Iran News Round Up - December 19, 2017

Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) Deputy for International Affairs Gen. Ghadir Nezami Pour discussed the expansion of military ties between Iran and China with Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Chang Wanquan in Beijing on December 12. The two highlighted the need to strengthen bilateral military cooperation between Iran and China. Nezami Pour also met with Chinese Central Military Commission (CMC) Joint Staff Deputy Chief Maj. Gen. Shao Yuanming. Yuanming stated that both countries support each other’s interests. Yuanming emphasized the need to continue to develop Iran and China’s strategic partnership. (The Diplomat) (E) (Mashregh News)

Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Hojjat ol Eslam Kazem Sedighi stated that the defeat of ISIS allowed for Iran to “deepen” its “emotional, political, and military [affairs]” in the region. Sedighi stated that Iran maintains an alliance with other Islamic countries through Shia militias like the Afghan Fatemiyoun Brigade, the Pakistani Zeinabiyoun Brigade, and the Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba. Sedighi also condemned the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. (Fars News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency)

Judiciary head Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani accused former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his political affiliates of “fomenting [unrest] and deviance.” Ahmadinejad responded to Larijani’s accusation and challenged Larijani to furnish proof of the “allegations” within 48 hours. Iran’s Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said on December 18 that the Judiciary will provide a response within two days. Ahmadinejad’s administration is frequently tied to allegations of corruption and economic mismanagement. The Islamic Revolutionary Court announced the in absentia conviction of Ahmadinejad-era Central Bank head Mohammad Reza Khavari to 30 years in prison on embezzlement charges on December 9. (BBC Persian)

Guardian Council spokesperson Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei announced the Guardian Council’s decision in response to the Parliament’s overwhelming passage of a bill permitting the participation of non-Muslims in city councils. The Guardian Council reaffirmed Jannati’s previous decision after Zoroastrian Yazd City Council member Sepanta Niknam’s suspension, stating that non-Muslims cannot serve on a city council where the majority of the population is Muslim. Parliament may choose to appeal the ruling to the Expediency Discernment Council, the body charged with settling disputes between the Guardian Council and the Parliament. (Mehr News Agency)

• President Hassan Rouhani stressed that “governmental bodies need to lead the way in protecting the [civil] rights” of religious and ethnic minorities during a cabinet meeting on December 17. Rouhani comments are likely in regards to Niknam’s suspension from the Yazd City Council. (President.ir)

Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati called French President Emmanuel Macron the “pawn” of President Donald Trump to a group reporters during the sidelines of an Azad University conference. Velayati also told Macron to consider France’s international reputation and “not to blindly follow Trump.” Velayati’s comments were in response to Macron’s recent criticism of Iran’s regional behavior and ballistic missile program. France has increased its public criticism of Iran’s destabilizing regional behavior in Syria and Yemen since the November 4 al Houthi missile strike toward Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley furnished evidence on December 14 showing Iran’s involvement in the November 4 ballistic missile strike. (BBC Persian) (Reuters) (E) (Fars News Agency)

Fred Kagan pushes back on the argument that Russia could assist the U.S. and its allies in containing Iranian involvement in Syria in “Trump shouldn’t trust Putin on Syria - or anything else.”