Iran News Round Up - August 9, 2017

IRGC Quds Force Col. Mortaza Hosseinpour was killed near Palmyra, Homs Governorate, Syria, on August 8. Hosseinpour reportedly hailed from Langaroud in Gilan Province, northern Iran, and was a resident of Qom Province. (Tasnim News Agency)

Deputy Roads and Urban Development Minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan stated that German manufacturing giant Siemens is set to invest approximately €3bn in rail and power projects in Iran. He added that Iran is in talks with Airbus regarding the potential purchase of 45 rescue helicopters. Kashan did not provide details on a timeframe for either deal. (Mehr News Agency) (E)

The Intelligence Ministry reported on August 7 that it has arrested 27 ISIS operatives and confiscated their weapons. The operatives were allegedly planning on bringing weapons into Iran in “household appliances” with a team of 10 close to Iran’s border and a further 17 within Iran. The ministry did not specify their locations. The arrested group reportedly intended to carry out attacks in Iran’s “religious cities.” (BBC Persian)

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization head Ali Akbar Salehi stated that “it is unlikely that the U.S. will violate the nuclear deal” and added that if the U.S. does violate the deal “all options remain on the table.” Salehi stressed that “America’s exit from the nuclear deal will have no effect on the continuation of the agreement, since the EU, China, Russia, and the rest of the world’s countries have confirmed it. If the U.S. exits the deal these [countries] will bear the responsibility for this.” (ISNA)  

Iranian, Russian and Turkish experts will meet in Tehran on August 8-9 to prepare for the next round of the Astana peace talks on Syria. The meeting will also determine the date for the next round of the talks after the previous round was held in early July. (Mehr News Agency) (E)

Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Parliament Speaker Hossein Amir Abdollahian Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq Ján Kubiš on August 8 after the latter’s trip to Tehran to attend President Hassan Rouhani’s inauguration. Abdollahian stated, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its comprehensive supports for Iraq to restore the country’s security and stability in the region.” Kubiš responded that "we want the assistance of the federal democratic government of Iraq, in which, according to our joint opinion with Iran, all ethnicities, including Kurds, Shias, Sunnis and Turkmens live together in security and peace.” (Mehr News Agency) (E)

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani addressed the presence of foreign dignitaries at President Hassan Rouhani’s inauguration in remarks on August 8. Larijani stated that the foreign officials’ attendance of the inauguration ceremony show “how futile and misguided the project of isolating Iran is.” (Mashregh News Agency)

Former president Mohammad Khatami addressed the matter of President Hassan Rouhani’s second-term cabinet on August 7. Khatami stated that “people who put in effort for the president’s success [e.g. the reformists]… should not be subjected to disloyalty and rejection.” Khatami urged national unity but added that “we cannot say that we have an [Islamic] republic, whilst the Islam that we offer is against the will of the people and [their] freedom.” (BBC Persian)

Reformist-backed Omid parliamentary faction member Gholam Reza Heydari told Iranian media outlets that the faction has formed a committee to pursue the lifting of the house arrest of Green Movement Leaders Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Moussavi and Zahra Rahnavard. Heydari stated that he hoped that the council’s steps “would yield results.” Karroubi, Moussavi, and Rahnavard have been under house arrest since 2011 for their participation in the 2009 Green Movement. (ISNA)

 President Hassan Rouhani presented his list of proposed cabinet ministers to Parliament on August 8. Parliament must confirm Rouhani’s proposed appointments before they are finalized. Rouhani’s list includes nine new ministers.

• Artesh Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami is a notable choice as the new Defense Minister and will be the first non-IRGC Defense Minister in over 20 years if his appointment is confirmed. (Mehr News Agency)
• Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi will become the government’s youngest minister at 36 years-old as Minister of Communications and Information Technology. Jahromi also serves on the Iran-Russia joint communications and information technology commission. (YJC)
• Former Tehran chief prosecutor and head of Iran’s chief inspectorate Ali Reza Avaei will replace Mostafa Pourmohammadi to become Justice Minister. Avaei has been sanctioned by the EU since 2011 for violation of human rights.
• Former Vice-President for Executive Affairs Mohammad Shariatmadari will become Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade. Shariatmadari is a reformist and served as Minister of Commerce under former-president Mohammad Khatami. Shariatmadari withdrew his own candidacy for president in 2013 in favor of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. (mohammadshariatmadari.ir)
• Current Deputy Minister for Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi will replace Reza Salehi Amiri as minister of that department. Salehi has previously promoted the entry of foreign publishers into Iran. (Mehr News Agency)
• Khatami-era Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf will replace Hamid Chitchian as Energy Minister. Bitaraf is a lifelong reformist and member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front. (ISNA)
• Former Education Ministry Development Deputy Mohammad Bathaei will replace Fakhroddin Ahmadi Danesh Ashtiani as Education Minister.
• Head of Iran’s customs administration Massoud Karbasian will replace Ali Tayyeb Nia as Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance.
• Rouhani’s appointment for Science and Technology Minister is still vacant after Ali Khaki Sadigh refused the post earlier on August 8. (Tasnim News Agency)