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.

Iran Marks Anniversary of 1979 U.S. Embassy Takeover

Thousands of Iranians today rallied to celebrate the anniversary of the 1979 hostage-taking at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, as hardliners warned against the “infiltration” of the country by the American and Western supporters, and chanted “Death to America.”

The U.S. embassy was sacked by hardliners in early days of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The ensuing U.S. hostage crisis lasted 444 days and Washington and Tehran have yet to restore diplomatic ties.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a speech yesterday marking the anniversary of embassy takeover and hostage-taking warned the Iranians against trusting the United States in the aftermath of the historic nuclear reached earlier this year. Khamenei also warned against improving and normalizing relations with the U.S. On the streets, some protesters dragged a coffin marked “Obama.” He situation in Iran

“Western countries, especially the United States are trying to take advantage of the situation in Iran after the nuclear deal to normalize relations with Tehran and infiltrate the country,” said IRGC in a statement marking the occasion. (Fars News Agency, 3 November)

Photo: A scene from today's anti-American demonstrations in Tehran, marking the anniversary of 1979 embassy takeover and hostage taking; 4 November 2015 (Ali Abbaspour/Fars News Agency/Twitter)

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.

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)

Khamenei: ‘If any war happens…’

On Sunday, the official Twitter account of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei uploaded a video with his voiceover entitled, “If any wars happens…” (@khamenei_ir)

“This gentleman (President Obama) has said he can destroy Iranian military,” Khamanei is heard as saying. “But should any war break out, one who will emerge humiliated out of it, will be invading and criminal America.” (Twitter/@khamanei_ir, 13 September)

Video credit: @khamanei_ir/YouTube)

The House Votes to Reject Nuclear Deal

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to disapprove the nuclear accord with Iran. The vote was 269-126. The house action, however, will not stop the deal. Yesterday, the Senate voted 58-42, short of 60 votes needed to consider the accord. Both houses of Congress had until 17 September to disapprove the deal.

The agreement goes into effect on Thursday on the U.S. side. The Iranian approval process by Majlis, the parliament, and the country’s Supreme National Security Council is still pending. Those bodies are expected to follow Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s final decision to approve or disapprove the accord.

Senate Blocks Measure Against Nuclear Deal

The U.S. Senate voted 58-42, short of 60 votes needed, on a measure to consider Iran nuclear deal, JCPOA; effectively blocking a vote of disapproval. The procedural vote was nonetheless a major victory for President Obama, sparing him from the need for a veto to safeguard the deal.

Obama Gains 41 Senate Votes to Uphold Iran Deal

President Obama gains 41 U.S. Senate votes to block any congressional disapproval bill and uphold the Iran nuclear accord.

White House: Sanctions Relief Only if Iran Complies with All Requirements of JCPOA

The White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Thursday that Iran will only see sanctions relief if it complies with all the requirements of JCPOA, the nuclear deal with world powers.

The comments came hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would only suspend its nuclear activities if sanctions were not lifted completely. JCPOA says sanctions relief kicks in as Iran dismantles and redesigns parts of its program, and not just suspending them.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry said Iran will be required to live up to the agreement in full before it starts benefitting from sanctions relief.

Iran: ‘Axis of Resistance’ Should Block U.S. Influence in Region

Ali Akbar Velayati, Khamenei’s senior advisor for foreign affairs and former Iran’s foreign minister, said Sunday in Tehran that the "Axis of Resistance," which comprised of Iran, Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah, should block U.S. influence in the region. Velayati said the duty of the Axis is “not only to fight against the dominance of foreigners in their countries, but also to cut the influence of the U.S. in the region.” (IRIB/Press TV, 16 August)

Velayati added that "mercenaries" are currently fighting in Muslim countries to materialize the goals of the United States. Velayati probably does not count Quds Force-led foreign Shia militias fighting in Syria to save Assad’s regime among the "mercenaries," nor is he probably counting the Iranians and Lebanese fighting in the country as foreigners. Velayati also did not address the issue of what has happened to the "Axis of Resistance" now that the Syrian government has lost control over most of the country.

Photo credit: Ali Akbar Velayati, Khamenei’s senior advisor, delivers a speech in Tehran; 16 August 2015 (IRIB/Press TV)

Khamenei Chastises ‘Arrogant’ U.S.

U.S. Policies in Region ‘Diametrically Opposed’ with Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today Iran’s stance toward the “arrogant” U.S. will not change despite the nuclear deal reached earlier this week. In a speech marking Eid Fetr, the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Khamanie said Iran would continue its policy in the region despite the deal.

“Whether the [nuclear] deal is approved or disapproved [in Majlis], we will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon,” Khamenei said.

“Even after this deal our policy toward the arrogant U.S. will not change,” Khamenei added. “We have repeatedly said we don’t negotiate with the U.S. on regional or international affairs; not even on bilateral issues.”

“There are some exceptions like the nuclear program that we negotiated with Americans to serve our interests… U.S. policies in the region are diametrically opposed with Iran’s policies.”

“The Americans say they stopped Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Khamenei said during his speech at the Mosala mosque in Tehran. “They know it’s not true. We had a fatwa [religious ruling] declaring nuclear weapons to be religiously forbidden under Islamic law.” (IRNA/BBC, 18 July)

The attendees repeatedly responded by chanting, "Death to America!" This was an angry speech and an angry celebration of the Eid that marked the end of Ramadan.

Photo credit: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaking to supporters on Iran-U.S. relations; Tehran, 18 July 2015 (EPA/BBC)

Hillary Clinton and Ali Khamenei express continued mutual distrust

Quotes from 17JUL15:

"Do I trust the Iranians?" presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said. "Absolutely not." 

"No one should be deluded about the continuing threat that Iran poses to the region."

Clinton said that as president, her posture toward Iran would be "Don't trust, and verify," saying the United States would employ intrusive inspections and extensive monitoring to ensure Tehran complies with the accord. [source: Yahoo News]

"Whether the (nuclear) deal is approved or disapproved, we will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon. Even after this deal our policy toward the arrogant U.S. will not change,” Khamenei said.

"The Americans say they stopped Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," he said at Tehran's Mosala mosque. "They know it’s not true. We had a fatwa (religious ruling), declaring nuclear weapons to be religiously forbidden under Islamic law. It had nothing to do with the nuclear talks."

He said slogans of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" chanted at demonstrations in Iran this week supporting the Palestinian cause showed what Iranians think and "shook the atmosphere of the country".

"We have repeatedly said we don't negotiate with the U.S. on regional or international affairs; not even on bilateral issues. There are some exceptions like the nuclear program that we negotiated with Americans to serve our interests ... U.S. policies in the region are diametrically opposed with Iran’s policies." [source: Reuters]

White House: ‘We’ve Never Been Closer to Agreement with Iran’

The White House said today that the United States and its partners have “never been closer” to an agreement with Iran on its nuclear program, but U.S. negotiators should come home if Tehran is unwilling to resolve sticking points.

“The president has indicated to his negotiating team that they should remain in Vienna and they should continue to negotiate as long as the talks continue to be useful,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest at a news briefing on Friday. (Reuters, 10 July)

“And if it becomes clear that Iran is not interested in engaging in a constructive way to try to resolve the remaining sticking points, then the negotiators should come home,” Earnest added.

IAEA inspection of sensitive sites suspected of work on nuclear weapons and the issue of possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program and an early end to UN arms embargo on Iran are reportedly among those sticking points.

Senior U.S. officials involved with the talks, including Secretary of State John Kerry, continue saying that significant progress has been made but tough issues remain. Maybe yes, maybe not!