“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, faces a dilemma: capitulate to Washington, which would bring sanctions relief but require a far more restrictive nuclear deal and the drastic curtailment of Iran’s assertive foreign policy, or pursue a nuclear weapon, inviting preemptive—and this time, potentially catastrophic—Israeli and American strikes.” — Christopher de Bellaigue
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SHABBAT READING
Gersonides’ Scientific Interpretation of the Tabernacle: Prof. Menachem Kellner, The Torah.com, Feb. 13, 2024 — Gersonides introduces his discussion of the meaning of the Tabernacle and its implements (Exodus 25) by stating that the benefits or lessons of the Tabernacle were meant to cover both theological ideas and social/political values,[14] whose construction calls Israel’s attention to the existence of God:
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TIME IS RUNNING OUT
Iran Accelerates Production of Near Weapons-Grade Uranium, IAEA Says, As Tensions with US Ratchet Up: Stephanie Liechtenstein, AP, Feb. 26, 2025 — Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed.
Iran Has Enough Highly Enriched Uranium for Six Nuclear Weapons: Laurence Norman, WSJ, Feb. 26, 2025 — Iran has sharply increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in recent weeks, according to a confidential United Nations report, as Tehran amasses a critical raw material for atomic weapons.
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Israel Sees Opening for Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites, U.S. Intelligence Finds: Jared Malsin, Alexander Ward, and Dov Lieber, WSJ, Feb. 12, 2025
Is Israel Preparing to Strike Iran’s Nuclear Sites?: Jonathan Spyer, Jerusalem Post, Feb. 21, 2025
Time to Bring Down the Curtain on Iran’s Terror Axis: Robert Williams, Gatestone, Feb. 26, 2025
What Iran Wants: Christopher de Bellaigue, Foreign Affairs, Feb. 25, 2025
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Diplomatic Maneuvering in Riyadh: Russia, US, and Future of Iran’s Nuclear Program: Akbar Novruz, MENAFN, Feb. 27, 2025 — The recent Russia-US talks in Saudi Arabia marked a significant moment in international diplomacy, as they represented the first large-scale negotiations between Moscow and Washington since the start of the war in Ukraine.
IRGC Commander: Iran Poised for Conflict, Developed Advanced Missile Arsenal: JP staff, Jerusalem Post, Feb. 19, 2025 — The Islamic Republic’s Aerospace Force is ready for any conflict that could occur, IRGC Brigadier-General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said on Tuesday, according to Iranian state media Mehr News.
Iran’s IRGC Dismantles Alleged Spy Network Linked to Israel, US: What to Know: Beatrice Farhut, Al-Monitor, Feb. 19, 2025 — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Wednesday that it has dismantled several espionage cells it said were tied to the United States and Israel in the country’s northern Mazandaran province in the latest such operation targeting suspected Israeli-linked individuals.
Marco Rubio calls Iran the greatest source of instability in the Middle East ‘We’re not going to just talk, we’re going to do something about it – maximum pressure is part of it, but Israel must be defended,’ X, i24 News, Feb. 16, 2025 @Norman_Roule tells @nicole_zedeck
Iran Ready to Share Nuclear Expertise with Regional States: MEHR, Feb. 27, 2025 — In an interview with an Egyptian newspaper, Kamal Kharrazi emphasized Iran’s willingness to collaborate with regional nations in transferring its scientific and technological capabilities, including nuclear advancements.