The chief negotiator for Iran in the ongoing talks with the United States is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf . He is the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iran’s Parliament / Majlis). He has held this role since May 2020 and was re-elected after the 2024 parliamentary elections. Since we are told that Iran’s current leaders are more moderate and reasonable than those who preceded them, it seems appropriate to take a deep dive into the background of this central figure. Ghalibaf has held a wide variety of senior positions in Iran. At one point, he was Deputy Commander of the IRGC Basij Resistance Force. The Basij are charged with internal security in Iran. They beat you in the streets. They also make you disappear. Ghalibaf…Open
“Sacrifice your life for Iran.” The ‘Sacrifice for Life’ campaign has been launched to declare the readiness of the Iranian people to play an effective role in confronting the American-Zionist enemy and defending Islamic Iran.” The Iranians have launched a worldwide campaign to sign up Iranian citizens living abroad to be ready to sacrifice their lives and embrace martyrdom for the homeland. Iranian embassies have been directing people to log in to the Mikhak system using their national ID and click the Jan Fada option to sign up. Analysts assess that the move is mostly a propaganda campaign designed to show that the regime in Tehran has broad support. The so-called Jan Fada campaign launched in March/April 2026. Iranian…Open
Iran's military has taken a significant beating in the opening weeks of the U.S.-Israeli offensive — but Tehran continues to demonstrate a defiant disruptiveness. The big picture: The U.S. is developing military operations for a "final blow," Axios' Barak Ravid reported, but some hypothetical next steps, like the use of ground forces, could risk intensifying the fight. Context: Trump has repeatedly claimed that the war is essentially over, but Iran continues to launch strikes against Israel and other Gulf countries. The nation is also maintaining the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, impacting oil and gas prices worldwide. - The White House and the Pentagon are considering sending at least 10,000 additional combat troops to the…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to call on Iranians to flood the streets to protest their government last week, but President Trump told him it was just too risky, two U.S. officials and an Israeli source said. - "Why the hell should we tell people to take to the streets when they'll just get mowed down," Trump said to Netanyahu during their call, according to a U.S. official briefed on the conversation. Why it matters: The U.S. and Israel agree on most of the military objectives of the war, but the outlooks differ on the question of regime change in Iran and the amount of chaos and bloodshed that's acceptable to try to bring it about. - While Netanyahu lists creating the conditions for a popular uprising among…
Tonight on “Katie Pavlich Tonight”: The Pentagon is sending three warships and thousands of Marines to the Middle East as President Trump says the U.S. is “getting very close” to meeting its objectives in Iran. With the Basij militia’s intelligence chief reportedly killed by Israel and the regime now threatening tourist sites worldwide, former Marine Garrett Exner and former FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam join the show to map out the path forward. We also examine the political fallout as a new poll shows shifting support for the war, while Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., discusses the fifth failed attempt to advance the DHS funding bill. Then, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joins Pavlich for a one-on-one on rolling back climate regulations…
Published March 19, 2025 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have expanded their air operations to include targeted strikes against Iran’s Basij paramilitary, a force long accused of repressing civilians and suppressing dissent inside Iran. The [...]
Tonight on “Katie Pavlich Tonight”: The collapse of the Iranian regime reaches a tipping point as Israel kills security chief Ali Larijani and the head of the Basij militia, leaving the 47-year-old Islamic Republic with almost no original leadership remaining. Bill O’Reilly joins the show to react to “Trump wins” appearing in the headlines, the sudden resignation of Joe Kent from his counterterrorism post, and to share a special St. Patrick’s Day message. The show also features a chilling security report with Ali Bradley on the smuggling alliance between Hezbollah and the Tren de Aragua infiltrating the U.S. border. Former jihadist turned counterterrorism operative Mubin Shaikh reveals the top three strategies the government…
Congressman Mike McCaul, R-Texas, joins “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” to discuss potential national security threats as the conflict in Iran continues. McCaul’s comments follow the resignation of Joe Kent, director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, who disagrees with the attacks on Iran, and the death of Iran’s security chief and the head of its Basij force, who were both killed in overnight strikes. #joekent #trump #iran Anchor Elizabeth Vargas delivers the biggest stories, without bias or opinion. Watch "Elizabeth Vargas Reports" every weeknight at 7p/6C on NewsNation. #VargasReports NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.
NewsNation's Robert Sherman reports on the killing of two top Iranian leaders, including the head of the Basij, and gives the lastest information on an attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq. Get a fast-paced look at the latest from the border to Main Street to the White House on "NewsNation Live" with Connell McShane. Weekdays starting at 3p/2C. NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.
