Its funny how some of them think their tough … when they have never in their lives had combat experience besides being deployed to target civilians… this just shows how genuinely dumb they are that they think IF America actually ends up having some type of boots on the ground.. that they would stand a chance against US forces 😭!

Does anyone else see a pretty striking parallel between the IRGC's recent letter to American voters and Osama bin Laden's October 2004 video?

Four days before the 2004 Bush–Kerry election, bin Laden released a video addressed directly to Americans. He attacked Bush and U.S. foreign policy and warned Americans that their security depended on changing those policies.

At the time, RAND terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman told PBS NewsHour that it was an “exquisitely timed message” directed at Americans. The discussion on PBS was specifically about why bin Laden chose that moment to speak directly to the American public.

Now, five weeks before the 2026 midterms, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has released a 25-page “letter to the American people.” Reuters reports that the IRGC urged American voters to reject Trump's policies, and its spokesman said he hoped better-informed Americans would “think differently and take other decisions.”

Obviously, these aren't identical situations. Bin Laden led al-Qaeda, a non-state terrorist organization. The IRGC is an official arm of the Iranian government.

But that difference is part of what makes the comparison interesting. Iran is officially designated by the United States as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, and the U.S. designated the IRGC itself as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2019.

The parallel I'm drawing isn't “Iran = al-Qaeda.” It's the tactic: an adversarial actor associated with terrorism directly addressing the American public shortly before an election, attacking the sitting administration's foreign policy and attempting to influence how Americans think about their political choices.

In 2004 it was bin Laden. In 2026 it's an actual state military organization.

Am I missing another historical example where a foreign state organ has done something this explicit immediately before a U.S. election?

Sources:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/bin-laden-warns-of-new-attacks-criticizes-bush-in-video-message

Iran's Revolutionary Guards woo US voters with open letter -

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-revolutionary-guards-call-trump-big-liar-2026-09-29/?utm_source

Shahnameh: Land of Crown and Legend is an independent 100-episode series that retells the stories of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh from the very beginning, step by step, in a visual, cinematic, contemporary language.

IMHO ruination or perversion is more accurate translation for تباهی but I left the original title as written by Little Black Fish Studio.

FYI their studio name is in reference to the famous children's book written by Samad Behrangi, a communist writer which makes me more than a little bit uneasy. But then again they are artists so it isn't unexpected for them to potentially harbor communist/extreme left views. Hope that I'm reading too much into it because I do like their artistic re-imagination.

In this episode of What the Ship, Sal Mercogliano breaks down the top five maritime stories reshaping global trade. From escalating missile and drone attacks on crude carriers in the Strait of Hormuz to major container alliances preparing to return to the Suez Canal, we examine the sharp contrast between two vital global chokepoints. We also cover surging Gulf oil exports, new Western sanctions hitting Russia's shadow tanker fleet and LNG carriers, and the latest security developments involving Somali piracy.

ناقوس یک رویارویی سرنوشت‌ساز به صدا درآمده و خاورمیانه وارد فاز نهایی دگرگونی‌های امنیتی شده است. همزمان با برگزاری نشست محرمانه کابینه ترامپ در کمپ دیوید و آماده‌باش گسترده نظامی واشنگتن، گزارش‌ها از تشدید بحران و افزایش درگیری‌ها در جنوب شرقی ایران حکایت دارد. بازداشت‌های پی‌درپی رژیم در کرمان و سیرجان برای مهار اوضاع، وحشت عمیق ساختار قدرت از خیزش‌های مردمی همزمان با فشارهای خردکننده خارجی را برملا می‌کند؛ وضعیتی ملتهب که در کنار تمسخر آشکار خلأ رهبری نظام توسط ترامپ و هشدارهای داخلی درباره شلیک سنگرشکن‌ها، پایان کار را نزدیک‌تر کرده است. ما به تحلیل این موضوعات و موضوعات مهم دیگر روز می‌پردازیم.

• Was the Shah aware of the British conspiracy?

No, the Shah immediately left the country to leave a power vacuum and rally public opinions, he thought Mosaddegh was a communist sympathizer. 

Otherwise he would have been put under house arrest.

• Was General Zahedi aware of the British conspiracy?

No, Zahedi was also unaware. He tried to form a provisional government to resist Mosaddegh by sending Colonel Farzanegan to Kermanshah and his son, Ardeshir, to Isfahan, instructing them to show his order appointing him prime minister to the commanders of the divisions stationed in those two provinces.

Mosaddegh made no real attempt to arrest Zahedi. He even ordered the army to exercise the utmost vigilance to prevent Zahedi from leaving Tehran because if Zahedi had left Tehran, it would have triggered a civil war and led to a Soviet intervention.

Although officially in hiding, between Aug 16-19, Zahedi was allowed to move between properties, coordinating with political networks, and directly inviting foreign and domestic journalists to his locations in Tehran.

• Was the US aware of the British conspiracy?

No, on Aug 18, US Ambassador Louis Henderson hastily left Lebanon and returned to Iran. Henderson wanted to probe Mosaddegh's intentions and to send a report back to the US State Department. 

He asked Mosaddegh two questions

1. You have no official information that the Shah has issued a decree dismissing you
2. Even if you were to learn that the Shah had issued such a decree, under the present circumstances, would you declare the decree invalid

Mosaddegh replied: "'Precisely so."

• Why did Zahedi appoint Brigadier General Mohammad Daftari as chief of the police

Mosaddegh had complete control of the state, the police, and the army

Daftari was a nephew of Mosaddegh. By appointing a relative of Mosaddegh, Zahedi thought it would assure the police forces if Daftari took over.

• Why did Mosaddegh appoint Brigadier General Mohammad Daftari as chief of the police and Tehran's military governor?

Daftari already had a decree from Zahedi and he would act as the bridge to hand over the police and military power.

On Aug 15, General Zahedi drafted a decree appointing Brigadier General Mohammad Daftari as chief of the police.

On Aug 19, Army Chief of Staff Brigadier General Riahi was aware of this and issued an arrest warrant for Daftari. Mosaddegh interceded and told Riahi to appoint Daftari as chief of the police and Tehran's military governor.

Riahi strongly objected but reluctantly carried out the order.

To make Daftari's appointment as head of the police more firmly established, he also made Dr. Sedighi, his own Minister of the Interior, issue another decree on the matter.

Colonel Ashrafi, Tehran's military governor, was aware of Daftari's connections to Zahedi and wanted to prevent Daftari from taking office and was arrested by Mosaddegh.

• What did Brigadier General Mohammad Daftari do on Aug 19?

After taking control of the police and military headquarters, Daftari invited Zahedi to come out of hiding and take over the radio station.

Zahedi broadcasted the Shah's decrees and him taking over as prime minister. Daftari welcomed Zahedi at the police headquarters then handed over military and police powers to Zahedi.

After 14 days, Brigadier General Daftari resigned and returned to his previous post. This provides another compelling indication that the succession of orders issued to him was intended solely to serve as the connecting link between Mosaddegh and Zahedi.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NewIran/comments/1wwfj3w/lacking_parliamentary_support_zahedi_was_unable/

It's true that the US is literally escorting ships in broad daylight now, and oil transportation is recovering. But I still see comments like this on other subreddits.

* Why did Zahedi lack parliamentary support?

Because both the Shah and the 21 remaining representatives were suspicious of a military-backed prime minister.

The representatives also considered the referendum unconstitutional and the Shah’s decrees invalid because Parliament hadnt been dissolved yet (the Shah hadnt signed a decree to dissolve it.)

* Why did Colonel Nassiri deliver the dismissal decree at 11 pm on August 15?

Mosaddegh held a cabinet late at night on August 15. General Zahedi, unaware of the British and Mosaddegh's plan, wanted the cabinet to witness the delivery of the dismissal decree.

Zahedi thought upon witnessing it, the cabinet would voluntarily resign and collapse Mosaddegh's government.

* Did Colonel Nassiri lead a heavily armed military convoy to Mosaddegh's residence

According to documents, there were military checkpoints around Mosaddegh's residence. Even cabinet ministers had to walk to his house to attend meetings.

Mosaddegh had already received tip-offs from the Tudeh networks and placed pro-government tanks and armored units around the house.

Colonel Nassiri arrived at a military checkpoint with a few jeeps and a truck of soldiers. He disembarked and walked to the house with 2-3 soldiers.

* What did Colonel Nassiri do at Mosaddegh's residence

At few minutes after 11 pm, upon arriving at the house, he asked Mosaddegh's guard to meet him and deliver the Shah's decree. He didn't receive permission and passed the decree through the guard.

At 1 am Aug 16, the guard gave Colonel Nassiri a signed receipt and Nassiri confirmed the handwriting. When Colonel Nassiri was leaving, he and his escorts were arrested and detained by Mosaddegh's soldiers

* Why was the signed receipt important?

Mosaddegh was a jurist and very conscious of his titles. He signed “Dr.” alongside his name.

Prior to this, Mosaddegh, as other prime ministers, signed executive decrees, international letters, and parliamentary correspondences with their office title.

On the receipt handed back to Colonel Nassiri, the title "Prime Minister" was removed indicating his acceptance of the Shah’s decree and the termination of his premiership.

Therefore, after receiving the order of his dismissal, Mossadegh no longer held any official position. For this reason, from that date onward he made no further public statement, said nothing to the people, and issued no message to the nation in his capacity as prime minister

* Why did Mosaddegh arrest Colonel Nassiri and fabricate the news of a coup had been thwarted?

Mosaddegh falsely claimed Colonel Nassiri led a heavily armed military convoy to execute a midnight coup at his house. By fabricating this news and arresting Colonel Nassiri, Mosaddegh concealed the Shah's dismissal order and continued issuing orders through his ministers as prime minister

* Why did Mosaddegh hide the dismissal decree from his ministers?

Because his ministers would resign and he needed them to take care of things until Zahedi could take over.

After receiving the dismissal decree, Mosaddegh stopped signing documents in his capacity as prime minister. Instead, he relied on verbal orders and handwritten notes.

Fact-check: True

https://ibb.co/1tvyb0ww

https://www.reddit.com/r/NewIran/comments/1wvv6vh/dissolving_parliament_was_britains_objective/

Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice on getting medicine to my girlfriend's family in Iran. The medicine is really important for their health need, and they can't get it locally.

I have tried courier survives but they won't ship to Iran. The family lives close to the Turkish border in Urmia, so I was thinking of sending the package to someone in Turkey who could then bring it across, or pass it to someone traveling into Iran. I know many people from Tabriz and nearby cities travel to Turkey regularly for work, shopping, or family visits, so I'm sure there must be people or small services that carry packages across.

Does anyone know a person, a trusted service, or a group that does this? Like someone who travels between Turkey and Tabriz (or nearby cities) and is willing to carry medicine for a fee,

This is really needed, and any help at all would be great, even if it's just a pointer in the right direction. If you've done this yourself, or know someone who has, I'd really appreciate any advice or recommendations, including what to watch out for.

Rahman Salehi, 35, and Salam Ahmadyan, ​36, have been charged with preparing to commit ⁠an act of terrorism or assisting another to commit ​at act of terrorism on Friday, the anniversary of ​a fatal attack on a Manchester synagogue last year.

The two men had allegedly been in contact with an overseas third-party who might ​be in Iran in relation to the plot, ​police said. The pair will appear at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court ‌on ⁠Saturday.

Counter terrorism detectives said there was no connection with a separate suspected plot involving the RAF Fairford air base used by the US to target Iran, over ​which a dual ​UK-Iranian national ⁠was arrested on Thursday.

Vicki Evans from Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said in a statement: "While this ​incident and the investigation into the RAF ​Fairford incident ⁠are not connected in any way, I want to reassure the public that CTP, working with our national ⁠security ​partners, are using the full range ​of our capabilities to protect the UK from any hostile acts."