Iran News Round Up

Amir Hossein Gazizadeh, a senior member of the hardline Steadfastness Front, called Assembly of Experts member and prominent hardliner Ebrahim Raisi the “fittest candidate” for the May 2017 presidential elections. Gazizadeh reportedly stated a week ago that Steadfastness Front members attempted to “persuade Ebrahim Raisi to run in the [presidential] elections, but did not succeed.”

• Guardian Council Spokesman Abbasali Kadkhoadaei also addressed “some political groups’ invitations” urging Ebrahimi “to run in the presidential elections.” Khadkhodei noted that if Raisi runs for president, he must resign from his position on the Central Elections Monitoring Board. The board operates under the auspices of the Guardian Council and assists in monitoring the presidential elections. (Alef) (Nameh News)
  

Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araghchi stated that all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran have been lifted according to the requirements of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Araghchi acknowledged the ongoing non-nuclear sanctions against Iran, but stated that “the JCPOA was supposed to clear the obstacles of nuclear sanctions out of the way of the economy. Other sanctions exist, but the subject of the nuclear talks was only with respect to nuclear sanctions… only nuclear sanctions were expected to be lifted.” Araghchi’s comments depart from other regime officials’ previous statements regarding the nuclear deal and the lifting of non-nuclear sanctions. Iranian officials have argued that the continuation of non-nuclear sanctions on Iran constitutes a violation of the nuclear deal. (IRNA) (E) (ISNA)

The IRGC Ground Forces concluded the third and final day of the “Great Prophet 11” exercises in northeastern Iran. Saberin special forces units simulated stopping a multi-SVBIED [suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device] attack. Multi-SVBIED attacks are a signature of both Al Qaeda and ISIS. The exercises also featured a simulation of rocket and missile attacks on Cobra attack helicopters from the IRGC Ground Forces’ air assault unit, which was formed last year. Bell 206 and 214 helicopters provided “combat support” during the simulation. The IRGC is unlikely to face such attacks in Iran itself, so these exercises should likely be viewed as preparation for continued combat operations in Syria. The IRGC Ground Forces also unveiled a new anti-helicopter mine called the “Saeqeh” [Lightning]. Basij Beit ol Moghaddas and Imam Hossein Brigades also carried out urban “defense operations.”  (Tasnim News Agency)

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh and his Iraqi counterpart Jabar al Luaibi signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to research the construction of an oil pipeline between the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk and Iran. This pipeline would export about 150,000 barrels per day from Kirkuk via Iran. This agreement involves Iran more directly in the thorny oil politics between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) than it has hitherto been willing to go. A pipeline from Kirkuk to Iran would reduce the de facto control Iraq’s Kurds have over the disposition of oil in the disputed Kirkuk fields, as it would provide an alternative to the pipelines to Turkey that the KRG controls. If this pipeline project moves beyond the research phase, it could signal Tehran’s desire to curtail Kurdish separatist and independence movements in Iraq and Syria by giving Baghdad greater leverage over the KRG. (Tasnim News Agency) (E)