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 and contributors Ali Javaheri and Wali Miller. 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: Iran transferred “some quantities” of its excess heavy water to Oman following international warnings to meet its nuclear deal commitments.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported earlier this month that Iran had exceeded its heavy water stockpile of 130 tonnes permitted under the nuclear deal for the second time since the implementation of the deal.  In response, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi announced on November 20 that Iran has transferred “some quantities” of its surplus heavy water to Oman.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Artesh Ground Forces Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan as the new deputy commander of the Artesh. Pourdastan replaces Brigadier General Abdul Rahim Mousavi, who became Armed Forces General Staff deputy in July 2016.

Artesh Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari claimed that the Artesh Navy 44th Fleet entered the Atlantic Ocean and is currently docked in Durban, South Africa. Sayyari also announced that the Artesh Navy will establish two new naval regions and three bases along the Makran coast in southeastern Iran.

AEI Must-Reads

• Paul Bucala analyzes a recent speech by former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi in “Supreme Leader's Adviser Discloses Details on Iranian Efforts Abroad."
   
• 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.”

Regional Developments & Diplomacy

• Iran transfers heavy water to Oman. Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi announced on November 20 that Iran has transferred “some quantities” of its surplus heavy water to Oman. Kamalvandi stated that Iran is in talks with unnamed “foreign parties” to purchase the heavy water. In early November, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran exceeded restrictions on its heavy water stockpile by 0.1 tonnes. Iran told the IAEA that it will ship five tonnes of heavy water outside the country to resume compliance with the deal. (Donya-e-Eqtesad)
   
• Foreign Ministry spokesman: U.S. bill to prohibit sale of planes to Iran “isn’t executable.”  Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi stated that the U.S. House of Representative’s passage of a bill to prohibit the sale of passenger aircraft to Iran is not problematic because “we have seen many bills in Congress approved, none of which are executable.” Ghassemi emphasized that the bill must first go to the U.S. Senate and then be signed by the president, a process which “takes time.” He added, “The Iranian government will address this problem in the appropriate way if the bill violates the nuclear deal.” (Ghatreh)

Military & Security

• New Artesh deputy commander appointed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Artesh Ground Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Ahmad Reza Pourdastan as the new deputy commander of the Artesh. The Supreme Leader appointed Artesh Ground Forces Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Kiomars Heydari as Pourdastan’s replacement. The previous Artesh deputy commander, Brig. Gen. Abdul Rahim Mousavi, was appointed as the Armed Forces General Staff deputy in July 2016. A number of prominent military officials attended Pourdastan and Heydari’s swearing in ceremony. (Mizan Online)
  • Artesh Commander Maj. Gen. Ataollah Salehi stated, “We are confronting new threats now… The expectation is for the Artesh Ground Forces to train against these new threats.” Salehi added, “ISIS and the takfiris will soon be destroyed… but the enemy will seek a new type of threat. We will award a prize of 20 million tomans to any individual from either the Artesh or the IRGC who can identify this type of threat.” (Asr Iran)
  • Brig. Gen. Mohammad Shirazi, the head of the Military Bureau in the Supreme Leader’s Office, stated that “the Artesh has accomplished great things in the intelligence field, even outside of the country… The Artesh has taken great steps in the field of operations and has improved its capabilities with the creation of quick reaction forces.” Shirazi appeared to refer to the Artesh’s role in the Syrian conflict and elsewhere, stating, “We have many volunteers to fight on the battlefields. We must strengthen this capacity and we must improve our coordination at the level of the armed forces.” (Tasnim News Agency)
  • Brig. Gen. Ahmad Reza Pourdastan praised the Artesh’s achievements in recent years and stated, “With the initiatives of the Supreme Leader, a new door has been opened to the Artesh Ground Forces.” He added that the Artesh will continue its efforts to modernize its forces. (Tasnim News Agency)
     
• Artesh Navy Commander: Our ships entered the Atlantic. Artesh Navy Commander RADM Habibollah Sayyari claimed that the Artesh Navy 44th Fleet entered the Atlantic Ocean and is currently berthed at the port city of Durban in South Africa. The 44th Fleet consists of the frigateAlvand and the support vessel Bushehr. Sayyari also announced that the Artesh Navy will establish two new naval regions and three bases along the Makran coast in southeastern Iran. Sayyari stated that the Artesh Navy will soon hold separate exercises with China and Oman. (Tasnim News Agency)

Domestic Politics

• Rouhani criticizes cancellation of deputy parliament speaker’s speech. President Hassan Rouhani called for an investigation into the cancellation of a speech by outspoken moderate-conservative Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Motahari in a letter to the Interior Ministry and the Judiciary on November 21. Rouhani added that the cancellation is a “source of shame” and accused those responsible of restricting speech and seeking “extremism and the polarization of society.”
  • Motahari, who is also a member of the reformist-backed Hope parliamentary faction, was scheduled to deliver a speech in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan province, on November 20. The city prosecutor reportedly ordered security forces to cancel the speech, however. The prosecutor also sealed the reformists’ local office, which hosted the speech. Interior Minister Abdolreza Fazli stated on November 21 that the reasons behind the speech’s cancellation are still “unclear.” In his own letter hours after the cancellation, Motahari asked Rouhani to clarify “whether the head of Razavi Khorasan province is the governor or the prosecuting attorney and the Friday prayer leader.” Motahari also called upon Rouhani to work to prevent “this type of tyranny.” (Ghatreh) (Fararu) (Iran) (IRNA)
     
• Reformist parliamentarian: Rouhani is currently reformists’ first choice. Mohammad Reza Tabesh stated that members of several top reformist committees have selected President Hassan Rouhani as their current choice for the May 2017 presidential elections. Tabesh did not rule out the possibility of reformists considering other candidates in the future, however.
  • Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, a former hardline parliamentarian and current member of the Expediency Discernment Council, claimed that principlists have not yet decided upon a candidate for the presidential elections but noted that there is “still time” for them to do so. Principlists have acknowledged that unifying around a single candidate will be critical in defeating Rouhani in the election. Haddad Adel did not rule out the possibility of some principlists supporting Rouhani in the elections but added that principlists’ “efforts are focused toward establishing principlist unity.” (Alef)
     
• Guardian Council deliberating criteria for presidential candidates. Guardian Council Spokesman Abbasali Kadkhodaei stated that the council is holding “preliminary discussions” to define the criteria for candidates in the upcoming presidential elections. The Guardian Council vets candidates for elected office. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called upon the council to define and announce the criteria for candidates in electoral guidelines published in October. Kadkhodaei dismissed the notion of Parliament contributing to the discussions by passing resolutions but added that the council is consulting with the public and other officials to determine the criteria. Officials including Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani have recently spoken out in favor of specifying that women can qualify to run for president. (Ettelaat)

Economy

• Oil minister: OPEC will likely reach an agreement over oil output. Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh met with OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo in Tehran to discuss the preliminary agreement reached in Algeria on freezing OPEC’s oil output. The preliminary agreement did not include specific production quotas for member states, which raised serious questions over its viability. During a press conference with Barkindo, Zanganeh claimed that OPEC will likely reach a consensus over individual cuts during OPEC’s meeting in Vienna next week. Zanganeh also called the price range of $55-60 per barrel of oil “fair.” (Mehr News Agency) 
   
• London-based insurance market plans to launch offices in Iran. Lloyd’s of London, a major insurance market, reportedly disclosed plans to establish branches within Iran’s free trade zones. According to Iranian news reports, two of Lloyd’s directors will travel to Tehran in the near future to discuss future business prospects. (Press TV)