U.S. Slams Iran’s Claim of Prisoner Swap as ‘Cruel Lie’

Welcome to today’s Morning Brief, where we’re looking at an exchange of words between the United States and Iran on an alleged prisoner swap, a think tank’s announcement on Russia’s campaign on Bakhmut, and protests against the Israeli government in Israel and Washington.

If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every weekday, please sign up here.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that a prisoner swap was imminent with the United States. But later that same day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price called the claim a “cruel lie that only adds to the suffering of their families.”

“Unfortunately, Iranian officials will not hesitate to make things up, and the latest cruel claim will cause more heartache for the families of Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, and Morad Tahbaz,” according to a statement from the White House National Security Council. Iran has never made evidence against them public nor acknowledged that they hold both U.S. and Iranian citizenship.

The back and forth comes just days after Iran and Saudi Arabia announced that, aided by China, they were restoring ties. Some have taken this as a sign that China is on the rise in the region—and that the United States is being sidelined—while Israel, which has worked to isolate Iran, is suffering a setback.

On Twitter, Israel’s former military intelligence chief, Amos Yadlin, said, “The government’s focus on the judicial overhaul, which is tearing the nation apart and weakening Israel in all dimensions, reflects a deep disconnect between [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and international geopolitical trends.”

Monday, March 13: The ballot opens for Scotland’s Scottish National Party leadership elections.

Tuesday, March 14: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at the International Movement of Russophiles.

Wednesday, March 15: A U.S. Senate hearing committee is held on U.S.-Brazil relations.

Thursday, March 16: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Ethiopia and Niger.

Friday, March 17: Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar marks St. Patrick’s Day by delivering an address in Washington.

Russian advances in Bakhmut stalled. The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank based in Washington, has said Russia’s campaign to capture the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut has stalled and that there is no evidence Russia has made progress despite continued attacks. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group, posted on Telegram that the situation with respect to Bakhmut was “difficult, very difficult, with the enemy fighting for each meter.” This has been the longest ground battle of the war. The report contradicts earlier claims of Russian progress.

Protesters gather in Israel. For the 10th week in a row, Israeli protesters gathered to protest the Israeli government’s planned judicial reforms. Protest organizers claimed that half a million people were in attendance. Speaking at the main demonstration in Tel Aviv, former police chief Moshe Karadi said, “Israel is facing a danger it has not faced since the 1948 War of Independence.”

The next evening, in Washington, several American Jewish organizations held a protest of their own, this time against Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a self-described “fascist homophobe,” who was speaking at the Israel Bonds’ national leadership summit at the Grand Hyatt.

No U.S. officials met with Smotrich—although critics noted that he was not denied a visa and was able to enter the country. For some, Smotrich himself was squarely the offense. But for others, the protest was broader. “This is not just about Smotrich. We are here to fight for democracy for all people,” said Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T’ruah, a pro-human rights rabbinical group. “We are here to fight for human rights for Israelis and Palestinians.”

Record-breaking year for Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil company. Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil company announced that it had a record-breaking year for profits, bringing in $161.1 billion, a 46.5 percent increase for the company. Most of the profits will go to the Saudi government, which owns almost 95 percent of Aramco shares. Aramco said the profits were “underpinned by stronger crude oil prices, higher volumes sold, and improved margins for refined products.”

• Staring Down the Black Hole of Russia’s Future by Anastasia Edel

• The Road to Democracy in Russia Runs Through Chechnya by Botakoz Kassymbekova

• How the World Forgot About Russian Imperialism by FP Contributors

More Malbec? Argentina’s government is trying to increase experts and restock its central bank reserves. The delicious solution? Grant the country’s wine-makers a “Malbec dollar” exchange rate beginning in April to try to help them deal with inflation and poor weather conditions. The government hopes the new exchange rate—which hasn’t yet been revealed—will help with export competitiveness.