests overseas. To underscore, in response to a pattern of Iranian and Iran-backed attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria and the continuing threat of future such attacks the U.S. has taken and, as necessary, will continue to, take actions against IRGC and its affiliates. This includes the use of force against IRGC and IRGC affiliate personnel and facilities in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility with the intention to convince the Iranians to de-escalate threats against the U.S., our interests and our people.… We do not seek conflict with Iran but we will always protect our people”. On 13 April, a CENTCOM spokesperson confirmed 25 total U.S. casualties during the various exchanges.

Assessing the 10 March agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, a senior U.S. diplomat indicated that “the first order of business will be to see whether it reflects that Iran will live up to its commitments in terms of Yemen and that it will cease the kind of lethal aid and training that it has provided to a number of non-state actors, some of whom have attacked the kingdom in a constant way over the last few years... Anything that starts with the de-escalation of tensions between two big, significant actors in the region – Saudi Arabia and Iran – anything that provides an enduring kind of détente in the tensions and confrontation that they’ve had over the course of years is a great thing and should have wider regional effects”.

The U.S. convened “the second meeting of the Countering Transnational Terrorism Forum (CTTF)… established in 2019 as a global forum to improve international awareness and coordination on Iran’s terrorist and other illicit activities”. According to the State Department, “governments and organisations from around the world, including from the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, participated in this session… [and] discussed how Iran continues to engage in brazen terrorist plotting across the globe, including through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Quds Force, and how Iran continues to use a variety of mechanisms to evade international terrorism sanctions”. “Officials at the meeting also shared perspectives on how criminal justice and financial tools can be most effectively used to identify and disrupt Iranian-linked plots and illicit schemes”, the statement added.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley told the House Armed Services Committee that “Iran is taking actions to improve its capabilities to produce a nuclear weapon, should it make the decision to do so, while continuing to build its missile forces. From the time of a national decision, Iran could produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon in approximately 10-15 days and it would only take several months to produce an actual nuclear weapon”. He further emphasised that “the U.S. remains committed, as a matter of policy, that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. The U.S. military has developed multiple options for our national leadership to consider, if or when Iran decides to develop a nuclear weapon”.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley assessed that “Iran could produce fissile material for a nuclear weapon in less than two weeks and it would only take several more months to produce an actual nuclear weapon. But the U.S. remains committed, as a matter of policy, that Iran will not have a fielded nuclear weapon”. He further stated: “We, the U.S. military, have developed multiple options for our national leadership to consider if or when Iran ever decides to develop an actual nuclear weapon”.

U.S. Cyber Command announced that following a cyberattack against Albanian government infrastructure in 2022, attributed to Iran, “a team of cyber operators… conducted their first-ever defensive cyber operation there, returning recently with a strengthened partnership with Albania and unique insights into malicious cyber activity”. A U.S. diplomat noted: “We will continue to support our NATO ally Albania’s remediation efforts, and invite partners to join us alongside our NATO allies in holding Iran accountable for its destructive cyberattacks against Albania in July and September 2022”.

The Pentagon announced it had carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria targeting what it described as "facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)" in response to a UAV attack that killed a U.S. contractor; six others (one contractor and five service members) were injured. It further noted that "the intelligence community assess the UAV to be of Iranian origin". The following day, U.S. Central Command reported that a compound housing troops from the U.S.-led counter-ISIS coalition had been targeted with ten rockets. There were no injuries or damages at the facility, but four civilians were wounded in the attack. A U.S. service member was injured in a separate incident at Mission Support Site Conoco. President Biden asserted that “the U.S. does not… seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people”. On 25 March, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned the U.S. strikes against what he described as “civilian targets”, rejected U.S. allegations against Iran and emphasised that “Iran’s military advisors are in Syria at the request of the Syrian government for the purpose of helping the country in its struggle against terrorism”.

The U.S. sanctioned “four entities and three individuals in Iran and Turkey for their involvement in the procurement of equipment, including European-origin engines of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in support of Iran’s UAV and weapons programs”. The State Department maintained that “Iran’s proliferation of weapons destabilises the Middle East. The U.S. will continue to act to disrupt Iran’s proliferation of UAVs and work with Allies and partners to counter Iran’s weapons proliferation”.

The White House issued a Nowruz statement, noting that the new year came “at a difficult time for many families, when hope is needed more than ever – including for the women of Iran who are fighting for their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The U.S. will continue to stand with them, and all the citizens of Iran who are inspiring the world with their conviction and courage [during protests that began in September 2022]. And together with our partners, we will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable for their attacks against their people”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson reacted to the statement by saying: “The claim of supporting Iranian women while simultaneously maintaining and intensifying the cruel sanctions against the Iranian nation is a display of the hypocrisy and hostility of the American regime and its anti-Iranian leaders”.

President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu and, inter alia, reaffirmed “his unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and the ongoing cooperation between our national security teams, including to counter all threats posed by Iran”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, discussing the 10 March agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, indicated that “anything that can help reduce tensions, avoid conflict and curb in any way dangerous or destabilising actions by Iran is a good thing… The Saudis and the Iranians have been talking for some time going back a couple of years, including in Baghdad and in Oman. And to the extent that China facilitated conclusion of this agreement to restore diplomatic relations, that’s a good thing”. “If this agreement actually bears out, and particularly if Iran follows through on the commitments that it’s apparently made, again, that would be positive”, he added.

The U.S.-led counter-ISIS coalition reported that “two 107mm rockets targeted Coalition Forces east of Deir al-Zor… The attacks resulted in no injuries or damage and the incident is under investigation”.

Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian claimed that Iran and the U.S. had “reached an agreement in the recent days and everything goes well on the U.S. side, I think we will witness a prisoner exchange in a short period”. However, the following day White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasised that “there’s no deal. And the last thing that we want to do is give false hope to families that have been waiting for a long time for their loved ones to come home”.

Following talks in Beijing, Iran, Saudi Arabia and China jointly announced an agreement between Tehran and Riyadh to “resume diplomatic relations… and re-open their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months, and the agreement includes their affirmation of the respect for the sovereignty of states and non-interference in internal affairs of states”. A White House spokesperson indicated that “if this deal can be sustained… and the war in Yemen can end, and Saudi Arabia doesn’t have to continually try to defend itself against attacks from the Huthis who are funded and supported by Iran, in the end we welcome that”. 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Prime Minister Netanyahu conferred on, inter alia, “the threats posed by Iran in the region and agreed to increase cooperation to confront Iranian aggression”. Austin reiterated “the U.S. commitment to never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon”, further highlighting “the lethal consequences of Russia’s expanding military cooperation with Iran in Ukraine, where the use of lethal attack drones is killing innocent civilians and the negative implications this trend poses for the Middle East region – to include Russia providing technology to Iran in exchange for its assistance”.

The U.S. designated 39 entities that, according to the Treasury Department, made up “a significant ‘shadow banking’ network, one of several multi-jurisdictional illicit finance systems which grant sanctioned Iranian entities… access to the international financial system and obfuscate their trade with foreign customers”. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored that “the U.S. will continue to disrupt attempts to evade U.S. sanctions, and we will use the tools at our disposal to protect both the U.S. and international financial system”. The same day, the U.S. also announced sanctions against what the Treasury Department described as “a network of five [China-based] companies and one individual for supporting Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) procurement efforts”. A senior official contended that “Iran is directly implicated in the Ukrainian civilian casualties that result from Russia’s use of Iranian UAVs in Ukraine… The U.S. will continue to target global Iranian procurement networks that supply Russia with deadly UAVs for use in its illegal war in Ukraine”.

The U.S. Intelligence Community’s 2023 Annual Threat Assessment noted that “Iran will continue to threaten U.S. interests as it tries to erode U.S. influence in the Middle East, entrench its influence and project power in neighbouring states and minimise threats to the regime”. “Iran will continue to threaten U.S. persons directly and via proxy attacks, particularly in the Middle East. Iran also remains committed to developing surrogate networks inside the U.S.”, the report assessed, also asserting that “Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities that would be necessary to produce a testable nuclear device… If Tehran does not receive sanctions relief, Iranian officials probably will consider further enriching uranium up to 90 per cent”. It further emphasised: “Iran’s growing expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyber operations make it a major threat to the security of U.S. and allied networks and data”. 

In parallel to EU, UK and Australian sanctions on International Women’s Day, the U.S. designated “two Iranian officials overseeing prisons in Iran, two senior Iranian security leaders, three companies that supply Iranian law enforcement and the heads of these companies, as well as a high ranking law enforcement official”. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that “the U.S. remains deeply concerned that Iranian authorities continue to suppress dissent and peaceful protest… We will continue to take action to support the people of Iran in the face of these and other human rights abuses by the Iranian regime”.  

The U.S. envoy to the IAEA told the Board of Governors that “Iran’s continued production of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent has no credible peaceful purpose.… Iran should cease its nuclear provocations and its continued pursuit of steps that pose grave proliferation risks”. She further listed a number of safeguards concerns, and asserted: “Should Iran follow through on its reported decision to take up certain transparency measures as conveyed to the Director General, it would be an encouraging sign, but we of course need to see if these steps are, in fact, implemented”. The following day, the envoy told the Board that “the list of outstanding questions related to Iran’s implementation of its legal obligations under its NPT safeguards agreement continues to grow”, emphasising: “Iran must act to fulfill its legal obligations and take the specific actions identified by the board without delay”.

Senior officials from the U.S. and Israel convened the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative Group, which “reviewed with significant concern advances in Iran’s nuclear program… officials pledged to enhance coordination on measures to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to further deter Iran’s hostile regional activities”.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley visited Israel and met with his Israeli counterpart; according to a U.S. readout, they “discussed regional security issues, opportunities for increased bilateral cooperation, coordination to defend against threats posed by Iran across the region and other items of mutual strategic interest”. Milley also met with Israel’s defence minister, who asserted that “ongoing cooperation is required in order to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon”.

The U.S. sanctioned six entities for their role “in the transport or sale of Iranian petroleum products or petrochemical products… [and] 20 vessels as property or interests in property of these entities”.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that “the U.S. is committed to significantly reducing Iranian energy exports… These designations underscore our continued efforts to enforce our sanctions against Iran. We will not hesitate to take action against those who try to circumvent our sanctions”. The same day, the Commerce Department imposed trade restrictions on six China-based entities for having “supplied and/or attempted to supply items subject to the Export Administration Regulations to… an [already-sanctioned Iranian] entity”.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that on 23 February, “U.S. forces provided airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support for an interdiction in the Gulf of Oman conducted by the United Kingdom Royal Navy… confiscating anti-tank guided missiles and missile components from a small boat that originated from Iran. UK forces discovered packages that included Iranian versions of Russian 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missiles… and medium-range ballistic missile components”. “The interdiction occurred along a route historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to Yemen”, the statement noted. A senior U.S. commander stated that “this is the seventh illegal weapon or drug interdiction in the last three months and yet another example of Iran’s increasing malign maritime activity across the region”.

A senior U.S. defence official remarked that “we are now at a point where Iranian threats are no longer specific to the Middle East, but a global challenge”, while emphasising the need for “a global coalition to push back on the malign cooperation between Iran and Russia”. “It is reasonable to expect that the tactics, techniques and procedures that the Iranians are learning and perfecting in Ukraine will one day come back to our partners in the Middle East, which is why we are increasing cooperation now, intelligence sharing, understanding these networks and increasing our collective defensive capabilities so that we are prepared to counter these threats in the region”, she underlined.

A senior U.S. defence official remarked that “Iran’s nuclear progress since we left the JCPOA has been remarkable. Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to leave the JCPOA, it would have taken Iran about twelve months to produce one bomb’s worth of fissile material. Now it would take about twelve days”. “I think there is still the view that if you could resolve this issue diplomatically and put constraints back on their nuclear program, it is better than the other options. But right now, the JCPOA is on ice”, he added.

The U.S. State Department released its “Country Reports on Terrorism 2021”, which assessed that “Iran continued to be the leading state sponsor of terrorism”.

CIA Director William Burns asserted that “to the best of our knowledge, we don’t believe that the Supreme Leader in Iran has yet made a decision to resume the [nuclear] weaponisation program that we judge that they suspended or stopped at the end of 2003. But the other two legs of the stool, meaning enrichment programs, they’ve obviously advanced very far… to the point where it would only be a matter of weeks before they can enrich to 90 per cent, if they chose to cross that line. And also in terms of their missile systems, their ability to deliver a nuclear weapon, once they developed it, has also been advancing as well… [These] dimensions of this challenge, I think, are growing at a worrisome pace too”.

CIA Director William Burns warned that military cooperation between Iran and Russia was “moving at a pretty fast clip in a very dangerous direction… We know that the Iranians have already provided hundreds of armed drones to the Russians, which they’re using to inflict pain on Ukrainian civilians and Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. We know that they’ve provided ammunition for artillery and for tanks as well. And what we also see are signs that Russia is proposing to help the Iranians on their missile program and also at least considering the possibility of providing fighter aircraft to Iran as well. That creates obvious risks not only for the people of Ukraine… but also risks to our friends and partners across the Middle East as well”.

A White House spokesperson asserted that “in November, Iran shipped artillery and tank rounds to Russia for use in Ukraine… Russia is planning to cooperate with Iran to obtain more military equipment”. He went on to state that Russia was “offering Iran unprecedented defence cooperation, including on missile, electronics and air defence… We believe that Russia might provide Iran with fighter jets. Iran is also seeking to purchase additional military equipment from Russia including attack helicopters, radars and combat trainer aircraft. In total, Iran is seeking billions of dollars of military equipment from Russia”. The same day, the Commerce Department issued “new export control measures on Iran, Russia, and Belarus to address Russia’s use of Iranian UAVs in its ongoing war against Ukraine”. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that “we’re committed to Israel’s security. We are committed together to the proposition that Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon… The President’s been very clear that every option is on the table to do that. And we’re also working to deepen our cooperation and coordination with Israel, as well as with other countries to deal with the multiplicity of challenges that Iran poses, including advances in its nuclear program”. He further noted that “we continue to believe that, with regard to the nuclear program, the most effective, sustainable way to deal with the challenges it poses is through diplomacy. But in this moment, those efforts are on the back burner because Iran is simply not engaged in a meaningful way”. Asked whether the U.S. had given Israel a green light to attack Iran, Blinken asserted that “countries will make sovereign decisions for their own security.  And of course, that’s no different when it comes to Israel or any country. We can’t make those decisions for them”.

CENTCOM confirmed that “two rockets [had] landed near Coalition Forces at Green Village in north east Syria”, causing no casualties or damage. There was no indication by CENTCOM of who was responsible, but the following day Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu contended: “Iran attacked an Iranian base in Syria”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his British, French and German counterparts to confer on Iran. According to a U.S. readout, “they underscored their concern about Iran’s nuclear escalation and its lack of cooperation with the IAEA, calling on Iran to reverse course. They also discussed their concerns about the deepening two-way military cooperation between Iran and Russia, and its implications for the security and stability of the region and beyond”. The four officials further reiterated “their solidarity with the Iranian people in light of Iran’s continued egregious human rights abuses and agreed to continue to closely coordinate their approach to the regime’s destabilising activities”.

At a U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Counterterrorism Working Group, participants deplored “Iran’s malign behaviour through proxies such as Hizbollah, as well as those in Iraq, Syria and Yemen”. “Iran has used Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and supported terrorist and other armed groups to conduct hundreds of attacks in the region”, they added, while reiterating that “diplomacy remains the preferred way to address Iran’s destabilising policies”.

A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson indicated that “our assessment aligns with that of the UN… that Saif al-Adel [considered de facto leader of al-Qaeda in a “predominant view” of member states] is based in Iran”, adding: “Offering safe haven to al-Qaeda is just another example of Iran’s wide-ranging support for terrorism, its destabilising activities in the Middle East and beyond”. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian urged the U.S. “to stop the failed Iranophobia game”, rejecting any linkage between Iran and al-Qaeda.

The U.S. and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states issued a joint statement on Iran denouncing its “continued destabilising policies, including its support for terrorism and the use of advanced missiles, cyber weapons and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and their proliferation in the region and around the world”. The participants also insisted that “Iran’s nuclear advances… have no credible civilian purpose and are gravely exacerbating regional and global tensions”, while the U.S. reiterated “President Biden’s commitment not to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon”. The statement went on to voice a “commitment to expanding defence cooperation and interoperability to enhance their capabilities to constrain Iran’s ability to conduct destabilising activities and deter it from conducting future acts of aggression”, while highlighting diplomacy as “the preferred way to address Iran’s destabilising policies and nuclear escalation in a sustained manner”. They concluded by calling on “the international community to enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions prohibiting transfers of arms and related materiel and ensuring accountability in this regard”.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency issued a report confirming “Russia’s use of various lethal Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against Ukraine”.

CENTCOM reported that “U.S. forces in Syria engaged and shot down an Iranian-manufactured UAV attempting to conduct reconnaissance of Mission Support Site Conoco” in north east Syria.

Following U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Defence Working Group meetings in Riyadh, a senior U.S. defence official remarked that “there is a shared assessment between the U.S. and the GCC of the threats that face us… We spent extensive amounts of time today focused on the full set of threats from Iran, whether it’s Iranian proliferation of UAVs to non-state actors across the region… and, of course, the ongoing threat to U.S. forces who are in Iraq and Syria”. She further highlighted that “Iranian aggression at sea remains a serious concern… the work to bring partners together and the increased rate of maritime interdiction speaks both to the serious nature of the threats we face at sea, and to how we can effectively address those threats through increased cooperation”. “We also spent time focusing on increased Iranian-Russian military cooperation, the illicit transfer of Iranian weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine that are actively killing Ukrainian civilians and how that increased military cooperation has serious implications for the stability and security of the Middle East”, the U.S. official added, while emphasising: “When it comes to the specific working groups, integrated air and missile defense and maritime… there has been no other moment in time in which the prospect for meaningful integration is more real than today”.

A senior U.S. defence official stressed that “our forces [in Iraq and Syria] are under constant threat from Iranian-aligned militia groups who seek to constantly harass our forces, which detracts and undermines our ability to continue prosecuting the defeat ISIS mission, and it also directly undermines, threatens and jeopardises the recovery efforts of those local communities who, only a few years ago, were under ISIS caliphate rule, experiencing the worst depravities and atrocities. So it’s truly destabilising”. She further asserted that “we hold Iran accountable and responsible for these attacks because Iran is arming, training, equipping and guiding these groups”.

At a U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Working Group on Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Maritime Security in Riyadh, according to a U.S. readout, the participants “welcomed opportunities to continue their work together to advance integrated deterrence in the region”, noting: “Due to the clear threat to regional security and stability, preventing Iran from holding the region at risk through its proliferation and direct use of advanced ballistic missiles, maritime weapons and unmanned systems is of the utmost importance”. Participants further “agreed on the shared objectives of improving collective early warning, streamlining coordination against shared threats, and building towards regional integration”.

The U.S. designated “nine entities across multiple jurisdictions that have played a critical role in the production, sale and shipment of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian petrochemicals and petroleum to buyers in Asia”. The State Department asserted that the move “demonstrates our continued efforts to enforce U.S. sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trade and disrupt Iran’s efforts to circumvent sanctions”.

The U.S. State Department notified Congress of extending sanctions waivers for civil nuclear projects, while reportedly imposing “certain sanctions on Russia’s construction of two new Iranian nuclear power plants”. “Narrowing the waiver this way”, the notification read, “meets important nonproliferation and nuclear safety interests of the U.S. and the international community while not accommodating activities related to the construction of new reactor units at Bushehr that would expand Iran's nuclear program and further deepen cooperation between Iran and Russia at a time that Iran is providing lethal aid to Russia for use in its illegal invasion of Ukraine”.

The U.S., jointly with the UK, France and Germany issued a statement regarding what the IAEA had reported as an undeclared “substantial change” at Fordow, describing the move as “inconsistent with Iran’s obligations under its NPT-required Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement”. “Such lack of required notification undermines the Agency’s ability to maintain timely detection at Iran’s nuclear facilities”, they emphasised, while asserting: “The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran at the Fordow Enrichment Plant carries significant proliferation-related risks and is without any credible civilian justification”. The four governments also underscored: “Iran has also offered no credible answer yet to the IAEA’s outstanding questions as part of the IAEA’s safeguards investigation”.

The U.S. sanctioned “eight senior executives of… an Iran-based firm that was previously sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for manufacturing Shahed-series unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGC ASF)”. The State Department highlighted that “Russia is using Iran-produced UAVs in attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. The Iranian regime’s military support for Russia helps fuel Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and has also resulted in violations of UN Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits Iran’s provision of military UAVs to Russia without advance, case-by-case approval of the UN Security Council”. In addition, the U.S. designated two Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) vessels.

CENTCOM announced that on January 15 it had “supported a maritime interdiction… that resulted in the seizure by partner naval forces of weapons that originated in Iran and were bound for Yemen” in the Gulf of Oman, adding: “More than 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles were recovered”.

The U.S. imposed trade restrictions on “seven Iranian entities involved in Iran’s drone program for supporting Russia’s war efforts and trying to use U.S. items to do it”.

Speaking alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “we’ve had very good discussions on forging a common policy [on Iran], on trying to work together to thwart the danger… My policy is to do everything within Israel’s power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them and that will remain so. But obviously the fact that we and the U.S. are working together is something that is important for this common goal as well”. In turn, Blinken indicated that “we agree that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, and we discussed deepening cooperation to confront and counter Iran’s destabilising activities in the region and beyond. Just as Iran has long supported terrorists that attack Israelis and others, the regime is now providing drones that Russia is using to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians. In turn, Russia is providing sophisticated weaponries to Iran. It’s a two-way street”. Separately, Foreign Minister Cohen argued that the Abraham Accords “created a unique opportunity in the form of a regional coalition against the Iranian threat”, adding: “My goal is to strengthen [them]… and to expand relations with additional countries”. He also asserted that “the international community must act quickly and effectively against Iran’s nuclear program”. Blinken also met with President Herzog and Defence Minister Gallant where Iran was a topic of discussion.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, noting that the JCPOA was not the immediate focus of U.S. policy towards Iran, maintained: “Diplomacy is never off the table. But President Biden has also made clear that we’re determined that Iran not acquire a nuclear weapon, and every option remains on the table to ensure that that doesn’t happen. But our preferred path would be diplomacy”. He further commented on anti-government protests in Iran and said: “We support the Iranian people, but these decisions [regarding regime change] are theirs. They’re not ours. They’re not anyone else’s. One of the things that we don’t want to do is to somehow make this about us. That’s exactly what the Iranian regime wants… It reflects a profound misunderstanding of their own people if they believe that somehow we’re responsible for this”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson warned against the “consequences of such provocative statements” regarding its nuclear program, while accusing the U.S. of “provocation and incitement of rioting”.

The U.S. and Israeli militaries began a joint exercise in Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to boost “collective U.S.-Israeli readiness and improve[] the interoperability of both forces”. CENTCOM’s commander maintained that “these kinds of exercises – which CENTCOM routinely conducts with our partners – develop interoperability between military forces, increase military capabilities, and are important to the security and stability of the region. The lessons learned during these exercises are exportable to our partners across the region”. Three days later, CENTCOM announced the conclusion of what it described as “the largest U.S.-Israel partnered exercise in history”.

The U.S., in parallel with sanctions actions by the UK and EU, designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Cooperative Foundation and five of its board members, the Deputy Minister of Intelligence and Security and four senior IRGC commanders in Iran under human rights authorities. The Treasury Department described the designees as “a key economic pillar of the IRGC, which funds much of the regime’s brutal suppression; as well as senior security officials coordinating Tehran’s crackdown at the national and provincial levels”.

U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley remarked that “we have been in contact with the Chinese authorities and will continue to take steps to sanction those who are involved in the import of Iranian oil”. Too, a U.S. diplomatic spokesperson reiterated that “we are regularly and robustly engaged with the day-to-day business of enforcing our sanctions… As Iran’s largest oil customer, the PRC remains a top focus for our sanctions enforcement. We regularly engage with the PRC and other countries to discourage them from taking steps vis-à-vis Iran that have the potential to undermine U.S. sanctions”.

CENTCOM reported that “three one-way attack drones [had] attacked the al-Tanf Garrison in Syria. Two of the drones were shot down by Coalition Forces while one struck the compound, injuring two members of the Syrian Free Army partner force… No U.S. forces were injured”. A spokesperson asserted that “attacks of this kind are unacceptable – they place our troops and our partners at risk and jeopardise the fight against ISIS”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials. According to a White House readout, he reaffirmed “the U.S.’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to countering the continued threats posed by Iran to Israel, the U.S. and the wider region”. Sullivan further underscored “the U.S. commitment to ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon”, and the two sides also discussed “Ukraine, as well as the burgeoning defence partnership between Russia and Iran and its implications for security in the Middle East region”. Sullivan also had a joint meeting with his Israeli, Bahraini and Emirati counterparts. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen called for “massive, immediate and comprehensive pressure” against Iran, and according to Israel’s Defence Ministry, a meeting between Sullivan and senior Israeli defence officials concentrated on “the regional and global threat posed by Iran’s activities, with an emphasis on the activity to achieve nuclear capability and the importance of preparing a response to this threat, alongside harnessing the international community”.

Marking the anniversary of an attack against civilian targets in the UAE by what CENTCOM described as “Iran-aligned forces”, ie, the Huthis, the White House affirmed that “the U.S. will continue to support the UAE as it defends itself against threats – whether from Yemen or anywhere else. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of diplomacy to bring a peaceful end to the war in Yemen, and the U.S. will continue to support the security of the UAE and our other partners in the Middle East, including providing needed military assistance”.

Speaking alongside his British counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that “we stand with the British Government in condemning Iran’s execution of Iranian-British dual national Alireza Akbari, which was politically motivated and unjust. It fits a pattern of abuse by the regime: detentions, torture, forced confessions, unjust executions. We’ll continue to work with the UK and our other allies and partners to hold Iran’s leadership accountable for these and other abuses”. He further maintained: “The JCPOA has not been on the agenda as a practical matter for many months now. It’s not our focus. We’re focused on what’s happening in Iran. We’re focused on what Iran is doing in terms of the provision of weapons to Russia to use against innocent people and the entire energy grid in Ukraine. And of course, we’re focused on its other destabilising activities throughout the region”. “What is also very much in our focus is the President’s commitment, President Biden’s commitment that Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon. Now, we continue to believe that the most effective way to do that is through diplomacy… But, as I said, the JCPOA right now is not on the table”, Blinken emphasised.

A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson assessed that “Iran is and remains Russia’s most important source of security assistance. This is a burgeoning partnership between Russia and Iran that has deepened in recent months but even over the longer time horizon… We continue to speak out against the provision of these wares, knowing that this technology, despite what we might hear from Tehran or from Moscow, is intended to do one thing: it is intended to kill Ukrainians; it is intended to inflict damage on the country of Ukraine, targeting in many cases civilian infrastructure”.

CENTCOM announced that on 6 January it had interdicted “a stateless dhow in the Gulf of Oman smuggling more than 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles while transiting international waters from Iran to Yemen”. A senior commander contended that “this shipment is part of a continued pattern of destabilising activity from Iran… These threats have our attention. We remain vigilant in detecting any maritime activity that threatens freedom or compromises regional security”.

Discussing Iranian UAV transfers to Russia, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan maintained: “The way that they are actually carrying them out physically makes physical interdiction a challenge. But we will not stop at a variety of means of seeking to disrupt this type of ongoing military cooperation and to continue to increase the cost to Iran – in the court of public opinion, with respect to economic pressure – for deciding to go down a road where their weapons are being used to kill civilians in Ukraine and to try to plunge cities into cold and darkness, which, from our point of view, puts Iran in a place where it could potentially be committing – contributing to widespread war crimes”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet that “we salute the Iranian citizens who are heroically fighting for their freedom… They are revealing to the entire world the true face of the oppressive regime in Tehran, a regime that threatens its citizens, the counties in the region and the entire world”. The following day, the premier asserted: “It’s time to close ranks between Israel and the U.S. – and others… I think there is more of a meeting of the minds today [on Iran] than there has ever been”. Relatedly, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted that “we’ve made clear that our priority right now is not the JCPOA… We continue to believe that, ultimately, diplomacy is the best way to do that in the right context, backed effectively by international unity and the necessary pressure to sharpen Iran’s choices”. “I think we [ie, Israel and the U.S.] share the same fundamental objectives”, he added. “And we will work through any differences we have on tactics the same way that we have over the course of the past two years”.

The U.S. designated “seven individuals in leadership positions with Quds Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian defence manufacturer responsible for the design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and of Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO), the main organisation responsible for overseeing Iran’s ballistic missile programs”. The State Department underlined that “the Iranian regime’s military support to Russia not only fuels the conflict in Ukraine but has also resulted in violations of UN Security Council resolution 2231”, adding: “Iran has now become Russia’s top military backer. Iran must cease its support for Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and delay these transfers and impose costs on actors engaged in this activity”. 

Newly-appointed Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant conferred with his U.S. counterpart on, inter alia, “Israel’s commitment to do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons… and emphasised the need to harness the international community for cooperation on the issue”. According to a U.S. readout, “the two leaders agreed on the need to work together to address the wide range of regional challenges, including threats posed by Iran’s destabilising activities. They also discussed opportunities to increase military cooperation and to advance Israel’s integration in the region”.

A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson reiterated that “the JCPOA just hasn’t been on the agenda… Since September especially, our focus has been on standing up… for the fundamental freedoms of the Iranian people and countering Iran’s deepening military partnership with Russia and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine”. “Claims that we are presently engaged in talks to revive the JCPOA – that’s just false”, the spokesperson asserted. “What is very much alive is President Biden’s absolute commitment to never allowing Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. We continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve that goal, but we’ve always been clear we’re not going to remove options from the table, and we’re going to discuss all options with our partners, including, of course, Israel”.

Discussing CENTCOM’s innovation task forces on unmanned vessels and vehicles, General Michael Kurilla contended that “Iranian drones are a threat in the region. Iran commands an arsenal of drone systems ranging from small, short-range to modern intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance units. They are building larger drones that can fly further with increasingly deadly payloads. We see the UAVs of today in the same way we viewed IEDs during our initial conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan”.   

The U.S. sanctioned Iran’s prosecutor general for “overseeing the prosecution of protestors”, as well as four “leaders of military and paramilitary organisations violently cracking down and detaining protestors”. Also designated was a company that, according to the Treasury Department, “procures and provides security forces with tools of suppression”.

The UN under-secretary-general presented the fourteen biannual report, dated 12 December, on Security Council Resolution 2231’s implementation. The U.S. representative told the Security Council that “the door for diplomacy remains open. Unfortunately, Iran’s actions suggest this goal is not their priority. Iran’s conduct since September… reinforce our skepticism about Iran’s willingness and capability of reaching a deal and explains why there have been no active negotiations since then”. He also called Iran’s transfer of drones to Russia a violation of Resolution 2231 and maintained: “Given Iran’s increasing integration into Russia’s defense sector, we fear additional violations in the future. Russia may even be tempted to further violate Resolution 2231 by importing complete ballistic missiles from Iran”. Iran’s envoy reiterated readiness “to resume the Vienna talks… if the U.S. demonstrates genuine political will and stands ready to work towards a satisfying solution and agrees to fully comply with its obligations. The U.S. now has the ball in its court”. On the issue of drone transfers, he emphasised that “Iran has not transferred to Russia, any item that is covered by… resolution 2231”.

Asked about Iran’s role in Russia’s war against Ukraine, CIA Director Bill Burns assessed that “what’s beginning to emerge is at least the beginnings of a full-fledged defence partnership between Russia and Iran, with the Iranians supplying drones to the Russians, which are killing Ukrainian civilians as we speak today, and the Russians beginning to look at ways in which, technologically or technically, they can support the Iranians, which poses real threats to Iran’s own neighbourhood, to many of our friends and partners in Iran’s neighbourhood as well”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently described the claims as a “propaganda war…based on lies and deception”.

The Commerce Department blacklisted a Chinese entity for human rights violations for, inter alia, “enabling the procurement of U.S.-origin items for use by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)”. The department also designated another firm for “facilitating the illegal export of U.S.-origin electronics to Iran for use in the production of military unmanned aerial vehicles and missile systems”.

A majority in the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted in favor of a U.S.-led move to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned the move as part of a “psychological war” against the government.

The U.S. sanctioned “three Russian entities connected to Moscow’s growing military relationship with Tehran”, with the State Department noting that “Russia’s acquisition and Iran’s provision of... certain UAVs are in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231”. The same day, the spokesperson for the National Security Council described “an unprecedented level of military and technical support [by Russia for Iran] that is transforming their relationship into a full-fledged defence partnership”.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned three Iranian officials for human rights abuses; an additional official was designated by the State Department, which also imposed visa restrictions on thirteen past or presently-serving Iranian government officials. 

The U.S. designated what the Treasury Department described as “a sanctions evasion network… that has facilitated the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of oil for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that cooperation between the U.S. and Israel “allows us to collaborate in countering a range of regional threats, none graver than those posed by Iran.  The Iranian regime routinely threatens to wipe Israel off the map and continues to provide weapons to terrorists and proxies like Hizbollah and Hamas that remain motivated, like Iran, by the rejection of Israel’s right to exist”. He further noted that “the regime’s actions [in response to anti-government protests] have only deepened our conviction that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon… The best way to ensure this is through diplomacy”. “Should the Iranian regime reject that path”, Blinken warned, “its leaders should make no mistake that all options are on the table to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon”.

U.S. Special Envoy Robert Malley reiterated that “Iran is not interested in a [nuclear] deal and we’re focused on other things… Right now we can make a difference in trying to deter and disrupt the provision of weapons to Russia and trying to support the fundamental aspirations of the Iranian people”. He further noted further that an increase in Iranian military assistance to Russia “would be crossing new lines”.

The U.S. designated Iran and eleven other countries as “Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom”. 

President Biden and his French counterpart issued a joint statement reiterating their determination “to ensure that Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon”, and to “continue to work with other international partners to address Iran’s nuclear escalation, its insufficient cooperation with the IAEA… and its destabilising activities in the Middle East, most urgently its transfers of missiles and drones, including to non-state actors”. “These transfers… now contribute to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, they noted, while pledging “joint efforts aimed at further strengthening the international framework constraining the proliferation of Iranian missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technologies in the region and beyond and in enhancing practical efforts to counter this proliferation”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that “the best way to deal with Iran’s nuclear program is through diplomacy… We’ve been very clear with them – and not just the U.S., but others, including European partners – that they should not take additional steps to increase their nuclear capacity, including by enriching to higher levels. And if they pursue that direction, we’ll be prepared to respond”. Blinken further asserted that ongoing anti-government protests were “first and foremost about Iranians, about their future, about their country, and it’s not about us. And one of the profound mistakes that the regime makes is to try to point the finger at others – at the U.S., Europeans – claiming that we are somehow responsible for instigating or otherwise fanning the flames of the protests. That is to profoundly, fundamentally misunderstand their own people”.

The Israeli military announced the conclusion of joint drills with the U.S. “simulating various scenarios in the face of regional threats”, adding: “The IDF Intelligence Directorate conducted an extensive simulation replicating campaign against distant countries, testing the IDF’s abilities of intelligence gathering, target determination and outlining and making intelligence available to operational forces… These exercises are a key component of our two militaries’ increasing strategic cooperation in response to shared concerns in the Middle East, particularly those posed by Iran”. Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated that “strategic cooperation with the U.S. and other countries strengthens the capabilities of the IDF against the challenges in the Middle East, led by Iran. We have partners in the sky and on the ground, but we also have the right to act as we see fit and defend the State of Israel”.

U.S. Special Representative for Iran Robert Malley estimated Iran’s breakout time as “only a few weeks… Weaponising that takes longer, but it’s much too close for comfort”. He further reiterated that “the JCPOA is not on the agenda because of Iran’s position. And we’re continuing with our policy, which is to respond to all of Iran’s destabilising activities… Our focus is on what’s happening in Iran and Iran’s support for Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine”. Malley went on to highlight that regarding Iran’s nuclear program, “our priority is diplomacy… There are other tools that we’re already using: international pressure of a kind that Iran has not experienced for many years”. However, he added, “if none of that works, the president has said, as a last resort, he will agree to a military option. But we’re not there”. 

CENTCOM reported that “two rockets [had] targeted coalition forces at the U.S. patrol base in al-Shaddadi… The attack resulted in no injuries or damage”. A spokesperson asserted: “Attacks of this kind place coalition forces and the civilian populace at risk and undermine the hard-earned stability and security of Syria and the region”.

The UN Human Rights Council voted to launch a fact-finding mission investigating “alleged human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran related to the protests that began on 16 September”. The U.S., which was among the 25 countries voting in favour (six were against, and fifteen abstained) emphasised: “It is also important that the international community work in partnership to ensure that Iran plays no role on UN or other international bodies charged with protecting and promoting human rights of women”. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson on 28 November declared the government would “not engage in any cooperation, whatsoever, with the political committee called the ‘fact-finding committee’”.

The U.S. sanctioned “three Iranian security officials for the Iranian regime’s continued crackdown on ongoing protests throughout the country, including most recently in Kurdish areas”.

The IRGC carried out missile and drone strikes against Kurdish opposition groups near Kikuk. The U.S. denounced the “repeated and brazen violations of Iraq’s territorial integrity” and urged “Iran to refrain from further threats and violence”. The same day, Iran’s ambassador to Iraq claimed that “some of our vital military centers have been attacked from the Iraqi Kurdistan region’s soil and we have informed the Iraqi side, both the authorities of the Iraqi Kurdistan region and the central government in Iraq, of this issue. We [provided them] with maps and documents”. Too, a senior IRGC commander emphasised that “the attack on the headquarters and bases of armed criminals and terrorist groups will continue until the threat is eliminated”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with the Israel’s military chief of staff and reiterated “the Administration’s ironclad support for Israel’s security”. The two also reaffirmed “their shared determination to address security challenges impacting the Middle East, including the threats posed by Iran and its proxies”, while Sullivan emphasised President Biden’s “commitment to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon”. 

The U.S. designated “thirteen companies in multiple jurisdictions facilitating the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian petrochemicals and petroleum products to buyers in East Asia”.

With 26 votes in favour and two against, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a U.S/E3 drafted resolution noting “profound concern” over the lack of progress in the IAEA’s safeguards probes, and deeming it “essential and urgent in order to ensure verification of the non-diversion of nuclear material that Iran act to fulfil its legal obligations without delay”. Iran’s IAEA envoy condemned the resolution as “a political, unconstructive and incorrect action”, insisting: “The political goals of the founders of this anti-Iranian resolution will not be realised, but its approval can affect the process of cooperation and constructive interactions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the IAEA”.

The U.S. sanctioned “six senior employees of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the Iranian state-run media corporation that has broadcast hundreds of forced confessions of Iranian, dual national and international detainees in Iran”. The State Department asserted that “IRIB acts not as an objective media outlet but rather as a key tool in the Iranian government’s mass suppression and censorship campaign… The U.S. is steadfast in our commitment to supporting the Iranian people protesting nationwide and demanding accountability for their government”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned the sanctions, countering: “Allowing terrorist networks and media outlets to make mischief against the Iranian nation and sanctioning IRIB and Press TV to block Iran’s views from being conveyed to the world is the continuation of the American administration’s blatant violation of the Iranian nation’s rights”.

Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd. (EPS), affiliated with an Israeli businessman, reported that on 15 November its tanker Pacific Zircon “was hit by a projectile approximately 150 miles off the coast of Oman… there is some minor damage to the vessel’s hull”. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan denounced the attack “in the strongest possible terms”, while maintaining: “We are confident that Iran likely conducted this attack using a UAV, a lethal capability it is increasingly employing directly and via its proxies throughout the Middle East and proliferating to Russia for use in Ukraine”. An unnamed Israeli official was cited as saying “it is an Iranian attack, there is consensus on this in the Israeli intelligence and defence community”.

The U.S. designated six entities and two individuals, including the IRGC Aerospace Force, for their role “in the production or ongoing transfer to Russia of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which Russia has used in devastating attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine”. The State Department underscored that “the Iranian government’s military support to Russia fuels the conflict in Ukraine, and its transfer of these UAVs is in clear violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231. The U.S. will continue to work to disrupt and delay these transfers and impose costs on actors engaged in this activity”.

The U.S. 5^th Fleet revealed that on 8 November it interdicted a vessel “in the Gulf of Oman smuggling lethal aid, including a large quantity of explosive material, from Iran to Yemen”; the four Yemeni crewmembers were repatriated and the ship sunk. A U.S. commander maintained that the 70 tonnes of ammonium perchlorate found abroad “was a massive amount of explosive material, enough to fuel more than a dozen medium-range ballistic missiles depending on the size”. The U.S. statement also highlighted that “the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Huthis violates UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law”. Iran maintained it had “not taken any action against the resolution, and is actively cooperating with the sanctions committee formed to oversee the arms embargo”.

U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley reiterated that “if these [nuclear] negotiations are not happening, it’s because of Iran’s position and everything that has happened since [September]”, adding: “Our focus is not an accord that isn’t moving forward, but what is happening in Iran... this popular movement and the brutal crackdown of the regime against protesters. It’s the sale of armed drones by Iran to Russia... and the liberation of our hostages”. “If Iran takes the initiative to cross new thresholds in its nuclear program”, he warned, “then obviously the response will be different and coordinated with our European allies”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a statement asserting that the U.S. was “deeply concerned about reports from Iran of mass arrests, sham trials and now a death sentence for protesters voicing legitimate demands against a government that systematically denies basic dignity and freedom to its people”, adding: “The human rights abuses inflicted by its government must not go without consequence… The U.S., standing with our partners and allies around the world, will continue to pursue accountability for those responsible for these abuses through sanctions and other means”.  

CENTCOM announced that it had conducted a bomber task force mission “with thirteen partner nation air forces, showcasing the ability to rapidly deploy global airpower alongside coalition and regional partner forces and ensuring the security of this critical region”.

Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian remarked that on “the fuss made by some western countries that Iran has provided Russia with missiles and drones to help it in the Ukraine war, claims about the missile part is completely wrong and the drone part is correct”, adding that the UAV transfer preceded the Ukraine war. U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley reacted to Amirabdollahian’s statement by saying: “Iran didn’t give a limited number of drones before the war. They transferred dozens just this summer and have military personnel in occupied Ukraine helping Russia use them against Ukrainian civilians. Confronted with evidence, they need a new policy, not a new story”.

The IRCG reported the successful testing of a solid fuel satellite carrier, dubbed Qaem 100. A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson said “such actions are unhelpful and destablising… the U.S. remains concerned with Iran’s continued development of space launch vehicles (SLVs), which pose a significant proliferation concern… [and] defy United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231”. “[The U.S.] continues to use a variety of non-proliferation tools, including sanctions, to counter the further advancement of Iran’s ballistic missile program and its ability to proliferate missiles and related technology to others”, the spokesperson added.

G7 foreign ministers jointly expressed “our support for the fundamental aspiration of the people of Iran for a future where human security and their universal human rights are respected and protected”, going on to condemn the government’s crackdown against protesters and emphasising: “We will continue to use all available diplomatic measures to hold the Iranian authorities to account”. They also “strongly condemn[ed] Iran’s continued destabilising activities in and around the Middle East”, and welcomed “efforts at the UN to hold Russia and Iran accountable for their blatant violations of UNSCR 2231”. The ministers further vowed to “continue working together, and with other international partners, to address Iran’s nuclear escalation and insufficient cooperation with the IAEA… We remain deeply concerned by the unabated expansion of Iran’s nuclear program”.

The U.S. sanctioned “members of an international oil smuggling network that facilitated oil trades and generated revenue for Hizbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF)”.

Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the U.S. would “work with our partners to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women”, adding: “We will continue to hold accountable the Iranian officials and entities responsibly for the violence against protesters”. The same day, the U.S. co-hosted an Arria-formula discussion on the protests at the United Nations. Iran’s UN envoy argued that the aim of the meeting was “clearly to interfere in the domestic affairs of a sovereign state”, while raising concerns over what he called “the politicisation of human rights issues and manipulation of the UN system by certain States to advance their short-sighted political objectives”.

Following media reports that Saudi Arabia had provided the U.S. with intelligence described as signaling Iranian intentions “to carry out attacks on both the kingdom and Erbil”, a White House spokesperson indicated that “we are concerned about the threat picture, and we remain in constant contact through military and intelligence channels with the Saudis... We will not hesitate to act in the defence of our interests and partners in the region”. Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the report as “biased fabrication”, emphasising that “Iran believes improvement of stability and security in the region hinges on constructive interaction with neighbours”.

The U.S. Special Envoy for Iran asserted that “nothing’s happening on the nuclear deal so we're not going to spend our time, waste our time on it, if nothing’s going to happen”, going on to note “a preference for diplomacy if that can work, with tools of pressure, sanctions in particular. But also keeping very much all options on the table in case diplomacy were to fail”.

The U.S. sanctioned “the 15 Khordad Foundation, an Iran-based foundation that has issued a multi-million-dollar bounty for the killing of prominent Indian-born, British-American author Salman Rushdie”.

The Treasury Department sanctioned “ten Iranian officials for the brutal ongoing crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran, as well as two Iranian intelligence actors and two Iranian entities involved in the Iranian government’s efforts to disrupt digital freedom”. In parallel, the State Department designated “two individuals and one entity implicated in extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognised human rights committed against individuals in Iran”.

A White House spokesperson stated that “we are concerned that Moscow may be advising Tehran on best practices, drawing on Russia’s extensive experience of suppressing open demonstrations. The evidence that Iran is helping Russia rage its war against Ukraine is clear and it is public. And Iran and Russia are growing closer the more isolated they become. Our message to Iran is very, very clear – stop killing your people and stop sending weapons to Russia to help kill Ukrainians”.

At the UN Security Council, the U.S. representative contended that “Russia and Iran teamed up to violate Resolution 2231. Iran, in violation of Resolution 2231, provided Russia with drones to wreak havoc and inflict destruction on Ukrainian civilians. Russia, in violation of Resolution 2231, procured them… There is no doubt that the transfer occurred without approval by the Council, and thus in violation of Resolution 2231”. During the same session, Iran’s envoy reiterated that “Iran has never provided the parties with weapons for use in the Ukraine conflict”.

Israel’s president visited the U.S. to discuss, inter alia, “the Iranian threat, which is destabilising not only the Middle East, but the entire world, requiring a firm and united stand against it”. Prior to a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Herzog said that he would “be exposing more of the fact that Iranian weapons are used against civilians, innocent civilians in Ukraine”. The following day, speaking alongside President Biden, he maintained: “Iran [is] crushing their own citizens while moving forward towards nuclear weapons and supplying lethal weapons that is killing innocent citizens in Ukraine. The Iranian challenge will be a major challenge to be discussed”.

The U.S. and Israel held a session of the Joint Political-Military Group (JMPG), concentrating on, inter alia, “cooperation against the Iranian nuclear and regional threats, the opportunities created by the Abraham Accords and the evolving cooperation between the Israel Defence Forces and the Department of Defense, with U.S. Central Command leading operational expansion of military cooperation”. The two sides also reiterated their “shared commitment to a credible military threat in order to deter Iran”.

The U.S. military denied claims by a senior Iranian commander regarding the seizure of two naval drones. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken maintained that “there’s no imminent [nuclear] agreement because the Iranians continue to inject extraneous issues into the discussions about the JCPOA. And as long as they continue to do that, there is no possibility, no prospect for an agreement. We continue to believe that a diplomatic resolution to the challenge posed by Iran’s nuclear program remains the best way forward, and we continue to be determined that Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon or the capacity to build one, including the fissile material necessary to fuel one”. Blinken further affirmed: “With or without it, we will continue to take every step necessary to deal with Iran’s activities, Iran’s aggression, whether it’s in the Middle East or beyond. And we’re seeing that now with the provision of UAVs to Russia to help it continue its aggression against the Ukrainian people”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently remarked that “we do not do talks for the sake of talks. Iran is ready for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, but it seems Washington does not have the political will”.

The National Security Council’s spokesperson reported that “Russian military personnel that are based in Crimea have been piloting Iranian UAVs, using them to conduct strikes across Ukraine, including strikes against Kyiv… Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted with these operations”. “Tehran is now directly engaged on the ground and through the provision of weapons that are impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, that are killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure in Ukraine”, he added.

The U.S., UK and France raised “the issue of Iran’s transfer of UAVs to Russia at a meeting of the UN Security Council, where Council members received expert briefings from the UN Secretariat on reports of the transfer of these dangerous weapons”. A U.S. readout noted “grave concerns about Russia’s acquisition of these UAVs from Iran in violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231”, adding: “We will not hesitate to use our sanctions and other appropriate tools on all involved in these transfers. We will also continue to surge unprecedented security assistance to Ukraine, including air defense capabilities, so that Ukraine can defend itself from these weapons”.