Ben Rezaei

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

The merger process began before Abdollahi’s appointment. Former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had previously ordered the restructuring, and the armed forces had already begun implementing it before Mojtaba Khamenei ordered Abdollahi to complete the process.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

The new Iranian Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) seal shows that Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters has been merged into the AFGS structure officially.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

KoACHQ Commander Major General Ali Abdollahi’s appointment as the new AFGS chief formalized the merger in August. He assumed leadership of both organizations and received an explicit directive to complete the merger process.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

@HamdiAMalik Among other factors, the surge may partly reflect an Iran-Pakistan agreement to clear containers stockpiled at Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar. Pakistan set a two-month deadline to identify the containers’ owners and beneficiaries.
https://t.co/MevmhN0eKc

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

@CryptoComedyTV Iran imports between 9 and 15 million liters daily. Daily average is 130 million liters. The Lavan refinery, which the UAE struck, was producing 2 million. Russia can’t export because it has its own problems. The shortage is serious and will get worse. Look at southern provinces!

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

The regime canceled the plan. Russia can’t export gas & blockade barred imports in the south. The regime traditionally aims high but later settles somewhere in between to balance the price and people’s anger. The regime likely tests people’s tolerance!

https://t.co/vM2nCbb2cy

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

Iran tests a new 4-tier gas pricing in Kerman Province

60L @ 1.5k toman ($0.008/L)
50L @ 3k toman ($0.016/L)
40L @ 5k toman ($0.027/L)
Extra fuel @ 87.2k toman ($0.47/L)

The highest tier is about 58 times the first-tier price. Gas hikes sparked Iran nationwide protests Nov 2019

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

Iran tests a new 4-tier gas pricing in Kerman Province

60L @ 1.5k toman ($0.008/L)
50L @ 3k toman ($0.016/L)
40L @ 5k toman ($0.027/L)
Extra fuel @ 87.2k toman ($0.47/L)

The highest tier is about 58 times the first-tier price. Gas hikes sparked Iran nationwide protests Nov 2019

[خبرگزاری ایسنا @isna_farsi]

معاون استاندار کرمان: عرضه بنزین با نرخ تمام‌شده پالایشگاهی به مبلغ ۸۷ هزار و ۲۰۰ تومان، از ساعت ۲۴ چهارشنبه (بامداد پنجشنبه) در ۲۰۴ جایگاه سوخت استان کرمان آغاز می‌شود؛ علاوه بر ۱۱۰ لیتر سهمیه ملی، ۴۰ لیتر سهمیه استانی نیز در نظر گرفته شده است
https://t.co/obQWL3cRaj

[Critical Threats @criticalthreats]

NEW | Iran is refusing any arrangement that undermines Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz and is using force to maintain its control. Iran views control over the Strait of Hormuz as a major strategic objective, and its leaders believe that if Iran ends the war without control of the strait, it would be a serious strategic defeat.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

تثبیت کنترل سپاه بر فرایند تصمیم‌گیری نشان می‌دهد که مقام‌های سیاسی ایرانی که اکنون با آمریکا مذاکره می‌کنند، اختیار آن را ندارند که به طور مستقل مواضع مذاکره‌ای ایران را تعیین کنند. به نظر می‌رسد سپاه چهره‌های عمل‌گراتری را که آمریکا با آنان مذاکره کرده بود، به حاشیه رانده است.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

فرمانده کل سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی، سرلشکر احمد وحیدی، و اعضای حلقه نزدیک به او، طی دست‌کم ۴۸ ساعت گذشته، به احتمال زیاد دست‌کم به طور موقت کنترل نه تنها پاسخ نظامی ایران در این درگیری، بلکه همچنین موضع و رویکرد مذاکره‌ای ایران را نیز در اختیار گرفته‌اند. 👇

[Critical Threats @criticalthreats]

NEW | Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Ahmad Vahidi and members of his inner circle have likely secured at least temporary control over not only Iran’s military response in this conflict but also Iran’s negotiating position and approach within the past 48 hours.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

سپاه پس از مذاکرات اسلام‌آباد نیز همچنان نقشی به‌مراتب پررنگ‌تر از حد معمول در مذاکرات ایران ایفا کرد.👇

[Critical Threats @criticalthreats]

NEW | Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Ahmad Vahidi and members of his inner circle have likely secured at least temporary control over not only Iran’s military response in this conflict but also Iran’s negotiating position and approach within the past 48 hours.

[Critical Threats @criticalthreats]

NEW | The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which is the Iranian entity that has disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the war, outlined specific conditions on April 17 for vessels to transit the strait that amount to Iran retaining control over maritime traffic through the strait.

These conditions include:

1) only commercial vessels not “related to belligerent countries” may transit the strait;

2) vessels must transit the strait via Iran’s approved transit route through Iranian territorial waters;

3) vessels must coordinate their passage through the strait with Iranian forces.

These conditions indicate that the IRGC seeks to retain operational control over transit through the strait, likely to continue to use the strait as a point of leverage to try to extract concessions from the United States.

The IRGC's harsh criticism of Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" reflects broader divisions within the Iranian regime, which CTP-ISW has consistently reported on in recent weeks.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

The regime has lost many wars, but it has never lost the narrative war. Claims like the sides were inches away from an agreement have no basis. There is still a light-year difference between what the US demands and what the regime seeks.

[Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi]

In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war.

But when just inches away from "Islamabad MoU", we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.

Zero lessons earned

Good will begets good will.
Enmity begets enmity.

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

تا زمانی که ۴۴۰ کیلوگرم ذخایر اورانیوم ۶۰٪، برنامه موشک‌های بالستیک و حق غنی‌سازی در دست رژیم باشد، هیچ آتش‌بس دائمی وجود نخواهد داشت.
اگر رژیم ۱۲ شروط دیگر را بپذیرد، ۳ شرط قدیمی هنوز بزرگ‌ترین معضل آنها خواهد بود.
#صلح

[Ben Rezaei @brezaei0]

On the #ceasefire 🧵
The ceasefire between Israel & Iran "could" resemble the ceasefires between Israel and Hamas or Hezbollah—fragile and subject to collapse at any moment due to perceived threats. 👇🏼

[Axios @axios]

BREAKING: U.S. special forces rescued the second crew member of the F-15 fighter jet that was shot down over Iran, three U.S. officials tell Axios. https://t.co/uZ0nTGbJkP