— 🇸🇦/🕋 NEW: More than 1100 pilgrims have died on the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia due to the intense heat wave

@Middle_East_Spectator

I fully blame Saudi Arabia.

Hajj is literally the one thing they are responsible for, and they cannot even organize it properly.

They make it expensive as shit, but don't even give basic medical attention or amenities to the pilgrims.

The decision on Lebanon has been made.

War.

🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇱🇧 Talks over the last 24-48 Hours between Senior Israeli and U.S. Officials, has reportedly caused “Extreme Concern” among several Members of the Biden Administration, who believed that an Israeli Campaign against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon, likely Opening with by a Large-Scale Air Campaign over Lebanon and Southwestern Syria, is now Imminent and could begin at any point over the next Three Weeks.

📎 OSINTdefender

— 🇰🇼/🇱🇧 NEW: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues an urgent travel advisory against all travel to Lebanon, and calls on its citizens to leave Lebanese territory

@Middle_East_Spectator

🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇱🇧 US officials reassured top Israeli officials that if a full-out war were to break out between Israel and Hezbollah, the Biden administration is fully prepared to back its ally

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/21/politics/us-israel-hezbollah-assurances/index.html

No fucking way this is real man

Huge North Korean-style Khamenei propaganda posters in New York.

What a timeline holy shit 💀

Ok sadly we have been informed it's probably fake – too funny to be true.

I must say the editing was good, got me for a second.

— 🇮🇱/🇮🇷 Israeli Foreign Ministry: 'The Axis of Terrorism, led by the head of the snake, Iran, is a danger to the whole of humanity'

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷 NEW: During a campaign rally in Kashan, where Iran's former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is speaking in favor of Reformist Candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, the crowd starts chanting 'death to the hypocrites!' directed at Zarif, after he tried accusing his opponents that they don't follow the instructions of the Leader

@Middle_East_Spectator

— NOTE: Among pro-government and religious Iranians, the Reformist are very much hated and blamed for the past 20 years of economic crisis.

They are also criticized for wanting to abolish or relax Hijab laws, and wanting to have strong ties with the West.

Khamenei has repeatedly instructed the government NOT to engage in a Nuclear Deal with the USA, but the Reformists did. So those same people accusing others of not following the Leader's directive is extremely hypocritical.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇮🇱/🇱🇧 BREAKING: Two U.S. Aircraft Carriers, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Theodore Roosevelt are currently en route deploying to the coast of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea, among fears of a large scale war with Hezbollah

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇱🇧 A southern Lebanese villager from Aytaroun: 'We ask America to send a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th aircraft carrier; send your entire fleet, hello and welcome, more targets for the Resistance'

@Middle_East_Spectator

Iran's presidential candidate and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili (best candidate) adressed the rumours and says he will not withdraw from candidacy and will remain till the end.

— 🇮🇷 Iran's last official Presidential poll ahead of Friday's election

Jalili leads with 22.5%, followed by Ghalibaf at 19.5% and Pezeshkian at 19.4%, and the others below 3%.

The election will almost certainly go to a second round, because no candidate will get more than 50% of the votes in the first round.

At this point, with Jalili (Hardline) seemingly in first place, the race is on between Ghalibaf (Populist) and Pezeshkian (Reformist):

If Ghalibaf (Populist) gets second place in the first round, the second round will be between Ghalibaf and Jalili (Hardline). This would be a showdown between Iran's moderately conservative populist flank and the hardline conservative religious flank. While the two have similarities and are both conservatives, Ghalibaf also appeals to middle class non-conservative Iranians, who see him as an experienced 'manager' who built Tehran into a powerhouse during his term as a competent mayor. Jalili's voterbase consists mostly of hardline revolutionary Iranians and the religious masses, as well as university educated youths and people from rural areas.

If Pezeshkian places second in the first round, the second round will be between Pezeshkian (Reformist) and Jalili (Hardline). This would be a showdown between Iran's liberal reformist flank and the hardline conservative religious flank. In this event, Jalili will likely take almost all the votes of those who voted for Ghalibaf in the previous round, because both are part of the wider conservative flank despite their differences. On the other hand, Pezeshkian could draw in large numbers of previous non-voters, mostly anti-IR Iranians, who will feel emboldened if a Reformist reaches the second round.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷 Presidential candidate Dr. Saeed Jalili visited the city of Esfahan, and had a warm welcome from the people

The momentum for Jalili keeps on building. Pezeshkian is also doing well, especially on social media and in Tehran. Ghalibaf seems to have much less momentum on his side.

@Middle_East_Spectator