Thursday, April 2, is the 85th day since the beginning of the “grace” period in which US forces have been given the chance to leave the Middle East.
For the last few weeks the news on TV and the internet has been completely focused on the new coronavirus, i.e. Covid-19. Not meaning to make light of a serious situation in which some people are more vulnerable and health services are strained, the pandemic has replaced talk of impeaching Trump, as well as other ongoing events.
Yesterday, we got a reminder from the White House that the IRGC and regime are still there, as US President Trump mentioned that there is chatter around Iran of a sneak attack on US military assets in Iraq.
If the coming attack being spoke of is part of the coming Second Signpost, US assets will be in danger all over the Middle East.
This is indeed a good reminder. Don’t let the coronavirus pandemic cloud your view of the overall big picture given us in God’s Word—the Second Signpost is still coming.
Categories: In The News, Signpost #2: Iran
THE FOUR SIGNPOSTS 
On 2020-04-02 the two IRGC major generals most involved in directing Iranian military actions issued warning statements to America. One warning came from Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces:
https://en.irna.ir/news/83736533/Iran-closely-watching-US-military-movements-in-region
The other came from Yahya Rahim-Safavi, commander of the IRGC from 1997 to 2007, when Supreme Leader Khamenei appointed him to his current role as military advisor to the Supreme Leader:
https://en.irna.ir/news/83736470/Iraq-defense-against-US-adventurism-inevitable
These statements were issued by IRNA, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mark, the Covid19 pandemic is of biblical proportions and I believe is fulfilling what Jesus said in Matthew 24:7 about pestilences. Lately I’ve been thinking about how Matthew 24:6 and 7 could be a progression. What I mean is you have two different times in which Jesus mentions war in those two verses. One is wars and rumors of wars and the other is Nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. My point is that what if the wars and rumors of wars was a period of time from 1990 at the beginning of the desert storm up till now and the nation against nation / kingdom against kingdom wars are wars invoked by the pestilence and famines caused by covid19 and in the mist of the the Ram charges forth. We are seeing a lot of potential of nation rising against nation for needed supplies and herbs and medicine to combat the coronavirus. We are also seeing a blame game starting with the US and China. In other words we could be going into a world war 3 chaos scenario at which time Iran could have a easier path through the middle east if our efforts are on China and “protecting” medicine in central and south american countries.
Jesse,
In Chronicles, I show that (1) the “wars” and the “nation against nation” are one and the same, i.e. the Second Signpost. The “do not be afraid” is an interjection between the two statement speaking of war. And (2) the “earthquakes” are part of the Fourth Signpost. That word for earthquakes is “seismos” and means any great disaster, man-made or natural. Only the KJV throws in the word “pestilence” with “earthquake” and is not there in the Critical Greek Text. Revelation 14 and Daniel 8 both speak of great destruction and death during the Fourth Signpost. All this is said to indicate to us that the time of the Fourth Signpost will see an immense death toll, and 2% from the coronavirus wouldn’t qualify. The coronavirus is more likely merely a factor to make the effects of the Second Signpost worse.
Now would seem like a good time to make their move. Aside from the difficulties of safe guarding Hormuz that averted a war in the past, western militaries now have a global pandemic with all the civil disorder etc to deal with. As well as entire aircraft carriers with covid.
I have always stuck with the textus receptus versions of scripture. Don’t really like KJV and am definitely not KJV only as that is just brainwashing. I do prefer the NKJV for the very reason that you just mentioned. In the NKJV and the KJV there are a lot of words that the NIV and others simply have removed. Probably removed in the greek but so what. In most cases the words that are removed or not there are powerful words that have to do with the deity of Christ.
On 2019-02-12, Radio Farda (an Iranian news source that is critical of the Khamenei/IRGC regime) published an article revealing Iranian influence in Venezuela. https://en.radiofarda.com/a/would-a-new-venezuelan-government-kick-out-hezbollah-/29765060.html
“Admiral Craig S. Faller, Commander of U.S. Southern Command, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 7, 2019 that ‘Iran has deepened its anti-U.S. Spanish language media coverage and has exported its state support for terrorism into our hemisphere.’”
On 2020-04-01, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that Admiral Craig S. Faller is now leading a military operation to prevent drugs from entering the USA. https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4865438/user-clip-gen-mark-milley-illegal-drugs
How this might tie in with Iranian influence in Venezuela was revealed in Stars and Stripes. https://www.stripes.com/news/us/pentagon-deploys-ships-aircraft-and-troops-to-caribbean-eastern-pacific-to-help-stop-drug-traffickers-1.624515 “[Defense Secretary] Esper pointed to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s government for using the illicit drug trade to keep hold of its power. ‘These enhanced counter-narcotic operations that are now underway will further disrupt the flow of illicit drugs to America, deny our adversaries the financial resources they depend on.'” So when General Milley said: “This is the United States military, you will not penetrate this country, you will not get past Jump Street, you’re not going to come in here and kill additional Americans and we will marshal whatever assets are required to prevent your entry into this country to kill Americans,” he may have been speaking to Iran and Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military in Iraq, after handing over three of its military bases to Iraq in March, has already handed over another in April. https://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/marines-coalition-forces-pull-out-of-iraq-s-taqaddam-air-base-1.624874
Nothing can stop Iran’s invasion westward through Iraq; whatever Iran was planning to do through the far west of Venezuela can be stopped.
Jesse,
I guess as long as the English version of whichever – Receptus or Critical – gives us a saving knowledge of Christ, these are fine. But for study I go with the Critical Text. The KJV is the only version of the four – NKJV, NIV, NASB – being the others, based on the Receptus. The others follow the Critical Text. Also, the NIV is idea-based while the NKJV and NASB are word for word. Before Chronicles, I was gung-ho on the NIV, but after the research done on Chronicles, I’ve switched to NASB/NKJV, since realizing word-for-word is a big help in understanding prophecy.
Many Christians worldwide are staying in their homes due to coronavirus-related directives. Some are wondering is this is fulfilling Isaiah 26:20.
NIV: Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.
NASB: Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while Until indignation runs its course.
NKJV: Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.
If Isaiah 26:20 is being fulfilled, then there must be an element of anger attached to it. The next verse reads:
NIV: See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer.
NASB: For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.
NKJV: For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.
If Isaiah 26:20-21 is in the process of fulfillment, we should expect some display of divine wrath, perhaps in the form of shocking disclosures of what evil people have secretly been doing. Otherwise, the fulfillment of Isaiah 26:20-21 is reserved for some later period of time.
Some have suggested that Isaiah 26:20-21 describes an end-time Passover. Will coronavirus peak during the Passover season? Passover 2020 begins Wednesday, April 8 at sunset, and ends Thursday, April 16. Good Friday is April 10 and Easter on April 12. Shocking disclosures of evil in western civilization could embolden Iran to launch its prophesied invasion.
The American and French aircraft carriers are leaving the Middle East Area. The price of oil continues to slide hurting the Iranian economy . The US forces have introduced Patriot missile systems into Iraq. They have pulled back and entrenched in a smaller defensive position, they don’t seem to wish to leave despite the Iraqi and Iranian demands that they go.
All these factors serve to increase the temptation for Iran to start an invasion of the Middle East.
Daniel Revisited chapter 10, in the section “Iran’s Military prepares for War,” called attention to the Twelver beliefs of the Khamenei/IRGC regime. Why are two primarily news websites published by Twelvers suddenly sharing their eschatological beliefs on 2020-04-08, the start of the Jewish Passover?
Tasnim News Agency (IRGC-controlled):
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/04/08/2239136/activists-promote-promised-saviour-hashtag-amid-world-suffering
Islamic Invitation Turkey (published by Hezbollah, a Twelver organization):
http://www.islamicinvitationturkey. com/sayyed-nasrallah-calls-for-joining-union-of-hearts-reciting-as-sahifa-al-sajjadiyyas-7th-supp/
“Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that none of the signs of the arrival of Imam Mahdi (as) set a specific timing for his appearance except for one which is the ‘Heavenly Cry’ (Assayha). It is a call by Gabriel (as) from the sky in which he announces the arrival of Imam Mahdi (as), and every human being – without any exception – will hear this call with the language that he understands. This is the only clear sign that puts a timing for Imam Mahdi’s arrival, which is shortly after it. In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah assured that ‘the more the crises increase the more people of all religions believe that the arrival of a savior is approaching,’ adding that ‘there is no doubt that what is happening today is strange and it had never happened before that 4 billion people all around the world are in quarantine in their homes’…”
Oh, I now see why Twelvers are coming out of the woodwork to trumpet their eschatological beliefs. April 8th was the eve of the celebration of Imam Mahdi’s birth, and April 9th is the birthday itself.
https://en.irna.ir/news/83744560/Supreme-Leader-Humanity-today-needs-savior-more-than-any-other
“Ayatollah Khamenei recalled that all religions have promised the coming of a Savior, adding, ‘In Islam, people have been told to await the Savior. Awaiting does not mean sitting idly; awaiting means having hope and preparing. It means taking actions’.”
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/04/09/622631/Iran-Imam-Mahdi-Birthday-Coronavirus
“Imam Mahdi — known as Imam of Time — was born on the 15th day of the month of Sha’ban on the lunar calendar around 1,200 years ago. He commands special respect among Shia Muslims, who believe he will someday reappear on earth as per divine decree, establish peace and rid the world of injustice, discrimination, and other instances of evil.”
Prism,
Just adding for those who aren’t familiar with the theory that both myself and Joel Richardson teach, is that Islam’s Mahdi is the Bible’s Antichrist/Beast.
Wondering Mark if he will also fulfill the role of Maitreya as well. This was a big theory in the 80’s before Islam was brought into the bigger picture.
Mark,
I went to the U. S. State Department website to see what travel advisories are in place for countries that are probably in the path of the prophesied second signpost invasion. Due to coronavirus travel restrictions, no travel abroad is recommended at this time. But by clicking on “countries & areas” I found what I was looking for, the travel advisories that were in place prior to the coronavirus situation.
Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen were already listed at “Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Lebanon and Israel were listed at “Level 3: Reconsider Travel.” Saudi Arabia and Turkey were listed at “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution.” But Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Republic were listed at “Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions.” Cringeworthy!
The State Department during this coronavirus crisis has brought home over 50,000 stranded Americans from more than 90 countries.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/09/pompeo-u-s-repatriates-over-50000-stranded-americans-so-far/
I hope this included those stranded in countries bordering the Persian Gulf! Otherwise, travelers could find themselves in a bear of a situation (pun intended – see Daniel 7:5).
Finally got a chance into reading the Kindle version of The Chronicles of the End TImes during these restrictions. Very interesting. A third of the way through. The chiasm insghts are very interesting!
Gary,
I’m glad to hear you are exploring what the form of the Scripture text has to teach us.
Blessings
Throughout the scriptures there are many times when “Sword, famine, and pestilence” are mentioned all three together many times and in that order as God’s judgement on a nation or world.
Could it be that we are seeing this now in reverse order? Pestilence (Covid19), Famine (soon to come looming food crisis world wide) and Sword (Ram / Second signpost soon to come?)
Happen to catch a show on dangerous animals. It had documented cases of bear attacks. Apparently they are very patient before attacking and like their prey within range before striking. They also are not know to start eating when attacking unless they are very hungry.
There are prophecies in the Bible so steeped in antiquity that understanding them seems impossible. Isaiah 15-16 and Jeremiah 48 are prophecies concerning Moab, an ancient place east of the Dead Sea, now part of Jordan. Since there are several nearly identical phrases in them, I decided to line up the two prophecies in parallel columns to study them. To make comparison easier, I put all mentions of Moab in red font and all mention of places in Moab in blue font. I found the same converging A – B – C – B’- A’ chiasmus in both prophecies: Isaiah 16:6-14 and Jeremiah 48:29-47.
Panel A of Isaiah 16:6 and Jeremiah 48:29-30 both mention the pride of Moab. Panel A’ of Isaiah 16:12-14 and Jeremiah 48:37-47 both describe the fall of that pride.
Panel B of Isaiah 16:7 and Jeremiah 48:31 both mention Moab twice, both mentioning howling, and both refer to the same city. Isaiah called it Kir-hareseth. A century later, Jeremiah called it Kir-heres. Panel B’ of Isaiah 16:11 and Jeremiah 48:36 both mention gut-wrenching emotions and sounds of musical instruments.
Panel C of Isaiah 16:8-10 and Jeremiah 48:32-35 both mention various places in Moab with Heshbon, Sibmah, Jazer, and Elealeh mentioned in both. Both mention failing agriculture with summer fruits and wine mentioned in both.
Although I have read Chronicles of the End Times, discovering this duplicated chiasmus was still a shock. More shocking was my discovery that a place mentioned is a functioning city in Jordan. Kir-hareseth or Kir-heres is Karak, Jordan. It has a restaurant named Kir Heres: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g844610-d1996395-Reviews-Kir_Heres_Restaurant-Karak_Karak_Governorate.html
Jeremiah 48:36 says “mine heart shall sound like pipes.” Bagpipes became a part of the Jordanian Army Band in 1929, when a British officer who could speak Arabic taught some Jordanian musicians how to play the instrument. “The Beating Retreat of the massed pipe and brass bands of the Royal Jordanian Army is held in the national capital of Amman. In attendance is usually the King and Queen of Jordan, as well as many other senior members of the House of Hashim, the Government, and the military establishment” (Wikipedia).
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=beating+retreat+jordan+2010&docid=608035002189483884&mid=791D061A76F9C30D324D791D061A76F9C30D324D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Prism,
I had that same shocking experience as I discovered chiasmus after chiasmus within Daniel, Revelation, etc, as well as parallel texts carried over between books, when writing Chronicles. Good job finding the echoes between Isaiah 16 and Jeremiah 48.
This was just posted on zerohedge.com: Iranian speed boats approaching US ships: https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/video-shows-iranian-fast-boats-harrassing-us-navy-warships-new-gulf-incident
Mark,
As Chronicles of the End Times shows, there are two kinds of chiasmus, convergent and parallel. From the beginning of Isaiah 15 to the start of the convergent chiasmus at 16:6, and from the beginning of Jeremiah 48 to the start of the convergent chiasmus at verse 29, are parallel messages. Both Isaiah chapter 15 and Jeremiah 48:1-26 decribe a military invasion of Moab. Whether all of that prophesied invasion was fulfilled in ancient times or still has portions yet to be fulfilled is a question. Isaiah 16:1-5 and Jeremiah 48:27-28 are parallel in that they refer to Moab-Israel relations, or, if there is a modern element to these passages, Jordan-Israel relations. In 2020, Israel began pumping and selling natural gas from Israel’s Mediterranean gas fields to Jordan, thereby reducing the cost of Jordan’s energy needs. Yet there have been many protests in Jordan against this mutually beneficial arrangement.
In Ezekiel 25 are prophecies concerning Ammon, Moab, and Edom, areas now in Jordan.
Ezekiel 25:8-11 NKJV reads:
Thus says the Lord God: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Look! The house of Judah is like all the nations,’ therefore, behold, I will clear the territory of Moab of cities, of the cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kirjathaim. To the men of the East I will give it as a possession, together with the Ammonites, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. And I will execute judgments upon Moab, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
Was this completely fulfilled in ancient times? Or can “the men of the East” refer to the Iran’s second signpost invasion? We may soon know.
https://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/iranian-vessels-harass-us-navy-ships-with-dangerous-maneuvers-in-the-persian-gulf-1.626217
And there went out another horse that was red:
and power was given to him that sat thereon
to take peace from the earth,
and that they should kill one another:
and there was given unto him a great sword.
Revelation 6:4 reveals that the second signpost invasion in the Middle East will take peace from the whole Earth. Compare Revelation 6:4 with Isaiah 24:17-18:
Fear and the pit and the snare
are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
And it shall come to pass that
he who fleeth from the noise of the fear
shall fall into the pit;
and he that cometh up
out of the midst of the pit
shall be taken in the snare;
for the windows from on high are open
and the foundations of the earth do shake.
If Isaiah 24:17-18 will be fulfilled during the second signpost, then Jeremiah 48:43-44, which reads almost the same, will also be fulfilled during the second signpost.
Fear and the pit and the snare
shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab,
saith the Lord.
He that fleeth from the fear
shall fall into the pit;
and he that getteth up
out of the pit
shall be taken in the snare;
for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab,
the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 48:43-44 simply takes the Isaiah 24:17-18 statement for the whole Earth and applies it to the Moab area in Jordan, suggesting that Jeremiah 48 will have a second signpost fulfillment. The Isaiah 24:17-18 statement of worldwide application is immediately preceded by this statement in Isaiah 24:16:
… the treacherous dealers
have dealt treacherously;
yea, the treacherous dealers
have dealt very treacherously.
That hearkens back to Isaiah 21:2:
A grievous vision is declared unto me:
The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously,
and the spoiler spoileth.
Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media;
all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
Elam and Media were areas in what is now Iran. When Iran invades the Middle East, peace will being taken from the Earth. “Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.”
Oil is in the negative!
I find this an interesting development fresh off of twitter this afternoon. Iran launches its first military satellite but the USA argues it is a cover for nuclear weapons advancement…hmmm…
https://freebeacon.com/national-security/irans-launch-of-military-satellite-a-cover-for-nuclear-weapons-advancement-according-to-u-s-officials/
Julie,
I heard that though the regime boasts it launched a satellite, US intel says it didn’t make orbit.
The commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force says that land stations in Iran are receiving signals from the Noor satellite that is now in orbit.
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/04/24/2250100/iran-receiving-noor-satellite-signals-planning-new-launch-into-higher-orbit-commander
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/04/24/2250161/iranian-satellite-to-carry-out-military-civilian-missions-commander
The signals are no doubt in encrypted code that NSA is working on decoding. What is embarrassing to the Pentagon is that USA satellites apparently did not spy on the new launch. Remember the IRGC’s previous attempted launch that blew up instead? A USA satellite took photos of it that were published. This raised suspicions. The Pentagon had to explain that even though a USA satellite had spied on the failed launch, the USA had nothing to do with the explosion. Iran’s recent successful launch was from a mobile site in a remote area, which caught the Pentagon off-guard. Meanwhile, Russian satellites are stalking USA satellites, and the Pentagon is worried that Russia’s claim to be able to destroy USA satellites is true.
The IRGC is planning to put a second satellite into orbit at a higher altitude. Perhaps part of the reason why Iran’s prophesied invasion of the Middle East will be successful will be because their military planners will have the ability to spy on the entire region and thereby figure how best to coordinate invasions. Perhaps one of the reasons the prophesied bear will raise up on one of its sides (Daniel 7:5) is to listen for information on where to maraud next.
Prism,
Having worked in the defense industry, I’m skeptical that Iran’s satellite has much capability, and assuming it really did reach its intended orbit.
Also, the bear is higher on one side for the same reason the ram has a longer horn – the second internal power has exceeded the first.
Iran’s leaders are rejoicing over the Noor satellite launch. Having the ability now, thanks to IRGC expertise, of being able to look over the Middle East (in order to coordinate taking it over) is a sign that the IRGC is now more powerful than their Supreme Leader (who called for the IRGC to have such expertise).
According to Daniel 8:4, the ram will not be butting eastward. Pakistan is east of Iran. Although IRGC vessels have harassed U.S. naval ships in the Persian Gulf, Iran is actually cheering Pakistan firing missiles along the Arabian Sea coast near Iran.
https://en.irna.ir/news/83763696/Pakistan-Navy-successfully-test-fires-anti-ship-missiles
Comparing an end-time Iran to a bear (Daniel 7:5) makes sense:
http://www.bearsmart.com/about-bears/behaviour/
“Bears, like humans … have a ‘critical space’ – an area around them that they may defend. Once you have entered a bear’s critical space, you have forced the bear to act … Standing up on its hind legs allows a bear to get more information from its senses of smell, sight and hearing.”
Rising up on one side refers to the IRGC becoming stronger. The reason for rising up is to get more information, which the IRGC is doing with its Noor satellite.
In Daniel 8:4 is a phrase that I think refers to America. In the Jewish Publication Society’s 1985 translation it reads “there was none to deliver from his power.” This was what God told Daniel millenia before the U.S.A. existed. If it refers to America, America will not intervene to stop Iran from invading the Middle East.
Today I discovered that the founder of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini, uttered what has become a slogan used by Iran’s military leaders: “America can’t do a damn thing against us.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_can%27t_do_a_damn_thing_against_us
I was able to find a video with English subtitles of actual footage of Khomeini saying the phrase:
For proof that the slogan is still being recited in Iran, there is a 2020-04-24 video with English subtitles that has IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh repeating the slogan. Since this video is apparently only available on a Hezbollah site, it would be unwise to show the link. It can be found by running a search on everything between these brackets [VIDEO: “America cannot do a damn thing!”].
Two sides of one coin:
“There was none to deliver from his power.”
“America can’t do a damn thing against us.”
Prisms,
Almost. The high side versus low side play the IRGC’s power against the supreme leader’s power. The IRGC has the greater power, satellite or not.
Having the time, due to retirement, to daily scan through English-language websites covering Iran news, I am seeing that conditions are shaping up for some Bible prophecies discussed in “Daniel Revisited” to be fulfilled.
The new Prime Minister of Iraq is showing solidarity with the Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of some 40 militias that are mostly Shia Muslim groups, but also include Sunni Muslim, Christian, and Yazidi groups that want American military out of Iraq.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990227001028
“There are no signs Iran is quitting Syria, the only Arab country that sided with the Islamic republic during the 1980-1988 war with Iraq… While the number of IRGC forces [in Syria] has decreased from a few thousand to a few hundred, Tehran has continued to recruit Syrians to hold the Iranian forces’ places… Iran has continued to assist its allies in the region even under severe economic constraints, because it considers its regional involvement and influence a vital national interest… Iran will not be relinquishing Lebanon, which is the core of Iran’s interests.”
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/447952/No-indications-Iran-changing-regional-strategy-analysis
“Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei will deliver a speech to the Islamic Ummah (community) on May 22. The Leader’s speech will be aired live on local and international radio and television channels… The International Quds [Jerusalem] Day is an annual event during which demonstrators express their solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposition to the occupation of the Palestinian territories by the Zionist regime of Israel. The day is seen as the legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, who officially declared the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as International Quds Day back in 1979.”
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/05/17/2267871/exceptional-plans-devised-for-quds-day-in-iran-official
In defiance of American economic sanctions against both Iran and Venezuela, Iran is sending ships loaded with gasoline to Venezuela, which has oil but not the refineries to make gasoline. “There are unconfirmed reports that the US Navy has deployed its USS Detroit (LCS-7), USS Lassen (DDG-82), USS Preble (DDG-88), and USS Farragut (DDG-99) to the Caribbean along with its patrol aircraft Boeing P8-Poseidon for possible encounter with the Iranian vessels. However, analysts say it is very unlikely that the US makes such a mistake, as it would have serious repercussions for the Trump administration ahead of the November elections.”
https://ifpnews.com/irans-trade-with-venezuela-has-nothing-to-do-with-anyone-else-spokesman
Now that Iran has their Noor satellite in an orbit from which images of any place on Earth can be harvested, the IRGC can track the movements of US Navy ships or anything else they want to look at.