Iran News Round Up

Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Commission member Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh accused the U.S. of pressuring the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Falahatpisheh criticized the fact that Trump has pressured his administration officials to “come up with an excuse to declare Iran’s non-compliance” with the nuclear deal despite the fact that the IAEA and the UN Security Council declared Iran is in compliance. The IAEA announced on August 31 that Iran remains in compliance with the JCPOA its most recent quarterly report. (Mehr News Agency)

Former hardline presidential candidate Hojjat ol Eslam Ebrahim Raisi met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al Jafari in Mashhad on September 1. Raisi warned that if the “process of [Iraqi] national unity” does not continue, Iraq’s achievements against ISIS  “will be destroyed and new threats… will come into existence.” Raisi’s comments are likely meant to reiterate the regime’s opposition to Iraqi Kurdistan’s independence referendum on September 25. Raisi continues to maintain a high political profile despite his loss to President Hassan Rouhani in the May presidential elections. Raisi is considered a possible successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Mehr News Agency)

Iranian media outlet Tabnak called the allegations that al Shabaab, al Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, has taken control of Somali uranium mines in an effort to transport uranium to Iran as “baseless claims.” Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Yusuf Garaad Omar called on U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Stephen Schwartz to provide “immediate military assistance” on the matter in a letter dated August 11. (Tabnak)