Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
Key Takeaways: Former President and popular reformist figure Mohammad Khatami worked to lessen the heightened public criticism of President Hassan Rouhani’s administration.
Many have criticized the Rouhani administration’s recent proposal to cut household cash and non-cash subsidies by 25 percent. Conservatives and moderates alike have also criticized the Rouhani administration for not tackling unemployment, especially among the youth. Despite a Judiciary-mandated media ban on publishing images or video of Khatami, the reformist former president has rallied the reformist-moderate support base for Rouhani at key decision points, such as the May 2017 presidential elections. Many have also attributed the reformist-moderate victory in Tehran during the 2016 parliamentary elections to Khatami’s social media presence.
This Iran News Round Up predominantly covers events from December 20-21.
Trump shouldn’t trust Putin on Syria - or anything else.
Fred Kagan pushes back on the argument that Russia could assist the U.S. and its allies in containing Iranian involvement in Syria in “Trump shouldn’t trust Putin on Syria - or anything else.”
Citations & Links
Khatami voices support for Rouhani.
Former President and popular reformist figure Mohammad Khatami reacted to the recent wave of Iranians saying that they are “regretful” for voting for President Hassan Rouhani. Khatami called the recently popular trend a “scheme” and voiced his continued support for Rouhani. Iranians have been voicing their discontentment with Rouhani’s unfulfilled campaign promises such as boosting employment amongst the youth. (Radio Farda)
Jailed British-Iranian dual national’s “premature release” is likely.
Nazanin Zagheri-Ratcliffe’s lawyer announced on December 21 that Zaghari-Ratcliffe is likely to be prematurely released. Iran’s Judiciary has reportedly marked her status as “eligible for release.” She has been imprisoned since April 2016 on charges of attempting to overthrow the Iranian government. UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson discussed her case with Iranian officials during his meeting with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) head Ali Shamkhani in Tehran on December 9. (Radio Farda)
Citations & Links
1.
Radio Farda
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/pkhatami-ont-rouhani/28929752.html
Citations & Links
1.
Radio Farda
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/nazanin-zaghari-to-be-freed-jail/28931202.html
Vahidi discusses missile program and Iranian security.
Supreme National Defense College head and former IRGC Quds Force Commander IRGC Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi stated that Iran’s “enemies’ [attempts] to limit the strength of our missiles” will never “break” Iran’s “stride.” Vahidi also said that the “U.S. is constantly looking to attack Iran” and warned that the U.S. would “[face] a bad defeat… and [would] get itself into a quagmire that [would] be impossible to get out of.” (Tasnim News Agency)
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/09/30/1607260/%D8%AF%D8%B4%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%87%DB%8C%DA%86-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B4%DA%A9%DB%8C-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF
Zarif meets with Azeri and Turkish Foreign ministers.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with his Azeri and Turkish counterparts Elmar Mammadyarov and Mevlut Cavusoglu in Baku, Azerbaijan. The three foreign ministers discussed Jerusalem, territorial integrity, regional stability, transit, energy, tourism, and the Astana talks on the Syrian crisis. This was the fifth trilateral meeting between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. (IRNA) (Mehr News Agency)
Citations & Links
1.
IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/fa/News/82770089
2.
Mehr News Agency
https://www.mehrnews.com/news/4178159/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D8%B1%DA%A9%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%DA%A9%DB%8C%D8%AF%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF
