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 Mehrdad Moarefian, Marie Donovan, and Paul Bucala, with contributors Ryan Melvin, Caitlin Pendleton, and Jordan Olmstead. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Key takeaway: Judiciary Head Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani and Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani reacted to President Hassan Rouhani’s November 8 speech criticizing the Judiciary and the Guardian Council and calling for greater freedom of the press.

Ayatollah Larijani called President Rouhani’s comment that one can predict who will be arrested in Iran based on certain newspapers’ reporting “dishonest, untrue, and an insult to the Judiciary.” He stressed that any newspaper’s incorrect use of relevant information “has nothing to do with the Judiciary.” Larijani also reacted to Rouhani’s implicit criticism of the Guardian Council’s past disqualification of certain candidates in various elections, stating that the president’s comments were “unacceptable.”

Ali Larijani also discussed President Rouhani’s November 8 speech. The Parliament Speaker called differences of opinion a “characteristic of democracy,” and argued “[if] a person has an opinion on a national matter, then he must allow another [person] to state his opinion as well and not turn that person into a traitor.”

Several former members of the Special Parliamentary Commission to Review the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, reacted negatively to former commission head and Principlist Parliamentarian Ali Reza Zakani’s call to “restart” the commission. Principlist Parliamentarian Avaz Heidar Pour stressed that “The special commission was only for reviewing the JCPOA,” while Parliamentarian Abbas Mansouri Arani stated that “according to the internal regulations of Parliament, the work of the commission has finished.”

Matthew McInnis analyzes Iran’s strategic goals heading into the Vienna peace talks in his most recent blog, “Iran’s Treacherous Landscape in Vienna.”

Domestic Politics

• Judiciary Head criticizes Rouhani’s speech. Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani discussed President Hassan Rouhani’s November 8 speech on press censorship. The Judiciary Head referenced Rouhani’s remark that one can predict who will be arrested based on the reporting in some newspapers and called it “dishonest, untrue, and an insult to the Judiciary.” Larijani added, “Of course, it is possible that a newspaper violates [the law] and uses its own information in an incorrect manner, [but] this has nothing to do with the judiciary.” He also discussed upcoming elections and criticized Rouhani’s comment that voters should see their preferences reflected in the lists of candidates. Larijani called the comment “unacceptable” and said that the Guardian Council should fulfill its legal duties by refusing to allow “unqualified or suspicious individuals” to enter the elections. (Tasnim News Agency)
   
• Alavi: We must use the word “influence” appropriately. Hojjat ol Eslam Mahmoud Alavi reacted to Rouhani’s November 4 comment on the “misuse” of the word ‘influence’ during a meeting with government officials. The Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) Head stated, “We should use the word ‘influence’ appropriately, and it should not be used in a way such that we decrease its worth and value so it becomes trivial.” (ISNA) 
   
• Larijani: We should not call people with opposing opinions “traitors.” Ali Larijani discussed President Rouhani’s recent speech on Iranian media during a meeting of the Alborz Provincial Administrative Council on November 8. The Parliament Speaker called differences of opinion a “characteristic of democracy” and stated, “Of course we are proud that democracy exists in the Islamic Republic… [If] a person has an opinion on a national matter, then he must allow another [person] to state his opinion as well and not turn that person into a traitor. This language is wrong.” (Asriran)
   
• IRGC General: People who deny foreign influence also deny the 2009 sedition. IRGC Brig. Gen. 2C Yadollah Javani discussed the IRGC’s recent arrests of members of the media. The Senior Political Advisor to the Representative of the Supreme Leader to the IRGC referenced those who “question” the concept of foreign influence in Iran and stated, “These are the same people who also deny great seditions like the ’88 sedition [2009 Green Movement]. Unfortunately, we have individuals who… do not want to accept existing realities.” (Mehr News)
   
• Kayhan: Senior members in the ICT are assisting the influence network. Conservative news outlet Kayhan published an article on the West’s “influence project” in Iran’s “cyber management sector.” The article claims that one of the individuals arrested recently, Nizzar Zakka, entered Iran though the help of a senior Iranian official in the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The article does not name this individual but refers to him as “N.J.” and claimed that this individual is a senior member in the reformist Islamic Iran Participation Front. Kayhan is likely pointing a finger at Nasrollah Jahangard, who is the Deputy Information and Communications Technology Minister. (Kayhan)

Reactions to the Nuclear Deal

• Nobakht: The committee to oversee the JCPOA’s implementation will be formed “soon.” Mohammad Bagher Nobakht told reporters on November 10 that the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) will form the committee ”soon” to oversee the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, as stipulated in Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s October 21 letter containing guidelines for the implementation of the nuclear deal. The Rouhani Administration Spokesperson added that Iran “will use all official and unofficial tools” to pursue the “rights” of the victims of the September 24 Hajj stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia.
  • Nobakht also discussed President Hassan Rouhani’s comments at the 21st Tehran Press and News Agencies Exhibition on November 8. Nobakht stressed the “like-mindedness and harmony” between the Judiciary and the government, but added that Rouhani holds Article 113 of the Constitution, which names the president the head of the executive branch and grants him the responsibility of implementing the Constitution, in particular esteem. Nobakht stated, “Like-mindedness does not mean that there is singular oversight over every issue; in reality, two judges do not issue a single vote about one case.” (YJC)
     
• Zarif: The Foreign Ministry will be represented in the JCPOA implementation committee. Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that the SNSC is responsible for forming the committee to oversee the JCPOA’s implementation and added that the Foreign Ministry will have “representation” in it. The Foreign Minister said the implementation committee will be formed “in the near future.” Zarif also stated that Iran is “busy collecting documents” regarding the Hajj stampede and added, “Unfortunately, the government of Saudi Arabia has not adequately cooperated in this area, and we are busy discussing with other countries to see what we can do.” (IRIB)
   
• Haghighat Pour: We may finalize a plan for the JCPOA implementation committee on November 15. Mansour Haghighat Pour stated that a plan for establishing the JCPOA implementation committee may be presented on November 15. The National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission Vice Chairman stated, “We hope with the finalization of this plan, we can begin the matter of oversight over apparatuses that have responsibilities in relation to the JCPOA all the more quickly.” (ICANA)
   
• Najafi: The IAEA’s report on Iran’s PMD file should not be based on false information. Reza Najafi stated that Iran has fulfilled all of its duties according to the roadmap for cooperation between Iran and the IAEA on the possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA Board of Governors added that Iran predicts the IAEA’s report will be published in “early December.” Najafi stated, “Just as it has offered past information on our country’s nuclear program, we expect that the IAEA will present a report based on facts, not false information that some Western countries give against our country.” He also reiterated that Iran will not begin “actions” on the Arak heavy water reactor or fuel conversion until the PMD file is closed. (ILNA)
   
• Zakani reiterates the legal basis for the JCPOA review commission. Principlist Parliamentarian Ali Reza Zakani in a November 10 interview with Fars News Agency discussed “some published reports” concerning the Parliament’s Board of Directors’ decision to send JCPOA documents to the National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission rather than the Special Commission to Review the JCPOA. The head of the Special Parliamentary Commission to Review the JCPOA stated:
  • “[Only] in two cases can the JCPOA special commission issue end: either the 9^thParliament election term must end, or on the grounds that the JCPOA special commission issue is terminated, in which case, it should be declared based on the opinion and vote of Parliament.”
  • “In any case, as of right now, neither the 9^th Parliament election term has ended, nor has the JCPOA issue been terminated; therefore, any decision about the JCPOA special review commission is completely illegal, and I think it would be a source of cost and dispute, which is not in the interest of Parliament and the respected Board of Directors in Parliament.” 
  • “So far, no content has been submitted on behalf of Parliament’s Board of Directors to [me], the head of the Special Parliamentary Commission to Review the JCPOA…” (Fars News Agency)
     
• Kamalvandi: We have only started dismantling the inoperative centrifuges. Behrouz Kamalvandi stated that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has only begun dismantling 10,000 “inoperative” centrifuges and has “not stopped any [enrichment] activity.” The AEOI Spokesman added that a country which had previously withheld its opinion on the formal document needed to begin the redesign of the Arak heavy water reactor “has stated its opinion,” and that this information “must be announced by the Foreign Ministry.” (Tabnak)
   
• Former members of the JCPOA commission react to Zakani’s comments. Several members of the Special Parliamentary Commission to Review the JCPOA criticized Ali Reza Zakani’s recent comments about “restarting” the special parliamentary commission.
  • Principlist Parliamentarian Avaz Heidar Pour stated, “The special commission was only for reviewing the JCPOA and now that the report of this commission was read in Parliament, the work of my friends in the commission has been completed and [the commission] has finished.”
  • Parliamentarian Abbas Ali Mansouri Arani stated that the Special Parliamentary Commission to Review the JCPOA was formed “only” for reviewing the JCPOA and therefore according to the “internal regulations of Parliament, the work of the commission has finished.”
  • Principlist Parliamentarian Mansour Haghighat Pour stated, “After the special commission’s report was presented and the decision of the Parliament with regards to the JCPOA, the work of the commission has concluded…according to the decision of Parliament, the National and Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission is responsible for supervising and observing the implementation of the JCPOA …according to section 44 of the internal regulations of Parliament, after the special commission presented its report… the work of the commission has concluded.” (ICANA)

Military and Security

• Alavi: Dozens of terrorists captured. Hojjat ol Eslam Mahmoud Alavi announced that the Iranian government captured 10 individuals in the provinces of Golestan, Mazandaran, Tehran, and Sistan and Baluchistan. The Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) Head added that the government had also arrested 20 individuals headed for Iraq and Syria in border areas and 14 individuals related to attacks in the western cities of Dezful and Susangerd. Alavi blamed “reactionary regional states” for sponsoring the “terrorists.” (Tasnim News Agency) (E) 
   
• Hossein Salami: The Emad missile test changed the world’s strategic perspective on Iran. IRGC Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami discussed the Emad missile test during a conference on defense equipment. Salami stated, “The successful test of the Emad missile was a massive step in this field and changes the strategic perspective of the world towards Iran and changed the equation.” (Defa Press)

Casualties in Iraq and Syria

• Three Iranians killed in Syria. 
  • Maysam Modvari’s funeral will be held in Mazandaran province.
  • Hojat ol Eslam Ali Tamamzadeh was killed on November 6 in Syria. His body will be buried near his hometown of Karaj, Alborz Province.
  • Hamid Namdari was killed in Syria on November 8. No details on his unit affiliation or rank were provided.  (Defa Press)  (Basij News) (Shahid News)

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

• Rouhani hosts Belgian Foreign Minister. President Hassan Rouhani met with Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders on November 9 in Tehran. (President.ir)