Iran: Contenders for presidential elections

Iran’s Guardian Council has been given five days to vet the candidates running for presidency after candidate registration for snap elections came to an end on Monday.

Over 80 people have been nominated including one former president, one former Parliament speaker, 38 former and current lawmakers, 13 ex-ministers, and three current ministers. At least four women are among the registered candidates. 

The election’s winner will replace Ebrahim Raisi, who embraced martyrdom during a helicopter crash in Iran’s northwestern mountainous region on May 19, 2024. 

In this report, we take a look at the most prominent figures who have signed up to contest the June 28, 2024 presidential elections. 

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf

Qalibaf has dedicated decades to serving the Islamic Republic in various roles. He is a veteran and commander of the Iran-Iraq war, a former police chief, and former Tehran mayor. Since 2020, he has held the position of parliament speaker. He was elected speaker again in the new parliament last week.
Considered a neo-conservative, Qalibaf has run for president multiple times. In 2005, he secured over 4 million votes but lost in the first round. In 2013, he came in second place with 6,077,292 votes, losing to Hassan Rouhani. Qalibaf withdrew from the 2017 elections in support of Ebrahim Raisi. It is anticipated that Qalibaf will be qualified to run for president for a 4th time. 

Saeed Jalili

Jalili, a well-known conservative, held the position of Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2007 to 2013. He currently serves as a member of the Expediency Council.

Jalili holds a significant role in Iran's foreign affairs. He served as Iran's lead nuclear negotiator and previously held the post of Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs.

Jalili has twice vied for the post of president. In the 2013 elections, he finished third, garnering 11.31% of the votes. While he initially fielded candidacy for the 2021 elections, he later withdrew in favor of Ebrahim Raisi. He is expected to be qualified to run for the post. 

Ali Ardeshir Larijani

Larijani has tried to appeal to both ends of Iran’s political spectrum in the past decades. He was the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from August 2005 to October 2007. He also served as parliament speaker from 2008 to 2020. Since then, Larijani has been a member of the Expediency Council, where he served from 1997 to 2008.

Larijani ran for president in 2005 without much success. He registered for candidacy in 2021 but was disqualified by the Guardian Council. He seems to be hoping to face a different fate at the vetting stage this time. 

Ishaq Jahangiri

Jahangiri held the position of Vice President in Hassan Rouhani's government from 2013 to 2021. Before that, he served as the minister of industries and mines, the governor of Isfahan Province, and a member of parliament. 

A well-known reformist, Jahangiri ran for the presidency in 2017. Many observers believed that his decision to enter the race was a strategic move to bolster Rouhani during the debates as he withdrew before the voting began.

Looking ahead to the 2024 presidential elections, Jahangiri, seen as a technocrat, may face challenges in gaining approval from the Guardian Council due to past embezzlement and corruption allegations against his close family members.

Alireza Zakani

Zakani has served as the mayor of Tehran since 2021. He was a member of the parliament from 2004 to 2016 and again from 2020 to 2021, aligning with conservative political views.
Despite announcing his candidacy for the presidency in 2013 and 2017, Zakani was twice disqualified by the Guardian Council. In the 2021 presidential election, he initially ran but later withdrew in favor of Raisi.
Known for his fierce criticism of opponents during the 2021 presidential debates, Zakani earned the nickname "revolutionary tank." Observers speculate that there is a decent possibility the Guardian Council will approve his candidacy for the June 28 elections.

Abdolnaser Hemmati

Hemmati held the position of central banker from 2018 to 2021. Prior to this role, he served as the vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting from 1989 to 1994, and as the chief of the Central Insurance of Iran from 1994 to 2006 and again from 2016 to 2018. 

Hemmati finished in third place during the 2021 presidential election. He is close to pro-reform groups.

A trained economist, Hemmati has received both backlash and praise for his time at the central bank. There is not much reason to believe he won’t be able to run for president a second time.  

Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili

Esmaili currently serves as the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, a position he has held since August 25, 2021. His extensive background encompasses roles such as deputy governor of Isfahan, director general of Supervision and Evaluation of IRIB Programs, and chairmanship of the Cultural and Social Commission of the Center for Strategic Studies of the Presidency.

Esmaili has been actively engaged in social and cultural activities for many years, with his involvement dating back to the 1990s when he began his cultural activities as an editor-in-chief of cultural publications.

The minister says he will continue Raisi’s endeavors if approved to compete for the presidency. 

Mehrdad Bazrpash

Bazrpash is a conservative politician and the current Minister of Transport and Urban Development, assuming office in December 2022.  He held the position of President of the Supreme Audit Court from 2020 to 2022.

Bazrpash has also served as a member of the Parliament and the CEO of two of Iran's largest automakers, SAIPA and Pars Khodro. 

The minister was one of the youngest figures registering for candidacy last week.  Though this is the first time he has attempted to run for president, analysts believe Bazrpash’s extensive career makes it highly possible that he will become an official candidate for the 2024 presidential elections.  

Masoud Pezeshkian

Pezeshkian is a reformist politician and cardiac surgeon. He currently represents Tabriz, Oskoo, and Azarshahr in the Parliament, where he served as First Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2020. He previously served as Minister of Health from 2001 to 2005 under President Mohammad Khatami. 

Pezeshkian has often clashed with conservative politicians. Some of his remarks have been controversial and later found to be baseless.

While Pezeshkian is respected for his expertise in healthcare and education, observers speculate that his history of bipartisan conflict and lack of experience in operational fields may hinder his approval by the Guardian Council to run for the presidential post.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 

Ahmadinejad was president from 2005 to 2013.  Before his presidency, he served a brief two-year term as the mayor of Tehran. He is now a member of the Expediency Council. Ahmadinejad has tried hard to stay in the spotlight since his presidential term ended. 

Despite being considered a principlist by most, Ahmadinejad has adopted conflicting stances over the years. It is highly anticipated that his competence for the elections will not be approved. This prediction is based on the Guardian Council’s previous disqualification of Ahmadinejad when he attempted to run for president in 2021.

Abbas Ahmad Akhoundi 

Akhoundi served as the Minister of Transport and Urban Development from 2013 to 2018. He first entered government in 1993 as the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, making him one of the youngest ministers in Iran's modern history.

Akhoundi is a well-known pragmatist politician, but his fame mostly comes from controversies. During his tenure as the housing minister, he faced impeachment three times and submitted his resignation on three occasions. Critics have condemned him for his "liberal economic views" and for allegedly showing little concern for the less fortunate. Analysts believe he has little chance of gaining the approval of the Guardian Council in the looming presidential elections.

Mohammad Shariatmadari

Shariatmadari is a reformist figure who has held various ministerial positions in the government. He served as the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare and later as the Minister of Industry from 2017 to 2018. Additionally, Shariatmadari was the Minister of Commerce from 1997 to 2005 during President Khatami's administration.

Shariatmadari played a crucial role in managing Iran's relations with several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Portugal, Spain, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, the Philippines, and Thailand for eight years. 

In 2013, Shariatmadari ran for presidency but ultimately withdrew his candidacy in support of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani before the voting commenced.

Ali Nikzad

Ali Nikzad is a conservative currently serving in the parliament. He served as deputy parliament speaker in the previous. He was elected deputy speaker in the new parliament.

Nikzad has an extensive background in executive management, having held positions such as Minister of Transport and Urban Development, Acting Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Acting Minister of Roads and Transportation, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tadbir Construction Development Group. He has also served as the governor of Ardabil.

Nikzad has not tried to run for the presidency in the past. He is expected to be confirmed to contest the presidential post. 

Sowlat Mortazavi

Mortazavi is a conservative politician who currently serves as Minister Labor and Social Welfare. He has held several high-ranking positions in government, including Vice President for Executive Affairs, Mayor of Mashhad, Mayor of Birjand, and head of Election Headquarters.
In June 2017, Mortazavi was suspended from his position as Mayor of Mashhad and all other political offices after he prevented an audit of the Mashhad municipality.
Analysts believe that even if Mortazavi is approved by the Guardian Council to run for president, there is little chance that he will ultimately manage to take office. 

Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi

Seyyed Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi currently serves as the Head of the Martyrs Foundation and Veterans Affairs, a position he has held since 2021. Qazizadeh holds conservative views and was appointed as vice president when President Raisi took office in 2021. 

Qazizadeh has a distinguished career in politics and medicine. He has served as a representative of Mashhad and Kalat in four terms of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and was an ENT surgeon before entering politics. 

Qazizadeh took part in the 2021 presidential elections and is anticipated to become an official candidate for the second time this year. 

 

World leaders send condolence messages to Iran

Leaders from around the world have expressed condolences and shock at the tragic deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and seven others in a helicopter crash in Iran's remote northwest.

They are offering their sympathies to the Iranian government and people over the incident that happened on Sunday afternoon with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the deceased officials. 

Russia: Vladimir Putin 

Putin extended his “deep condolences” to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, calling the deaths of Raisi and other officials a “huge tragedy” and “a difficult, irreparable loss.”

Putin said Raisi was “an outstanding politician whose entire life was devoted to serving the Motherland.”

“He rightfully enjoyed high respect from his compatriots and significant authority abroad. As a true friend of Russia, he made an invaluable personal contribution to the development of good neighborly relations between our countries and made great efforts to bring them to the level of strategic partnership,” the Russian president said.

Putin said he had met Raisi several times and “will forever retain the fondest memory of this wonderful man.”

Putin spoke to Iran’s interim President Mohammad Mokhber. The two leaders stressed their “mutual intention to further strengthen Russian-Iranian interaction”.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov also said Moscow will continue to deepen its relationship with Iran and previous agreements with Tehran will be implemented.

China: Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep condolences over the death of Iran’s president. 

“His unfortunate death is a huge loss to the Iranian people, and also caused China to lose a good friend,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a daily news briefing, quoting President Xi.

The Chinese president praised Raisi’s “important contributions to safeguarding Iran’s security and stability” and for “positive efforts” on Beijing-Tehran relations.

Palestine: Mahmoud Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas extended the deepest condolences to the government and people of Iran on the death of the Iranian president and other officials. 

“We extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to the brotherly Iranian people on the death of the late President Ebrahim Raisi and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, praying to God Almighty may have mercy on the deceased Iranian President, and grant their families patience and solace, stressing the solidarity of the State of Palestine and its people with the Iranian leadership and people in this great affliction," President Abbas said. 

Gaza: Hamas

Hamas issued a statement mourning the deaths of Iran’s president and foreign minister.

The resistance group said the helicopter crash “claimed the lives of a group of the best Iranian leaders,” praising their “honorable positions in support of our Palestinian cause, and support for the legitimate struggle of our people against the Zionist entity,”.

The statement added, “We are confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran will be able — God willing — to overcome the repercussions of this great loss. The dear Iranian people have ancient institutions capable of dealing with this severe ordeal.” 

Islamic Jihad

The Islamic Jihad also called the deaths of Raisi and Amir Abdollahian “a great loss for the Palestinian people in these difficult circumstances, as they had a prominent and clear role in supporting and assisting the Palestinian people’s struggle and resistance”.

Syria and Lebanon

Lebanon and Syria on Monday announced three days of national mourning for the passing of the Iranian president and foreign minister.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am about this incident that happened. Especially that the foreign minister had become a friend," Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told reporters on Monday.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also expressed solidarity with Iran. 

“We worked with the late president (Raisi) to ensure that the strategic relations between Syria and Iran remain prosperous always, and we will always remember his visit to Syria as an important milestone in this path, and all the visions and ideas that he presented to enrich relations with everything that benefits the Syrian and Iranian peoples,” Assad’s office said in a statement.

Hezbollah calls Raisi protector of resistance and defender of Arab issues

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah mourned the deaths of the Iranian president and foreign minister.

Hezbollah described Raisi as “a big brother to us, a strong supporter, and a staunch defender of our issues and the Arab nations’ issues, most notably Jerusalem and Palestine, and a protector of the resistance movements and those fighting on their behalf in all the positions of responsibility he held.”

Iraq: al-Sudani

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed “great sadness and great sorrow” in a statement over the deaths of Raisi and others in the helicopter crash.

He also extended “sincere condolences” to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and government and “solidarity with the brotherly Iranian people.”

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, or Hashed al-Shaabi, also expressed their sympathies, adding that Raisi had “always declared that Iraq and Iran are one people that cannot be separated.”

Iraq's top cleric Ayatollah Sistani offered condolences to Iran over the martyrdom of President Raeisi and his companions.

“We received the news of the death of Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, and his companions with deep sorrow,” Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said. 

"I offer my condolences to the nation and government of Iran, especially the families of the deceased, and wish them patience," Ayatollah al-Sistani added.

Ansarullah

Yemen’s Ansarullah movement mourned the death of Raisi and other senior officials in the helicopter crash.

“Our deepest condolences to the Iranian people and the Iranian leadership and to the families of the president and the accompanying delegation,” Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Ansarullah’s Supreme Revolutionary Committees said.

“The Iranian people will continue to have leaders loyal to their people, God willing,” he added. 

Pakistan: Shehbaz

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a day of mourning over Raisi’s death.

“I along with the government and people of Pakistan extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Iranian nation on this terrible loss. May the martyred souls rest in heavenly peace. The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with customary courage,” Sharif wrote on X.

Sharif, who recently hosted Raisi and Amir Abdollahian when they visited Pakistan, said, “They were good friends of Pakistan.”

Pakistan: Zardari

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement also expressed shock and sorrow over Raisi’s death. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the Iranian president, the foreign minister and others who died in the accident.

Jamia Al-Azhar

In a statement, the Al-Azhar al-Sharif, the Sunni world’s foremost seat of religious learning, mourned the death of President Raisi, Amir Abdollahian and others who were killed in the helicopter crash.

Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo-based Al-Azhar, extended his condolences to the Iranian people and the families of the dead officials.

Al-Azhar is a prestigious religious institution across the Muslim world. A 1,000-year-old university of scholar-clerics, it teaches new generations of Sunni clerics and produces research that for many spells out what being a Muslim entails.

Egypt: Sisi 

Egypt's president extended his condolences for the deaths of Raisi and Amir Abdollahian. 
"Egypt mourns, with great sadness and grief" the Iranian president and Tehran's top diplomat, "who passed away on Sunday following a painful accident," the presidency said in a statement.
Sisi also extended "his sincere condolences and sympathy" to the Iranian people. He expressed Cairo's "solidarity with the leadership and people of Iran in this terrible loss."

IAEA

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency called at a conference on nuclear security in Vienna for a minute of silence in memory of the Iranian president, foreign minister and the other victims of the helicopter crash. 
“I extend my condolences on [their] tragic passing,” Rafael Mariano Grossi wrote on X on Monday. “Our thoughts are with their families and the people of Iran during this difficult time.”

Afghanistan: Akhund

In Afghanistan, Taliban said it was deeply saddened by the deaths of the Iranian president and foreign minister. 

“We share our grief with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the people of that country and offer our condolences to all the families of the victims, the nation and the government of Iran,” the Taliban prime minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, said in a statement.

Turkey: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his condolences to the Iranian people and government over the deaths of Raisi, Amir Abdollahian and other officials in the helicopter crash.

Erdogan said in a statement posted on X that he remembers Raisi “with respect and gratitude” and praised his “efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region during his time in office.”

Azerbaijan: Aliyev 

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to Iran’s Leader, saying in a statement that he and his government were “deeply shocked by the heavy loss that befell the brotherly and friendly Islamic Republic of Iran and its people.”

Aliyev said, “The people of Iran have lost an outstanding statesman who served his country selflessly and faithfully all his life. The bright memory of him will always live in our hearts.” 

India: Modi 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened and shocked by the news of Raisi’s death, and sent his condolences to the president’s family and the people of Iran.

“India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” Modi said in a post on X as his country also announced a day of national mourning over the death of the Iranian president and foreign minister.

Malaysia: Ibrahim

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was "deeply saddened" by the death of the Iranian president and other officials in the helicopter crash, noting their shared commitment to bolstering ties.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and several other officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said in a statement on social media.

Vietnam: Xuan 

 Acting State President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, are grieved to learn about the passing of President Ebrahim Raisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian and other members of the entourage. They extended their deepest condolences to the interim President of Iran, Mohammad Mokhber, Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and through them, to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei; the government and people of Iran. 

Qatar: Al Thani

The Emir of Qatar offered condolences to the government and people of Iran on the death of Raisi and other officials who lost their lives in the copter crash. 

"I offer my condolences to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of President Ebrahim Raeisi and the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and the accompanying officials in the painful incident of the helicopter crash," Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani wrote.

UAE: Al Nahyan

In the UAE, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed condolences to the Iranian government and people following the death of Raisi and Amir Abdollahian.
On his X account, Sheikh Mohamed tweeted: “I extend my deepest condolences to the Iranian government and people over the passing of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and those accompanying them following a tragic accident.

“We pray that God grants them eternal rest and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to their families. The UAE stands in solidarity with Iran at this difficult time.”

Saudi Arabia: Mohammed bin Salman

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, "offer their condolences to his Excellency, the acting head of the executive authority, Mohammad Mokhber, on the death of His Excellency Ebrahim Raisi, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and his companions," said a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Jordan: Abdullah 

The King of Jordan conveyed his country’s condolences over the passing of Iranian officials in the helicopter crash. 

"My deepest condolences to the brothers, leadership, government, and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the death of Brother President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Brother Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and those accompanying them, may God have mercy on them all," Jordan’s King Abdullah II wrote in X account.

The King emphasized in his message that his country stands with the brothers in Iran in this difficult situation.

South Africa: Ramaphosa 

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently invited Iran to join the BRICS group, expressed deep regret over the death of President Raisi.

"This is an extraordinary, unthinkable tragedy that has claimed a remarkable leader of a nation with whom South Africa enjoys strong bilateral relations," Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa visited Iran as deputy president in 2015 and in 2023 welcomed Raisi to a summit of the BRICS group in Johannesburg, where the Islamic Republic was formally invited to join.

European Union: Borrell

 European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a brief statement offered condolences for the deaths of Iran’s president and foreign minister and “other Iranian officials involved in the tragic helicopter crash.”

“The EU expresses its sympathies to the families of all the victims and to the Iranian citizens affected,” the statement said.
The European Council president also sent a message. 

“The EU expresses its sincere condolences for the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian, as well as other members of their delegation and crew in a helicopter accident. Our thoughts go to the families,” Charles Michel wrote on X.

Switzerland: Cassis

“In light of the helicopter accident that claimed the lives of President Ebrahim Raisi, my counterpart FM @Amirabdolahian, and their accompanying delegations, I extend my condolences to the families of all the victims and to the Iranian citizens affected,” Ignazio Cassis said. 

France

"France offers its condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and those accompanying them," the foreign ministry said in a statement. It also expressed its "condolences to the families of the victims of this accident."

NATO: Daklallah

The NATO military alliance expressed condolences to Iran over the death of Raisi in a helicopter crash.

"Our condolences to the people of Iran for the death of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, and others who perished in the helicopter crash," said NATO spokesperson Farah Daklallah on X.

WHO: Ghebreyesus

The World Health Organization has also expressed condolences over the tragic incident in Iran. 

 “We express our condolences to the people of #Iran and the families of the late President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and all those who lost their lives in the helicopter crash yesterday,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, wrote on X.

 

Pakistan mourns loss of great friend

President Asif Ali Zardari “expressed profound shock and sorrow over the tragic death” of his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi.

In a statement issued by the president’s office, Zardari “emphasised that the Islamic World has lost a remarkable leader who always supported [the] Muslim cause and deeply felt the sufferings of the Muslims globally, particularly the Palestinian and Kashmiri people”.

“Today, Pakistan mourns the loss of a great friend. Just last month, we had the honour of hosting him in Pakistan. During our discussions, I found him very keen on strengthening our bilateral relations,” President Zardari said, recalling Raisi’s visit to Pakistan last month.

Highlighting that the Iranian president “always had a special place for Pakistan and its people”, Zardari said Raisi will be “dearly missed and fondly remembered in Iran, Pakistan, and the Islamic World for his efforts to enhance relations with regional and Islamic countries”.

West busy in character assassination of Raisi

Iran proclaimed five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday, though the muted atmosphere revealed little of the spectacular public grief that has accompanied the deaths of other senior figures in the Islamic Republic's 45-year history.

While government loyalists packed into mosques and squares to pray for Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, both killed in a helicopter crash, most shops remained open and the authorities made little effort to interrupt ordinary life.

A year after Raisi's hardline government cracked down violently to end the biggest anti-establishment demonstrations since the 1979 revolution, opponents even posted furtive video online of people passing out sweets to celebrate his death.

Laila, a 21-year-old student in Tehran, told Reuters by phone that she was not saddened by Raisi's death, "because he ordered the crackdown on women for hijab."

"But I am sad because even with Raisi's death this regime will not change," she said.

Rights groups say hundreds of Iranians died in 2022-2023 demonstrations triggered by the death in custody of a young Iranian Kurdish woman arrested by morality police for violating the country's strict dress codes.

The authorities' handling of an array of political, social and economic crises have deepened the gap between the clerical rulers and society.

Supporters of the clerical establishment spoke admiringly of Raisi, a 63-year-old former hardline jurist elected in a tightly controlled vote in 2021.

"He was a hard working president. His legacy will endure as long as we are alive," said Mohammad Hossein Zarrabi, 28, a member of the volunteer Basij militia in the holy Shi'ite city of Qom.

But there was little of the emotional rhetoric that accompanied the deaths of publicly revered figures, like Qasem Soleimani, a senior commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards killed by a US missile in 2020 in Iraq, whose funeral drew huge crowds of mourners, weeping with sorrow and rage.

For opponents of Iran's clerical rulers at home and in exile, Raisi has been a hate figure since the 1980s when he was blamed for playing a leading role as a jurist in the execution of dissidents. Iran has never acknowledged that mass executions took place; amnesty International says 5,000 Iranians, possibly more, were executed in the first decade after the revolution.

"I congratulate the families of the victims of the executions," internet user Soran Mansournia posted in an online forum debating the legacy of Raisi's death.

However, Narges, another user, lamented Raisi as having died "a martyr's death".

Many Iranians said they expected that Raisi's death would have little impact on how the country would be ruled, with the establishment likely to replace him with another figure with similarly hardline views.

"Who cares, one hardliner dies, another takes over and our misery continues," said Reza, 47, a shopkeeper in the central desert city of Yazd who did not give his full name fearing reprisals.

"We're too busy with economic and social issues to worry about such news."

 

Iran: Mohammad Mokhber, Interim President

According to Articles 130 and 131 of the first edition of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (adopted in 1979), the first vice president – Mohammad Mokhber – will step in and assume the duties of the president after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi.

The Constitution stipulates that these responsibilities are transferred to the First Vice President with the approval of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and within 50 days the country needs to go to an election to elect a new president.

According to the Iranian political hierarchy, the head of the state is the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and the president is considered the head of the government, the second-in-command.

In case of sudden death, the first vice president is expected to guide the country through this transitional period until new presidential elections are held. 

The Iranian constitution was amended in 1989, when important changes were instituted. 

Here are some key facts about Mohammad Mokhber:

As interim president, Mokhber will be part of a three-person council, along with the speaker of parliament and the head of the judiciary, that will organise a new presidential election within 50 days of the president's death.

Born on September 01, 1955, Mokhber, like Raisi, is seen as close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has the last say in all matters of state. Mokhber became first vice president in 2021 when Raisi was elected president.

Mokhber was part of a team of Iranian officials who visited Moscow in October last year and agreed to supply surface-to-surface missiles and more drones to Russian military. The team also included two senior officials from Iran's Revolutionary Guards and an official from the Supreme National Security Council.

Mokhber had previously been head of Setad, an investment fund linked to the supreme leader.

In 2010, the European Union included Mokhber on a list of individuals and entities it was sanctioning for alleged involvement in "nuclear or ballistic missile activities". Two years later, it removed him from the list.

In 2013, the US Treasury Department added Setad and 37 companies it oversaw to a list of sanctioned entities.

Setad, whose full name is Setad Ejraiye Farmane Hazrate Emam, or the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, was set up under an order issued by the founder of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei's predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. It ordered aides to sell and manage properties supposedly abandoned in the chaotic years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and channel the bulk of the proceeds to charity.

 

Iranian president’s upcoming visit to Pakistan

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is scheduled to officially visit Pakistan on April 22, 2024. 

This diplomatic engagement comes amidst heightened regional interest, particularly as Pakistan prepares to embark on the construction of a gas pipeline linking Gwadar port to the Iranian border in the near future, according to WION News.

In an interview with the Tehran Times on March 15, the Pakistani ambassador to Iran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, emphasized the importance of strengthening the longstanding bond between Iran and Pakistan. 

Tipu also underscored the need for both nations to actively nurture and enhance their deep-seated connections which are rooted in history. 

“There is a very high level of political engagement going on between the two countries. The Iranian leadership sent very strong congratulatory messages to Pakistan when our new government was recently elected. So did Islamabad when parliamentary elections were held in Iran.  I think that shows that the relationship is in the right direction and that it’s being solidified, strengthened, and widened,” Tipu stated, adding that terrorism is one thing that the two states will focus on.

He added, "But there are also far more areas where we need more cooperation. There is a historical perspective that connects more than 300 million people in the two countries. We are connected through geography, history, and culture and I think both leaderships understand that and are determined to move forward and further diversify and expand relations. While we need robust cooperation to tackle terrorism, we should meanwhile not get fixated on it. We need to widen our horizons and make use of the countless opportunities we have to deepen our ties. This is what I am looking at as the ambassador."

 

Raisi visit to Turkey to focus on Gaza

According to Reuters, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Ankara on January 04, 2024 to meet his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan for talks likely to focus on the situation in Gaza and Syria as well as bilateral ties.

A visit by Raisi in late November was postponed due to the conflicting schedules of the two regional powers. At the time, Turkey's foreign minister was in New York as part of a contact group of Muslim countries on Gaza.

Turkey, which supports a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has harshly criticized Israel for its attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire, and said Israeli leaders should be tried in international courts for war crimes.

While it has ramped up its rhetoric against Israel since it launched its air and ground assault on Gaza in retaliation for Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 07 attack, Turkey has also maintained commercial ties with Israel, prompting criticism from some opposition parties and Iran.

Unlike its Western allies and some Arab nations, NATO member Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist group.

Its neighbor, Iran stands at the head of what it calls the Axis of Resistance, a loose coalition that includes Hamas as well as armed Shi'ite Muslim groups around the region that have militarily confronted Israel and its Western allies. It has voiced support for Hamas and warned of wider consequences if the fighting in Gaza continues.

Turkey and Iran have usually had complicated ties, standing at loggerheads on a host of issues, primarily the Syrian civil war. Ankara politically and militarily backs rebels looking to oust President Bashar al-Assad, while Tehran supports his government.

While several rounds of talks have been held between Syrian, Turkish, Iranian and Russian representatives to find a political solution to the war, Ankara has also moved to improve ties with Assad as part of a regional diplomatic push launched in 2020.

 

 

Global landscape undergoing paradigm shift, says Raisi

Speaking at the annual debate of the UN General Assembly in New York, Iran’s President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi discussed the emergence of non-Western powers, encouraged regional economic and security partnerships, and lamented the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

The world is reaching a critical junction point as an emerging order of non-Western states looks to pursue closer economic and political ties with one another, according to Raisi.

“The global landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift towards an emerging international order, a trajectory that is not reversible,” he said.

“As non-Western powers have emerged, there is a collective hope for a novel and equitable world order. The Islamic Republic of Iran advocates maximum economic and political convergence and is interested in interacting with the global community under the principle of justice.”

Through mutual political trust, economic cooperation, and indigenous security measures the goals of regional partners can be achieved more easily, said Raisi.

Holding up the Qur’an, he said “The holy book beckons humanity towards rationality, spirituality, the truth and justice. It expounds upon the unity of mankind proclaiming all earthly inhabitants it seeks to guide all towards human dignity... and speaks of equality among humans.”

Raisi emphasized the need for regional stability, noting the security of neighboring countries directly implicated the security of Iran.

He also criticized Western powers for what he claimed was an overt attempt to undermine stability in the region, claiming that Western intelligence agencies were moving terrorists across the region in a much targeted fashion.

“The surgical use of terrorists by certain Western governments as a political tool will be overcome by the collective will of the people of the region,” he said.

“Iran, who herself has been the biggest target of terrorists, has been at the forefront of combating terrorism in the region,” he added.

Iran additionally accused the United States of meddling in neighboring states, and drew attention to the situation in Afghanistan to highlight the humanitarian impact of Western military intervention on regional affairs.

“An independent and robust neighborhood presents an opportunity for the entire region. We will welcome any extended hand quite warmly.

Raisi lamented Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, labeling it a negation of the inherent rights of Palestinians.

He also emphasized the need to recognize Palestinian statehood and withdraw Israeli troops and settlements from the region.

“The people of the region see Iran as a secure partner for their own security and the occupying regime in Jerusalem is seen as the perpetrator of much of the violence in the region,” he said.

“Has the time not come to bring an end to seven and a half decades to the occupation of Palestinian lands, of the demolition of their homes, of the blood of their women and children, and for the people of Palestine to be recognized officially as a country?”

Iran stresses unity among OPEC members

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stressed the necessity of strengthening unity among the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to nullify the division created by the West.

Making the remarks during a meeting with OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais, in Tehran on Saturday, in the presence of Oil Minister Javad Oji, the president said, “Some Western countries seek to create division and disagreements among OPEC member countries to secure their interests, and the OPEC members should prevent the realization of these goals by strengthening their cohesion.”

He considered the constructive cooperation of the OPEC members with each other as an important factor in the success of this international organization and added: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always had a constructive cooperation with this organization and we are determined to continue and improve the level of cooperation.”

The president further mentioned supporting the rights of oil producers and preventing discrimination against them as the philosophy of forming OPEC, and expressed hope that OPEC can bring peace to the oil market in the new period of activity.

During the meeting with the Iranian president and oil minister, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the founding members of OPEC, has always had useful, effective, and constructive cooperation with this organization and its members and reminded, “Iran, both at the ministerial level and at the technical level has always acted in the direction of strengthening the cohesion and unity of OPEC members.”

Describing the situation of the oil market he said, “I hope that with the unity of OPEC members and benefiting from the constructive support and cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, we will be able to bring peace to the market.”

The OPEC secretary general arrived in Tehran on Friday for reviewing the oil market situation, as well as the supply and demand outlook, with the Iranian officials, and exchange of views on the upcoming meeting of OPEC members and the ministerial meeting of the OPEC Plus (an entity consisting of the 13 OPEC members and 10 of the world's major non-OPEC oil-exporting countries).

Iran has always asked fellow OPEC members to refrain from any unilateral measures, warning that would undermine the unity of OPEC.

The Islamic Republic has called on members not to take unilateral measures that would undermine the unity and independence of OPEC and provoke the US to take action against Iran.

Reacting to Iran’s approach in this regard, the former OPEC secretary general said there were no unilateral decisions in the organization.

Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo said, “Regarding the issue of Iran and the sanctions, Iran had been faced with similar challenges in recent years and I am sure that it can overcome these issues.”

“Over the 60 years since the establishment of OPEC, we have faced many challenges, but what has always helped us is the unity of member stations. If we can preserve this unity, we can overcome the problems again,” the ex-OPEC secretary general said in an interview in Tehran on the sidelines of the Iran Oil Show.

Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji has stressed that the global energy market needs an increase in the supply of Iranian oil saying, “As a major producer of oil and petroleum products, we are always ready to play our role in maintaining global energy security away from politics.”

Speaking after an OPEC Plus meeting last September, Oji noted that the role and importance of Iran's supply of energy resources, including oil, gas, and petroleum products, is of double importance in ensuring the stability and security of the world's energy.

“We have always declared that Iran is ready to contribute to the improvement of energy security in the world by avoiding the political use of energy. The global energy market needs an increase in the supply of oil and natural gas from Iran,” the minister said.

 

Iran-US clash at UN General Assembly

The United States and Iran clashed on security and human rights, with Iranian President demanding US guarantees to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the US President vowing Tehran would never get an atomic bomb.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi struck a defiant tone at the United Nations General Assembly by decrying "double standards" on human rights after the death of an Iranian woman in police custody that has sparked protests around Iran.

Raisi also said Tehran wanted former US President Donald Trump to face trial for the 2020 killing of Iran's top Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in a US drone attack in Iraq, holding up a picture of the general.

"There is a great and serious will to resolve all issues to revive the (2015 nuclear) deal," Raisi told the UN General Assembly. "We only wish one thing: observance of commitments."

Speaking later, US President Joe Biden reiterated his willingness to revive the nuclear pact under which Iran had agreed to restrain its atomic program in return for relief from economic sanctions.

In 2018, Trump withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal and unilaterally reimposed sanctions that have hobbled Iran's economy.

A year later, Tehran reacted by gradually violating the deal's nuclear limits and reviving US, Israeli and Gulf Arab fears that Iran may be seeking to obtain an atomic weapon, an ambition Iran denies.

"We have before us the experience of America's withdrawal from the (deal)," Raisi said. "With that experience and this perspective, can we ignore the important issue of guarantees for a durable agreement?"

Raisi did not mention Iran's demand that investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into traces of uranium found at three undeclared Iranian sites be closed, a major stumbling block to reviving the deal.

The US and European officials have said the probes can only be closed if Iran provides satisfactory answers to the UN nuclear watchdog whose chief, Rafael Grossi, said these issues cannot be wished away.

"The Islamic Republic considers the double standards of some governments in the field of human rights as the most important factor in the institutionalization of human rights violations," Raisi said in a text of his speech released by his office.

"Human rights belongs to all, but unfortunately it is trampled upon by many governments," Raisi added, referring to the discovery of unmarked graves of indigenous people in Canada, the suffering of the Palestinians and images of migrant children held in cages in the United States.

"While the United States is prepared for a mutual return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action if Iran steps up to its obligations, the United States is clear. We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon," Biden said.

"We stand with the brave citizens and the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights," Biden added.

Are Russia and Iran friends or foes?

A budding courtship between Russia and Iran is an unwelcome development for the West in general and the United States in particular.

Russian President Vladimir Putin used a rare foreign trip on Tuesday to hold talks in Tehran with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi, as well as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

The fact that Russia and Iran are competing energy producers is likely to place limits on any deeper partnership.

Here's a look at some of the key questions that their developing relationship poses.

CAN IRAN HELP RUSSIA IN THE UKRAINE WAR?

US officials have said Iran is preparing to help supply Russia with several hundred unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, including some that are capable of firing weapons, but neither country has confirmed it. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted by RIA news agency as saying Putin had not discussed the issue with Iran's leaders.

"Russia deepening an alliance with Iran to kill Ukrainians is something that the whole world should look at and see as a profound threat," US National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week.

Ukraine has used Turkish-supplied Bayraktar drones to lethal effect in targeting Russian units and destroying huge quantities of tanks and other armored vehicles. Jack Watling, a war expert at the RUSI think-tank in London, said Iranian drones would be useful to Russia for both reconnaissance and as loitering munitions that can bide their time in locating and engaging suitable targets.

"Beyond supplying UAVs Iran can also help Russia evade sanctions and potentially collaborate on the manufacture of weapons systems that are less dependent upon supply chains through Western countries," he said.

WHAT CAN RUSSIA LEARN FROM IRAN ON SANCTIONS?

Iran has many years of experience of defending itself against Western sanctions over its disputed nuclear program. "The Russians see Iran as being highly experienced at, and a potentially valuable partner, in evading Western sanctions," said Watling.

Russia, meanwhile, has been hit with waves of sanctions against banks, businesses and individuals over the war in Ukraine. Both countries therefore lack access to Western technology and capital, said Janis Kluge of the SWP think-tank in Berlin.

"There might be some lessons that Russia can learn from Iran... In exchange, Russia could offer military goods and possibly raw materials or grain," he said. Russia is already a major supplier of wheat to Tehran.

With some Russian banks cut off from the SWIFT international payments system, Moscow is developing an alternative in which Iranian banks could be included, Kluge said.

More broadly, Iran is part of a wider group of countries - also including China, India, Latin America and Arab and African nations - with which Russia is forging stronger ties in a bid to prove its claim that it can thrive under sanctions and that these will only rebound on the West.

HOW CAN RUSSIA AND IRAN COOPERATE ON ENERGY?

This is potentially a sensitive question, both countries are oil and gas producers, and competition between them has intensified since the start of the Ukraine war as Russia has switched more of its oil exports to China and India at knock-down prices.

"On the economic dimension, the war has significantly worsened their relationship. Moscow is eating Tehran’s lunch in commodity markets and has even fewer resources to throw at projects in Iran," said Henry Rome, deputy head of research at Eurasia Group.

Coinciding with Putin's visit, however, the National Iranian Oil Company and Russia's Gazprom signed a memorandum of understanding worth around US$40 billion under which Gazprom will help NIOC develop two gas fields and six oil fields, as well as taking part in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and construction of gas export pipelines.

WILL ANYTHING CHANGE IN THE IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS?

The Ukraine war has changed Moscow’s approach towards talks on reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.

Eleven months of talks to restore the deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program, had reached their final stages in March. But they were thrown into disarray over a last-minute Russian demand for written guarantees from Washington that Western sanctions targeting Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine would not affect its trade with Iran.

Although Russia quickly retreated under Iranian pressure, diplomatic momentum for an agreement was lost. The talks have stalled since then over various remaining issues.

Whether the deal can get back on track will be one measure of the impact of the rapprochement between Putin and Iran's leaders.

"Russia’s interference in the JCPOA talks was a significant reversal of the traditional Russian approach and probably further fanned suspicions in Tehran about Moscow’s reliability and trustworthiness," said Rome of Eurasia Group.

Iran can fulfill Pakistan’s energy needs, says President Raisi

According to Tasnim News Agency, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed the country’s readiness to satisfy Pakistan’s demand for oil, gas and electricity. In a meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, held in Tehran, Raisi hailed the close ties between the two neighbors, saying the people of Iran and Pakistan are like relatives.

“We consider Pakistan’s security to be our own security,” he said, adding, “Some do not like the good relations between the two Muslim, neighboring, friendly and brotherly nations, but the development of relations leads to economic prosperity and more security for the nations of the region.”

There are no restrictions in Tehran for the development of relations with Islamabad, Raisi noted, saying, “We are ready to promote comprehensive cooperation with Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran has the necessary capacity to meet Pakistan’s needs in various fields, including oil, gas and electricity.”

The Iranian president called the fields of energy, transit and cooperation and coordination in the regional issues and crises as important aspects of relations between the two countries, his official website reported.

For his part, Bilawal expressed satisfaction with the visit to Iran, adding, “As much as I am a child of Pakistan, I am also a child of Iran.”

Thanking Iran for exporting electricity to Pakistan, the Foreign Minister said, “We are fully prepared to complete and conclude the previous talks in the fields of security, trade and energy.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister also praised the government of Iran for its assistance in extinguishing the widespread wildfires in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.

 

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visits Iran

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made an unannounced visit to Iran on Sunday and met with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi. 

This is the second time that Assad visits Tehran since the beginning of the war in Syria in 2011.

According to the Leader's office, Ayatollah Khamenei told Assad, who was accompanied by a high-ranking delegation, that Syria has won an international war. "Syria's credibility is much greater today than in the past," the Leader noted.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the resistance of the Syrian people and establishment and their victory in an international war promoted Syria's charisma and pride.

More than 100 countries, calling themselves friends of Syria, backed the opponents which were poised to overthrow the Syrian government. Some of these countries backed terrorist groups, which were active in Syria under different names.

Highlighting Syria's great military and political achievements, the Leader said today’s Syria is not comparable to the Syria before the war.

Today the president of Syria and the Syrian people are proud of the nations of the region, Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader added, “Some leaders of our and your neighboring countries meet and greet with the leaders of the Zionist regime and drink coffee together, but the people of these countries take to the streets on Quds Day and chant anti-Zionist slogans, and this is the reality of the region today.”

Pointing to several factors influencing the resistance and victory of Syria in the international war, the Leader told Assad, “One of the most important factors is your high morale and with this spirit, God willing, you can rebuild the ruins of the war because you have a great job ahead of you.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also commemorated the memory of the legendary commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, saying, “The great martyr had a special liking towards Syria and literally sacrificed his life for the country. His behavior in Syria was no different from his behavior in the eight-year Sacred Defense of Iran.”

General Soleimani was very influential in defeating terrorists in Syria through his unique commandership.

Ayatollah Khamenei said General Soleimani and other prominent members of the IRGC, including martyr Hossein Hamedani, really worked hard and viewed the issue of Syria as a “sacred duty and obligation”.

“This bond between Iran and Syria is vital for both countries and we should not let it weaken. On the contrary, we should strengthen it as much as possible,” Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized.

The Leader also referring to expression of friendship and love of certain countries that were on the front line against Syria in previous years, suggesting Iran and Syria must clarify the path to future “with the benefit of hindsight.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also praised the morale and vivacity of the Syrian president as the basis for doing great things.

During the meeting, which was also attended by President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, Assad thanked the position of Iran toward the Syria war and thanked the Iranian people and government for supporting his country in times of need.

The Syrian president pointed out that the ruins of the war in his country can be rebuilt, but if the foundations and principles had been destroyed, they could not be restored.

“The adherences of the Iranian nation to the principles of Imam Khomeini, which continued with your efforts, paved the way for the great victories of the Iranian nation and the people of the region, especially the Palestinian people,” Assad told Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Syrian president added that some people think that Iran's support for the Resistance Front is of military nature but the most important support and assistance of the Islamic Republic is to breathe the spirit of resistance and continuing it.

In conclusion, the Syrian president stressed that what has made the Zionist regime unable to rule the region is the strategic relations between Iran and Syria, which must continue with strength. Raisi said parts of Syria still under foreign occupation must be liberated

Speaking in a separate meeting with the Syrian President before noon on Sunday, President Raisi said, “What we are witnessing today in Western Asia, which is the result of the resistance of nations against domineering powers and aggressors, is what the Leader of the Islamic Revolution had predicted.”

Commemorating the martyrs of the resistance from Syria and Iran, including General Soleimani, and appreciating the bravery of the Islamic world’s fighters against terrorism, the president called Assad one of the figures of the Resistance Front “like his father.”

Referring to the political and security developments in the region in the last decade, Raisi emphasized, “The warriors of the resistance have proven that they are a reliable force for establishing stability and security in the region, including in Syria.”

Emphasizing the need for all countries to respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the president stated that Iran stood by the Syrian people and government when some Arab and non-Arab leaders in the region were betting on the time of the fall of the Syrian government.

Raisi went on to say that the bravery demonstrated by the Syrian Army, national defense forces and Resistance fighters in the region, especially Hezbollah, played a key role in uprooting Daesh and other terrorist groups that threatened the security of the entire region.

Raisi also expressed regret that important parts of the Syrian territory are still occupied by foreign forces, suggesting, “The whole of the Syrian land must be liberated from foreign occupiers. This occupation should not be subject to the passage of time, and the occupying forces and their mercenaries should be expelled.”

Referring to repeated aggressions of Israeli forces, the president stressed that the threats of the Israeli regime in the region should be addressed by “strengthening and diversifying the deterrence equations.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raisi referred to the need to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the two countries, emphasizing, “The serious will and desire of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to improve the level of cooperation and relations with Damascus, especially in economic and trade fields.”

For his part, Syrian president stressed the role of Iran in the fight against terrorism in the region, noting that his country is ready for broader coordination with Iran in security, political and economic fields.

The Syrian president added, “In the years of resistance and confrontation with Western and Takfiri aggressions, Iran was the only country that stood by us from the beginning.”

He described the relations between Syria and Iran as “strategic” and stated that developments in the region after a decade of war against the axis of resistance, have shown that resistance is effective and vibrant.

“We have shown that by working closely with the countries of the region, we can defeat the United States and the hegemons who claim to be superpowers, and today we are witnessing the collapse of the role of the United States in the Western Asia region,” Assad stated, adding that the world is witnessing the declining role of the United States in the region.

Elsewhere in the conversation, the Syrian president said, “Experience has shown that the coordination and interaction of countries in the region on various issues, including the Palestinian issue, has been very effective, and the success of the Palestinian resistance has shown that compromise by some Arab states has backfired.”

Thanking Iran’s support for the Syrian people in the war on terrorism, Assad said, “The Syrian people and government are grateful to the Iranian people and consider themselves committed and indebted to Iran.”

Angry Americans Hysterical Reactions

After Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi virtually addressed the 76th United Nations General Assembly, many political analysts commented on the contents of his speech. However, what is interesting is that the authors of the JCPOA are crying over an empty coffin. 

To examine this issue, let’s review what the president told the UN General Assembly.

“Sanctions are the US new way of war with the nations of the world,” Raisi said at his speech. 

Is this a remark that anyone can object it? No. The fact is the United States has imposed crippling sanctions against Iran cannot be denied. Even the American or hardliner Israeli analysts admit this. As the Iranian president rightfully said, sanctions against the Iran started “not with my country’s nuclear program; they even predate the Islamic Revolution and go back to the year 1951 when oil nationalization went underway in Iran…”

The United States went too far in its illegal sanctions on Iran to the extent that strict financial sanctions even impeded the import of medicine and medical equipment to Iran at the time of the global Coronavirus pandemic. There is little doubt that the Americans committed medical terrorism against the Iranian people. Raisi also pointed to this fact in his speech.

“Sanctions, especially on medicine at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, are crimes against humanity,” he said.

He also emphasized, “I, on behalf of the Iranian nation and millions of refugees hosted by my country, would like to condemn the continued illegal US sanctions especially in the area of humanitarian items, and demand that this organized crime against humanity be recorded as a symbol and reality of the so-called American human rights.”

Soon after the speech, a network of analysts and commentators started bashing Raisi, as well as screaming over a revival of the JCPOA. Since Raisi administration took the power in early August, Iran started to patiently evaluate the situation to return to the negotiations table. In a phone call on 14th September 201 with former British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that Iran is in the process of “consultations on how to continue the Vienna talks,. He reiterated to welcome negotiations that have tangible results and secure the rights and interests of the Iranian people.”   

This is what the Iranian president had previously touched on during first TV interview on 5th September.

“Negotiation is an option as a tool for diplomacy, but negotiation under pressure and threats is not acceptable at all,” Raisi insisted.

After Raisi’s speech, Ali Vaez, Director of Iran Project and Senior Advisor to the Crisis Group tweeted, “.@raisi_com’s speech at #UNGA was one of the most anti-American speeches I’ve heard from an Iranian president in years.” 

Barbara Slavin, Director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council, replied to Vaez’s tweet, saying, “As harsh as @Ahmadinejad1956 but more coldly rational. Did you notice at the end, #Raisi said #Iran wanted 'large scale economic and political cooperation with all countries of the world? We need to remember, as well, that he is only the front man, not the decider.” 

Yet, the most predictable strategy was outlined by the CEO of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), Mark Dubowitz.

He tweeted, “Raisi’s new negotiating team will ask for total sanctions relief and give less than the JCPOA. @USEnvoyIran @Rob_Malley will give them 97% and then pretend that they held the line and that there’s a “longer and stronger” deal to be had.”

It seems that the thinkers, who helped draft the JCPOA, don’t agree with the text anymore, as it ostensibly contradicts their desires. The plan is now clear. Bashing Raisi and his foreign policy team with every tool in order to write a “longer and stronger” deal to satisfy desires is not helpful at all. But what is really a longer and stronger deal? 

The United States has always been interested in dragging the Iranian missile program into the negotiations. For eight years, since the intensive negotiations started, Iran has made it crystal clear that its defensive capabilities are not up for negotiations. Yet, the United States is using various pressure tools to impose a deal on Iran. Iran has always reiterated that it will only go back to the original 2015 JCPOA text, if and only if the US verifiably lifts all sanctions. 

As for Raisi’s speech, he condemned US terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, asked for the lifting of all sanctions, and restated that Iran will return to the Vienna talks were intended to revitalize the nuclear deal.

If this is too harsh for the Crisis Group, then it shows that the JCPOA revival is not their concern. Had it been so, they would not have objected to a rational speech in which Raisi insisted on the need to lift sanctions. It is advised that the thinkers would not shed crocodile tears over the JCPOA revival. 

Iran attains full member status of SCO

While the West impatiently waits for an affirmative nod from Iran for resuming the stalled Vienna nuclear talks over reviving a 2015 nuclear deal, the new administration of Iran patiently carves a strategic path toward cementing ties with the East. 

On Friday, Iran ended a 16-year peripheral status at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and became a full member in the regional body.

At the end of the 21st Summit of SCO held in Tajik capital Dushanbe, the leaders of the eight main members of the organization agreed to change the membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran from an observer member to a full member.

The membership was attained during the first foreign visit by Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi in his capacity as President of Iran. This gives Raisi team a boost at the start of their Asia-oriented foreign policy. 

Iran’s attaining full membership of SCO could be termed the first step on the path of the Raisi administration’s stated policy of strengthening relations with neighbors and regional organizations. 

Addressing the SCO summit in Dushanbe, Ayatollah Raisi elaborated on this policy. “When I took over the presidency of the Islamic Republic, I introduced my foreign policy orientation as focusing on ‘economic multilateralism’ and strengthening ‘neighborhood policy’ in its broadest sense, and strengthening its presence in regional organizations,” he said. 

“The combination of the Eurasia and One Road-One Belt initiatives can be an objective realization of this approach, and the vast potential of the Islamic Republic of Iran in terms of geopolitics, population, energy, transportation, human resources, and most importantly spirituality, culture and civilization can cause a significant stimulus to this outlook,” Iranian president added,

Iran’s top diplomat, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, described the country’s membership in the SCO as “strategic” that will have an important impact on Iran’s “comprehensive” cooperation within the framework of the Neighborhood and Asia-oriented Policy.

The membership was made possible due to Russia’s support and diplomacy. Preparations for the realization of Iran’s joining the SCO first came to light in mid-August when Ali Shamkhan, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, announced after a phone call with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev that Iran will soon become a full member of the SCO.

“Fortunately, the political obstacles to Iran's membership in the Shanghai CO have been removed and Iran’s membership will be finalized,” Shamkhani said on Twitter in August. 

Abdollahian also said that his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin have supported Iranian membership. In a tweet on Friday, Abdollahian said he met with Lavrov on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Dushanbe and thanked him and Putin for their support of Iran’s membership in the organization.

Iran has been in talks with Russia and China in the last few years to sign long-term strategic partnerships that could shape its foreign policy for decades to come. By joining the SCO, Iran stepped closer to finalizing these partnerships and pushed forward its new Asia-centered foreign policy, which rests on two pillars: enhanced ties with neighbors and strategic partnerships with non-western powers. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh underlined this new policy in a tweet on Friday.

“Warmly welcome the decision of the SCO to approve Iran's full membership. It is a major step toward enhanced ties with neighbors and an important impetus for our Asia-centered foreign policy. We'll continue our efforts to build on indigenous initiatives for the good of the region,” Khatibzadeh said. 

Is west ready to bargain with new Iranian president?

For years, Iranian moderates, such as former President Hassan Rouhani, tried but failed to reach an understanding with the West. Now, a hardliner is in charge. Does President Ebrahim Raisi’s election spell the end of what Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei once called Iran’s ‘heroic flexibility’ in dealing with the West? In the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the question now matters even more.

The answer is yes as well as no. Raisi is not going to take up the mantle of attempting to reconcile with the West. The ideological confrontation with the United States is central to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s fundamentalist identity.

Moreover, both moderates and radicals in Iran still view the strategy of building a proxy-supported Iranian ‘empire’ across the Middle East—advanced by the late military commander Qassem Suleimani, who was assassinated by the US last year—as vital to uphold and advance the Islamic Revolution’s purpose. No true rapprochement is possible between the West and Iran, especially now that hardliners are fully running the show.

It’s also worth noting that ‘heroic flexibility’ never applied to Iran’s dealings with Israel—another fundamental bugbear. Raisi’s administration will certainly maintain Iran’s shadow war with the ‘Zionist entity’.

Iran’s recent attack on an Israeli-managed cargo ship near Oman in the Arabian Sea has been viewed by some as a kind of strategic shift—or, at least, escalation—as it represented a blatant violation of freedom of navigation in international waters. But, in truth, it is merely a continuation of a war in which both Iran and Israel have never shown much regard for international norms.

Israel assumed that, by not using its own merchant fleet—99% of its foreign trade is handled by international ships, it could avoid such assaults. But just as Iran’s forces in Syria are vulnerable to Israeli attacks, Israeli-linked entities in the Arabian Sea, a theatre thousands of miles from the country’s coast, but close to Iran’s mainland are vulnerable to Iranian attacks.

Iran will not forgo the opportunities this represents, not only to impose direct costs on Israel, but also to undermine the Abraham Accords, which, by establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab states, are viewed by Iran as a strategic setback. Already, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are reaching out to Iran, out of concern that US President Joe Biden’s foreign policy in the region won’t protect their interests.

But none of this means that Iran is gearing up for a direct confrontation with the West. Raisi has inherited an economy on life support. The Covid-19 pandemic and Western sanctions have cost Iran about 1.5 million jobs. Moreover, oil and gas export revenues have plummeted; annual inflation has reached almost 50%, with the cost of basic foods soaring by nearly 60%.

Clearly, Khamenei’s 2011 vision of a self-reliant Iranian ‘resistance economy’ hasn’t been realized. Furthermore, now that Raisi is President, Iran’s hardliners can no longer blame pro-Western moderates for Iran’s economic woes. To stave off potential unrest, Iran’s government must stem the economy’s decline by persuading the international community to ease sanctions, which will require it to reach some sort of understanding with the US over its nuclear program.

Russia and China are Iran’s more natural allies, but neither country will give Iran the resources it needs to sustain its costly proxy wars or reverse its economic decline. China, in particular, views Iran as a pawn in its broader chess match with the US, one that it would willingly sacrifice for, say, an agreement on vital trade issues.

An Iranian empire in the Middle East is simply not a strategic priority for China. At the same time, Iranian fundamentalists can’t be too happy with their Chinese ally’s brutal crackdown on its Muslim Uyghur population. The bilateral relationship thus does not represent a way out of Iran’s current predicament.

A new nuclear agreement is an existential imperative for Iran. And, as much as he dislikes the idea of striking a deal with the US, Khamenei understands this. Remaining on the threshold of nuclear breakout, a position it attained following America’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, without actually crossing it may be Iran’s current bargaining position. This is what Raisi might have meant when, prior to his election, he upheld Iran’s need to return to the JCPOA in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

But the real bone of contention lies not in whether the parties are willing to go back to the old JCPOA, but the terms on which Iran would accept the US demand for a new, long-term deal once the JCPOA expires. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has unrealistically called for a ‘longer and stronger’ accord, one that stops Iran from amassing nuclear material for generations, halts its missile tests and ends its support of terrorist groups.

What is clear is that Washington should do all it can to encourage Iran’s ‘heroic flexibility’. After America’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the last thing the US needs is even more chaos in the Middle East. Likewise, the victory in Afghanistan of the Sunni Taliban, staunch ideological enemies of Shia Iran, should strengthen Iran’s commitment to avoid stoking conflict with the West. Now might be as good an opportunity as the US is going to get to reach a lasting nuclear agreement with Iran.