Iran Digest Week of April 21- April 28
/AIC’s Iran digest project covers the latest developments and news stories published in Iranian and international media outlets. This weekly digest is compiled by associate Samuel Howell. Please note that the news and views expressed in the articles below do not necessarily reflect those of AIC.
US-Iran Relations
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Russia’s Intelligence Agency for Detaining Americans
The Biden administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on the F.S.B., Russia’s intelligence agency, for its role in detaining Americans like Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who has been accused of espionage.
The administration also announced sanctions on Iran’s intelligence services and four senior Iranian officials, who the administration says have participated in a pattern of holding Americans and other nationals hostage.
The actions are the first attempt by the U.S. government to formally punish foreign governments for taking Americans by seeking to cut off access to the international financial system. In a statement on Thursday afternoon, President Biden urged both countries to let their hostages go.
Iran court orders US, Obama to pay $313m for ‘terrorist’ attacks
An Iranian court has ruled the United States government and a number of individuals and entities, including former President Barack Obama, must pay compensation for 2017 attacks carried out by the armed group ISIL (ISIS).
The court in the capital issued the verdict on Wednesday based on complaints by families of three people killed and six wounded during the June 2017 attacks in Tehran, according to the official news website of the judiciary.
The building of the Iranian parliament and the mausoleum of the founder of Iran’s current establishment, Ruhollah Khomeini, were targeted during the daylight assault that killed 17 people in total.
Women of Iran
Plainclothes Agents Reportedly Enforcing Hijab Law In Tehran
Plainclothes security agents are reportedly appearing in public spaces throughout the Iranian capital of Tehran, warning women to observe the mandatory hijab law amid a wave of defiance against the dress code following the death of a young woman while in police custody for an alleged head scarf offense.
According to eyewitness accounts, groups of women and men dressed according to the Islamic republic's standards were seen in various parts of central Tehran advising women on the necessity of observing the mandatory hijab law, which requires women to cover their hair and wear modest clothing. People in the Tehran City Theater complex also reported similar sightings on the same day.
Images circulated on social media on April 27 of agents entering the Mega Mall shopping center in Tehran’s western neighborhood of Ekbatan, where they looked to enforce the mandatory dress code.
Economy
Thousands Lose Jobs In Iran Due To Closure Of Businesses For Hijab
As the Iranian regime closed at least 2,000 businesses since late March for women’s refusal to wear compulsory hijab, tens of thousands have lost their jobs.
Reformist Shargh daily in a report Thursday said statements by the police and other officials about the implementation of a campaign against hijab-lessness indicate that around 2,000 businesses – including restaurants, cafes, tourist accommodations, retail shops and even a counseling clinic and a gym -- have suffered closure in the past month only.
On Tuesday hardline media reported that some businesses, mainly restaurants and cafes, owned by celebrity artists and popular footballers have been shut down or received warnings over defiance of hijab rules by their staff and customers.
Iran seizes US-bound oil tanker in Gulf of Oman
Iran has seized a US-bound oil tanker from international waters in the Gulf of Oman, according to the US Navy’s Central Command.
A Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, the Advantage Sweet, was taken by members of Iran’s navy, Centcom said in a statement on Thursday. Satellite tracking showed the vessel had sailed from Kuwait and was broadcasting its destination as Houston, Texas. The vessel is capable of carrying about 1mn barrels of crude.
“Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability,” Centcom said.
(Financial Times)
Environment
Springtime in Iran signals the renewal of an environmental movement
Across diverse cultures, the arrival of Spring evokes literary connotations as a period of hope and revival. The term often appears in association with political upheavals—consider the example of the Arab Spring.
For Iranians, Spring is particularly significant as its arrival coincides with the start of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, which translates to “new day.” It is celebrated with thirteen days of rituals centered around rejuvenation and nature. This year, however, the dawn of Spring was particularly bittersweet for most Iranians around the world, as it marked six months since the mid-September 2022 murder of Mahsa Jina Amini, while in police custody for “violating” the Islamic Republic’s dresscode. This ignited widespread protests across the country and coincided with a growing desire among Iranians for revolutionary change.
Although there has been a decline in the size and frequency of protests in recent months, the onset of Spring serves as a reminder that the goals of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement are perennial. Moreover, the transition to Spring and the anticipation of warmer months brings to light environmental issues that direct attention to the Islamic Republic’s ongoing failures.
Inside Iran
Iran: Senior Shia cleric on Assembly of Experts shot dead at bank
A senior Iranian Shia Muslim cleric and member of the powerful Assembly of Experts has been killed in a gun attack in northern Iran, state media report.
Ayatollah Abbasali Soleimani died in hospital after being shot at a bank in Babolsar, in Mazandaran province.
Its governor said the attacker, who has been arrested, was a bank security guard and that the motive was unclear.
(BBC)
Global Relations
Iran Supreme Court upholds Iranian-German's death sentence
Iran's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Iranian-German dual national Jamshid Sharmahd on charges of "corruption on earth", a judiciary spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The Islamic Republic's hardline judiciary handed down the death penalty against Sharmahd in February after convicting him of heading a pro-monarchist group accused of a deadly 2008 bombing and planning other attacks in the country.
"The sentence has been confirmed by the Supreme Court. After the lower court is notified, actions will subsequently be taken to implement the Supreme Court's decision," the spokesperson, Masoud Setayeshi, was quoted by judiciary media outlet Mizan as telling a weekly press conference in Tehran.
(Reuters)
Iranian Drone Engines In Myanmar: New Threat To The Region?
Two years since Myanmar’s military coup, widespread violence continues to escalate across the country, with growing indications and accusations of Iranian support to the junta.
Myanmar has been plagued by conflict and instability for decades. The country is home to multiple ethnic groups, many of which have been in conflict with the government. The situation has been further complicated when on Feb. 1, 2021, the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, deposed the democratically elected government led by the National League for Democracy.
The coup triggered countrywide protests that were followed by a crackdown leaving hundreds of civilians dead and several thousand detained.
Analysis
What the ICJ ruling on the Central Bank of Iran means for the US and the Islamic Republic—and those seeking reparations for state-sponsored atrocities
By: Celeste Kmiotek
On March 30, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its final judgment on a case between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States on the fate of “Certain Iranian Assets.” These assets include about $1.8 billion belonging to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) (known in the text as “Bank Markazi”) that the US froze in 2012. Iran brought the case in 2016 under the bilateral Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights.
In short, the ICJ judgment for Certain Iranian Assets (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States of America) upheld a US objection related to jurisdiction—effectively dismissing Iran’s claims related to the CBI—and rejected four of Iran’s claims alleging US violations. However, it denied a US objection related to admissibility and found that the US violated another four obligations. It ordered the US to compensate Iran, giving the parties twenty-four months to decide the amount. If they do not come to a consensus—which, given tensions between the two governments, is likely—either party can request that the ICJ determine the amount “on the basis of further written pleadings limited to this issue.”
The judgment contains wins and losses for both sides. It allows longstanding efforts to pay the families of victims of Iranian government terrorism to move forward. However, it rejects several US provisions that aim to widen the pools of funds available to victims of state sponsors of terrorism. This judgment may increase global caution in attempts to seize and repurpose funds linked to Iran, Russia, and their other allied countries.
