The World Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) has announced, amid renewed tensions in the Middle East and indications from Washington of a deadlock in diplomatic processes over Tehran’s nuclear program proposal, that the Authority is blacklisting Iran for the first time in 20 years.

Specifically, based on the Authority’s announcements, there is tangible evidence that Iran is systematically “running” an illicit nuclear weapons program, has possessed and continues to accumulate large quantities of enriched uranium, and is denying the Authority access to their nuclear facilities.

With this finding, and yesterday’s announcements from Washington that a significant portion of the diplomatic staff of the US embassy in Baghdad and Kuwait are being evacuated, it appears that we are heading full speed ahead towards an asymmetric escalation in the region.

Iran announced today that its entire armed forces controlled by the Revolutionary Guards – numbering more than 600,000 – are on alert and military exercises in the coming days will be ongoing.

Meanwhile, Tehran formally warned the US on Wednesday that in the event of an attack on its nuclear facilities, US bases in the region would be among the first targets of its forces.