Iran Begins Dismantling 10,000 Centrifuges

Amid Growing Tensions in Iran over JCPOA and its Aftermath

The director of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi, said today in Tehran that the country has begun dismantling some 10,000 centrifuges in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. The nuclear agreement, JCPOA, requires Iran to dismantle most of its 19,000 centrifuges.

Salehi said some members of Iranian Majlis were concerned by the speed of process. But he added the quicker the centrifuges were disassembled the sooner sanctions will be lifted.

Meantime, tensions between the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, and the hardliners over the JCPOA and its aftermath are growing. Some hardliners opposed the accord as a submission to foreign powers, especially the United States. Many hardliners believe that Rouhani wants to parlay the nuclear accord into the start of new relations with the U.S. and an eventual normalization of relations between the two countries, a prospect strongly opposed by the hardliners who remain America’s bitter enemies.

The political struggle post-JCPOA has produced anti-U.S. rhetoric and a surge in arrests of the moderates, including journalists, by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, run by the hardliner Hossein Taeb, who reports directly to the supreme leader. The tensions between the moderates and hardliners are expected to grow even further as we approach the all-important elections for the Majlis and the Assembly of Experts, scheduled for late February.

Rouhani Speaks Out against Recent Wave of Arrests in Iran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a speech broadcast live today, spoke out against a recent wave of arrests by the IRGC Intelligence department aimed at crippling U.S. influence in the country. Five activists and journalists have been arrested in recent days by the secretive intelligence unit.

“We cannot have the security officers to be the judge of the press. We need clear media rules and regulations,” Rouhani said. (The New York Times, 8 November)

After the approval of the nuclear agreement, JCPOA, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly warned against what he calls attempts by U.S. and other Western powers to “infiltrate” the country and “spread their influence.”  Since the speeches began, IRGC Intelligence has arrested the five journalists. A spokesman for the intelligence unit has appeared on live TV to accuse the journalists to have worked, some “unwittingly,” for the CIA.

Rouhani says the hardliners “misuse” Khamenei’s words “to detain and frighten opponents.” Iran will hold elections for the Majlis and the Assembly of Experts in late February. Accusing personalities associated with the camp of being the “infiltrating” agents of the U.S. would help the hardliners to disqualify moderate candidates from running in the elections.

In his speech, Rouhani also accused hardline media outlets of acting as “undercover police” and said, “they even tell their audience who is going to be arrested tomorrow.” He added the main hardline outlets are receiving official protection while making accusations against their political rivals.

Photo: The New York Times

Khamenei Approves JCPOA

Cautions against Sanctions; Attacks Obama for Regime Change Policy

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today gave his final approval to the JCPOA, the nuclear deal with world powers. In a letter to President Rouhani, announcing his approval of JCPOA, Khamenei cautioned against the “ambiguities and structural frailties” of the agreement that “can bring huge damages” to Iran. He also harshly attacks President Obama for “lies” about not being after regime change in Tehran and the U.S. behavior at nuclear negotiations for advancing “hostile policies” against the Islamic Republic. (@khamenei_ir/Twitter, 21 October)

In the letter, Khamenei demands that President Obama and the EU issue written orders for complete removal of all sanctions against Iran. He adds that “throughout the 8-year term of JCPOA, imposition of any sanctions at any level and under any pretext (including repetitive and fabricated excuses like terrorism and human rights) from any of the negotiating countries, will be considered as the violation of JCPOA, Iranian government is obliged to take necessary measures and cease implementation of the JCPOA.” 

The latter could be problematic for the implementation of the agreement, as the JCPOA does not deal with issues of human rights and terrorism in Iran. It specifically lifts only the nuclear-related sanctions imposed by the UN, the U.S. and EU against the country. In facts signatories like the U.S. maintain non-nuclear sanctions that predate the ones imposed against the Iranian nuclear program.

Khamenei reiterates that the reconfiguration of Arak (IR-40) heavy water reactor and shipping out the country’s current stockpile of higher-enriched uranium could only begin after the IAEA certifies that the Iranian nuclear program never had any possible military dimensions (PMD). IAEA is to file its final report on PMD on 15 December. Based on the agreement, if IAEA does not clear Iran on PMD issue, the JCPOA could not be implemented anyway.

In his letter, Khamenei harshly attacked the United States and President Obama. He said Obama’s claims in his two letters to him that he was not after regime change in Iran “proved as a lie.” Khamenei did not explain what actions Obama has taken that could be seen as attempts to overthrow the Islamic Republic. He also attacked the U.S. behavior during the nuclear negotiations that led to JCPOA, saying “U.S. deceptive involvement in nuclear talks has been intended to advance their hostile policies towards Iran.” He did not explain what those hostile policies were and why did he approve an agreement that had hostilities toward Iran at its root.

JCPOA Becomes Law

Iran’s Guardian Council today ratified the bill passed by Majlis, the Iranian parliament, on the nuclear deal with the six world powers, making JCPOA the law of the country.

Majlis Approves Implementaion of Nuclear Deal

The Iranian parliament, Majlis, today gave its final approval to JCPOA, the nuclear deal with the world powers. With 161 in favor, 56 against and 13 abstentions, the Majlis passed a bill allowing the Iranian government to implement JCPOA.

46 MPs boycotted today's Majlis session and 11 MPs present did not vote. So the total number of MPs voting against, or not voting, or boycotting the session was 116, corresponding to 100 MPs voting against the general outline of JCPOA on Sunday.

Photo: Majlis MP Hamis Rasaie holding up a sign during the voting that reads, “This is a blatant violation of law. Majlis is not a rubber stamp.” (Tasnim)

Majlis Approves General Outline of JCPOA

Leader of Hardliners Threatens to Kill and Execute Zarif and Salehi 

 

Majlis, the Iranian Parliament, on Sunday approved the “general outline” of the nuclear deal with the world power, the JCPOA, by a vote of 139 to 100, with 12 abstention.

The details of JCPOA now will be considered in the next few days. The Majlis bill dealing with the specifics of JCPOA, entitled “Proportional Measures Toward Implementation,” contains sharp criticism of some key elements of the accord.

The Majlis could refer the bill, along with a long list of its concerns over the specific provisions in the agreement, to the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) for consideration and final approval. 

The Majlis today was also the scene of the most heated debate in years with some MPs behaving in questionable manner, at times bordering criminal. The leader of the Resistance Front, the parliament’s hardline faction, threatened the country’s foreign minister and chief of Atomic Energy Organization to death. This is how Kamaloldin Pir-Moazen, the MP from Ardabil, described the scene:

“Today the Resistance Front MPs and opponents of Rouhani administration did all they could do (to stop the nuclear agreement bill). They threatened (Atomic Energy chief) Salehi to death and threatened to have (Foreign Minister) Zarif executed.” Pir-Moazen added that Hojatoleslam Ruhollah Hosseinian, leader of the Resistance Front, told Salehi: “We will execute you, bury you inside Arak reactor, and pour cement over you.” (IRNA, 11 October)

To read the account by Iran’s official news agency IRNA, in Farsi, please click here.

Top photo: Atomic Energy Organization of Iran chief Salehi under attack by the hardliners in Majlis; Tehran, 11 October 2015 (IRNA)

Bottom photo: Hojatoleslam Ruhollah Hoseinian (in cleric dress) threatening to kill AEOI chief Salehi (at the podium) and pour cement over his body; Majlis, 11 October 2015 (ISNA)

Khamenei Warns Against More U.S.-Iran Talks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today warned against further negotiations with the United States. Such talks are “forbidden,” Khamenei told an audience of IRGC commanders in Tehran.

“An important part of the activities of the enemy is to change the calculations of officials and to manipulate people’s revolutionary and religious thoughts,” Khamenei said. “Young people are the main target, and they must be alert.” (The New York Times, 7 October)

Khamenei said that “careless or some simple-minded people who do not understand the facts” are the cause of Iran’s “problems.” In his coded language and in what was probably intended as a threat against his domestic opponents, Khamenei added, “And the enemy helps those people” (presumably those advocating relations with the United States).   

On the nuclear agreement, Khamenei said the opposing parties (the West) had made “damaging moves against Iran’s national interests” in the talks. He did not elaborate, nor did he say that his veiled criticism of Iranian negotiating team meant he was now against the deal. As Times’ Thomas Erdbrink reports from Tehran, Khamenei is widely seen as the final arbitrator of the nuclear agreement.

File photo: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AP)

Iran: Senior Ministers Critical of Economy – Warn of Crisis

In a highly unusual move, four senior members of President Rouhani’s cabinet have written a letter to the Iranian president expressing deep concerns over continued economic recession and the risks of an upcoming economic crisis in the country. Ali Taeb-Nia, Minister of Economy and Finance; Ali Rabii, Minister of Labor; Mohammad Reza Nemat-Zadeh, Minister of Industries; and Gen. Hossein Dehqan, Minister of Defense, signed the letter, which was reported by the Iranian news agencies Mehr and ILNA on Sunday.

In the letter, dated 9 September 2015, the ministers point to the near meltdown of Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), writing that TSE has lost 42 percent of its value since January 2013, with major publicly-traded companies losing some $55 billion of their values. The ministers also point to falling oil prices and other minerals. They warn that if the government does not take immediate actions, the Iranian economy could soon face a crisis, which would take years to come out of it.

Photo credit: The photos of the four ministers signing the letter highly critical of the state of the Iranian economy. From left: Ali Rabii, Minister of Labor; Gen. Hossein Dehqan, Minister of Defense; Mohammad-Reza Nemat-Zadeh, Minister of Industries, and Ali Taeb-Nia, Minister of Economy. (asemandailynews)

Iran Parliament Begins Formal Consideration of JCPOA

After Receiving Highly Critical Report by Special Commission

Majlis, the Iranian parliament, on Sunday formally began consideration of the nuclear agreement with major world powers after the much-anticipated report by its Special Commission on JCPOA, entitled “Islamic Republic Government’s Reciprocal and Proportional Action in Implementing the Agreement,” was presented to the full house.

The 20-page report is heavily critical of many aspects of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), including provisions related to defense, sanctions relief and the future of enrichment activities. The Majlis will now send the report probably back to the same commission to produce a bill for consideration. 

The bill coming out of the commission could propose a yes or no vote on JCPOA by the full Majlis. Or alternatively the Majlis could send today's report drafted by the special commission, with all its criticism of major components of the nuclear agreement, or a revised version of it, to the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) for final consideration, effectively passing the responsibility for approving the JCPOA at its present form to SNSC and Rouhani's government.

Photo credit: Members of Majlis during consideration of the highly critical report by the Special Commission on JCPOA; Tehran, 4 October 2015  (Mahmoud Rahimi/Mehr News Agency)

Khamenei Calls for Majlis Review of Nuclear Deal

If Sanctions Are Not Lifted Completely, Iran Will Only Suspend Its Nuclear Program - Khamenei

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today backed a parliamentary vote on the nuclear deal, and demanded lifting of all sanctions before Iran dismantles any parts of its nuclear progarm.

“I believe, and I have said it to President (Rouhani), that it is not right to sideline the Majlis (Iranian parliament) on the (nuclear) deal,” Khamenei said. “I am not saying how the review should proceed or whether the lawmakers should approve the deal or reject it. It is up to them, as representatives of the people, to decide.” (IRNA, 3 September)

Khamenei made the remarks a day after President Obama gathered enough supporters in the United States Senate to veto an expected disapproval vote on the deal by Congress and sustain it.

In his speech today, Khamenei also said that as part of the deal sanctions should be lifted completely, and not just suspended.

“Sanctions imposed on Iran should be lifted and not only suspended… If not, then we will only suspend our nuclear activities,” Khamenei said. (IRIB/IRNA, 3 September)

The nuclear agreement, JCPOA, would suspend sanctions in phases as Iran complies with its commitments to dismantle/redesign different parts of its nuclear program, and will remove them completely upon full compliance by Iran of all its commitments. Khamenei’s call today for lifting of all sanctions completely before Iran makes concrete steps to dismantle/redesign parts of the program could probably bring about the collapse of the JCPOA.

Now the most likely course of action is for the Majlis to approve a revised version of the deal, incorporating Khamenei's conditions, which would probably not be acceptable to P5+1. Khamenei made his stance on the issue clear today, and the Majlis will be expected to follow him.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had earlier said that the Majlis review of the deal was not required or necessary and instead he had sent the agreement to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) for review, where an approval was expected.

Photo credit: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei flanked by country’s senior leaders; Tehran, 3 September 2015 (Fars News Agency)

Rouhani Opposes Majlis Vote on Nuclear Deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has opposed a parliamentary vote on the nuclear deal, the JCPOA, saying terms of the agreement will turn into legal obligation if it is passed by Majlis.

Rouhani made the comments at a news conference today. He said the JCPOA was a “political understanding” reached with world powers, not a “pact” that requires parliamentary approval. (AP, 29 August)

Rouhani has referred the JCPOA to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the country’s highest national security body. As president, Rouhani chairs the SNSC and is believed to have enough votes in the body for the approval of JCPOA.