Iran News Round Up - October 24, 2017

Senior IRGC and Artesh officials attended a Harmony and Unity Symposium at Artesh Ground Forces Headquarters to discuss ways to improve cooperation between the IRGC and Artesh. Artesh Ground Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Kiomars Heidar stated that unity between the IRGC and the Artesh is a “heartfelt belief” among Iran’s armed forces. IRGC Ground Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour indicated that it was necessary to always increase the capabilities of the Artesh and IRGC Ground Forces in order to “show the enemies.” (Sepah News Agency) (Fars News Agency) (Defa Press) (ILNA)

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated that President Donald Trump does not intend to impede European trade and financial deals currently underway with Iran. His statements followed an October 19 meeting of EU leaders who emphasized the need to protect European companies doing business in Iran if the U.S. Congress were to re-impose nuclear sanctions. (Reuters) (E) (Press TV) (E)

Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) Chief IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri met with Syria’s President Bashar al Assad in Damascus to discuss increased defensive and military coordination between Tehran and Damascus on October 19. Bagheri also delivered a written letter from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Assad. Iranian news outlets have not published the contents of Khamenei’s letter. Bagheri met with Syrian Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub on October 18. (Sepah News) (Reuters) (E) (Defa Press)

• Bagheri visits the frontlines. AFGS Chief Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri visited the front lines for the Defenders of the Holy Shrine and Axis of Resistance fighters in Aleppo Governorate, Syria on October 20. Bagheri indicated that coordination between Iranian-backed proxy militias and the Syrian Army has been a key ingredient in the fight against ISIS and that this coordination would continue into the future. (Defa Press) (BBC Persian)

Hamas Political Bureau Deputy head Saleh al Arouri led a senior delegation from Hamas’s political wing on a trip to Tehran to meet with Iranian officials from October 20-22. The delegation met with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati. Senior Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri stated that “relations have returned to normal” between Iran and Hamas and described the meeting as “showing the special relations” between the two sides. The U.S. designated Hamas as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 1997. (Tasnim News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency)

• Ali Larijani expressed his support for the recently-signed reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah in Cairo on October 12 during his meeting with the high-level Hamas delegation. (Tasnim News Agency)

Marie Donovan breaks down why a new strategy for dealing with Iran’s destabilizing behavior is necessary in “America needs a new strategy to deter Iran’s destabilizing behavior.”

Fred Kagan clarifies common points of confusion regarding the Trump administration’s decision on the nuclear deal in “Confusion over the Iran deal.”