Zarif urges neighbors to choose peace over tension

Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged neighboring countries to choose peace, security, stability and prosperity for all instead of remaining prisoners of the past and perpetuate instability and tension in the region.

Zarif made the remarks in an address to a virtual debate of the United Nations Security Council under the title “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Comprehensive Review of the Situation in the Persian Gulf.”

Pointing to the Hormuz Peace Endeavor—or HOPE—that was proposed by President Rouhani in his address to the UN General Assembly last year, Zarif said Iran stands by that initiative which is the culmination of various Iranian proposals for security and confidence building in the Persian Gulf region.

He said in the past couple of decades, the region has been the scene of several wars, massive foreign military buildups, ensuing nightmare of extremism and terrorism, dangerous accumulation of the most sophisticated weaponry, and aggression and power projection by various actors.

The foreign minister added, “The disparities in power, geographic size, and natural and human resources are very real. Historical anxieties and rivalries among many regional countries cannot be overlooked.” 

“We know that most of our neighbors prefer peace and dialogue, but it cannot be achieved if one or two pursue confrontation and wishfully wait for alien vampires to ‘cut their neighbor’s head’. That delusion will never be realized.”

He named three flawed prescriptions that have caused catastrophic consequences, saying, “First, that you can purchase security from others: Be it from Saddam Hussein invading Iran on some of our neighbor’s behalf; or from the US coming to rescue our neighbors from the monster that they had together created; or through unprecedented purchase of military hardware.”

According to Zarif, the second flawed prescription is, “you can have security at the expense of the insecurity of your neighbors: Be it Iran, Kuwait or Qatar at one time or another.”

The third, he continued, “you can establish regional hegemony: Be it in Yemen, North Africa or the Horn of Africa.”

He condemned extra-regional actors for looking at the regional disparities, unending rivalries and new hegemonic illusions as opportunities to expand their military presence and to sell more weapons.

The United States has deployed nearly 50,000 troops in the Persian Gulf region in 29 military installations with more than 300 combat aircraft, he said, adding, “The US has at least one aircraft carrier patrolling our waters at any given time, as well as tens of destroyers and other vessels with four Central Command Headquarters for its Army and its Special Forces, Air Force and Navy.”

Zarif also voiced Tehran’s appreciation to the overwhelming majority of Security Council members for rejecting US efforts to kill the JCPOA and Security Council Resolution 2231. 

Iran does not intend to engage in any arms race in the region and start a buying spree in spite of the end of Security Council restrictions, the foreign minister highlighted.

Zarif called on regional countries to envisage a broad spectrum of cooperation and confidence building measures that include water management, environmental protection, nuclear safety, energy security, education, tourism, economic cooperation, trade, investment, poverty eradication and people empowerment.

 “We all have anxieties and grievances. Certainly, Iranians will never forget 8 years of an imposed war: the aggressor fully financed by our neighbors,” Zarif reminded the regional countries.

“We can choose to remain prisoners of the past and perpetuate instability and tension. Or, all of us—and I stress all—can choose peace, security, stability and prosperity for all. The choice, surely, should be obvious to everyone,” he concluded.

Iran marks end of arms embargo

On October 18, the global ban on the sale of conventional arms to Iran expired and opened the way for the Islamic Republic to import weapons, including warplanes and helicopter gunships, missiles, tanks, artillery and other weapon systems. The ban was imposed by UN Resolution 1929 in 2010. It was lifted as part of the 2015 nuclear deal – enshrined in UN resolution 2231 – as one of the incentives for Tehran to cooperate on its nuclear program. Iran was also allowed to export its domestically produced arms for the first time in a decade. 

Iran hailed the expiration of the arms embargo. “As of Sunday, we can purchase or sell arms from and to anyone we desire,” President Hassan Rouhani said. He noted that the United States had failed to extend the arms embargo in a new UN resolution. “Today is a momentous day for the international community ... in defiance of the US regime’s effort,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement. In a tweet, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said “normalization of Iran’s defense cooperation with the world is a win for the cause of multilateralism and peace and security in our region.”

 In April, the Trump administration launched a diplomatic initiative at the United Nations to extend the embargo on the sale of conventional arms indefinitely. But on August 14, the Security Council roundly rejected the US resolution in one of the worst diplomatic defeats ever for Washington. Only two countries (the United States and the Dominican Republic) on the 15-member council voted for the resolution; two (Russia and China) rejected the resolution, and 11 nations abstained. To win passage, a Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the Council’s five permanent members – Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States. In September, after the UN vote, the United States unilaterally reimposed UN sanctions despite criticism for other world powers.

As the embargo expired in mid-October, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to sanction any individual or company that supports Iran’s conventional weapons program. “Any nation that sells weapons to Iran is impoverishing the Iranian people by enabling the regime’s diversion of funds away from the people and toward the regime’s military aims,” he warned in a statement.

“Today is a momentous day for the international community, which in defiance of the U.S. regime’s efforts, has protected UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). As of today, all restrictions on the transfer of arms, related activities and financial services to and from the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all prohibitions regarding the entry into or transit through territories of the United Nations Member States previously imposed on a number of Iranian citizens and military officials, are all automatically terminated.

In one of the JCPOA’s innovations, the definitive and unconditional termination of arms restrictions and travel bans requires no new resolution, nor does it require any statement or any other measure by the Security Council. The lifting of arms restrictions and the travel ban were designed to be automatic with no other action required. This was achieved after painstaking negotiations, and with a prescient anticipation of the possibility of a breach of obligations by one or more of the other parties to the JCPOA. The very same procedure is applied for the termination of missile-related restrictions in the year 2023, and the subsequent conclusion of ‘consideration of the Iranian nuclear issue’ in the Security Council in the year 2025.

“Therefore, as of today, the Islamic Republic of Iran may procure any necessary arms and equipment from any source without any legal restrictions and solely based on its defensive needs, and may also export defensive armaments based on its own policies. It should be underlined here that rejecting imposition in any form is the cornerstone of Iran’s foreign policy. Therefore, the imposition of any restriction on any field—including finance, the economy, energy, and armaments—has never been recognized by Iran.

“At the same time, Iran’s defense doctrine is premised on strong reliance on its people and indigenous capabilities. Ever since the eight-year imposed war on Iran by Saddam Hussein’s regime—during which the Iranian people were victims of sophisticated and lethal weapons provided to Saddam by the West while Iran was deprived of procuring even the most basic defensive weaponry—the Islamic Republic of Iran has provided for its defensive needs through indigenous capacities and capabilities.

This doctrine has been and will continue to be the principal driver behind all measures of the Islamic Republic of Iran in maintaining its strong defensive power. Unconventional arms, weapons of mass destruction and a buying spree of conventional arms have no place in Iran’s defense doctrine. The country’s deterrence stems from native knowledge and capability, as well as our people’s power and resilience.

Israel had a secret embassy in Bahrain for more than a decade

While the signing of the Abraham Accords signifies the first official diplomatic ties between Israel and Bahrain, the Jewish state has, in fact, been operating a secret embassy in the Bahraini capital of Manama for over a decade, according to a report.

For 11 years, Israel has worked to conduct diplomacy with Bahrain in secret, through the use of a front company. However, this secret diplomatic office's existence was classified and has only recently come to light following a short report recently.

According to this investigative look at over a decade's worth of clandestine diplomatic ties between Israel and Bahrain, the idea of a secret diplomatic mission was brought up in 2007-2008 during a series of meetings with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khaled bin Ahmad Al Khalifa and his then-Israeli counterpart, Tzipi Livni. The decision to open the mission in Manama was preceded by the closing of an Israeli mission in Qatar.

According to the report, the mission was registered on July 13, 2009, under the name of the front company known as The Center for International Development, though it has since changed its name and its current name remains classified. Bahraini records registered the firm as a company providing marketing, promotion and investment services, and its website explained it was a consultant to Western companies interested in non-oil investments in the region.

Like all companies, The Center for International Development had employees. However, the employment criterion was extremely narrow: Israeli diplomats possessing dual nationality. This can be seen in some of its shareholders and board-members. One of its shareholders detailed in public records, Brett Jonathan Miller, is South African, but he would later be appointed Israeli consul general to Mumbai. Another shareholder was Belgian citizen Ido Moed, who currently serves as cyber coordinator in the Foreign Ministry. Even its CEO was a diplomatic officer, though his identity remains classified save for the fact that he was an American national. He was only appointed in 2018, and has recently been replaced. To keep up the charade, all diplomats involved possessed cover stories backed by profiles on the popular business and networking social media platform LinkedIn.

And though this mission was small and clandestine, it was incredibly profitable, with hundreds of business deals struck by Israeli companies in Bahrain due to the mission's activities. What will the existence of this mission mean for Israeli-Bahraini relations going forward?

 Immediately after relations were officially established, Israel sent a formal request to open an embassy in Manama. However, this undertaking has been made incredibly simple by the existence of the mission, as all the groundwork and infrastructure is quite literally already in place. All they have to do is change the sign on the door.

USD witnessing persistent selling

With 13 days until the US Presidential election, it is no surprise to see investors selling greenback. President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are locked in a tight race. There are growing fears, if Biden wins by a narrow margin, Trump may not leave office willingly. 

Despite a raging second virus wave in many Eurozone nations, the common currency is on a tear. It is almost hard to believe that EUR/USD hit a one month high on Wednesday. Some of the biggest countries in Europe have implemented new restrictions and Europeans are staying at home as much as possible. This behavior will undoubtedly weigh on growth.

There have been some comments suggesting that the European Central Bank (ECB) is not ready to ease policies, but if the economy freezes up from a second wave, it will have no choice. The only reason EUR is strong is because of its attracting demand from investors selling USD. 

GBP also hit a one month high versus the greenback. Brexit deal hopes and mixed inflation data helped to lift the currency. Consumer prices rose in September, which was less than expected but stronger than the previous month. Producer prices beat expectations and rose at a faster pace. The durability of EUR and GBP rally will hinge upon Friday’s PMI reports.

Recently, the New Zealand and Australian currieries saw strong gains today on the back of USD weakness. There’s a very clear trend of improving NZ data and weakening AU data that should continue to drive these currencies lower.

Has US election already been hijacked?

Both Republicans and Democrats fear that the other party will attempt to hijack this election. President Trump is convinced that mail-in ballots are a scam except in Florida, where it’s safe to vote by mail because of its “great Republican governor.”

The FBI is worried about foreign hackers continuing to target and exploit vulnerabilities in the nation’s electoral system, sowing distrust about the parties, the process and the outcome.

There is growing perception that the voting booths have already been hijacked by political elites comprising of Republicans and Democrats, who are adamant at retaining power at all costs. The outcome is a foregone conclusion, Deep State will win and people will lose.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has been tasked with helping to secure the elections and protect the nation against cyberattacks. Many believe that DHS is not exactly an agency known for its adherence to freedom principles. There is also a perception that DHS is responsible for turning the American republic into a police state.

Voters want to live in the fantasy that they’re electing someone who truly represents the citizenry rather than the Deep State. However, the harsh reality is that it doesn’t matter who wins the White House, because they all work for the same boss: Corporate America. Understanding this, many corporations hedge their bets on who will win the White House by splitting their donations between Democratic and Republican candidates.

It is a political illusion aimed at persuading the citizenry that they are free, that their votes count, and that they actually have some control over the government. The harsh reality is, citizens are prisoners of a Corporate Elite. Election is a sophisticated trick aimed at keeping people divided and fighting over two parties whose priorities, more often than not, are exactly the same. 

It’s no secret that both the parties support endless wars, engage in out-of-control spending, ignore the citizenry’s basic rights, have no respect for the rule of law, are bought and paid for by Big Business, care most about their own power, and have a long record of expanding government and shrinking liberty. Most of all, both parties enjoy an intimate, incestuous history with each other and with the moneyed elite that rule this country.

Candidates volley at each other for the benefit of the cameras; they’re a relatively chummy bunch away from the spotlight. Moreover, despite Congress’ so-called political gridlock, the elected officials seem to have no trouble finding common ground when it’s time to collectively play the game to the mega corporations, lobbyists, defense contractors and other special interest groups to whom they have pledged their true allegiance.

Over half of voting public wants Netanyahu to quit politics

According to reports more than half of Israelis of voting age want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to leave politics.

According to details, when they were asked, do they want Netanyahu to leave politics, 54% said yes, 36% said no, and 10% said they do not know. Among respondents who voted Likud in the last election in March, 28% wanted Netanyahu out of politics, and among those who cast ballots for Yamina, 57% wanted him to go.

The numbers were similar to those who told that they did not trust Netanyahu to handle the coronavirus crisis. As many as 55% said they could not trust him to deal with both the health crisis and the economic crisis.

Asked whether they believed the decision to lock down was made for political reasons, 51% said yes, 34% said no, and 15% said they did not know.

According to the poll, if elections were to be held now, Netanyahu’s Likud would win 28 seats and Naftali Bennett’s Yamina would gain 21. Yesh Atid-Telem would win 17, the joint list 14, and Yisrael Beytenu, Shas and Blue and White nine each. The poll predicted seven seats for United Torah Judaism and six for Meretz.

The poll was taken recently among 1,033 respondents representing a statistical sample of Israel’s adult population and had a margin of error of 3.1%.

Emerging global food crisis

The day World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its fight against hunger, fresh numbers from the US government showed that tighter crop supplies could worsen the food inequality crisis that’s sweeping the globe.

In its hotly watched monthly crop report, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said world soybean stockpiles will be smaller than expected, signaled growing competition over global wheat shipments and highlighted dry weather as a threat to crops in parts of South America and Europe.

Taken together, the report indicated that global food prices could keep climbing, making adequate nutrition more expensive as millions are thrown out of work and economic woes deepen.

United Nations also released its gauge of global food prices, which showed costs rose 2.1% in September, mainly driven by grains and vegetable oils. The index is approaching a multi-year peak set in January. The USDA figures show that the increases could continue as China imports more soybeans and wheat, tightening the global balance sheet.

Prices are rising as the world is forecast for a sharp rise in food insecurity because of COVID-19 impact. As many as 132 million more people globally may fall into the grip of hunger this year, including in many places that used to have relative stability.

While global grain and oilseed supplies remain relatively robust, wild weather including a recent severe wind storm in Iowa means harvests are smaller than initially hoped. Average yields for US corn and soybeans are still record large, though there are fewer acres that will be harvested.

Meanwhile, in Russia, top wheat exporting country production increased by 5 million tons to 83 million tons, the second biggest ever, according to the USDA’s report. Wheat output was cut in Argentina, Canada, Ukraine and the United States.

Prices have been surging in Chicago, with investors enticed by a demand driven rally. Soybeans for November delivery climbed as much as 2.8% to US$10.7975 a bushel, the highest for a most-active contract since March 2018. Wheat prices touched a five-year high earlier this week.

The crop outlooks and higher prices come as the World Food Program warned of hunger crisis of inconceivable proportions, unless it and other groups with a similar focus get the financial backing they need to do their work.