The President's Daily Brief
January 14th, 2025: Russia And Iran Sign Historic Partnership & China Builds Taiwan Invasion Barges
Tue, 14 Jan 2025
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: The growing partnership between Russia and Iran, as the Islamic Republic engages in secret talks with Moscow to advance its nuclear ambitions. China's construction of five specialized amphibious assault barges and what analysts say about their potential use in a conflict over Taiwan. Optimism for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, with Israeli officials revealing key details of a deal under consideration. And in today’s Back of the Brief: The latest from Los Angeles, where wildfires rage, the death toll rises, and authorities contend with growing challenges from looters. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What is the significance of the Russia-Iran partnership?
The mullahs have gone so far as to help Moscow build their own production bases for these drones inside Russia, while also supplying the Putin regime with close-range ballistic missiles to resupply their dwindling stockpiles. In return, the Iranians have pursued sophisticated Russian weapons like long-range air defense systems and fighter jets.
But recent rumblings say Iran's leaders are after something far more explosive than that. One item not explicitly on the agenda in Moscow this week is Iran's nuclear program, but an exclusive report from Britain's The Times reveals that the Islamic Republic has also been engaging in secret talks with Moscow to advance its atomic ambitions.
According to the report, a senior advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader has been conducting covert diplomatic missions to Russia in recent months ahead of the signing of the new treaty, seeking the Kremlin's assistance in improving Tehran's nuclear and air defense capabilities.
The aide has met with high-ranking Russian officials during these secret excursions, though what kind of assistance Russia may be providing the Iranians at this time remains unclear.
An unnamed Western intelligence source told the Times, quote, since they are deepening their strategic relationship and Russia is dependent on Iran for missiles and drones, there's concern that Moscow is ready to cross previously drawn red lines on the Iranian nuclear program.
According to the sources who spoke with the Times, while the Iranians are fully capable of developing the enriched uranium needed to build a bomb, they lack expertise on the finer points of how to effectively deploy such a device.
NATO's former director of nuclear nonproliferation said the Russians could help teach Iranian scientists, quote, how to build a smaller, more complex bomb or a nuclear device that can fit inside an artillery shell.
The official added that Iranian scientists could also learn a tremendous amount about how to refine their nuclear program by visiting Russian nuclear facilities, saying, quote, they could learn a lot in 24 hours. A long working weekend would give the Iranians a lot of ideas.
In addition to Putin's summit with the Iranian president on Friday, the revelation comes as Tehran holds talks with the UK, Germany, and France in Geneva this week regarding the nuclear program. Iran reportedly initiated the latest round of talks seeking to lift sanctions and resolve the longstanding nuclear impasse before Donald Trump is inaugurated this coming Monday.
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Chapter 2: How is China preparing for a potential invasion of Taiwan?
Chapter 3: What are the latest developments regarding the Hamas-Israel ceasefire?
However, high profile Palestinians remain excluded from the release, as do individuals linked to the 7 October 23 terror attacks. A Saudi news outlet on Monday reported Israel floated a list of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who are eligible for exchange. The potential agreement also outlines broader territorial adjustments.
Israel will withdraw from most areas of Gaza while fortifying its border security with new buffer zones, and strategic points along the Gaza-Egypt border will remain under Israeli control, enabling security oversight while allowing civilian movement within Gaza.
The officials confirm Israel will not completely withdraw from Gaza until the war's goals are achieved, which is the return of all hostages. While there's hope in Gaza for a ceasefire to the north, the truce between Israel and Hezbollah continued to show signs of fraying as the IDF, Israeli Defense Forces, carried out airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed terror group in Lebanon.
The strikes from Israel targeted rocket launchers, a terrorist military site, and weapon smuggling routes along the Syria-Lebanon border. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency confirmed the strikes but did not provide casualty details. The IDF defended its actions, stating that prior warnings of Hezbollah violations have gone unaddressed by the international mechanism overseeing the ceasefire.
The truce in effect since late November now teeters on the brink of collapse. Lebanon's prime minister pledged to disarm Hezbollah in the south, while the country's newly elected president vowed to establish state authority over the region.
Despite these commitments, reports from the Khan public broadcaster reveal Hezbollah continues to conceal weapons, including mortars and anti-tank missiles, in areas under IDF control. Under the terms of this ceasefire from late November, Hezbollah is expected to withdraw north to the Latani River by 26 January, while Israeli forces must vacate southern Lebanon.
This withdrawal would leave the area under the control of the Lebanese armed forces and the UN interim force in Lebanon. However, Israeli officials warn its exit may be delayed if these conditions are not met. Coming up in the back of the brief, Los Angeles officials crack down on looters amid wildfires, including suspects caught impersonating firefighters. More on that when we come back.
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Chapter 4: What challenges are Los Angeles authorities facing with wildfires?
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Chapter 5: What insights are provided by analysts on military logistics in the Far East?
I'm Mike Slater filling in for Mike Baker in today's Back of the Brief, the latest from Los Angeles. A growing force of firefighters and equipment deployed across the county came as high winds threatened to further fuel wildfires that have devastated thousands of homes and claimed dozens of lives.
The region braces for its most dangerous day today, with winds expected to peak at 65 miles per hour, complicating the limited containment efforts from over the weekend. The National Weather Service has issued severe fire warnings through Wednesday.
The county is now a flashpoint in a coordinated emergency response, drawing resources from across California, nine other states, even Canada and Mexico. Nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft, and over 14,000 firefighters battled the infernos.
The Los Angeles County Fire Chief emphasized the improved readiness, including pre-positioned firefighting aircraft and dozens of water trucks stationed along parched, brush-covered hillsides to replenish supplies after the hydrants ran dry last week. The chief said, quote, we're absolutely better prepared for what's coming.
However, he warned that the powerful Santa Ana winds could ground planes and disrupt operations as they did last week. In just seven days, four major fires engulfed over 62 square miles of Los Angeles County. That's triple the size of Manhattan.
Capturing the headlines are the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, which is one third contained, and the Palisades Fire in the affluent Pacific Palisades area, where containment lags at just 14%. On this Palisades fire, if you're familiar with the area, it just has to go over a few more ravines and then could jump the 405.
If it jumps the 405 highway, the next neighborhood to catch on fire is Bel Air, UCLA, and then Beverly Hills. Firefighters, of course, doing everything they can to prevent it from jumping over the highway. The L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed the death toll rose to 24 as of Sunday with dozens still missing.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for nearly 100,000 residents, including on the other side of the 405. The crisis has also seen a troubling surge of opportunistic crime. The sheriff reported 29 arrests for looting in fire-affected zones, including 25 near the Eaton Fire and four in Pacific Palisades. One suspect disguised himself as a firefighter.
The sheriff told reporters, quote, when I was out there in Malibu, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter and I asked him if he was OK because he was sitting down. I didn't realize we had him in handcuffs.
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