Journalist @nytimes
United Nations Bureau Chief
Iran Mideast Diplomacy | Author | War correspondent
Ellis Island Medal of Honor
@Columbia & @Harvard alum
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Mar 11, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Iran nuclear deal in its final crunch. Will it survive or will it be the first diplomatic casualty of the Ukraine war? Russia's demand for sanctions exemption has undermined the deal. Suspension of talks is possible, a temporary agreement is possible, says @AliVaez2/ Iranian sources say deal can't go through without Russia on board. Russia is Iran's most powerful ally and Iran appears unwilling or unable to alienate it, sources say.
Mar 9, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Iran Nuclear Deal Nears Completion, but Russia Poses Complication by @StevenErlanger et al
nytimes.com/2022/03/08/wor…2/ With sanctions on Russia's oil and gas, Iran would enter the energy market at a critical time. Iran can produce more than two million barrels of oil a day, and if these supplies were able to reach the markets, the surge in prices would be slowed.
Feb 24, 2022 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Tonight's Security Council meeting on Ukraine was the most dramatic one I have covered. In real time, history in the making. As diplomats pleaded for peace and diplomacy news came of Putin's declaring start of special military operation. The room was stunned.
“Call Putin to stop the aggression,” said Ukraine’s ambassador Mr. Kyslytsya to Russia's ambassador. “There is no purgatory for war criminals, they go straight to hell ambassador.”
Nov 27, 2021 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Israel cyber hacked Iran's gas stations. Iran cyber hacked Israel's dating website & hospital.
The covert war enters a new phase of targeting civilians. Millions of ordinary people caught in the crossfire.
our latest w/ @ronenbergman
nytimes.com/2021/11/27/wor…2/ For years, Israel and Iran have engaged in a covert war, by land, sea, air and computer, but the targets have usually been military or government related. Now, the cyberwar has widened to target civilians on a large scale.
Sep 18, 2021 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
Our months of investigation into how the Mossad assassinated Iran's top nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh using a killer robot. Here's how the plot unfolded.
Straight out of a spy thriller:
w/ @ronenbergman
nytimes.com/2021/09/18/wor…2/ Convinced that Mr. Fakhrizadeh was leading Iran’s efforts to build a nuclear bomb, Israel had wanted to kill him for at least 14 years. But there had been so many threats and plots that he no longer paid them much attention.
Aug 29, 2021 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
NEW: Hundreds of Afghan students & alumni of American University in Kabul told evacuations are canceled after 7 hours waiting in buses today to get to the airport. They are in panic and say their names and passport information was shared with the Taliban.
nytimes.com/live/2021/08/2…2/ “I regret to inform you that the high command at HKIA in the airport has announced there will be no more rescue flights,” said an email sent to students from the university administration on Sunday afternoon, which was shared with The New York Times.
Aug 28, 2021 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Some Afghanistan documentary recommendations:
The Afghan Star
2/ The Beauty Academy of Kabul
Aug 13, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
My front page story on Iran's covid catastrophe:
Hospital medics in Iran are triaging patients on the floors of emergency rooms and in cars parked on the roadside. Lines stretch for blocks outside pharmacies.Taxis double as hearses. Record high deaths.
nytimes.com/2021/08/13/wor…2/
Frontline doctors in Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz and Mashhad told The New York Times that the real death toll was closer to 1,000 a day. Doctors also say that the true rate of infections is likely much higher than the official rate of about 40,000
Aug 11, 2021 • 16 tweets • 8 min read
In light of the attention on Afghanistan, a thread on books written by women war correspondents covering the US wars. Please add on.
Starting with my own book: "Waiting for an Ordinary Day: the unraveling of life in Iraq."
Exposing the violence and harassment coming from some of Iran's opposition groups and its activists/trolls is an important part of the Iran debate. And it's being recognized & condemned by important institutions such as HRW, UN, State Dept and the NYT.
2/ Equally important is tracking & exposing the funding of the vile groups and the trolls, some of whom mask as activists to harass people. Example: the Iran DinsInfo project and the team behind it.
Apr 26, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
My story on the extraordinary Zarif leaked tape:
Revolutionary Guards Corps call the shots, overruling many government decisions and ignoring advice.
Gen. Sulaimani undermined him in many steps from nuclear deal to Syria's war.
His hands are tied
nytimes.com/2021/04/25/wor…2/ Mr. Zarif’s critics called for his resignation, saying he had threatened Iran’s national security by revealing to the world the country’s inner politics. His supporters said his comments could impact nuclear talks & presidential elections.
Oct 22, 2020 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
موج اتهامات سوءرفتار جنسی علیه آیدین آغداشلو
#آیدین_آغداشلو #من_هم nytimes.com/fa/2020/10/22/…1) جنبش #من_هم در ایران جزو مهمترین و سختترین مقالههایی است که در سالهای گذشته نوشتهام. افشاگریها درباره تعرض جنسی علیه بیش از ۱۰۰ مرد، که شناختهشدهترین آنها آیدین آغداشلو، هنرمندی با شهرت جهانی، بود، در رسانههای اجتماعی صورت گرفتند.
nytimes.com/2020/10/22/wor…2/ Iran’s MeToo movement is one of the most important and difficult stories I’ve reported in years.
Aug 4, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Dr. Joseph Hadad voice: “My friends, my friends. This is Joseph Haddad calling you from St. George Hospital. There is no St. George Hospital anymore. It’s fallen, it’s on the floor. It’s all destroyed. All of it. Pray to God, pray to God.”
nytimes.com/2020/08/04/wor…2/ “Every floor of the hospital is damaged,” said Dr. Peter Noun, the chief of pediatric hematology and oncology. “I didn’t see this even during the war. It’s a catastrophe.”
Aug 4, 2020 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Beirut streets after the explosion.
2/ Terrifying footage of street scenes in #Beirut.
Jun 18, 2020 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Incredible revelations from pilot of Iran's Mahan Air on transporting weapons to Syria, bribing Iraqi airport security & hiding Gen. Qasem Sulaimani:
(see thread) eheyat.com/%d8%ae%d8%a7%d…2/ Transporting 7 tons of "prohibited equipment" from Iran to Syria in June 2013 on a flight with 200 civilian passengers.
Sulaimani was present in the cockpit.
Feb 29, 2020 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
#Iran coronavirus Saturday
5 parliament members infected out of 100 tested.
1 MP from Gilan died, officials says from flu & others say it was corona.
Former justice minister Pourmohamadi- ordered mass executions of dissidents in 1980s- is infected & in hospital.
2/
Hardliner social media activist Hamed Jalali Kashani died from the virus. He had said virus was "dirty work" of the West to spark low turnout in elections.
Feb 28, 2020 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
#Iran coronavirus Friday:
Tolls climbs 34 dead & 388 infected.
Likely spread to 22 provinces.
Peak will come next weeks as tests kits are more available, health minister.
Real infected numbers about 10,000 to 15,000, says head of health committee of Tehran city council. #كرونا2/ Parliament shut down indefinitely.
Schools & public events shut down.
Tehran residents tell me city feels like a ghost town, no traffic, shops & restaurants empty or closed. Real sense of panic & anxiety.
Feb 23, 2020 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
#Iran coronavirus:
Universities closed in 10 provinces.
Schools closed in Tehran for 3 days.
All cultural & sports events, concerts, cinem, plays, etc canceled nationwide for a week.
Q: Then why allow elections to stand yesterday in the midst of an outbreak?
#کرونا2/ Six dead in three days. Formula for each person dead is 50 infected. That’s 300 people estimated. Govt reports 28 cases positive.
Feb 21, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Iranians send a clear message to regime today:
Only 20 percent turnout at polls, according to official media reports, 11 million out of nearly 60 mil eligible voters turned up. Lowest ever. #IranElections20202/ Source: ISNA news agency. isna.ir/news/981202005…
Feb 20, 2020 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
Coronavirus cases increase in #Iran. 3 in Qom, 1 in Arak, 5 suspected transferred to Tehran. Lack of transparency about how & when virus entered & spreading & why public wasn't informed earlier is infuriating Iranians afresh.
2/ Iranians saying they don't trust public health officials statements about coronavirus outbreak.
Because? The regime lied & covered up shooting down passenger airplane for 3 days.
