April 19 – The United Nations said on Thursday that Iran was ‘close’ to producing a nuclear bomb, with uranium enrichment levels far exceeding those needed for civilian nuclear power.
The announcement follows a demand by US President Donald Trump that Iran abandon its nuclear ambitions or face the threat of military action.
The Islamic Republic has previously claimed that its program is purely for peaceful purposes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a powerful military unit which wields significant influence over Iran’s domestic and foreign affairs, has made progress searching for new maritime routes into Lebanon, according to Israeli intelligence officials.
The claim comes after Iran’s trade routes through Lebanon were destroyed by Israel, which claims the routes were primarily used for smuggling by the Islamic Republic.
While Lebanon’s new government has tightened restrictions, the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia group has been able to bring in small amounts of cash and supplies to Lebanon through Beirut International Airport.
And Iran’s naval fleet appears to have withdrawn from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden station, according to a report by the online journal The Maritime Executive.
The apparent withdrawal coincides with the arrival of two US Carrier Strike Groups operating in the region, which has been marred by dozens of attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militia group on vessels using the key commercial shipping route.
Iran’s regular navy has maintained a presence in the Red Sea since 2008, making any departure if confirmed, significant.
