Pepe Escobar Clarifies His Israeli Nuke Story

My readers need to watch this video...

OK, you’re read my last couple reports on the alleged Israeli retaliation against Iran as reported by Pepe Escobar in which I demonstrated that despite all the speculation about why it could NOT have happened it is possible to speculate that it DID happen- or COULD HAVE.

Well, Pepe just did an interview with Danny Haiphong on Youtube posted today, May 2, 2024, and Danny wanted Pepe to cover the controversy. Pepe was hesitant to do so, because he has as he put it “closed the study and opened it for public examination” but then clearly and concisely and very seriously went over the whole report in detail and clarified some points.

Here is the video. Watch it for yourself.

PEPE ESCOBAR ON RUSSIA AND IRAN'S COUNTER TO US-ISRAEL F-35 NUCLEAR ATTACK, NATO VS MULTIPOLARITY

Pepe added some hints that this affair was not so much about the details of the intel as it was about the “message” that was being sent, apparently by the “Big Power” - as Pepe calls the original source of the intel - which in my previous report I suggested was likely China. He did not clarify what “the message” actually was or what he thought it was.

He did suggest that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Defense Ministers meeting in Kazakhstan last week revealed some “hints” and that he was writing a column just before this video on that topic.

So I naturally proceeded to research the SCO meeting. Most of the articles available via a Google search had to do with overall purpose of the meeting, an annual event, and the adoption of various agreements. However, there were several significant events on the sidelines of the meeting involving, Russia, China and Iran.

Tehran Times, an Iranian paper, reported on Iran’s involvement at the meeting:

Iran's agenda at SCO: peace, stability, and security 

Emphasizing these core principles as integral to Iran's defense and security doctrine, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani underscored the nation's commitment to fostering a climate of tranquility both within the region and globally.

In his address, General Ashtiani firmly stated Iran's stance against the pursuit of "war and tension" in the region, affirming a dedication to peaceful coexistence among neighboring countries and beyond. 

He highlighted the imperative of combating terrorism within the SCO's geographical scope, emphasizing the necessity of upholding trust, fostering friendship, and promoting good neighborliness among member states.

The Iranian Defense Minister's remarks encapsulated Iran's proactive role in advocating for collective security measures within the SCO framework, signaling a commitment to collaborative efforts aimed at safeguarding regional stability and enhancing global security.

Islamic Republic’s firm stance: no appetite for war or regional tension

In the condemnation of the Zionist regime's actions, General Ashtiani affirmed the Palestinian nation's right to legitimate defense while decrying the egregious acts of violence and state terrorism perpetrated by the regime and its supporters. 

Highlighting recent provocations aimed at escalating regional tensions and diverting attention from the Zionist regime's atrocities in Gaza, the Iranian defense minister denounced the brazen attack on Iran's consulate in Syria as a clear violation of international law, specifically Article 31 of the Vienna Convention. 

General Ashtiani lamented the tragic loss of Iranian military advisers in the attack, emphasizing that their presence in Damascus was at the invitation of the Syrian government. 

He underscored Iran's response, characterized as a measured warning intended to deter further aggression while minimizing the risk of escalation. 

Stressing Iran's commitment to peace and stability in the region, he reiterated that the Islamic Republic has no desire for war or heightened tensions, citing the nation's adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 51 regarding the right to legitimate defense…

On the sidelines of the meeting, General Ashtiani engaged in discussions with defense ministers from China, Russia, and Belarus, fostering diplomatic relations and addressing pressing regional issues.

In a notable exchange with Russian Defense Minister General Sergei Shoigu, General Ashtiani underscored Iran's right to legitimate defense in response to actions by the Zionist regime. 

The meeting between the defense ministers of Iran and Kazakhstan saw General Ruslan Zhaksylykov extend congratulations to his Iranian counterpart on Iran's full membership in the organization. He expressed optimism that Iran's participation would bolster the organization's plans and objectives.

In a separate meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, General Ashtiani acknowledged China's supportive stance on regional developments, particularly condemning the Zionist regime's attack on Iran's consulate. He attributed recent tensions in the region and the dire situation in Gaza to destabilizing actions by the United States and support for the Zionist regime's atrocities.

The Chinese defense minister echoed these sentiments, condemning the Israeli regime's terrorist attack on Iran's diplomatic premises in Damascus as a violation of international law.

Perhaps more significantly, in relation to Pepe’s report is this report from Al-Monitor:

Iran, Russia enhance security cooperation in Kazakhstan meeting

The Iranian and Russian defense ministers pledged on Friday to tighten ties following a security agreement reached between the two countries earlier in the week.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met his Iranian counterpart, Gharaei Ashtiani, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Kazakhstan. During the meeting, Shoigu said that Iran has become “particularly trusting,” citing their cooperation in Syria, the state-owned RIA news agency reported.

“The intensity of contacts has increased manifold, both at the highest level and at the level of the leadership of military departments,” said Shoigu.

Russia and Iran both support the government of President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war, and Tehran has exported its drone technology to Moscow amid its war against Ukraine.

Shoigu added that Russia is ready to boost military and technical cooperation with Iran and Ashtiani said, “Our relations are only deepening and expanding, reaching a new level,” RIA reported.

On Wednesday, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, met his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, in St. Petersburg. The two signed a memorandum of understanding on unspecified security matters, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency and Press TV reported.

In addition, the Russian and Chinese defense ministers reaffirmed the close military ties and cooperation between those two countries.

We’ll have to wait and see what Pepe’s new column - currently not up anywhere I can find - his latest at Strategic Culture is about his trip to Brazil - has to offer. However, in further discussion in the video, he explicitly mentions these meetings between Russia, China and Iran at the SCO meeting and he suggests that in the coming months we may see events that may relate to, if not confirm, the reported intel.

Pepe believes the rest of this year will be a “game changer” (I hate that word, but he makes a decent case) in terms of what is happening in the BRICS alliance, in Ukraine and in Gaza.

One last point: He regards his critics over the Israel nuke issue as “imbeciles.” Based on the crap about his report I read over at Moon of Alabam and elsewhere by morons, I agree.

Check out the interview. Any interview with Pepe is worth listening to. There is no one that can summarize the geopolitical reality across whole regions (he discusses Brazil in detail BTW) the way Pepe can. When he speaks or writes, pay attention.