Iran News Round Up - August 1, 2017

Iraqi Oil Minister Hossein al Laibi met with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh on July 30 to negotiate use of the two countries’ joint oil fields in Khorramshahr and Naftshahr in western Iran. Al Laibi stated that the two sides’ technical committees would be “more active than ever” and added that “this year or next year” the two sides will sign an agreement regarding oil production in the two fields. The two parties also discussed the transfer of crude oil from Kirkuk into Iranian refineries. (Radio Farda)

Iran’s Oil Industries' Engineering and Construction (OIEC) company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russian oil and gas company Gazprom for the development of the Azar and Changuleh oil fields in Iran on July 27 in St. Petersburg. The Azar oil field has been operational since March of 2016 and reportedly produces 30,000 barrels per day for the country in its current condition. (Mehr News Agency) (E)

IRGC Ashoura Unit (West Azerbaijan) Commander Brig. Gen. 2C Gholam Askar Karimian stated that the IRGC and the Basij have spent “almost 300bn rial [$10m] either directly or in the form of low-interest loans for the creation of jobs in the Resistance Economy.” Karimian claimed that the IRGC made the investment in part as preparation for the provincial capital Tabriz’s new role as Tourism Capital for Islamic Countries in 2018. Karimian did not appear to indicate the time during which the investment occurred. (Fars News Agency)

Iran will launch the “Zafar” and “Dousti” satellites in the next two years. Iran conducted a test of the “Simorgh” space launch vehicle on July 27.  (Mehr News Agency)

Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Commission member Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh expressed concern regarding Iraqi Kurdistan’s forthcoming independence referendum in a letter to President Massoud Barzani. Falahatpisheh characterized the “ethnicization” of the region as part of a continuing “Zionist plot” that included ISIS in the region and stressed Iran’s mutual suffering alongside the Kurds under Saddam Hussein. He added that past cooperation between Barzani and officials in Baghdad had led to the “provision of the necessary political and strategic foundation for the development of Suleimaniya and Erbil.” He urged him to follow this example since the tension caused by the referendum “smells of blood.” (Mehr News Agency)

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi referred to the latest round of U.S. sanctions on Iran as “a violation” of articles 26, 28, and 29 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in remarks on July 29. Article 26 refers to the U.S. abstaining from imposing new nuclear sanctions against Iran, Article 28 stresses “mutual respect” between the countries, and Article 29 highlights the need for all parties to refrain from “provocative and hostile” activities against one another. Araghchi remarked that despite the abrogation of these elements of the nuclear deal there was “still a way to go before a flagrant and fundamental violation” on the part of the U.S. (Radio Farda)  

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on six Iranian companies following the launch of the Simorgh space launch vehicle on July 27. The companies sanctioned are subordinates of Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) that are involved in aspects of the research, design, and production of Iranian ballistic missiles. The U.S., the UK, France, and Germany condemned the launch as inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2231 endorsing the nuclear deal. (Treasury.gov) (BBC Persian)

IRGC sources accused a U.S. Navy vessel of entering Iranian waters on July 28. IRGC Political Deputy Brig. Gen. Rasoul Sanaei Rad suggested that the incident could have been caused by “an individual” rather than “ coordinated at a higher level.” The incident follows another IRGC-U.S. Navy confrontation in the Persian Gulf on July 26. (BBC Persian) (Tasnim News Agency)

Mashhad Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Alam ol Hoda warned that some domestic political figures are saying things “that give a green light to the U.S. to increase the number of sanctions” in remarks on July 28. Alam ol Hoda urged policymakers to take a more aggressive approach in response to U.S. policies towards Iran and highlighted that “passive engagement with abrogation of the nuclear deal [assists]... the enemy” and allows them to act without Iran responding. Alam ol Hoda stated, “The whole significance of the nuclear deal was that we would be freed from international pressure, not for the pressure to be multiplied several times over.” (Mehr News Agency)  

Iran’s Supreme Audit Court has issued seven sentences against former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over misuse of funds during his terms in office (2005-2013). Supreme Audit Court Prosecutor Fayyaz Shojaei stated that the total amount of funds misused came to approximately $2bn and added that Ahmadinejad “could never repay” the amount. (BBC Persian) (Reuters)

• Ahmadinejad called the accusations against him an “exploitation of circumstances seeking to create an unseemly plan” against public servants” in an open letter published on July 31. Ahmadinejad added that he denies the accusations “absolutely.” (YJC)

President Hassan Rouhani met with Judiciary Head Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani and Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on July 30. Rouhani stated that the three had discussed “increasing unity and solidarity between the three branches [of government].”  He added that they had also discussed attracting foreign and domestic investment and stressed that “the sword that the Americans wield is growing extremely blunt, since we do not have economic relations with America.” Rouhani also lauded the contribution of the armed forces to Iran’s security and stated that the Artesh, the IRGC, and the Basij Organization among others have “the support of the three branches [of government].” (Mehr News Agency)