Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analysts Marie Donovan, Paul Bucala, and Caitlin Shayda Pendleton with contributors Ken Hawrey and Alice Naghshineh. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Excerpts of these translations may only be used with the expressed consent of the authors.

Key takeaway: President Hassan Rouhani warned critics of the nuclear deal not to obstruct Iran’s economic opportunities resulting from the deal.

President Rouhani warned regime hardliners that “the opportunity” for Iran to benefit economically  from the nuclear deal “does not last forever; if a small group… does not allow us to use this opportunity well, this opportunity will not return.” Regime hardliners have increasingly criticized Rouhani in recent months for failure to satisfactorily implement the Resistance Economy doctrine and rehabilitate Iran’s economy in the wake of sanctions relief under the nuclear deal.

AEI Must-Reads

• Paul Bucala and Frederick W. Kagan debunk Iran’s repeated assertion that it is only training, advising, and assisting Syrian forces by analyzing data collected from Iranian media reports on military casualties in the Critical Threats Project’s latest report, “Iran’s Evolving Way of War: How the IRGC Fights in Syria.”
   
• Matthew McInnis discusses Iran’s consensus on the need to strengthen its ballistic missile program and U.S. strategies for mitigating and responding to Iranian missile advances in his latest blog, “Iran’s missile happy ‘moderates.’”
   
• Paul Bucala analyzes Iran's deployment of Artesh special forces to Syria in "Iran in Syria: flexing more, not less, military muscle."
   
• Marie Donovan discusses IRGC Commander Jafari’s warning to Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani not to engage further with the West in “IRGC Commander warns President Rouhani to back off.”

Regional Developments

• Rouhani: The JCPOA is an opportunity to engage with the world. President Hassan Rouhani discussed Iran’s role in the world during his speech marking National Nuclear Technology Day. Rouhani called the nuclear deal “an opportunity for the Iranian nation in the field of technology, investment, and the Resistance Economy, and to create engagement with the world and bring unity inside the country.” Rouhani censured the continuing criticism of the nuclear deal from regime hardliners, stating “this chance does not last forever; if a small group is successful and does not allow us to utilize this opportunity well, this opportunity will not return.”
  • On Iran’s regional relationships: Rouhani hailed “moderation” as a guiding principle for Iran’s advancement in the world. He stated, “The meaning of moderation is that we must be balanced towards the world and other countries.… Moderation means that we cannot always trust others and we cannot always be pessimistic towards others. Not all problems can be solved with negotiations.”
  • Rouhani announced 12 of Iran’s latest “nuclear achievements.” . Rouhani also unveiled the new Pasmangoor nuclear waste stabilization and storage facility in Esfahan province.  (President.ir)  (Tasnim News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency) 
     
• Zarif meets with his Russian and Azerbaijani counterparts to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh.Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku, Azerbaijan, on April 7. The three held a press conference following the meeting. Zarif said, “We believe that the best solution [to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] is a ceasefire.” Zarif also said the three sides discussed “intelligence cooperation,” among other topics, during the meeting. Zarif stated, “Cooperation between the countries [Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran] can bring stability to the region.” Zarif also met separately with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. (Tasnim News Agency)
  • Zarif also met one-on-one with Lavrov in Baku on April 7. Zarif praised the two countries’ progress in expanding “economic cooperation, reduction of tariffs, and easing of customs regulations,” and stressed “there are still many areas for cooperation.” Lavrov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered banking sanctions against Iran to be lifted, and that Moscow supports Iran’s bid for permanent membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). (IRNA)

Economy
 

• Shariatmadari: Rouhani has tried to conceal the costs of the nuclear deal. Managing editor of conservative news outlet Kayhan Hossein Shariatmadari accused the Rouhani administration of trying to “conceal” the costs and exaggerate the economic benefits of the nuclear deal. Shariatmadari wrote, “If there were no nuclear deal, oil would be at $120 [per barrel].” (Kayhan) 
   
• Rezaei: Expediency Discernment Council will oversee implementation of Resistance Economy. Expediency Discernment Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei announced that the council will supervise the process of implementing Resistance Economy policies. There previously had been rumors of tension in the past between the Expediency Discernment Council and Rouhani over his economic policies. (Tasnim News Agency)