Iran News Round Up - March 10, 2017

Deputy Foreign Minister and former nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi praised the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for legitimizing Iran’s nuclear program. Araghchi stressed that the ultimate goal of the JCPOA was to have sanctions lifted, not to “change Iran’s economy.” Araghchi stated that some economic progress has been made due to increased trading between Iran and the international community. He stated that the country’s failure to return to a “normal situation” in the banking arena has been “caused not by the JCPOA, but reasons other than the JCPOA.” (ISNA)

Guardian Council Spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei stated that the Guardian Council has rejected several sections of the 6th Five-Year Development Plan, a document intended to guide government policy and to frame the annual budgetary process over the next five years. The rejected sections include legislation regarding government administrators’ salaries, a controversial topic during Rouhani’s presidency. Iran was forced last year to extend the 5th Five-Year Development Plan until the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2017) due to repeated delays. (Ghatreh)

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reacted negatively to a recent State Department human rights report criticizing Iran’s electoral process. Khamenei responded with his own criticism of U.S. elections, saying: “The Americans, who cooperate with the most evil and inhumane regimes in the region and dealt with a huge scandal in their own recent election, are now targeting and criticising Iran’s elections.” President Hassan Rouhani had also made similar comments, highlighting that “even the current U.S. president was suspicious of the healthiness of the elections.”

• Khamenei also argued that Iran’s “growing influence in Western Asia” had “enraged Americans” and caused their policy-makers to actively “look for ways to counter Iran’s influential role.” In response, Khamenei said Iran should have an “aggressive status against the West in all fields, including human rights, terrorism and war crimes.” (Fars News Agency) (E) (Khamenei.ir)

IRGC Quds Force Commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani discussed the Resistance Economy doctrine and Iran’s administrative structure during a rare public speech at the Resistance Economy Headquarters for Kerman province.

• Soleimani praised the Resistance Economy doctrine as a “major, wonderful, and influential strategy” for Iran. Soleimani indicated that the government’s success in the economic realm should be measured according to its implementation of the Resistance Economy doctrine, because the Supreme Leader established the doctrine as a guide for Iran. Soleimani stated, “If the government carries out the Resistance Economy successfully, then the government is successful. If it does not carry out the Resistance Economy successfully, then it is not successful.”
• Soleimani stated that Iran has “structural problems as a whole,” and called for the reform of the “current system of administrative structure” in Iran. He stated that if system is not reformed, “these measures [namely, the proper implementation of the Resistance Economy doctrine] cannot leave their mark at the macro level.” Soleimani continued, “This does not mean that the country has to become federal or semi-federal..., but this can be done regarding delegation of power to the provinces.”
• Soleimani stated that regional states’ economies have shown that “people-based” economies allow the country to resist external or foreign “pressures, while “government-based” economies do not. (Mehr News Agency)

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, claimed that certain “domestic political figures” are seeking to create disappointment regarding the JCPOA within Iranian society. Salehi struck an optimistic tone, praising the JCPOA as bringing honor to Iran and noting that huge strides have been made in nuclear research and development. Salehi added that an atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety is not beneficial to Iran, and that citizens must be united in hope and strength. (Mehr News Agency)

Basij Organization Head IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Gheibparvar called for a “new definition” of the Basij Organization and “change [in] some of the Basij’s policies” during a speech to Basij and IRGC members on March 8. Gheibparvar stated that in the “new definition” of the Basij, Iran’s citizens “have been named the Public Basij.” He continued, “anyone who cares for the Revolution is a Basij member, even if there is no official record” as such. He indicated that this new definition would assist in the maximum attraction of the people to the Islamic Revolution and its ideas.

• Gheibparvar also outlined several other “new approaches” for the Basij, such as “avoiding writing reports that are inconsistent with Basij thinking.” Gheibparvar stressed that he is “opposed to useless reporting.” He also stated that “cyberspace will certainly be strengthened with new policies, and we will regard the Basijis’ systematic activities with a fresh look.” Gheibparvar also stated that “the Basij must hear the people’s cry on economic issues.” (IRNA)

IRGC Air Force Commander Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh stated the IRGC Navy test-fired the “Hormuz 2,” a sea-launched ballistic missile and “destroyed a target 250 kilometers away” in the last week. Hajizadeh also appeared to discuss an incident last month in which Iran removed the Safir launch vehicle from a launchpad during a ceremony for the children of Iranian military members killed in the line of duty. He stated, “We prepared to launch… a rocket for civilian purposes, but some gentlemen sent the [rocket] back to the depot after a threat from America. This is humiliating behavior.” Hajizadeh criticized the decision to pull the launch vehicle and stated, “For how long will we pay tribute and compromise? If we do not change our strategy, and [continue to] operate according to the commands of those who ‘sit in the flowers,’ Our situation will deteriorate day by day.”

• Hajizadeh also addressed some of the “problems” facing Iran today. Hajizadeh warned that while “the remaining problems are much smaller than previous problems, our fundamental problem is [government] officials’ approach and strategy.”
• Hajizadeh stated that there have been “two ways of thinking” in Iran since the beginning of the 1979 Revolution. Hajizadeh stated that according to one of the ways of thinking,  a “very small number of our people and officials” think that Iran’s “problems will be resolved by relying on and communicating with America.” Hajizadeh criticized this this line of thinking, stressing that America has not solved Iran’s problems. Hajizadeh also criticized the Iranian media for not covering stories, especially news regarding Iran’s military and security, out of fear of the West. (Tasnim News Agency)