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. 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: Guardian Council Chairman Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati defended the council’s supervision of parliamentarians amid an ongoing controversy over the extent of its powers.

Jannati stated, “Supervision over representatives must not be ceremonial. If a representative enters Parliament, and then it becomes clear that he lacks qualifications or lost qualifications and misused his power and position, should actions not be taken to bring his term to an end?” Jannati added that the Supreme Leader’s recently issued electoral guidelines support Guardian Council supervision beyond the official qualifications review period before election day. After the Guardian Council took the unprecedented step in the spring 2016 elections of disqualifying an elected candidate after voting took place, Parliament passed a resolution asserting that the council cannot disqualify candidates it previously approved. The Guardian Council, which must approve all parliamentary legislation, is currently reviewing a revised version of the resolution.

President Hassan Rouhani warned that foreign intervention in Iraq would be “very dangerous” without Baghdad’s permission. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for Turkey to participate directly in the operation to retake the city of Mosul.

Iranian authorities reportedly sentenced Iranian-American dual national Robin Shahini to 18 years in prison “for cooperating with a hostile government and spying.” Shahini, a San Diego resident, was arrested in the northeastern Iranian city of Gorgan on July 11.

AEI Must-Reads

• The Critical Threats Project and ISW Naval Analyst Christopher Harmer assess Iran’s role in the recent anti-shipping attacks off the Yemeni coast in “Iranian involvement in missile attacks on the USS Mason.”
   
• Katherine Zimmerman and Emily Estelle explain the escalations in the Red Sea in the context of broader regional conflicts and the risk to the U.S. in their latest piece, “Escalation in the Red Sea: Yemen’s Civil War, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.”
   
•  The Critical Threats Project team explains the significance of Iran’s upcoming 2017 presidential election and tracks important electoral developments in “Iran Presidential Election Tracker: Updates and Analysis.”
   
• J. Matthew McInnis argues that Washington should expect a new range of potentially escalatory behaviors from Iranian naval forces in Five reasons the Middle East is becoming more dangerous for the US Navy

Domestic Politics

• Guardian Council chairman: The council’s supervision must not be “ceremonial.” Guardian Council Chairman Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati defended the Guardian Council’s supervision of parliamentarians in remarks on October 25. Jannati warned against “unfit and unqualified” candidates entering Parliament and stated, “Supervision over representatives must not be ceremonial. If a representative enters Parliament, and then it becomes clear that he lacks qualifications or lost qualifications and misused his power and position, should actions not be taken to bring his term to an end?” Jannati added that the Supreme Leader’s recently issued electoral guidelines support supervision beyond the official qualifications review period before election day. He added that he hopes there will be “better supervision over representatives and that mechanisms for that will be readied.” (Tasnim News Agency)
  • The newspaper Farikhtegan published an opinion piece criticizing the Guardian Council’s assertion that it can disqualify elected parliamentarians throughout their terms in office. The piece criticizes the Guardian Council’s legal interpretation of its powers as “incorrect” and states, “It is not written in any law that the Guardian Council must also supervise candidates after the elections.” (Jamaran)
     
• Interior minister: Rouhani will “certainly” run in the elections. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announced that the Interior Ministry will officially begin preparations for the presidential elections in the Persian month of Dey [December-January]. Fazli also praised the coordination between “security and military institutions” for ensuring the security of the elections. The presidential elections will take place on May 19, 2017. Fazli added that the President Rouhani will “certainly” run in the upcoming elections. (Fars News Agency)
   
• Jahangiri discusses Teachers’ Reserve Fund corruption case. First Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri discussed the ongoing embezzlement case within the Teachers’ Reserve Fund of Iran. Jahangiri stated that “it is necessary for this issue to be addressed with sensitivity and seriousness… it is a reasonable expectation of the people, especially educators, that the government and political system deal with this issue seriously.” Judiciary Spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei confirmed last week that Shahabeddin Ghandali, a former CEO of the fund, as well as four other individuals involved in the fund were arrested in connection with the case. The Ministry of Education reportedly runs the fund, which has over 800,000 members. (Fars News Agency) (Fars News Agency)

Regional Developments & Diplomacy

• Rouhani: Foreign intervention in Syria and Iraq is “very dangerous.” President Hassan Rouhani stated, “We regard foreign countries’ intervention without any coordination with the host country as very dangerous. We believe that the Syrian and Iraqi governments must request help and demand that another country act against terrorism inside their territories.” Rouhani made the remarks during a visit to Markazi province on October 24. He continued, “Some big powers are using terrorist groups to advance their own illegitimate goals. Despite overflowing the region with tools and equipment, these powers are not carrying out any positive measure against [the terrorists].” (Press TV) (E) (President.ir)
   
• Foreign Ministry praises passage of EU roadmap to normalization of relations with Iran.Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi praised the European Parliament’s decisionto pass a resolution on a new roadmap towards normalization of EU-Iran relations on October 25. Ghassemi stated that the move “suggests the positive will of this European institution to broaden and deepen bilateral relations in all aspects with Iran.” The roadmap recommends the opening of an EU embassy in Iran and a “confidence-building initiative on maritime security in the Persian Gulf,” among other measures. (Fars News Agency) 

Military & Security

• Detained Iranian-American reportedly sentenced to 18 years in prison. Iranian news outlets circulated American media reports that Iranian-American dual national Robin Shahini was sentenced to 18 years in prison “for cooperating with a hostile government and spying.” (Fars News Agency) 
   
• Intelligence minister criticizes “misuse” of the “influence dossier.” Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) Head Hojjat ol Eslam Mahmoud Alavi denounced the “misuse” of the “influence dossier” for political gain during a speech in Parliament. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly warned against the expansion of hostile “influence” in the wake of the nuclear deal. Hardliners often use the threat of “influence” to justify arrests and criticize policies of international engagement, however. Alavi stated, “Wherever there are rumors of influence, the necessary intelligence actions will be implemented completely. The Supreme Leader has repeatedly praised the Intelligence Ministry for dealing with the influence dossier.” In early September, Alavi made similar comments and asserted that “it is not right to accuse people of spying… when they actually have not conducted espionage according to the experts.” (Aftab News)
  • Deputy Parliament Speaker Massoud Pezeshkian announced that Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a member of the nuclear negotiating team, has “not conducted espionage according to the experts of the Intelligence Ministry.” Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a dual Iranian and Canadian citizenship, was recently arrested on charges of espionage. (Hamshahri)
     
• Defense minister: We will expand our defense industry ten times over. Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan promised to expand Iran’s defense industry during a meeting with defense officials in Tehran. Dehghan added, “We currently have no technological issues with our defense industry. Resources and budgets are the only issues for us.” (Tasnim News Agency)
   
• IRGC deputy: We need stealth missiles. IRGC Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami emphasized the need for producing missiles with “stealth properties” during a ceremony commemorating the opening of a material science research center at Imam Hossein University. (Mehr News Agency) 

Economy

• Iran raises possibility of using German companies to fund aircraft purchases. Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi met with German Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt. Akhoundi stated that the two sides discussed “the possibility” of using German financial institutions to help fund Iran Air’s aircraft purchases. (Press TV) (E)