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 Shayan Enferadi. 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 called for “massive participation” in upcoming demonstrations marking Quds Day, an annual event Tehran launched in 1979 to express opposition to the Israeli state.

The Artesh also released a statement reiterating Iran’s “support” for Palestine and predicting that the Israeli state is “doomed to collapse.” Defense Minister IRGC Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan, meanwhile, reprimanded Turkey’s decision to normalize relations with Israel in his Quds Day statement by criticizing “Muslim governments” that deepen relations with Israel instead of supporting Palestinian rights.

Iranian officials condemned the terrorist attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, where one Iranian was killed and five wounded. A member of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee criticized Turkish foreign policy and “support for terrorists” as contributing to the attacks, stating, “The Turkish regime turned its own cities, including Istanbul, into the center of terrorists’ strategy.”

A “judicial source” stated that a Bahraini court stripped the citizenship of eight Bahrainis on charges of spying for Iran on June 29. It also accused the eight of possessing “weapons, ammunition, and explosives.” Tehran has repeatedly denied allegations of interfering in the country.

AEI Must-Reads

• Marie Donovan discusses how the Supreme Leader’s appointment of IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri as head of the Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) may signal Khamenei’s intention to give the AFGS a more significant role in coordinating the armed forces’ increasing joint activities abroad in “Supreme Leader signals possible enhanced role for Armed Forces General Staff.”
   
• Matthew McInnis analyzes Iran’s prospects for success in its regional conflicts in “How the Middle East looks to Iran one year after the deal.”

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

• Officials react to Ataturk Airport bombings. The Foreign Ministry released a statement condemning the bombings at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, noting that “terrorism knows no borders.” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted, “Extremist violence is a global threat; we must confront it together.” Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, blamed Turkey’s “support for terrorists” in part for the bombings, however. He stated, “The Turkish regime turned its own cities, including Istanbul, into the center of terrorists’ strategy.” Falahatpisheh added that “this crisis will continue” if Turkish politicians do not change their “behavior” toward terrorists. (IRNA) (IRIB) (Mehr News Agency)
  • Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) briefly suspended flights between Iran and Turkey before resuming them on June 29. CAO Public Relations Director Reza Jafarzadeh had announced that flights would be suspended “so long as the safety and security of our flights through Turkey are not guaranteed.” (Tasnim News Agency) (E) (Fars News Agency)
     
• Rouhani, Artesh release Quds Day statements. President Hassan Rouhani called for “massive participation” in upcoming Quds Day demonstrations. Rouhani accused Israel of fomenting regional conflicts and terrorism “behind the scenes” to distract the international community from Palestine. The Artesh also released a statement reiterating Iran’s “support” for Palestine and predicting that the Israeli state is “doomed to collapse.” Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan, meanwhile, reprimanded Turkey’s decision to normalizerelations with Israel in his Quds Day statement by criticizing “Muslim governments” that deepen relations with Israel instead of supporting Palestinian rights. (president.ir) (Tasnim News Agency) (E) (Tasnim News Agency)
  • Rouhani: Iran will never use its military to invade another country. Separately,Rouhani addressed commanders and other high-ranking officials in the armed forces in Tehran on June 28. Rouhani stated that the armed forces “have never thought of and will never think of violating others’ rights but are determined to defend [Iran] decisively.” (Mehr News Agency) (Press TV) (E) 

Military and Security

• Senior officials congratulate new AFGS chief.
  • President Hassan Rouhani congratulated IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri for his appointment as the new chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) and stated that his appointment “demonstrates his commitment, capabilities, and exemplary record in the Iran-Iraq War and important defense positions.” (Tasnim News Agency)
  • AFGS Deputy Chief IRGC Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid also congratulated Bagheri on the appointment. It is noteworthy that Bagheri’s promotion passed over Rashid, who is the second-ranking officer in the AFGS. (Tasnim News Agency)