March 15, 2024
Fox News reported in January that Iran planned to build a military base in Antarctica, sparking much concern in conservative commentaries. Actually, Iran announced plans for an Antarctic base last September, as reported by the Iran Times. Fox News was just a little late in catching on.
Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said September 28 that Iran has “ownership” or “property rights” in Antarctica. It wasn’t likely he was claiming to own the entire continent, although the Fox News report made it sound that way. A 1959 treaty declares the continent to belong to all the world and bars any national ownership of any part of it. A total of 53 countries have signed that treaty, but Iran is not a signatory.
Russia and China, however, are among the signatories and would likely frown on Iran building a military base there, since the treaty also bars any military
activity on the continent. A total of 42 countries have research stations on the continent, but there are no military bases. Most of the research stations are around the fringe of the continent. Only the United States has a research station at the South Pole itself. Irani said, “We have plans to raise our flag there and carry out military and scientific work.” It was obvious by that statement that the Iranian Navy had not done much research before he spoke or that Irani willfully intended to poke a finger in the world’s eye.
Separately, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the Navy plans “for a presence near the South Pole.” While that is permitted, it would be a very expensive operation to build and to service the reason no country apart from the United States now maintains a station at the South Pole.
Potkin Azarmehr, an analyst on Iran, did not take the comments on Antarctica last year very seriously. “Everything in Iran is reminiscent of the USSR in its last days before collapse.
Ambitious but pointless plans by a state with completely wrong priorities unable to provide basic services to its people bankrupt institutions but full of grandiose talk.”
Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said September 28 that Iran has “ownership” or “property rights” in Antarctica. It wasn’t likely he was claiming to own the entire continent, although the Fox News report made it sound that way. A 1959 treaty declares the continent to belong to all the world and bars any national ownership of any part of it. A total of 53 countries have signed that treaty, but Iran is not a signatory. Russia and China, however, are among the signatories and would likely frown on Iran building a military base there, since the treaty also bars any military An Iranian official says police will now crack down on groups helping educated Iranians emigrate from the country.
Salman Seyyed Afghahi, the deputy of Iran’s National Elites Foundation, said police would take steps against the “systemic migration” of elites amid concerns about the rise in the number of skilled workers, doctors, nurses and highly educated Iranians emigrating. In an February 19 interview with the Mehr news agency, Afghahi announced that the police and his governmental foundation have signed an agreement to target organizations assisting the country’s elites in migrating to other countries. “Some have entered the immigration business. For example, if immigration to a country costs $10,000 per person, these businesses arrange it for $1,000 or $2,000. Surely, these offices are part of a system funded from elsewhere,”
Mehr quoted him as saying. The news about the agreement criminalizing the activities of immigration agencies has drawn criticism from academics, including outspoken establishment critic Sadeq Zibakalam, who questioned the credibility of the foundation for signing such an agreement with the police. “According to the [establishment’s] view, everything must be done by force. They want to compel students to believe in a single ideology, and university professors must also adhere to the same beliefs by force. Staying in the country follows the same pattern,” Khabar Online quoted Zibakalam as saying.
Regime tries to block elite emigration COLD WORK — Map shows sites of research stations now in Antarctica. Iran working on some kind of base in Antarctic activity on the continent. A total of 42 countries have research stations on the continent, but there are no military bases. Most of the research stations are around the fringe of the continent. Only the United States has a research station at the South Pole itself. Irani said, “We have plans to raise our flag there and carry out military and scientific work.” It was obvious by that statement that the Iranian Navy had not done much research before he spoke—or that Irani willfully intended to poke a finger in the world’s eye. Separately, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the Navy plans “for a presence near the South Pole.” While that is permitted, it would be a very expensive operation to build and to service—the reason no country apart from the United States now maintains a station at the South Pole. Potkin Azarmehr, an analyst on Iran, did not take the comments on Antarctica last year very seriously. “Everything in Iran is reminiscent of the USSR in its last days before collapse. Ambitious but pointless plans by a state with completely wrong priorities—unable to provide basic services to its people—bankrupt institutions but full of grandiose talk.”
