As we catch our breath after a riveting few days of election news out of Israel, let us not forget that a very important deadline looms.  I’m talking about the March 31 deadline for reaching a framework agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear program.  Members of the P5+1 (US, Great Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) are deeply entrenched in negotiations with Iran.  The news is conflicting, with Iranians indicating they are close to a deal, but other leaders providing vague answers to the proximity of a deal.

Supposedly, there must be a framework deal by the end of March or negotiations cease.  However, don’t look for that to happen.  It is suspected by some that the P5+1 will either cave to dangerous Iranian demands in order to make the deadline, or the deadline will be extended.  Negotiators have been at it for two years.  If an agreement hasn’t been made in that length of time, it is highly unlikely that extending the deadline will bring about any new ideas.  It is only an opportunity for Iran to press until they get what they want.  Meanwhile, every day that they drag out these negotiations is another day they continue to enrich uranium and develop facilities, missiles, and warheads.  Stalled negotiations are a victory for Iran.

But brace for related, shocking news: According to NewsWeek, as of February 26, 2015, the US has removed Iran and its primary terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, from its lists of terrorist threats.  Iran is no longer seen to present a threat of weapons of mass destruction (despite their known attempts to attain nuclear power!) or cyber terror.  They are no longer listed as a regional threat (much less a world threat) by the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Communities.  See this report:

In light of that, I want to share 10 Things You Need to Know about Iran.  We need to know the enemy we face, then we need to do everything we can to defeat that enemy.  For us as believers, the battle is fought on our knees!  So, I hope you find those 10 things to be targets for prayer…and that you fire away at those targets!

Blessings friends!