Iran has heightened its blackmailing campaign in recent weeks because it wants the international community to agree to its terms.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) reported that Iran had started to enrich uranium to 20% at its Fordow nuclear site before the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) last Monday illegally hijacked a South Korean ship in the Persian Gulf.
#NCRI and #MEK #Iran reported that (IRGC) seized a Korean tanker. The intention of using the ship its leverage during a meeting with a Korean delegation over the $7 billion frozen because of US sanctions, according to Alejo Vidal-Quadras. https://t.co/naJZvhzDxk #WeStand4FreeIran pic.twitter.com/SKteWxGVpk
— MEK Iran (Mujahedin-e Khalq) (@MEK_Iran) January 13, 2021
The mullahs have tried to put the blame for their actions on the remainder of the world for failing to follow the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. They also claimed that the Korean ship they hijacked was allegedly polluting Gulf waters, but Iran’s state-run media has decided to tell the truth.
A media outlet called the Vatan-e Emrooz daily, which has strong ties with the IRGC, wrote on Monday that Tehran’s real goals are to put pressure on the West to succumb to the mullahs’ will. It wrote that enriching uranium to 20% was a winning card when facing western governments. Rouhani’s government, when nuclear talks began in Geneva 2 years before the JCPOA, halted uranium enrichment in exchange for lifting sanctions, while also demanding that Iran had the right to enrichment. None of these have ever taken place.
Blackmail Tactics: Vidal-Quadras said that the regime is not only using hostages to blackmail the West but also increased nuclear activities that are banned under 2015 nuclear deal, including the enrichment of uranium to 20%.https://t.co/naJZvhzDxk #MEK #Iran #WeStand4FreeIran pic.twitter.com/UT3VTvPrp9
— MEK Iran (Mujahedin-e Khalq) (@MEK_Iran) January 13, 2021
Tehran has violated the deal since the start by continuing nuclear tests and pretending to mothball reactors, which is the reason why the US withdrew in 2018 from the deal.
In response, Iran increased its violations as a way of threatening the other signatories about what could happen if they pulled out and as a way of getting concessions. The other signatories ignored this attitude particularly Britain, France, and Germany, which are now pursuing a disastrous appeasement strategy.
Vatan-e Emrooz wrote a report about the ship seizure. It said when the tanker was hijacked in the waters of the Persian Gulf this sent a frightening message to the South Korean government. A message that offered Seoul two possible options, which were either to choose to pay its long-standing debt to Tehran or security for its use of the Persian Gulf waterways when dealing with its Arab partners.
Iran’s Tactics of Extortion Are Encouraged by a Trend of Words Without Consequences
By: @VidalQuadras #Iran #NoImpunity4Mullahs #Iranianhttps://www.ncr-iran.org/en/blog/op-ed/irans-tactics-of-extortion-are-encouraged-by-a-trend-of-words-without-consequences/ pic.twitter.com/3Z7pn2rZ09— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 10, 2021
This is nothing less than extortion and those on board the ship are risking their lives.
The conclusion is that the international community should take firm action against Tehran’s ongoing confrontational activities which have continued in spite of the Western powers’ persistence on its appeasement policies. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) have been exposing Tehran’s nuclear activities since 2002.
MEK Iran (follow them on Twitter and Facebook)
and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTube
