U.S. troops in Syria could have an indirect impact in thwarting Iran

Washington Examiner, Feb. 27, 2018 - The head of U.S. Central Command told Congress Tuesday that American troops are in Syria solely for the purposed of defeating the Islamic State, and not to counter the influence of Iran.
“Countering Iran is not one of the coalition missions in Syria,” Gen. Joseph Votel said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. Yet he suggested U.S. troops could have an indirect impact in thwarting Iran.
 “That said, I think one of the most effective things that we can do in this particular area is built strong relationships,” he said.

US, Britain, France, Germany condemn Iran, warn to stop arming Houthi militia

Al Arabiya, 28 February 2018-- The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have condemned Iran on Tuesday in a joint statement for breaking UN law prohibiting the supply of arms to Yemen.

Their statement comes a day after Russia vetoed a resolution put forward by Britain condemning Tehran. The resolution would also condemn Iran for arming Houthi militias.

Following the Russian veto, the Security Council unanimously adopted a technical resolution which renews the current arms embargo without any reference to Iran.

For months now, the United States has been pressurizing to condemn Iran and to enforce sanctions upon the country after Houthi militia fired ballistic missiles towards Saudi Arabia in 2017.

Trump discusses Iran in calls with Saudi, UAE leaders: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) February 28, 2018 - U.S. President Donald Trump discussed Iran’s “destabilizing activities” and other security and economic issues in separate telephone calls with senior Saudi and Emirati leaders on Tuesday, the White House said. 
In calls with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin 

Protesters rally after Iranian minister addresses UN rights body

Geneva, Reuters, February 28, 2018 - As Iran’s justice minister addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday, protesters rallied outside against the senior official who is on European Union and Swiss sanctions lists over alleged involvement in violations including arbitrary arrests and a rise in executions while he was president of the Tehran judiciary.

Alireza Avai was a senior judiciary official during the 1980s and the Mujahedin-e Khalq, an Iranian opposition group, accuses him of playing a role in the Islamic Republic’s execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.

He said a recent reform of its drug laws should lead to fewer executions after the UN Secretary-General said he remained alarmed about their high number - nearly 500 last year.

VIDEO: Russia violating duty to rein in Assad use of chemicals - US

Orient Net, 28 February 2018 -- A senior US disarmament official said on Wednesday that Russia has violated its commitments as guarantor of the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile and preventing the Assad regime from using them.

Political Prisoner Sentenced To Five Years Of Prison For “Cooperating With Dissident Groups”

The 1st Branch of the Zahedan Revolutionary Court presided over by Bameri, sentenced Abdullah Qanbarzehi, to five years in prison for “cooperating with dissident groups”. The 25-year-old political prisoner was arrested by the Intelligence Agency in Zahedan and was subjected to interrogation along with torture for one month in solitary confinement in the Zahedan Information Office. The Miracle Bed is a common method of torture for obtaining confessions from prisoners, especially in the Zahedan Intelligence Detention Center. In this type of torture, the prisoner is tied to the bed and is flogged until he stops resisting and makes confessions that can be used against him.

ANALYSIS: Why is Iran raising the stakes in Syria?

By Heshmat AlaviSpecial to Al Arabiya EnglishTuesday, 27 February 2018

As the world continues to fail in stopping the bloodshed of innocent people in Syria, Iran seeks two main objectives of saving face back home & raising the price any possible deal in the future that is becoming more and more likely now.

The Assad regime is continuously bombing innocent people in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, killing at least 500. Rescue workers are continuously pulling dead civilians from the rubble. As the United Nations Security Council has adopted a 30-day ceasefire resolution, it has become crystal clear that strong actions need to back-up such demands.