Iran's New Parliament Speaker Says Talks With US 'Futile'

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said any negotiations with the United States would be "futile" as he delivered his first major speech to the conservative-dominated chamber on Sunday.

Ghalibaf, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards' air force, was elected speaker on Thursday after February elections that swung the balance in the legislature towards ultra-conservatives.

The newly formed parliament "considers negotiations with and appeasement of America, as the axis of global arrogance, to be futile and harmful," said Ghalibaf.

He also vowed revenge for the US drone attack in January that killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Guards' foreign operations arm.

"Our strategy in confronting the terrorist America is to finish the revenge for martyr Soleimani's blood," he told lawmakers in a televised address.

This, he said, would entail "the total expulsion of America's terrorist army from the region".

Decades-old tensions between Tehran and Washington have soared in the past year, with the sworn arch enemies twice appearing to come to the brink of a direct confrontation.

The tensions have been rising since 2018, when President Donald Trump withdrew the US from a landmark nuclear accord and began reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran's economy.

That was followed by the US drone strike near Baghdad airport in January that killed Soleimani, a hugely popular figure in the Islamic republic.

Days later, Iran fired a barrage of missiles at US troops stationed in Iraq in retaliation, but Trump opted against taking any military action in response.

Ghalibaf called for ties to be improved with neighbours and with "great powers who were friends with us in hard times and share significant strategic relations", without naming them.

The 58-year-old Ghalibaf is a three-time presidential candidate who lost out to current incumbent Hassan Rouhani at the last election in 2017.

The newly elected speaker had also served as Tehran mayor and the Islamic republic's police chief before taking up his latest post.

Photo: IRNA

Conservative ex-Tehran Mayor Ghalibaf Elected Iran Speaker

Iran's newly formed parliament on Thursday elected former Tehran mayor Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf as its speaker, consolidating the power of conservatives ahead of next year's presidential election.

The vote further shifts the political balance toward conservatives who oppose the relative moderate President Hassan Rouhani at a time Iran is engaged in a bitter standoff with arch foe the United States which has reimposed painful economic sanctions.

State television said the 58-year-old received 230 votes out of the 267 cast to secure what is one of the most influential positions in the Islamic republic.

Ghalibaf is a three-time presidential candidate, former police chief and member of the Revolutionary Guards who served as Tehran mayor from 2005 to 2017.

He received the most votes from the capital in February's parliamentary election, which saw the lowest turnout in decades.

The record abstention was partly over the disqualification of many moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council, a watchdog dominated by ultra-conservatives.

An alliance of "principalists"—or conservatives—and ultra-conservatives swept the election in the absence of any challenge from the reformist side.

The parliament, which shapes debate in Iran, had been closed for six weeks until April 7 as part of measures aiming to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Iran has been hit hard by the Middle East's deadliest outbreak. According to the health ministry, the virus has so far killed 7,564 out of 141,591 confirmed infections.

Thursday's vote saw Ghalibaf succeed Ali Larijani, who had held the post since 2008.

The speaker not only directs the parliament's affairs but also has a seat at the High Council of Economic Coordination alongside the president and judiciary chief.

Established in 2018 by the supreme leader's decree, the Council is the highest authority on economic affairs and is meant to combat the impact of United States' sanctions imposed on Iran.

US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018, mainly targeting the crucial oil and banking sectors.

Photo: IRNA

Rouhani Urges Iran MPs to Cooperate as Parliament Opens

President Hassan Rouhani urged Iranian lawmakers to "cooperate" with his government in a speech on Wednesday during the inaugural session of the new parliament following a February election swept by conservatives.

The parliament, a legislative chamber that shapes debate in Iran, had been closed for six weeks until April 7 as part of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Iran has been hit by the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the virus. Its toll stands at more than 7,500 dead and nearly 140,000 infected.

"I hope that in the year that remains for this government we will be able to cooperate and work together," Rouhani said in the address before the newly formed parliament, or Majles.

Iran held a legislative election on February 21 and is scheduled to hold a presidential poll in around 12 months.

The 11th legislature since the Islamic revolution of 1979 opened as the country's economy gradually returns to normal from the virus outbreak.

In a sign that the fight against the virus is still far from over, however, a seat was left vacant between each deputy.

But many of the elected representatives wore no masks.

Rouhani, who is in the final year of his second and final term, called on MPs, collectively and individually, to place the "national interest above special interests", "party interests" or "constituency interests".

The moderate president defended the performance of his government, which has faced criticism from its conservative and ultra-conservative opponents who now form a majority in the parliament.

'Olive Branch'

For many observers, the record abstention in February's elections reflected the people's disenchantment with broken promises.

Less than 43 percent of voters cast ballots in the election, according to official results.

Voters stayed away after the Guardian Council, a watchdog dominated by ultra-conservatives, disqualified many moderate and reformist candidates from the February 21 election.

The signing of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme in 2015 had raised hopes for a bright economic future and an opening up of the country to the world after years of isolation.

But these hopes were dashed before being totally buried in 2018 when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord and began reimposing sanctions on Iran.

In his speech, Rouhani again denounced what he called the "psychological war" and "economic and medical terrorism" that he said the United States was waging against his country.

But he said the Iranian nation had stood up against "the enemy" and that its resistance had won.

The president praised his government's performance in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak as a source of "great pride", adding that Iran was "among the countries that have succeeded".

Fereshteh Sadeghi, a political journalist in Tehran, expressed doubt that the new parliament would cooperate with Rouhani's government.

"Rouhani again offers olive branch to new parliament, saying he doesn't seek confrontation but friendship," she tweeted in English.

"He knows these rivals can't be controlled as Ali Larijani did it for him in the past 7 years. God helps him!" she said, referring to the outgoing parliament speaker.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Reopens Parliament as Virus Infections Drop for Seventh Day

Iran's parliament convened Tuesday for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak forced its doors to close, as the country reported a drop in new infections for the seventh straight day.

More than two-thirds of the legislature's 290 members gathered in the absence of speaker and veteran politician Ali Larijani, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

At least 31 members of the parliament, or Majles, which had been shut since February 25, have contracted the disease.

State television footage of the opening session showed some MPs huddling together despite guidelines on social distancing to stop the spread of the virus.

Parliament debated and eventually blocked an urgent bill to totally lock down the country for a month, with those against arguing it would damage the economy.

"This plan is against jobs and growing productivity. Who's going to pay for implementing it?" MP Shadmehr Kazemzadeh said, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA.

But Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh, who drafted the bill, said Iran had been "confused" about how to contain the virus.

"We must urgently make a decision, as history will judge us," he said.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour reported 133 new coronavirus deaths, saying the overall fatalities had reached 3,872.

Another 2,089 infections were recorded nationwide, bringing the total to 62,589.

Iran announced its first COVID-19 cases on February 19, when it said two people had died from the illness.

Jahanpour said that while 3,987 patients were in critical condition, recoveries had increased and a total of 27,039 people had left hospital.

Iran is by far the worst hit by the pandemic in the Middle East, according to official tolls.

There has been speculation abroad that the real number of deaths and infections could be higher, however.

Virus 'Cluster Bomb'

In a bid to halt COVID-19, Iran has ordered the closure of non-essential businesses and imposed inter-city travel bans, while refraining from a lockdown.

But its taskforce to battle the virus said "low-risk" businesses would be allowed to reopen from Saturday, while observing health protocols.

The body said two-thirds of public servants must go to work and the rest could do so from home.

It also said newspaper and magazine publishers could resume their print editions from Saturday, after being barred for a week.

Authorities are yet to define what low-risk businesses are and have been criticised for sending mixed signals by relaxing social distancing measures.

"We're seeing a duality in senior officials' remarks," ISNA quoted the head of Tehran's city council as saying.

"On one hand, there's the health ministry asking for more stringent measures, and on the other economic officials decide things that make people feel the coronavirus is not so dangerous after all," said Mohsen Hasehmi.

A taskforce member said anyone going back to work could become a virus "cluster bomb" as many of those infected were asymptomatic.

"I don't know what's the reasoning for such a decision," state news agency IRNA quoted Hamid Souri as saying Monday.

Officials said the reopening of businesses was meant to save the economy.

"We cannot shut down industries and production" at a time of "economic war" amid crippling US sanctions, Health Minister Saeid Namaki told parliament.

At least 31 members of Iran's parliament, seen here in session in January, have contracted the coronavirus

Iran is by far the Middle East country worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic and there has been speculation abroad that the real numbers of deaths and infections could be significantly higher than the official figures suggest.

Photo: IRNA

Conservatives Claim Victory in Iran Polls After Record Low Turnout

By Amir Havasi

Conservatives took a lead Saturday as the first results of Iran's parliamentary election came in, boosted by a predicted low turnout following the disqualification of nearly half the candidates.

Friday's election followed months of steeply escalating tensions between Iran and its decades-old arch foe the United States.

Voters had been widely expected to shun the polls, disillusioned by unfulfilled promises and struggling to cope in a country whose economy has buckled under harsh US sanctions.

About half of the 16,000-odd candidates were barred. Among them were many reformists and moderates—including dozens of sitting lawmakers.

By midday Saturday, votes had been counted in 71 constituencies out of 208, according to National Elections Committee figures reported by semi-official news agency ISNA.

Tehran is the biggest catch in the election with 30 seats.

The conservative and ultra-conservative alliance appeared to have a comfortable edge in the capital in preliminary results, the committee's spokesman Esmail Mousavi said.

Most votes went to the first three names on the alliance's list, he said.

Leading the race was Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a three-time presidential candidate, former police chief and member of the Revolutionary Guards who was Tehran mayor from 2005 to 2017.

Reformists and moderates hardly figured in the 37 other names of "leading Tehran candidates", Mousavi said.

Final results for both the capital and other provinces would be announced by early Sunday at the latest, he added.

Landslide Win

The interior ministry announced results of 95 percent of the 208 constituencies in Friday's election, declaring the names of the winning candidates but without specifying their political affiliation.

"Victory for the anti-American candidates, a new slap for Trump," crowed the ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper.

"The people have disqualified the reformists," it added, alluding to Rouhani's backers, who have been weakened by President Donald Trump pulling the US out of a landmark nuclear deal and by a slew of economic and political crises.

Seventeen women were elected, the website of the government newspaper Iran said—the same number as in the outgoing 290-seat parliament.

Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announced the participation rate was 42.6 percent—the lowest in four decades.

The election came two days after Iran announced its first cases of the deadly new coronavirus that emerged in China.

"We held these elections when there were various incidents in the country: we had bad weather, there was this coronavirus disease, there was the plane crash," Rahmani Fazli said, referring to the January 3 downing of a Ukrainian airliner which killed 176 people.

He said that in such a scenario "the turnout rate seems perfectly acceptable for us."

"A lot of people voted in the previous parliamentary election, but the enthusiasm faded away every day after that," Ali, a Tehran taxi driver, told AFP.

"And now there's nothing to be hopeful about to go and vote," added the 53-year-old, who abstained.

With official figures still coming in, news outlets close to conservatives and ultra-conservatives have predicted a landslide win for their candidates across Iran.

The state television website said most of the 56 winners announced on Saturday were fresh faces and only 10 were former members of parliament.

Fars tweeted that turnout in Tehran was 1.9 million out of more than nine million eligible voters.

Many in the capital seem to have sat out the election, including Arghavan Aram, who manages an NGO for transsexuals.

"An election with only one faction is not an election, it's a selection," she said.

'Natural' Turnout

Political figures across the spectrum discussed the cause of what may be a historically low turnout, even though final figures have yet to be released.

"Such a turnout is natural in an election where progressive reformists couldn't present candidates due to unprecedented disqualifications," Emad Bahavar, a reformist activist, tweeted.

Abdollah Ganji, editor-in-chief of ultra-conservative Javan daily, asked his Twitter followers about the low turnout, and those who responded said economic problems were the main cause.

Tweeting his congratulations to conservatives, prominent right-wing figure Ezzatollah Zarghami said it would be "very important" to get to the root cause of the low turnout.

The 11th parliamentary election since the 1979 Islamic Revolution comes after a surge in tensions between Tehran and Washington, and Iran's accidental downing of a Ukrainian airliner that sparked anti-government protests.

Turnout was estimated at around 40 percent nationwide and 30 percent in Tehran at the scheduled close of polls on Friday, according to Fars.

But authorities extended polling for another six hours to allow as many people as possible to vote.

Fars said the official turnout figure would be released on Saturday, while official results are not expected to be announced until Sunday.

Schools were closed in dozens of urban centres on Saturday while the count went ahead.

Iran fell into a deep recession after US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions following Washington's unilateral withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal in 2018.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Defends Barring of Candidates as Campaign Ends

By David Vujanovic

Iran's electoral watchdog on Wednesday defended its decision to disqualify thousands of candidates for a crucial parliamentary election in two days, as a lackluster campaign neared its end.

Conservatives are expected to make an overwhelming resurgence in Friday's vote, which comes after months of steeply escalating tensions between Iran and its decades-old arch foe the United States.

Their gains would be made at the expense of those who back President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate conservative who was re-elected in 2017 promising people more freedoms and the benefits of engagement with the West.

But many people in Iran feel their lives have been crippled by an economic slump exacerbated by harsh US sanctions since President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with the Islamic republic in 2018.

A week of campaigning, which has seen posters go up but only a few low-key gatherings, comes to an end on Wednesday, before a day of silence on the eve of polling day.

The interior ministry said around half of the 16,033 hopefuls would contest the election after the Guardian Council barred thousands, most of them moderates and reformists.

But the Council said it was "neutral" in its dealings with all political camps and acted in accordance with the law when it blocked their candidacy.

"The Guardian Council follows the laws and regulations parliament has passed at different times," said its spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaee.

Disillusionment

"This time, just like at previous (elections), we have tried to properly follow the law," he told a news conference.

"The Council has never had a political view... It approaches political factions with closed eyes.

"What it does judge is the evidence in the cases of the candidates and then it only acts in accordance with the law passed by parliament."

Commentators expect disillusionment among the 57 million-strong electorate in the sanctions-hit country to result in a low turnout.

Many people on the streets of Tehran have expressed dissatisfaction with politicians ahead of the election, saying they failed to keep their word or to raise living standards.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday urged Iranians to vote, saying it was a "religious duty".

Rouhani issued a similar call on Wednesday, saying that taking part would give Iran the "strength and unity" needed in its stand against the United States.

"We are going to the polls to choose the best people for parliament, which is a very important institution," he said in televised remarks after a meeting of his cabinet.

"We are under severe sanctions and pressure by the global arrogance, and we have to break these sanctions and improve people's lives," he added, referring to the United States.

"Sanctions are a terrorist and tyrannical act against Iran.

"One cannot say sanctions have no effect and the government should be doing more... It's lies, it's supporting America."

Turnout at Iran's past 10 elections averaged 60.5 percent, said the interior ministry.

'Tyrannical' Sanctions

The Guardian Council said it expected at least 50 percent of registered voters to cast ballots in the election.

"Our forecast is that we will have a good turnout in the upcoming election, and the average turnout has usually not been under 50 percent, and we will witness a turnout of 50 percent turnout in this election too," its spokesman Kadkhodaee said.

Iranians have been feeling the strain after months of turmoil.

The economy has been battered since Trump abandoned the nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions as part of a "maximum pressure" campaign.

In November, demonstrations over petrol price hikes spread across Iran and turned violent before being crushed in a deadly crackdown.

Tehran and Washington have nearly gone to war twice in the past seven months, most recently after the US killed prominent Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on January 3.

The "martyrdom" of the hugely popular general provoked an outpouring of grief in Iran.

Millions of people turned out to mourn his death, but that unity suffered a blow after Iran admitted it "accidentally" shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing 176 people.

Voting for Iran's 290-seat parliament, or Majles, opens at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) on Friday and lasts 10 hours, but can be extended. The first results are expected on Sunday.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Supreme Leader Says Voting is 'Religious Duty'

Iran's supreme leader said Tuesday it is a "religious duty" for people to vote in this week's general election and strengthen the Islamic republic against the "propaganda" of its enemies.

"Participating in elections and voting... is a religious duty, not just a national or revolutionary duty," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech, parts of which were aired on state television.

"Elections nullify many of the vicious plots the Americans have in their minds and Zionists have in their hearts against the country," he said, referring to US ally Israel.

Iranians are set to elect a new parliament on Friday, with conservatives expected to make a resurgence.

Observers expect a low turnout as many reformist and moderate candidates have been barred from running by the Guardian Council.

The council, made up of six clerics appointed by the supreme leader and six lawyers selected by the judiciary, disqualified more than half of the 14,444 hopefuls.

The move threatens the thin majority of President Hassan Rouhani's alliance in parliament.

Friday's election comes after months of domestic turmoil and steeply escalating tensions between Iran and its arch enemy the United States.

In November, nationwide demonstrations over petrol price hikes turned violent before being crushed in a deadly crackdown.

Tensions with Washington have risen since 2018 when US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed crippling sanctions.

But they have never come as close to a direct confrontation as in the past seven months, when it has happened twice, most recently after the US killed prominent Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on January 3.

Iran hit back on January 8 by firing a barrage of missiles at US troops in Iraq.

It had been on high alert for US retaliation that day when they shot down a Ukrainian airliner in Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.

The downing of the Boeing 737, which the armed forces later admitted was accidental, sparked more protests that turned political.

Khamenei said the election would show that Iran's enemies had failed to divide the nation.

"Watch how the people favor the election despite the enemies' insistence on distancing the people from the system," the supreme leader said.

Photo: IRNA

Campaigning Begins in Iran Parliamentary Election

Campaigning kicked off in Iran on Thursday ahead of next week's crucial parliamentary election at which conservatives are expected to win most seats after thousands of moderates and reformists were disqualified.

The February 21 election comes after months of escalating tensions between Iran and its arch enemy the United States.

The Guardian Council, which vets candidates, said more than 7,000 qualified to stand in the election, but even more were disqualified, semi-official news agency ISNA reported.

"In this election 7,148 will compete for the parliament's 290 seats... and 7,296 have been disqualified," it quoted National Elections Commission chief Jamal Orf as saying.

Most of the barred candidates come from the ranks of moderate conservative President Hassan Rouhani's alliance with reformists.

There was not much fanfare seen on the streets of Tehran where posters went up for the first day of campaigning, an AFP correspondent reported.

State news agency IRNA said campaign posters and banners of candidates were also going up in other cities and towns in the country.

The purge of candidates is likely to discourage many Iranians from voting, but supporters of conservatives and ultra-conservatives are still expected to make a strong showing.

The parliament—or Majles—drafts legislation, ratifies international treaties and approves the country's budget.

But analysts say the election will be a rare opportunity to gauge sentiment of the Iranian public after months of turmoil.

Backing for Rouhani and the reformists has fallen away since US President Donald Trump withdrew from a nuclear deal that was supposed to give Iran relief from sanctions.

Since the withdrawal, Trump has slapped wave after wave of sanctions on Iran as part of a stated campaign of "maximum pressure".

The campaign has battered the economy of the Islamic republic, which saw nationwide protests against a fuel price hike turn violent in November before they were crushed by the security forces.

In January, Iran came to the brink of an all-out confrontation with the United States for the second time in seven months when it fired missiles at US troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of one of its top generals.

Photo: IRNA

Victory for Iran’s Women as Breakthrough Citizenship Law Passed

By Yasna Haghdoost

Iran will for the first time grant citizenship to children born to an Iranian mother and foreign father after a long-awaited bill was signed into law by the powerful Guardian Council in a significant victory for women’s rights.

The law was passed by parliament with an overwhelming majority in May, and ratified on Wednesday by the panel of senior clerics and judges, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported, citing council spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaee.

The measure is significant in the Middle East, where many countries don’t allow mothers to pass their nationality onto their children if the father is a foreign national. In Iran, the new law will give tens of thousands of children access to social and health-care services previously denied them on the basis that they were foreigners.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Children Citizenship Bill Sent Back to Parliament

Iran's Guardian Council said Saturday it sent a bill that would allow Iranian mothers married to foreigners to confer citizenship on their children back to parliament, citing "security" concerns.

In a statement on its website, the council said it did not have an issue with the spirit of the bill, but rather the absence of any clauses allowing authorities to address "security" issues potentially arising  from the activities of foreign fathers.

The council—made up of clerics and jurists—was also concerned that the bill planned to automatically grant residence permits to foreign fathers, when in the council's view the government must retain discretion to refuse, MP Tayebeh Siavoshi told the semi-official ISNA news agency.

The bill, overwhelmingly passed in May by parliament, has been seen as a huge step forward for thousands of children born in Iran to Afghan fathers who cannot enjoy full social rights.

Iran is one of seven countries worldwide that "do not allow mothers to confer their citizenship on their children with no or very limited exceptions," according to a 2019 report by the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR).

Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and Brunei are among the others.

The next step is for parliament to review the bill and amend it, ahead of further discussion by the Guardian Council.

Parliament's powers are limited compared to other institutions.

Lawmaking is vetted by the Guardian Council, which has the authority to interpret the constitution and check laws' compliance with sharia.

According to Iranian officials, the Islamic republic is home to some three million Afghan immigrants, many of whom are married to Iranian women and have children.

"Thousands of children were left out in the cold... with this law things would have cleared up for them," said sociologist Mohammad Reza Jalaeipour in an interview with official news agency IRNA.

"Some of them can't have driving licenses, some of them can't have social security," he added.

Photo: IRNA

Zarif Suggests He Was Undermined as Iran MPs Demand He Stays On

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who led his country’s nuclear negotiations with world powers, signaled that his surprise decision to resign was because he was undermined in his role.

In his first public comments after Monday’s announcement, Zarif said he hoped the move would eventually allow the ministry “to return to its rightful place in foreign policy.” President Hassan Rouhani hasn’t yet accepted Zarif’s resignation.

About 150 Iranian lawmakers, or a third of the chamber, signed a letter addressed to the president petitioning to keep Zarif in his role, state-run media reported.

Zarif’s resignation and public comments highlight the struggle of moderate Iranian politicians to engage with the West in the face of hardline opposition at home and aggressive U.S. policies. President Donald Trump last year pulled the U.S. out of the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement that was supposed to herald an end to Iran’s international isolation.

The resignation coincided with a visit from Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad to Tehran, where he met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as Rouhani. Pictures posted online suggested Zarif wasn’t present at the meetings.

The timing led analysts to speculate that Iran’s top diplomat was being sidelined on key foreign policy issues, such as the country’s role in propping up Assad’s government after nearly eight years of civil war in Syria.

Divisions have also been apparent on other matters such as the future of the nuclear program abandoned by the U.S. Rouhani’s government has said the country needs to abide by the accord despite U.S. sanctions. Hardline groups within the ruling establishment suggest Iran should free itself from the limitations imposed by the deal.

Deal Champion

A U.S.-educated career diplomat, Zarif led Iran’s negotiating team during lengthy talks with the U.S. and other world powers that culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or “Iran deal," which lifted some sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for commitments on its nuclear enrichment program. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the accord and reimposed sanctions, leaving Iran to try and salvage what it could of the agreement.

Brokering the deal made Zarif popular with reformists and moderates in Iran’s fractious political system, but he was also the subject of criticism from the Islamic Republic’s hard-liners, who are traditionally suspicious of any engagement with Washington and Europe. The U.S. withdrawal has emboldened the hard-liners and weakened Rouhani, who has been trying to come up with ways to retain some of the benefits of the agreement in negotiations with other signatories.

Photo Credit: IRNA

Iran Faces 'Chronic Challenges' Beyond US Sanctions: Speaker

Iran is facing "chronic challenges" that existed long before US sanctions were reimposed, the influential parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on Monday.

"External factors do affect our economy, but there are problems persisting from before," Larijani said at a press conference. 

He listed a number of challenges, including "big, costly government", high interest rates that "disrupt production", cash-strapped pension funds and a water crisis.

Parliament's research centre had "repeatedly warned" of these challenges, Larijani said, but the government has yet to respond on key issues. 

The United States' decision in May to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran has added another layer of difficulty.

The International Monetary Fund says the Iranian economy will contract by 1.5 percent in 2018 and 3.6 percent is 2019, largely due to reduced oil sales caused by the renewed sanctions. 

Larijani is an influential insider who was previously seen as deeply conservative but has lately forged a close working relationship with the moderate faction led by President Hassan Rouhani.  

He dismissed US President Donald Trump's offer to open fresh negotiations 
on a new deal.

"We hear two types of rhetoric from the US president—some cheap words and some talk on the side that they are ready for negotiation," he said. 

"Didn't we negotiate? When a country doesn't stand by international accords, how can we trust them?"

Photo Credit: IRNA

Iran Parliament Passes Counter-Terror Finance Bill

Iran's parliament on Sunday approved a bill to counter terrorist financing that was strongly opposed by conservatives but seen as vital to salvaging the nuclear deal with European and Asian partners.

The bill, one of four put forward by the government in a bid to meet demands set by the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF), was passed by 143 votes to 120, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.

It aims to bring Iran's laws in line with international standards and allow it to join the UN Terrorism Financing Convention.

A previous bill on the mechanics of monitoring and preventing terrorist financing was signed into law in August.

But joining the UN convention has been controversial because hardliners say it will limit Iran's ability to support armed groups in the region such as its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah. 

Two other bills—on money-laundering and organised crime—have also been passed by parliament but are being held up by the Guardian Council, which vets all legislation.

Iran is alone with North Korea on the blacklist of the Paris-based FATF, which monitors global money laundering and terrorist financing. 

The FATF suspended counter-measures against Iran in June 2017 and has set a final deadline of mid-October for it to amend its laws. 

The issue has become particularly pressing since the United States walked out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran earlier this year and began reimposing sanctions. 

The other parties to the deal—Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia—have sought to salvage the agreement and maintain trade with Iran, but have demanded that it accede to the FATF. 

"Neither I nor the president can guarantee that all problems will go away if we join (the UN convention)," said Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during the debate ahead of the vote.

"But I guarantee that not joining will provide the US with more excuses to increase our problems," he added.

He said Russia and China—two of Iran's "strategic allies"—have refused to maintain financial ties unless it joined the FATF. 

'Death to Traitors'

Conservatives were furious with the vote on Sunday, with hardliners leading chants of "death to traitors" outside parliament. 

In a heated debate ahead of the vote, opponents of the bill said it would not solve the country's financial problems, and would help its enemies. 

"We did what (the FATF) demanded, we passed three bills but nothing happened. Our financial problems will not go away even if we join," said lawmaker Hossein Naghavi Hosseini.

Another hardliner, Mohammad Dehghan, warned the bill means "providing the enemy with intelligence during an economic war" and that passing it amounted to "treason".

Both sides have evoked supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to support their position. 

Conservatives pointed to Khamenei's statement in June that Iran has "no need to join" global conventions.

But parliament speaker Ali Larijani, who supports the government's position, said he had received a letter from Khamenei explaining that his remarks were about "conventions in general" and not meant to oppose any particular bills. 

Reformist lawmaker Mohammad Feyzi told the session that Iran does not have "the luxury of choice" and will face negative consequences if it refuses to join the FATF.

Ali Najafi, spokesman for the parliament's commission which produced the bill, said Iran retained the right to walk away from the UN convention "wherever it acts against the Iranian constitution" and emphasized that it does not force Iran to recognize Israel.

Photo Credit: IRNA

Iran Parliament Drops Plan to Impeach Education Minister

Iran's parliament called off a planned vote to impeach the education minister on Sunday, Iranian media reported, offering some respite for the embattled government of President Hassan Rouhani.

Twenty-nine lawmakers signed a motion last Wednesday to impeach the minister, Mohammad Bathaei, but all of them withdrew their signatures.

"Given the imminent opening of schools (on September 23), those requesting the impeachment have withdrawn their request," said Ahmad Amirabadi, a member of parliament's presiding board, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA.

Rouhani has faced mounting pressure from lawmakers over his handling of an economic crisis, partly triggered by the withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposition of sanctions.

Parliament sacked his labour and economy ministers last month, and industries minister Mohammad Shariatmadari has also been targeted for impeachment, though it is not clear if that will still go ahead.

Rouhani himself was summoned to parliament to answer questions from lawmakers last Tuesday, a first in his five years in power, and only the second time for a sitting president.

Economic grievances played a role in Bathaei's planned impeachment, with lawmakers criticizing the reduced budget for education and school renovation, though senior officials pointed out that the minister has no power over budgets.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week welcomed the pressure on Rouhani's cabinet, saying it was a sign of the strength of Iran's democracy.

But he also warned that differences between officials should not be overly emphasized "because the people would become worried."

Photo Credit: Mehr