Iran News Round Up - August 14, 2017

Basij Organization Commander IRGC Brig. Gen. Gholam Hossein Gheibparvar stressed the importance of Iran’s cyber security apparatus at the Basij Organization National Cyberspace Base in Mashhad on August 11. Gheibparvar stated that Iran “must have a practical plan to enter the [cyberspace] arena in order combat attacks against Iran.” He added that Iranians must “work together creatively” to face up to this distinct threat. (ILNA)

Fatemiyoun fighter Ashour Mohammadi, 37, was buried on August 10 in Varamin, Tehran Province. Mohammadi was reportedly killed in Palmyra, Homs Governorate, Syria, on July 23. (Khabarland)

Yazd Friday Prayer Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Naseri Yazdi commented that “America has violated the nuclear deal once again by implementing new sanctions, and has shown that it does not stand by its word and bond in any way.” He added that Iran has “made the region unsafe” for the U.S. and Israel. (Tasnim News Agency)

• Karaj Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani stated that Iran’s “judicial apparatus should deal with” politicians who visited Green Movement leader Mehdi Karroubi following his hospitalization on July 24. Hosseini Hamedani stressed that “sedition” was “a red line.” (Khabar Online)

Reformist-backed Omid parliamentary faction leader Mohammad Reza Aref continued to criticize the absence of women from President Hassan Rouhani’s second-term cabinet. Aref stated that unlike other countries’ cabinets, “today there is not a single woman in our cabinet, and the roots of [this matter] must be investigated.” (Fars News Agency)

• Omid member Ali Bakhtiar stated that the faction “is determined not to vote for a weak minister even if his political inclinations line up with [ours].” Bakhtiar added that current Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hajati and Labour Minister Ali Rabei “are likely to receive [Omid’s] vote” and that proposed Finance Minister Massoud Karbasian carries “a positive opinion” within the faction. (Fars News Agency)
• Reformist Women’s Congress head Zahra Sadreazam Nouri stressed that “[political] parties are a place for the implementation of… ideals and allow [women] to organize and advance a movement for the equality of women” through the country’s legal apparatus. She added that “we expected that women’s share in the government” would be higher. (ISNA)
• Newly-appointed Special Advisor to the President for Civil Rights Shahindokht Molaverdi criticized the status of women in Iran’s political sphere. Molaverdi stated that women in Iran are held back by prevalent “[religious] beliefs and culture.” Molaverdi noted that women do not require “empowerment” but seek “social justice” instead. (ILNA)

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “not abiding by the nuclear deal will definitely come at a price for the parties that violate it.” Araghchi added that the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, the European Union, and the international community” support the nuclear deal. Araghchi’s comments follow President Donald Trump’s repeated accusations that Iran is violating the spirit of the nuclear deal. (Fars News Agency)

• Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Donald Trump “always wanted to kill [the nuclear deal].” Zarif accused Trump of “bad faith on top of violating the letter [and] spirit” of the nuclear deal. (Twitter)