Biden Announces Release Of Hostages, After Iran Gets $6 Billion

National security advisor Qasim al-Araji, leading a high-level security delegation, arrived in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Monday, just a day before the September 19 deadline for finalizing the disarmament agreement.

Back in March, during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani in Baghdad, then-Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, and his Iraqi counterpart al-Araji signed a joint security cooperation document aimed at curtailing the activities of Iranian-Kurdish militants.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has cordial relations with Tehran, has on several occasions called on neighboring countries and armed Kurdish groups to not use the region’s territory as an arena to settle scores. In July, the Iranian military threatened military action if Iraq failed to meet the deadline.

Tehran has long accused the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of harboring opposition groups labeled as "terrorist" or "anti-revolutionary" and permitting them to use border areas as launchpads for attacks against Iran. These groups claim that their armed campaign aims to "defend the rights of the Kurds" in Iran. The Iranian regime has escalated attacks against Iranian Kurds sheltering in Iraqi Kurdistan, citing "separatist" Kurdish groups as instigating conflict in Iranian Kurdish cities by supporting popular protests.

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Al-Araji visited Tehran last week "under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani," to discuss tightening security at the border between the two countries. This visit came several days after the Islamic Republic's warnings that cross-border attacks would continue unless Baghdad and Erbil secured the borders. In recent weeks, he has been shuttling between Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Tehran, and Baghdad to coordinate this effort.

During a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on September 13, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced that several groups had already been disarmed, and arrangements were being made to set up camps at an undisclosed location for the relocation of these groups.

Waad Qado, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s security and defense committee, stated on Monday that Iraq had requested an extension of the deadline. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, however, said on Sunday that Tehran would not extend the ultimatum, warning Baghdad of an "eleventh-hour decision" on the matter.

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"We do not have any extension [to the deadline]. We will act in due time in accordance with the agreement made [with Iraq]," he said, warning Baghdad of a last-minute assessment of the situation before making the final decision. 

The spokesman for Iraq’s Joint Operations Command also said on Sunday that government forces have begun to gain full control over all border points with neighboring Iran, emphasizing that Baghdad is fully committed to implementing the agreement. Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji added, "The step is meant to prevent the use of Iraqi soil to launch an attack on neighboring states, as emphasized in the Iraqi Constitution."

Earlier this month, the ground forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) deployed forces to the northwestern borders of Iran.

In general, Kurdish parties, including Komala and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), favor Kurdish autonomy within a federal Iran. On the other hand, Pejak (the Free Life Party of Kurdistan), an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which originated in Turkey but is also based in northern Iraq, generally advocates for a unified, independent Kurdistan uniting Kurds in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran.

Ronaldo and his team are being protected in Tehran by the Iranian president's security team, according to Iranian media reports, amid sensitivities over Tehran-Riyadh relations which were recently restored after seven years of hiatus.

With chants of "Ronaldo, Ronaldo," the fans surged past law enforcement, flooding the hallways and common areas of the Espinas Palace Hotel, situated to the northwest of Tehran.

Many Iranians on social media are calling for a larger crowd to gather around the hotel Monday night and begin protests against the government. The heavy presence of security forces in the past few days has prevented any protest gathering on the death anniversary of Mahsa Amini.

Ronaldo made his first trip to Iran in preparation for a match against Iran's Persepolis scheduled for September 19th. The return match is set to take place in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on November 27th.

The Brazilian star led the way as the initial high-profile player to embrace lucrative contracts with Saudi teams. The affluent kingdom is investing billions of dollars in its pursuit to transform into a dominant force in the realm of sports and entertainment.

The last instance of Saudi and Iranian teams meeting on their respective home grounds in the group stage or knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League occurred during the 2015 edition.

The announcement comes from the Public Relations of the Basij Force in the Nurabad Mamasani region, identifying the individual as Pouya Khoshnam.

Prior to the incident, another Basij member, Yaser Shojaiyan, had also succumbed to his injuries. Additionally, two more individuals sustained injuries during the attack.

The assailants who used a shotgun to fire at agents while there were on duty have not been identified.

The armed attacks have taken place amidst a series of incidents targeting both military and paramilitary forces in various cities throughout Iran.

The incidents are occurring against the backdrop of ongoing protests in recent months, which initially emerged in response to the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of morality police and the subsequent suppression of demonstrators.

Such attacks have been directed at military personnel, law enforcement officers, and even clerics.

According to a Tehran newspaper, some lawmakers have reportedly been calling on Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to return the bill to the economic committee for further review. They told reporters that lawmakers have serious concerns about the plan's economic implications for the country.

Iran draws up multi-year economic development plans as a guide for both the executive branch and also for the parliament that must examine and approve annual budgets.

The lawmakers also said that Ghalibaf has told the "country's high officials," meaning Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the Islamic Republic's jargon, that although the budget committee has made some changes in the plan, it still cannot be approved because it is deficient. 

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Earlier, former Minister of Economy Mehdi Karbasian had warned: "The 7th Development Plan cannot be implemented because of the inefficiency of the Raisi administration's officials. Also, Iranian economist Farshad Momeni had called the development plan drawn up by the Raisi's government as "strange and delirious." He had said that the plan lacked any clear logic. Another economist, Ali Ghanbari told Khabar Online website that the 7th Development Plan has been written in a perfunctory way.

Mohamad-Reza Pourebrahimi, the chairman of the parliament's Economic Committee told the daily, "We cannot approve parts of the plan. And we are not sure that all additions to the original text of the plan have been made by the Budget Committee." He added: "We are seriously critical of the plan and are preparing a letter to the Speaker of the Majles demanding another round of review by the committees before starting the final debate about it at the parliament. 

Asked about the problematic parts of the Development Plan, Pourebrahimi said, "It is not clear in the plan how the government will fund major parts of the plan from." He added, "The government has not provided us with information, and there are parts of the plan that contradict the Constitutional Law. All of this should have been made clear in the report presented by the Budget Committee." He further added: "In its current shape, the plan is illegal." 

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Meanwhile, Mojtaba Yousefi, a lawmaker from Ahvaz and a member of the Majles Presidium explained to Donya-ye Eqtesad that "It is natural for the Majles to change parts of the plan presented by the government. But we see that changes have been made to the Budget Committee's attestations and we do not know who made the changes." He further explained that these changes should not impose further economic commitments on the government. 

Yousefi said: "Development plans are meant to determine the outlook for the country's development within the next five years and certain ministries are not supposed to change an existing law in order to serve demands by some." Yousefi's statement indicated that some of the "illegal" changes have been made by the government. He added that "most of what has been illegally added to the plan were done by the government after the initial review."

Rahim Zare, a member of the Budget Committee of the Majles suggested that part of the changes made by the government are meant to mend its annual budget in violation of the law. He added that in its current shape, the plan is not consistent with the situation of Iranian businesses and the economic difficulties they currently face. 

Zare said: "The government has failed to address the plan's serious shortcomings in the areas of finance, banking and matters relating to businesses, trade and economy."

Mohammad-Reza Farzin, the chairman of the Central Bank of Iran was quoted by the government's IRNA news website that the funds exchanged into euros totaled 5.73 billion and was transferred to six Iranian held accounts in two Qatari banks.

The United States and Iran announced a deal to release the blocked funds from South Korea in August in exchange for the release of five US citizens held hostage by the Islamic Republic.

Early on Monday, South Korea said it was doing everything to transfer the two full amount that had already been sent to Switzerland to be converted. Later, Iran's foreign ministry said the five prisoners were expected to be released on Monday.

The freed Americans will travel to Qatar and from there will be repatriated. Qatar has acted as mediator in the controversial deal, which has been dubbed by critics as the highest hostage ransom in history, amounting to $1.2 billion per individual.