Biden Offers $20 Million for Iranian Guard While Pressing Israel for De-escalation

Plus, $100 million gift to U. Chicago; Adams indictment; “Harvard Failed”

The Biden administration’s policy toward Iran seems rudderless and contradictory.

The Department of State announced Thursday that it is offering a $20 million reward “for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Shahram Poursafi…a uniformed member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who is believed to be working on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC- QF) to arrange the transnational murder-for-hire of former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton.”

“From October 2021 to April 2022, Iran-based Poursafi attempted to hire criminal elements within the United States to murder Mr. Bolton in Washington, D.C., or Maryland in exchange for $300,000,” the reward announcement says. The plot has been reported on previously, but the $20 million reward is new.

Also Thursday, the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, went on television and, instead of praising the Israel Defense Forces and Prime Minister Netanyahu for killing a lot of Hezbollah terrorists, called for a ceasefire and negotiations. On September 25, Blinken issued a joint statement with the ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council and expressed “support for diplomatic efforts aimed to promote de-escalation.”

On September 23, Secretary of Defense Austin called the Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and issued a readout that was less than enthusiastic. Austin “stressed the importance of finding a path to a diplomatic solution that will allow residents on both sides of the border to return to their homes as quickly and safely as possible, as well as reaching a Gaza ceasefire deal that will bring all the hostages home. The Secretary made clear that the United States remains postured to protect U.S. forces and personnel and determined to deter any regional actors from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” a Pentagon statement said. The “postured to protect U.S. forces and personnel” phrase seemed to signal that the U.S. wasn’t postured to help Israel in taking the fight to Hezbollah.

Also Thursday, the IDF released a video saying that Hezbollah is responsible for bombing the U.S. embassy and barracks in Beirut in 1983, and for attacking a U.S. Air Force housing facility at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996.

It seems like a mixed message. The $20 million reward offer talks about “actionable information that has helped resolve threats to U.S. national security.” It sure would seem like Israel’s killing a lot of Hezbollah terrorists, as it’s done over the past few days, would qualify? Yet, rather than issuing thank yous or rewards, the Biden administration seems publicly eager for Israel to stop.

They must be laughing in Tehran. Every time Israel starts inflicting real pain on Iranian proxies, Washington cranks up the pressure on Israel for a “ceasefire.” No wonder the Iranians were trying to assassinate Bolton and Secretary of State Pompeo. They, at least, were threats to the Iranian regime. That is more than can be said for the current U.S. national security team.

Adams indictment: The indictment of Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat of New York, is a reminder of three larger points.