Puppet Masters
"We achieved humanitarian swap *despite* your subordinates' efforts, @realDonaldTrump," Zarif said in a tweet on Friday, after two Iranian scientists were released from US jails this week and Iran released American citizen Michael White, who had been sentenced to prison in the country for security crimes.
"And we had a deal when you entered office. Iran & other JCPOA participants never left the table. Your advisors — most fired by now — made a dumb bet. Up to you to decide *when* you want to fix it." The Iranian Foreign Minister added, referring to the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
His comments came in response to Trump who hailed the release of White and urged Tehran to make a "big deal" with Washington.

Russia's Akademic Chersky pipe-laying vessel in Germany's Mukran Port on May 30.
The five senators, led by Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) and Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat-New Hampshire), introduced the legislation on June 4 to expand existing sanctions against Nord Stream 2, which would double Russian gas exports to Germany if completed.
The United States in December 2019 passed the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act, which placed sanctions on vessels laying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline along the floor of the Baltic Sea, halting the $11 billion project shortly before its completion.
The new legislation widens the sanctions in the existing law to include any entity that provides insurance, port facilities or tethering services for the project as well as any company that certifies Nord Stream 2 for operation.
"There is bipartisan and bicameral consensus that Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline poses a critical threat to America's national security and must not be completed. Nevertheless, Putin continues to try to circumvent those sanctions," Cruz said in a statement.
Comment: Pipe dreams...to come true or go up in smoke?
The air defense systems were activated late on Thursday, engaging incoming targets on the outskirts of the city. The attack has been attributed by Syrian state media to Israel, which has repeatedly launched air strikes on the country's soil over the past few years.
Footage circulating online shows several flying objects, presumably missiles, in the skies above the city. RT has not yet been able to verify the authenticity of the video.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, June 5, 2020, in Washington
US President Donald Trump asserted Friday that the United States has made it through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, after new jobs numbers showed a surprising increase in employment.
"We had the greatest economy in the history of the world. And that strength let us get through this horrible pandemic, largely through, I think we're doing really well," Trump said at a news briefing.
Greece is ready to defend itself against Turkey by any means necessary, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has announced, accusing Ankara of "aggressive" behaviour.
"Of course Turkey's stance has recently been rather aggressive. I believe that the only way Greece can deal with it is, on one hand, to exhaust all its diplomatic weapons, and on the other, to cater for the increase of the deterrence power of the Armed Forces," Panagiotopoulos said, speaking Greece's Star TV on Thursday, referring to the ongoing diplomatic dispute over drilling rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Asked whether Greek efforts include preparations for a military conflict, the defence minister recalled that the national security advisor to the prime minister has recently indicated that Greece is "preparing for all eventualities," including "military engagement."
"We do not want this to happen. However, we are making it clear toward all directions that we will do what it takes to defend our sovereign rights to the greatest extent, if you catch my drift," Panagiotopoulos warned.
Comment: John Helmer on Turkey's allying with the illegitimate Libyan 'government' (composed of terrorists and other lowlifes):
An Iraqi politician has stated that Baghdad will reject any attempt by the Trump administration to prolong the US military presence in the country during negotiations, pushing that talks between the two countries can only lead to a total withdrawal of American troops.
"The negotiations between Washington and Baghdad, which are to start in the middle of this month, would fail to produce any tangible results if they do not discuss the withdrawal of US forces from the country", said Karim al-Muhammadawi, a member of the Iraqi parliament's committee on security and defense, in an exclusive interview with the al-Maalomah news agency.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Despite claiming to support the "international rules based order," the Trudeau government has voted against more than 50 resolutions upholding Palestinian rights. The extent to which the Liberals have mimicked the Stephen Harper Conservative's position regarding General Assembly resolutions, which are little more than symbolic acts of solidarity with the long-beleaguered Palestinians, highlights the power of the Israeli lobby in Canada.
The allegations came three days after President Nicolas Maduro hinted that his rival was "in hiding" at a diplomatic location.
"We cannot enter the premises of any country's embassy whatsoever, in this case Spain or France," Arreaza said, adding that that meant an arrest by force "is not possible."
He made the comments when asked about the presence of Leopoldo Lopez, another leading opposition figure, at the Spanish ambassador's residence, and about Guaido at the French Embassy.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is currently serving as a member of parliament.
Announcing its decision on June 4, the Pechera District Court said that investigators want to question Poroshenko on June 10 about the alleged illegal transfer of valuable paintings across the border.
Poroshenko failed to show up at the DBR on May 26 and May 29, as investigators wanted to question him as a witness about "the circumstances of moving across the Ukrainian border, without presenting to customs services, a collection of cultural objects, consisting of 43 paintings by world-famous artists."
On May 29, DBR investigators also wanted to question Poroshenko in an investigation into an audio recording of individuals who are thought to possibly be Poroshenko and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
Comment: Doesn't look good to dodge the summons twice, though it would be nice to see Poroshenko brought to court in cuffs as a result. See also:
- Poroshenko ducks questioning over Biden relations at Ukraine's State Bureau Of Investigations - AGAIN
- Poroshenko fails to appear for questioning as witness in illegal transfer of paintings
- Ukrainian lawmakers: Biden tapes show quid pro quo
- Phone calls between Biden and Ukraine's Poroshenko leaked; Details $1 Billion "quid pro quo" to fire Burisma prosecutor

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testifies before the a Senate Judiciary Committee.
The key moment came in questioning from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who asked, "If you knew then what you know now, would you have signed the warrant application?," referring to a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant renewal concerning Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
"No," testified Rosenstein, "I would not."
And just like that, it became clear that the national torture of three years of the Russian collusion investigation simply should not have occurred. The problems were myriad. In Rosenstein's words, the FBI "was not following the written protocols, and that significant errors appeared in applications." What has emerged from the recent inspector general's report and this testimony is that the Obama administration's efforts to investigate and prosecute Trump administration officials wasn't based on facts, but negligence or malice.
Comment: See also:
- The 10 most important questions Rod Rosenstein needs to answer
- Rosenstein's 'scope' memo confirms Trump-Russia probe was always a nothing-burger
- The "Obstruction of Justice trap" - Former AAG Matt Whitaker confirms Mueller probe was used as weapon to cover coup effort against Trump









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