Iran Will Oppose Overthrow of Assad - Velayati

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said today Iran will actively take part in the new round of Syria talks, scheduled for 12 November in Vienna.

Velayati said Iran’s participation in the talks is “by no means tantamount to a retreat from its stance on Syria.” Velayati added that the Syrian government is the “best guardian” of the country, and Iran will “oppose any plan which seeks to overthrow President Assad.” (IRIB/Press TV, 7 November)

File photo: Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei (IRNA)

Japanese FM and UN officials in Tehran

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, on 12OCT15 at the Sadabad Palace in Tehran.

According to Channel News Asia:

Japan and Iran have reached agreement on an investment accord, which may give a boost to Japanese investments into the Islamic Republic once sanctions are lifted as early as next year, the countries' foreign ministers said in a statement.

Japan is keen to boost ties with Iran and invest in resource projects there, as well as increase crude imports from the Middle Eastern country.

Japan's crude imports from Iran plunged more than 40 percent from 2011 levels before tough Western sanctions were introduced in 2012 over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.

Japan's top oil and gas explorer Inpex Corp, which in 2010 was forced to give up a stake in Iran's Azadegan oil field because of the sanctions, was among dozens of companies that visited Iran in August.

Iran's chief negotiator for new oil contacts said last week the country would introduce more than 50 exploration and production projects to investors in the near future.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, on 12OCT15 at the Sadabad Palace in Tehran.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida with Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, Vice President and Head of Management and Planning Organization, on 13OCT15 in Tehran.

Japanese and Iranian delegations in conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Kishida and Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, Vice President and Head of Management and Planning Organization, on 13OCT15 in Tehran.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida with Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, Iran's Minister of Industries, Mines, and Trade, on 13OCT15 in Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif with Jan Eliasson, Swedish diplomat and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, on 12OCT15 in Tehran.

According to Tehran Times:

UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson said on Monday that the UN still has a lot to do in putting an end to conflict, poverty, inequalities and repression, noting the UN mission is not accomplished yet.

Eliasson made the remarks while delivering a speech on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the UN celebrated in Tehran.

During his speech in which some Iranian officials and UN diplomats were present, Eliasson admitted that there is much left to be done in the UN. “We all have work to do. Our mission is not accomplished. We need to continue to reform our organization and adapt it to the new global landscape.”

COMMENTARY: Eliasson was part of the UN mission that attempted to mediate the Iran–Iraq War from 1980 to 1986.

Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Jan Eliasson with Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chairman of Expediency Discernment Council, on 12OCT15 in Tehran.

Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Jan Eliasson with Ali Akbar Velayati, President of Expediency Discernment Council's Center for Strategic Research, on 12OCT15 in Tehran.

Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Jan Eliasson with IRIN Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, on 12OCT15 in Tehran

Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Jan Eliasson with Seyed Kamal Kharazi, Head of Iran's Strategic Foreign Relations Council, on 13OCT15 in Tehran

Ján Kubiš of Slovakia, Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on 11OCT15 in Tehran.

According to Mehr News Agency:

UN Secretary-General Special Representative for Iraq Ján Kubiš who is in Iran to discuss latest Iraqi developments with Iranian officials was received on Sunday evening by Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister and head of diplomatic machinery of the country, where he expressed gratitude for the attempts by Mr. Kubiš waged to bring stability and security to crisis-stricken Iraq.

Mr. Kubiš believe[s] that the key to safely coming out of the current situation in Iraq is national unity. He also said that international and regional players were also important in helping manage the situation in the country; “promoting national reconciliation process, supporting strong central government, and focusing global participation in tackling economic, security, and social issues in Iraq are UN’s priorities,” he added.

Mr. Kubiš asserted that he would speak to any country and player as his mission for reaching a realistic analysis of the pandemonium in Iraq and finding a viable and effective solution, and believed that Iran’s role in Iraq and its benign advice on Iraq was absolutely invaluable for this reason.

Ján Kubiš of Slovakia, Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), with Ali Akbar Velayati, President of Expediency Discernment Council's Center for Strategic Research, on 11OCT15 in Tehran.

 

Wilfried Lemke of Germany, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, looking over photos of disabled Iran-Iraq War veterans engaging in sport, on 12OCT15 in Tehran.

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

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)

Velayati: No Inspection of Military Sites

Iranian supreme leader’s top foreign policy advisor Ali Akbar Velayati said on Friday that Iran will not allow IAEA inspectors into any military sites, Iranian news agencies Mehr and Fars reported. Velayati’s declaration contradicts JCPOA, the nuclear agreement Iran signed two weeks ago with world powers.

“The access of inspecters from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or from any other body to Iran’s military sites is forbidden,” Velayati said. (Fars News Agency, 25 July)

Velayati is also quoted by Iranian news agencies as saying that inspection of military sites under “any conditions and circumstances” will not be allowed “irrespective of the different interpretations that the P5+1 could have of Vienna agreement.”

Annex I of JCPOA, the nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1, allows inspection of military sites. Iran could refuse IAEA’s request to inspect any specific site, but an eight-member Joint Commission comprising the U.S., Iran, EU, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany can with a majority (5) vote overrule Iran’s objection. The process could take up to 24 days, but the inspection will have to be allowed if the Joint Commission votes in its favor, not particularly too high a bar for the U.S., EU, UK, France and Germany representatives to meet.

If Iran indeed refuses to verify the inspection provisions of the agreement, it could throw the implementation of the entire agreement in limbo. The implementation begins with IAEA certification that Iran has implemented all its obligations under the agreement.

‘Situation Ready’ for Nuclear Deal – Top Iran Advisor

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior national security advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said today Tehran is ready for a final nuclear deal with the world powers over its nuclear program.

The official IRNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying the “situation is ready” for such a deal. (IRNA/AP, 17 December)

Velayati’s remark was an important sign that Iran was ready to go back to talks with major powers on implementation of the Geneva internim agreement. Iran walked out of those talks last Thursday after the U.S. blacklisted 19 Iranian companies for evading current sanctions.  

IRIB Poll: Rafsanjani in the Lead

Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), state radio and TV organization, said today its latest and most extensive national public opinion poll shows former president Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani is most popular among all actual and presumptive candidates for president in the upcoming June election.  Another former president, Ayatollah Khatami, finishes a close second in the poll, and Tehran’s mayor, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, finishes a distant third, followed by former foreign minister Ali Akbar Valayati. (IRIB, 22 April)

Rafsanjani represents the moderates within the current political system, the proponents of ‘reform from above,’ preferring a council of supreme leadership instead of a supreme leader, and massive economic reforms to limit the role of government in favor of private enterprise.

Khatami represents the reformists calling for a more open society and serious political, judicial reforms and press freedom. Qalibaf and Velayati represent traditional conservatives close to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

Rafsanjani and Khatami have yet declared their candidacies.

Aside from the three factions mentioned, there are also supporters of president Ahmadinejad as well as the extreme right grouping lead by Ayatollahs Mesbah Yazdi and Sadeq Larijani.  The president and neither of the two ayatollahs will be on the ballot, however. Ahmadinejad supporters prefer Mashaie to be their candidate, but are fearful that the Guardian Council might block his candidacy.  The extreme right will also choose a candidate among a short list of politicians to run for president.

File photo: Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, right, with Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei (Leader.ir/ISNA).

Velayati Urges Continuity of Hardline Policies

In Sharp Contrast with Vision Espoused by Moderates

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to the supreme leader and a presidential hopeful, said today that Iran would continue defending its nuclear rights and “resisting against the expansionist policies of the western states” if he is elected next president. (Fars News Agency, 13 April)

Velayati’s comments were in sharp contrast to those of Hassan Rouhani, former director of the national security council and a political moderate who entered the race on Thursday. Rouhani, believed to have the support of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, emphasized the economy and the negative effects of sanction on the country and the need to revive Iran’s relations with the West. 

A Velayati-Rouhani race, if it were to materialize when the final list of candidates were cleared, would represent opposing visions of the country’s hardliners versus moderates. The former still embracing revolutionary values and anti-Western attitude are led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader. The latter, espousing economic reforms and expanding relations with the West are led by Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, the elder statement of Iranian politics. A decisive and open struggle between the two camps to win the hearts and minds of the Iranian people will be on display during the weeks remaining to the presidential election.

File photo: Ali Akbar Velayati (Fars News Agency)