Iran Digest Week of January 14 - January 21
/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 Communications Associate Elizabeth Kos. Please note that the news and views expressed in the articles below do not necessarily reflect those of AIC.
US-Iran Relations
US Warns Only ‘a Few Weeks Left’ to Save Iran Nuclear Deal
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that there are only "a few weeks left" to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and world powers before Tehran's nuclear advancements become too difficult to reverse.
"We have, I think, a few weeks left to see if we can get back to mutual compliance. That would be the best result for America's security," he told US public radio station NPR, speaking amid the latest round of negotiations in Vienna between Tehran and the other signatories of the nuclear accord.
However, Washington's top diplomat stressed that "we're very, very short on time" because "Iran is getting closer and closer to the point where they could produce on very, very short order enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon".
Iran Looking for ‘Safe Channel’ to Pay UN Dues to Regain Vote
Iran is once more trying to find channels to pay its dues to the United Nations despite sanctions by the United States to regain its lost voting rights.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been committed to pay for its membership on time and we have shown this in action before,” Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, said late on Friday, adding that the country is looking for a “safe channel” to make its payment to the organisation.
“Unfortunately, for a second year we are facing hurdles in making our payments and that is because of the cruel US sanctions … the funds are there in our accounts abroad but can’t be accessed.”
COVID-19
Health Sector Receives First Batch of Homegrown Fakhra COVID Jab: Defense Ministry
The first batch of a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, dubbed Fakhra, was handed over to the Iranian Health Ministry.
Director-General of the Defense Ministry’s Department of Health, Relief and Treatment Reza Allahveran made the remark, saying the batch consists of 426,000 doses of the jab, IRNA reported.
In addition, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Customs Administration (IRICA), Rouhollah Latifi, said following the delivery of over two million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Iran from Spain, the number of the country’s imported doses neared 155 million, according to IRNA.
Economy
Iran Seeks Closer Ties with China as Nuclear Talks Drag On
The United States military identified Iranian intelligence as being behind a group of hackers widely known as MuddyWater on Wednesday, confirming previous reports by private cybersecurity groups.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, discussed the implementation of a wide-ranging economic and security cooperation agreement signed between the two countries in Tehran early last year, among other issues, according to his ministry in Tehran. The two diplomats also discussed the current state of the talks to revive the 2015 pact in Vienna, it said in a statement.
Meta Removes Iran-Based Fake Accounts Targeting Instagram Users in Scotland
Facebook parent Meta Platforms (FB.O) removed a network of fake accounts that originated in Iran and targeted Instagram users in Scotland with content supporting Scottish independence, the company's investigators said on Thursday.
The network used fake accounts to pose as locals in England and Scotland, posting photos and memes about current events and criticism of the United Kingdom's government, Meta said.
The accounts organized their content around common hashtags promoting the cause, though they at times misspelled them, the company said. The accounts also posted about football and UK cities, likely to make the fictitious personas seem more authentic.
(Reuters)
Inside Iran
Iraj Pezeshkzad, Celebrated Iranian Satirist and Author of ‘My Uncle Napoleon,’ Dies
Iraj Pezeshkzad, an Iranian writer whose satirical 1973 novel “My Uncle Napoleon,” affectionately skewering the foibles of his countrymen and -women in the decades before the Islamic Revolution, became a phenomenally popular work of modern Persian literature, died Jan. 12 in Santa Monica, Calif. He was believed to be 95.
The cause was a stroke, said his son, Bahman Pezeshkzad. Mr. Pezeshkzad had lived in exile in France since shortly after the 1979 revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and installed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as supreme religious leader of Iran. Mr. Pezeshkzad was visiting family members in the United States when the coronavirus pandemic began and had remained in the country ever since.
Regional Politics
Iran’s Raisi Says Moscow Visit ‘Turning Point’ in Bilateral Ties
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has said his visit to Moscow could mark a “turning point” in bilateral relations between the two countries ahead of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Before departing for the Russian capital on Wednesday for a two-day trip, the Iranian president described Iran and Russia as strong, independent and influential nations in the region who could boost their security and trade through maintaining close dialogue.
Political, economic, energy, trade, and space issues will be among topics discussed in Moscow, according to the president.
Turkey Orders Cuts to Gas Use as Flow Halted from Iran
Turkey ordered gas-fuelled power plants to slash gas use by 40% after Iran cut gas flows to Turkey for up to 10 days due to a technical failure, sector officials said on Thursday, and an industry group warned that production would be hit.
Turkish natural gas distributors were asked to reduce supply to 60% for large consumers except for gas used for heating, the Turkish sector officials said, adding that schools and hospitals will be exempt.
Iran notified Turkey of a 10-day cut to natural gas flows but talks are ongoing to start flows earlier, the officials added.
(Reuters)
UAE Says Missiles, Drones Used in Houthi Attack
Cruise missiles and ballistic missiles were used alongside drones in Monday's attack on the United Arab Emirates, and several weapons were intercepted, the UAE ambassador to the United States said.
It was the first time the UAE, which rarely discusses its security in public, had said missiles were used in the attack which killed three civilians in Abu Dhabi, and the first time it has claimed to have intercepted some of the weapons.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group has claimed it carried out the attack with five ballistic missiles and a number of drones. Abu Dhabi police had said they found parts of small planes that could possibly be drones, but made no mention of missiles.
Analysis
Iran-Russia Talks: Why Raisi’s Meeting with Putin is Crucial for Iran’s Future
By: Fardin Eftekhari
In a meeting this week in Moscow, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss and probably sign a new agreement to develop bilateral relations.
Iran will frame the new agreement as the most significant product of Raisi's visit to Russia and the continuation of a trend that began with Iran's accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at the beginning of his tenure.
Indeed, Iran wants to show that it is not an isolated country and that its diplomatic efforts can still be effective in bringing Tehran some success. But this visit shouldn't be regarded as a mere ceremonial act.
