Ian War Update: A pretty warry ceasefire | BONUS Hour 4

What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to thepeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button. Get every episode for free, write to your smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for your support. This is the bonus Hour. I mean it's normally my regular third hour, but I did the fill in for Vince in the eleven o'clock hour, so you got four hours of me today. You're welcome, all right. So the Joint chiefs of Staff General Dan Kine Raisin Kane, along with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, did a news conference today to give an update on the war in Iran. Although it's I think the war is over. There was a ceasefire and they're counting that as the end of the war or the end of the operation, and I'm guessing that they're doing that in order to get around the whole War Powers Act thing where the president can act but within sixty days he has to go to Congress in order to get a declaration of war. And so it seems like the administration is going to, you know, pretend to use these words in order to like make this case that oh no, that was a ceasefire and that brought to a close Epic fury. See, so that's over. That was just an operation. Then that's over. So because we're in a ceasefire now, even though Iran is launching ballistic missiles this afternoon over at the UAE. So and yeah, so not really sure, it doesn't really seem like a ceasing of the firing during the ceasefire, but that's what they're going with. And now they have begun a new operation where they are escorting the vessel through the Strait of Hormuz, not going into Iranian territorial waters. They're going around the bottom side on the other side of the Persian Gulf and they're escorting people through there. So here is General Kin outlining this new effort. This is called Project Freedom. This is not part of Epic Fury. This is a whole different thing called Project Freedom. Let me describe this defensive operation just a few clicks down for you. As the Secretary said, Project Freedom is designed to protect commercial shipping and help restore the flow of commerce through the Strait and sustain freedom of navigation. SENTCOM has established an enhanced Security area on the southern side of the Strait that is now protected by US land, naval and air assets to help defeat further Iranian aggression against commercial shipping. I'd like to share a little bit more about US capability, but for operational security purposes, I'm not going to get into specific details out there. That's probably a good idea. On the surface. Guide of missile destroyers and other warships are detecting and defeating Iranian threats. This includes fast boats and one way attack drones. In the air, more than one hundred fighters attack aircraft and other manned and unmanned aircraft synchronized by the eighty second Airborne Division, are in the air twenty four hours a day, providing defensive overwatch for the Enhanced Security Area and its approaches that I discussed. These forces are comprised of over fifteen thousand American service members and have established localized air and sea control to protect against Iranian threats. Commercial vessels that transit through the area will see here and frankly feel US combat power around them on the sea, in the skies and on the radio. And as of this morning, as was mentioned prior to US flag, merchant vessels have transit and we anticipate more to transit over the coming days. Further up, the Gulf Us Naval Forces Central Command continues to work to identify and mitigate any threats beyond Project Freedom. SENTCOM and the rest of the Joint Force remain ready to resume major combat operations against Iran if ordered to do so. No adversary should mistake our current restraint with the lack of resolve, and the President has said, as the Secretary has, that now is the time for those with equity stake in the Strait. To come assist, right, So calling on other countries, you guys said you were going to you know, you wanted to play a role in, you know, somehow keeping the Strait of Hormuz from you know, being held hostage. You want to participate, Like, this is the time now to step forward and do so. We're basic glee unconstipating the Strait. That's like, that's what's occurring right now here, is Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, announcing that the US will soon hand responsibility for the strait of hormones over to other countries. Or control to our partners, allies, and the rest of the world. This is a temporary mission for us. As I've said before, the world needs this waterway a lot more than we do. We're stabilizing the situation so commerce can flow again, but we expect. The world to step up at the appropriate. Time, and soon we will hand responsibility back to you. To the incredible Americans executing this mission right. Now, simply thank you. Your courage, your readiness, your unmatched professionalism, and precision are. Why the world can breathe easier today and every day. You are and always will be the greatest fighting force in human history, unmapped. Always. Project Freedom is underway, Commerce will be flowing, and America is once again leading with strength, clarity, and purpose for the benefit of the entire world. Our will is unshakable. God bless our troops and God bless the mighty United States Navy. All right, So, yeah, this is an overwatch operation, not you know, directly engaging in in you know, in any kind of combat runs or anything like that. Unless Iran messes around, and according to General Kine, Iran attacked nine ships since the start of the quote unquote ceasefire. They seized two tankers, and they attacked American forces more than ten times. But he says that's. Below the threshold required to start a significant operation at this point. Okay, why are we saying that. I don't so what. They get ten free shots, so they get to attack American forces ten times, and that's okay, Like, probably not a good idea to give them that kind of a level of insight into our decision making. I don't get that. Here's again, Pete Eggseth. Once again, America is using its strength to lift up others. Iran is trying to subjugate the world to. What remains of Iran's forces. If you attack American troops or innocent commercial shipping, you will face overwhelming and devastating American firepower. The President has been very clear about this. We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission without hesitation to Iran. Let innocent ships pass freely. These international waters belong to all nations, not to Iran. To tax toll or control. Correct, yes, navigation of the seas. He says, we are demonstrating that they do not control the Strait of Hormuz. They can disrupt, they can try to hold hostage, but they don't control the straight. What we're demonstrating with Project Freedom is they don't control the straight. I mean, we know Iran is embarrassed by the fact that our blockade is holding and we can run ships through, and we're going to help the world run ships through. And if they hold it at issue, the whole world knows who's doing it. It's not us. We're willing to open it up, it's Iran, and that creates a dilemma for them. We hope they make a deal. I do as well. So this is just another point of pressure from the administration to get the Iranians back to the negotiating table and to soften up their position. Here is this was during a Q and A. The question was will this administration seeking Congressional approval for any further military options if the ceasefire breaks down, which I kind of feel like it already is. But Ryan Morgan with the eth at Times. On Friday, President Trump notified Congress that the hostilities that began on February twenty eight had terminated. That came on the deadline of the sixty day War Powers deadline. Will this administration be seeking congressional approval for any further military operations if the ceasefire breaks down. Our view is the one you described that ultimately, with the ceasefire, the clock stops. If it were to restart, that would be the president's decision. That option is always there, and Iron knows that, and that's why you know their choices in Project Freedom are important. The president retains the opportunity and the capabilities, more capabilities than we had at the start of this, to restart major combat operations if necessary. Okay, So again they're counting the ceasefire as not applicable to the military action. So when they got the ceasefire, they were like, okay, clock stops, so now if we resume, then then we would resume counting towards the sixty day window. You know, stories are powerful. They help us make sense of things, to understand experiences. Stories connect us to the people of our past while transcending generations. They help us process the meaning of life, and our stories are told through images and videos. Preserve your stories with Creative Video, started in nineteen ninety seven in Minhill, North Carolina. It was the first company to provide this valuable service, converting images, photos and videos into high quality produced slide shows, videos and albums. The trusted, talented and dedicated team at Creative Video will go over all of the details with you to create a perfect project. Satisfaction guaranteed. Drop them off in person or mail them. They'll be ready in a week or two. Memorial videos your loved ones, videos for rehearsal, dinners, weddings, graduations, Christmas, family vacations, birthdays, or just your family stories, all told through images. That's what your photos and videos are. They are your life told through the eyes of everyone around you and all who came before you, and they will tell others to come who you are. Visit creative video dot com. All right, I think I talked about this yesterday. I think I mentioned it that there were rumors going around. There were reports going around that Iran was going to attach minds onto dolphins and then have the dolphins swim around and like basically suicide dolphins Kamakazi dolphins, and a reporter actually asked General Kine about this report and here was his response. Can you kind of clarify these reports of comic Kazi dolphins that we've heard about. I haven't heard the Kama Kazi dolphins thing. It's like sharks with laser beams, right. It's like sharks with laserans. Yeah, so I'm gathering that they're not putting much stock in that. But then I guess this was Pete Hegseth jumping in. And I can't confirm or deny whether we have Kama Kazi dolphins, but I can confirm they don't. All right, there you go. So we may have Kama Kazi dolphins, I'm gonna say we don't either. I don't think we would do that to pour innocent little dolphins. It's just a different ethic, you know. I don't think. I mean, we may have fake dolphins, like that's possible, like mechanical jaws, like drone like dolphins that look like dolphins, so they would never suspect, you know, But I don't know why you would go through the trouble of making like like constructing the entire fake dolphin just to blow it up. You know. Also, the Iranians are very very angry at Twitter or x the Iranian Foreign Minister spokes Foreign Ministry spokesman said, quote X has now removed the blue check mark from our account. Oh there they This is the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson's account after stripping the Ministry and the Minister's verified badges despite our full premium plus payments. Like we're not. So yeah, we're totally paying you guys. So like, do you think maybe maybe they missed a payment? I mean, the real is trading it now. I think it's one point nine million realls to the dollar, one point nine million. Their cash revenue has has dried up. They can't get any of their oil exported. They can barely keep their facilities open, so many of them have been damaged. The precursor facilities have also been damaged. So yeah, they don't have their their assets have been frozen foreign the sort of the black market money or the shadow market that they use for for their financing, that's all been targeted. So they may have run out of money. They may be not. Able to pay the premium plus monthly payment of I think eight dollars or something like. Not sure. He goes on to say this arbitrary deverification fits x's pattern of selective censorship. Like, guys, you are in no position to lecture anybody about censorship, okay, like you have literally locked down your internet for like it's now approaching like seventeen hundred hours, right, But no, no, they will cry victim because they think this will win win hearts and minds in the West. So they're the victim. We're being censored, and it's also part of a pattern of American digital piracy aimed at suppressing the truth about the US's illegal war against Iran. I don't know why they would have taken your blue check mark away. I think it may be all of your murdering. Maybe, like I kind of feel like they don't want to because and if you guys are sanctioned like they can't they shouldn't be doing any kind of financial transactions with your regime, right, So maybe that's why I'm just I'm just spitballing here. But also I would point out, if you're talking about piracy digital piracy, your pals with China, they are the biggest offenders of digital piracy, copyright theft, copyright theft and trademark violations and thievery and in piracy in general. Like you guys, also are like at this very moment talking about seizing ships and shaking them down for the jisya. Right, for the tax, for the tolls. So again, like there is something really special that when I watch these spokespeople from the Middle East, the way they bluster and talk is like bag dad, Bob. You know, it really is impressive. Right at some point you just have to be like, holy cow, they are so over the top and obviously gaslighting us, and they have no shame about it. It's I mean, I'm not going to say I respect it, but it is something to say, Oh I see, uh, look at that. Nick Fouentes confirms he's now a moderate Democrat, wants the GOP to be destroyed, Trump impeached, and okay, who would have seen that coming, I mean except like me anyway. Gary. This is a Pete tweet from Gary who says, I think the US not fighting into Iran and to shift and entirely opening the straits and start maintained shipping is to do multiple things right because so let me recap here. Pete Hegseth says that the ceasefire is not over and Project Freedom is a separate thing altogether. It's basically to unconstipate the Strait, okay. And there are hundreds of vessels that are trapped in there. There's like twenty two five hundred mariners on board the vessels who are trapped in the Persian Gulf because of the threats from uh Iran. And so Project Freedom is a separate thing altogether, not part of Operation Epic Fury. And that stopped when the ceasefire began like three plus weeks ago or whenever it was, so that doesn't count on the sixty day clock where Congress would you know, under the War Powers Act, would then require a declaration of war, okay. So that's sort of the game that's being played here. So Gary says. That this makes sense because it allows Iran, the existing government to continue to crumble under economic pressure, and it forces Europe and Asia to hand as they need, forces their hands as. They need the oil. And if you need all the oil, then find then help defend the shipping lanes because you need the oil and the goods. We aren't at war with Iran, there's nothing to object to, right, so we're not bombing. Them anymore, right. Carolina Bulldog says, of course, the only answer to Kamakazi dolphins is the laser sharks obviously, Yes, quite obviously from the text line, Danny says. The Iranians and more specifically the IRGC, recently completed and gained a graduate certificate in the US Democratic Party Gaslighting one oh one online course of undergraduate studies. Russ says, Pete, it's not the eight dollars a month for the Twitter Premium service or Premium Plus. That's like eleven to eleven and a half million reels. Yeah, sooner or later you're talking about real reels for real. Jay says, we do actually have dolphins to protect ships loading and unloading nukes. I'm not sure what else they do. Well, that's a different dolphin brigade. I think. Yeah, I don't know what they I was unaware. It would not surprise me. Eddie says, Uh, Trump should do that. That's what the Democrats do. They play word games all day long. Uh. Chris says, I'm tired of hearing about this war. If we the US can ended it, we should. Okay, well, I mean I think that's what we're trying to do. But right now, you know, your enemy gets to say they get they get a turn at bat and they're trying to stay in power, and they're trying to shake down the world and hold it hostage. And so I mean, if you want to live in a world like that, I mean, that is a that is a position. I disagree with it. It's been you know, our policy for almost five decades that you know, Iran should not get nuclear weapons. So I feel like this is the consistent position, and I feel like this is, uh, this is the moment where we can actually get that done. And the pressure that the Iranian regime is under right now could actually collapse them. And if these guys won't come to the table and you know, and agree to our terms, then I'm guessing probably another round of decapitation strikes and eventually you get some people in there that are going to say, Okay, we'll sign the treaty, you know, but we shall see. I don't know. I don't know, can't tell the future. I left my magic eight ball behind long ago. This from Iran International. Exclusive information obtained by Iran International points to a growing clash between Iran's moderate president and. I use moderate with the air quotes around that thing. That word. The moderate president, Masud Pezeshkian and the country's military leadership. So another one of these reports over yesterday's escalation in the Persian Gulf and attacks on the UAE. Now this is interesting because moments ago we had reports from you know, well earlier today, I should say, UAE was saying that they are now in their second day of attacks from Iran, and the UAE has said, We're not going to just sit here and take this, uh you know, we will you know, rain fire down upon your shores and all this stuff, right as they tend to talk like that over there. But anyway, so like they were, they were saying that they would retaliate, and then Iran came out like within the last half hour, I want to say, and they were like, uh, we didn't shoot anything, we didn't do anything. We didn't we haven't done anything to UAE. That's not us. And then Israel came out and said, yeah they did, but they seem to be more like warning shots. So not really sure. But this is another ex example. This story from Iran International is another example of the rift that is between the IRGC and the quote civilian leadership, the president, the speaker of the parliament. Right according to sources familiar with Tehran's deliberations. Pezeshkian has expressed strong anger at actions by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps led by Ahuad Vahiti, describing missile and drone strikes on the UAE as quote completely irresponsible and carried out without the government's knowledge or coordination. This might be one of the downsides of your mosaic strategy that Iran implemented after the Twelve Day War where you know, culminating with the blowing up of the. The centrifuges and stuff, the nuclear facilities. Rather was that they implemented this mosaic strategy where they basically empowered all of their units, their you know, the leadership units all over the country to basically do what you want because we may not be able to communicate orders to you, so just start firing rockets. And this may be one of the downsides there is that when you're trying to do something to stop the bombs from coming, then you've got these guys that are shooting off missiles and stuff and making that more difficult. Maybe back to the Peace by Iran International, authored by Mariam Sanai, who says about this rift, this arguing between the president Pizzeskian and Ahmad Vahdi, the. Head of the IRGC. Although actually I'm just seeing now a report that the Iranian president Pizeskian says American demands are impossible and unreachable. Okay. Back to the article, Bizeskian is said to have described the IRGC approach to escalating tensions with regional countries as madness, quote unquote, warning of potentially irreversible consequences amid a worsening situation and the risk of the country sliding back into war. The President has requested an urgent meeting with m Jaba come Many to press for as it sounds like the Jawas from Star Wars. You're right, it wasn't that how they sounded. But Jaba come Many, that's how they sounded. Is that just me? No? I think it's I'm pretty sure it was the Jawas, all right. Anyway, So the president is requesting an urgent meeting with the Ayahtola, and so that tells you the chain of command that he's requesting a meeting with the boss, and the Boss hasn't been seen or heard of, right, except for a couple of statements attributed to him. We don't really know if he's alive, and all of his orders have been coming through the IRGC. So now the president is like, I want to meet with him. I need an urgent meeting with Muchaba, and he's going to press for an immediate halt to IRGC attacks on Gulf states and to prevent further escalation. He is expected to argue that a narrow window remains to salvage the ceasefire through urgent diplomatic action, and that he should be allowed to signal to international mediators Iran's readiness to return to negotiations. The IRGC apparently is not on the same page on that the tensions come as diplomatic efforts to preserve the ceasefire continue, but with a widening gap between military and political approaches inside the Iranian leadership. She goes on to report sources close to the president who shared the information with Iran International at great risk. Obviously, say z Eskin is deeply concerned about potential international reactions and believes the country cannot withstand a new full scale war, which is probably true. That is likely. He has warned that continued unilateral attacks could trigger heavy US retaliation against critical energy and economic infrastructure, an outcome that he reportedly said could lead to widespread destruction and an irreversible collapse in livelihoods. There was another report from the other day that medicine prices in Iran have gone up as much as. Three hundred and eighty percent since the fighting began. The country is grappling with soaring inflation, a collapsing currency, and worsening wartime disruption. The consumer prices in Iran have risen almost seventy four percent just from March twenty first through April twentieth, and the average inflation in the twelve months ending in. April was fifty four percent. So you've got the civilian leadership that is looking around and saying, guys, where even if we survive, the regime survives, Like, what do we have left here? We've got we have no economy, we have no industry. Right, we're not going to have anything now to the you know, religiously inspired IRGC, that's probably none of their concern because their reward is martyrdom, right, their reward will be in heaven. So and that is like the IRGC, that's what they do. They are trained and they are steeped in the the twelfth. Imam is a mocktiism branch of Shia. This is what they do and they protect the mullus. Also, Iran security agents secretly buried the body of an Iranian Swedish citizen. Guy's name was Kuroch Kievani, and he was apparently executed in March on a charge of spying for Israel. Sources say that Kievani was executed March eighteenth without his family being informed. His body was buried a couple of days later. His family later tried to mark the unmarked grave site by placing stones nearby, but authorities removed them to prevent the burial location from being identified. This area is known as a burial site associated with executed political prisoners, including the victims of Iran's nineteen eighty eight mass executions. Families of those buried there have long accused authorities of preventing them from marking graves or holding public mourning ceremonies. Also, President Donald Trump could pursue major military action against Iran if talks do not soon produce the outlines of an achievable deal, according to Axios quote. This is one US official unnamed in the Axios report. Who said quote. It's either we are looking at the real contours of an achievable deal soon, or he's going to bomb the hell out of them. The report said Trump wants pressure on Iran while keeping diplomatic channels open. The US official said the two sides remain far apart, though he said there are. Talks, there are offers. We don't like theirs, they don't like ours. All right, that'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. I could not do the show without your support and the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, please support them too and tell them you heard it here. You can also become a patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetekaalanershow dot com. Again, thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone. M h m hmm.