(Via Washington Free Beacon) Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) is seeking to fine the State Department for illegally withholding the release of a key report on Iranian human rights abuses that was supposed to be released earlier this year, but was withheld, according to sources, in order to appease Iran as negotiations over its nuclear program approach a June 30 deadline.

The Obama administration was legally obligated to release a full report outlining the state of Iranian human rights by Feb. 25 but has so far declined to do so.

Cruz and other senators petitioned the State Department in May to comply with federal law compelling the report’s public release. (more…)

Secretary John Kerry appears to have gained a new pair of “eyebrow merkins“. 

BOSTON – […] Kerry left Massachusetts General Hospital on crutches but under his own power. He told reporters he planned to go to his nearby home in the Beacon Hill section of Boston for a few days before traveling to Washington next week.

He promised to be “absolutely, totally and fully engaged” in nuclear negotiations with Iran, saying he remained confident the June 30 timetable for completing a deal could be achieved. He said he expected to travel overseas to join in the discussions later in the month as they neared a critical juncture.

“Our team is in Vienna right now working out very complex … details of this agreement,” Kerry said “It’s a tough slog. It’s not easy.” (read more)

The U.S. State Department, via Marie Harf, is explaining Iran’s continued expansion of nuclear material with the same logic that President Obama applies to the U.S. Debt. and deficits.
Note to those harf-minded fools:

Half of something you triple, is not “less” (than you started with).

Carry on.
WASHINGTON DC – International inspectors report that Iran’s stockpile of nuclear fuel has increased about 20 percent over the past 18 months of negotiations, according to The New York Times.

The increase in Iran’s stockpile was based on a report issued Friday by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors nuclear programs for the United Nations. (more…)

(NBC) Secretary of State John Kerry suffered a broken leg in a bike accident in France early Sunday, a U.S. embassy official told NBC News.

The cycling accident occurred near Scionzier, France, about 25 miles from Geneva, where Kerry had been holding nuclear talks with Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif. (more…)

This is the second time Carly Fiorina absolutely nailed a succinct answer to a complex foreign policy issue.  Within her response she cuts right to the heart of the problem the rest of the MSM and professional political class don’t want to admit exists.

More of that fundamental change we were told to expect….

(Via New York Post) Saudi Arabia will join the nuclear club by buying “off the shelf” atomic weapons from Pakistan, US officials told a London newspaper.
The Saudis — who financed much of Pakistan’s nuke program — are fearful of international efforts to keep its enemy Iran from acquiring a bomb, the Sunday Times of London reports. The Saudis think the deal, backed by President Obama, will actually accelerate Iran’s nuke push.
Saudi Arabia has talked for years about acquiring a bomb from the Pakistanis. “The House of Saud has now made the strategic decision to move forward,” a former US defense official said. (more)

If, like many of us, you are deep in the weeds in your understanding of the issues around Benghazi, the 2010 Arab Spring (Tunis, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen), or the CIA operation “Zero Footprint” in Libya and the follow-up operation in Syria, you will enjoy this interview with former Panetta/Petraeus replacement Mike Morell.
Or, if you have a cursory understanding of events, this interview might spur you toward further research.  “The Benghazi Brief” – Regardless of your current level of understanding behind events of the past 7+ years, this interview is well constructed.
Bret Baier has done his homework, and in a refreshing and surprising manner you can see how Baier is able to cut through the distracting ‘talking points’ (no pun intended), and draw out the reality of what lies behind Morell and his foundational motives.

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Snippet #1

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Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton was the only full frontal conservative candidate in 2014 that never backed down from his principles or advocacy.   Despite the pressure from the professional establishment to moderate himself to the middle, Cotton choose to remain true to his beliefs.
He also won his election by the widest margin of any candidate in the Senate races.
Today, another example of his wolverine blood.
This guy is fierce.
Senator Cotton says Iran should not be trusted, and any sanctions relief must first be preceded by a change in behavior and verification.  Iran does not like that idea:

If we have an agreement on the 30th of June, within a few days after that, there will be a resolution before the UN Security Council under Article 41 of Chapter 7 which will be mandatory for all member states whether Senator Cotton likes it or not.
~ Javad Zarif (Iranian Foreign Minister)

Full Backstory HERE – As Cotton Responds:

Hey @JZarif, I hear you called me out today. If you’re so confident, let’s debate the Constitution. 1/4

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) April 29, 2015

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Several outlets are now reporting on an open letter to President Obama supposedly from the nephew of Iran’s Supreme Leader.  The letter was posted on an Iranian website (khodnevis.org) today from Dr. Mahmoud Moradkhani — the nephew of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mr. President
I am presenting this open letter as one of the serious opponents of the Islamic republic of Iran on behalf of the like-minded opposition groups and myself. Because of my knowledge of this regime, especially of Ali Khamenei who is my uncle (my mother’s brother), I see it as my duty to inform you about this regime and the issue of nuclear negotiations with the Islamic regime of Iran.
Let me at first inform you that the regime that falsely calls itself a republic came to power in 1979 by deceiving Iranian people and the world through provoking Iranian people against the regime of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and gaining the support of the world community. (more…)