{"id":318945,"date":"2024-05-03T06:49:16","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T05:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=318945"},"modified":"2024-05-03T16:52:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T15:52:17","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-may-3-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-may-3-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 May 3, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

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THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS<\/h2>\n

UPDATE: 5:30 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iranian Hackers Impersonate Journalists In Social Engineering Campaign<\/h3>\n

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A hacking group linked to the intelligence wing of Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard Corps impersonated journalists and human rights activists as part of a social engineering campaign, according to research<\/a>\u00a0released Wednesday by Mandiant and Google Cloud.<\/p>\n

The news organizations impersonated in the operation include The Washington Post, The Economist, and The Jerusalem Post, and Mandiant\u2019s researchers assess that the campaign was carried out by the hacking crew known as APT42. The group also spoofed prominent Washington think tanks, including the Aspen Institute, the McCain Institute, and the Washington Institute.<\/p>\n

According to Mandiant, Iranian hackers spoofed these organizations in order to send phishing lures to targets meant to harvest their credentials. In other cases, the attackers masqueraded behind generic login pages, file hosting services, and legitimate services like YouTube, Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Drive.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 3:00 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why Won’t Biden Enforce Sanctions Against Iranian Oil<\/h3>\n

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The Wall Street Journal article<\/a>, authored by former United States Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook on Friday, May 2, under the title “Why Won’t Biden Enforce Sanctions Against Iranian Oil?” explores how the Biden administration’s deviation from Trump’s policies inadvertently aids Iranian regime’s campaign of terror.<\/p>\n

Mr. Hook writes that Iran’s recent surge in oil exports to a six-year high might seem insignificant in most countries, but the Islamic Republic is far from ordinary. Despite U.S. and international sanctions, Tehran remains an extremist religious regime. After the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, US President Trump reinstated energy sanctions on Iran. While these sanctions remain in place, Biden’s failure to enforce them has bolstered Iran’s finances, fueling terrorism. The article suggests:<\/p>\n

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  • Iran’s oil revenue supports its military endeavors, fueling instability in the Middle East and funding proxy groups across the region.<\/li>\n
  • With the Middle East on the brink of conflict, Biden seeks Iran’s return to nuclear negotiations, potentially lifting economic sanctions in return.<\/li>\n
  • Iran currently exports around 1.56 million barrels of crude oil per day, mainly to China, generating up to $35 billion annually for Tehran.<\/li>\n
  • The Trump administration successfully slashed Iran’s exports from 2.5 million barrels per day in 2018 to a mere 70,000 barrels per day by April 2020.<\/li>\n
  • In response, the regime reduced its military spending by 28%, leading militias to report a drying up of Tehran’s support.<\/li>\n
  • Biden has the authority to weaken the Iranian regime’s power but must act decisively. Otherwise, the US Congress must step in. Reinstating effective containment involves enforcing existing sanctions and cutting off oil exports to the primary state sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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    UPDATE: 12:30 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

    U.S. Senate’s Warren Warns National Security Chiefs About Iranian Crypto Mining<\/h3>\n

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    U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of the most prominent critics of cryptocurrency hazards, warned the top military and financial officials that Iran relies on digital assets mining as a source of revenue that can lessen the pressure from U.S. sanctions.<\/p>\n

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    Warren and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine)\u00a0sent a letter<\/u><\/a> to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, and National Security Advisory Jake Sullivan to question what the authorities are doing about Iran’s “increasingly lucrative” relationship with crypto mining that “poses a direct threat to our national security.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The letter, dated May 1, outlined Iran’s status as a leading jurisdiction for bitcoin\u00a0(BTC)<\/a>\u00a0mining and how its central bank channels cryptocurrency to\u00a0fund the economy<\/u><\/a>, though many of the citations were based on activity in 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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    US Destroys 3 Houthi Uncrewed Aerial Systems In Yemen<\/h3>\n

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    The US destroyed targets in an area of Yemen controlled by the Houthi group, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday.<\/p>\n

    “At approximately 2:00\u202fp.m. (Sanaa time) on May 2, 2024, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully engaged and destroyed three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in an Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled area of Yemen,” CENTCOM said in a statement. CENTCOM said it determined that the systems presented an “imminent threat” to US and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region.<\/p>\n

    Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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    May 2 Red Sea Update<\/p>\n

    At approximately 2:00\u202fp.m. (Sanaa time) on May 2, 2024, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully engaged and destroyed three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in an Iranian-backed Houthi controlled area of Yemen.<\/p>\n

    It was determined these systems\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/3vt2DGn8ZS<\/a><\/p>\n

    — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 2, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n