America: military option with Iran under discussion

U.S. Special Envoy to Tehran Robert Mulley confirmed that “a military option with Iran is being discussed if the diplomatic and negotiation paths between the two sides regarding the nuclear deal do not work.” Mali told the BBC that “the US administration is not engaged in regime change in Iran, despite the persistence of problems over the past two years,” stressing that “diplomacy is the best solution.” He added: “We are ready to resume indirect talks with Iran, but we will not hesitate to take other steps to limit Iran’s nuclear program,” adding, “Iran is very, very close to possessing enriched uranium to the level of producing an atomic bomb.” Also, a close associate Mawlawi Abdul Hamid, the leader of the Sunni minority in Iran, was arrested on Monday evening in Sistan-Baluchistan province amid ongoing protests in the country, the Iranian News Agency (IRNA) reported yesterday.The agency quoted an informed source: “Abdul Majid Muraji, who is adviser and close associate of Abdul Hamid…was arrested by the security forces” in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which has a large Sunni minority in the southeast of the country. On September 30, Zahedan witnessed acts of violence that, according to the authorities, killed dozens people, including six members of the security forces. According to reports, the protests in Zahedan were provoked by the anger of the population over the news of the rape of a girl by a police officer. The agency said that Moraji is accused of “trying to mislead public opinion” and “having connections with many individuals and foreign media.” Seistan-Baluchistan is one of the poorest regions of Iran, where the Baloch ethnic minority lives. Following the violence in late September, authorities fired two senior security officials in the region, including police chief Zahedan, after an official investigation was published that said “negligence on the part of some officers” resulted in the killing of “innocent” civilians. . . It comes amid ongoing protests across the country following the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, on September 16 after she was arrested by vice police in the capital Tehran on suspicion of violating a strict dress code.