Iran News Round Up - April 12, 2017

Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development for International Affairs Asghar Fakrieh Kashan said Iran Air signed a deal with Italian-French aircraft manufacturing company ATR to buy 20 72-600 short-haul regional airliners on April 10. ATR will deliver four of the aircraft “to Iran in 15 days,” and the remaining planes throughout 2017 and 2018. (IRNA) (E)

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi reacted to King Abdullah II of Jordan’s statements calling Iran a “potential threat to the region” in an interview with the Washington Post. Ghassemi said that “the king of Jordan seems to have made a strategic and fundamental mistake in defining terrorism.” (Tasnim News Agency) (E)

Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan discussed the situation in Syria during a phone call with Syrian counterpart Fahd Jassem al Freij on April 11. The two sides called for “increased coordination” in order to “intensify military operations against terrorists.” (Fars News Agency)

• Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is scheduled to meet with his Russian and Syrian counterparts in Moscow later this week to discuss the recent U.S. airstrikes against Syria. (Fars News Agency) (E)

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei emphasized the government should “use every opportunity” to create jobs for the youth and “provide services for the people” in remarks on April 11. Khamenei said if domestic industries are not productive, there will be high rates of unemployment, which will then cause social problems such as “drug addiction, corruption, family problems, and dissatisfaction with the regime.” (Tasnim News Agency)

Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami urged the Iranian people to participate in the May 19 presidential elections, and vote for a candidate that can face America’s “arrogance.” (IRNA)

A prominent hardliner group, the Steadfastness Front, stated that it will not cooperate with the Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces in the elections. Parliamentarian and member of the Steadfastness Front’s Central Council Javad Abtahi stated that Ebrahim Raisi and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili are some of the final candidates the Steadfastness Front is considering supporting. The Steadfastness Front has not yet made a decision regarding its final candidate. Abtahi acknowledged that despite the differences between the Steadfastness Front and the Popular Front, it is possible they will support a single candidate in the elections. Iranian news outlets reported that a Steadfastness Front member named Mehdi Hashemi will head Raisi’s election headquarters in Tehran province. (Radio Farda) (Asr Iran) (Tnews) (Entekhab)

The conservative Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces Central Council’s Board of Directors decided on April 9 to delay the decision regarding the “number of candidates” who will register in the presidential elections until Wednesday, April 12. The Popular Front was created in December 2016 with the aim of introducing a single conservative candidate to challenge President Hassan Rouhani. Conservatives have struggled to unite in previous presidential and parliamentary elections. (Mehr News Agency)

• IRGC veteran and former head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Ezatollah Zarghami called on the Popular Front to remove Astan Quds Razavi Foundation Head Hojjat ol Eslam Ebrahim Raisi from its list of candidates in a statement on April 9. Zarghami highlighted Raisi’s statement that his candidacy is apart from “political groupings” as evidence of Raisi’s separation from the Popular Front. The Popular Front later rejected the suggestion to remove Raisi from its list of finalists. The Popular Front stated that Raisi “is committed and will adhere to the unity of the revolutionary forces,” and announced his candidacy “with the consultation and advice” of the Popular Front. Raisi has reportedly garnered the most votes in recent Popular Front polls. (Gooya) (BBC Persian)

The Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces announced on April 9 that it had replaced Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation Head and IRGC veteran Parviz Fattah with Hamid Reza Haji Babaei. The replacement occurred after Fattah stated that he does not intend to run. Haji Babaei served as minister of education under Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and was elected to Parliament in 2016. (Radio Farda)

Registration for the May 19 presidential elections will run through April 15. Mostafa Mir Salim, who is supported by the Islamic Coalition Party, was the only high-profile candidate to register on the first day. Other high-profile candidates such as Astan Quds Razavi Foundation Head Hojjat ol Eslam Ebrahim Raisi are expected to register at a later date. President Hassan Rouhani has not yet announced formally that he intends to run in the elections. A reporter asked Rouhani whether he intended to run in the elections at a press conference on April 10. Rouhani declined to answer the question directly, and instead stated that his response would become clear in the next few days. Over 125 candidates registered, including six women. Iran’s Constitution does not ban women from running for president explicitly, but the Guardian Council has disqualified all female registrants in past presidential election cycles. The Guardian Council will begin vetting candidates on April 16. The Guardian Council will then announce the names of the candidates permitted to run. Campaigning begins on April 28. (IRNA) (E) (Tasnim News Agency) (Radio Farda)