EXPLANING the ECONOMIC CONTROL of IRAN by the IRGC by MATTHEW DOUGLAS ROBIN
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The IRGC in the Age of Ebrahim Raisi: Decision-Making and Factionalism in Iran’S Revolutionary Guard
The IRGC in the Age of Ebrahim Raisi: Decision-Making and Factionalism in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard SAEID GOLKAR AUGUST 2021 KASRA AARABI Contents Executive Summary 4 The Raisi Administration, the IRGC and the Creation of a New Islamic Government 6 The IRGC as the Foundation of Raisi’s Islamic Government The Clergy and the Guard: An Inseparable Bond 16 No Coup in Sight Upholding Clerical Superiority and Preserving Religious Legitimacy The Importance of Understanding the Guard 21 Shortcomings of Existing Approaches to the IRGC A New Model for Understanding the IRGC’s Intra-elite Factionalism 25 The Economic Vertex The Political Vertex The Security-Intelligence Vertex Charting IRGC Commanders’ Positions on the New Model Shades of Islamism: The Ideological Spectrum in the IRGC Conclusion 32 About the Authors 33 Saeid Golkar Kasra Aarabi Endnotes 34 4 The IRGC in the Age of Ebrahim Raisi Executive Summary “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC] has excelled in every field it has entered both internationally and domestically, including security, defence, service provision and construction,” declared Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, then chief justice of Iran, in a speech to IRGC commanders on 17 March 2021.1 Four months on, Raisi, who assumes Iran’s presidency on 5 August after the country’s June 2021 election, has set his eyes on further empowering the IRGC with key ministerial and bureaucratic positions likely to be awarded to guardsmen under his new government. There is a clear reason for this ambition. Expanding the power of the IRGC serves the interests of both Raisi and his 82-year-old mentor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic. -
UNSC Res 2231
United Nations S/RES/2231 (2015) Security Council Distr.: General 20 July 2015 Resolution 2231 (2015) th Adopted by the Security Council at its 7488 meeting, on 20 July 2015 The Security Council, Recalling the Statement of its President, S/PRST/2006/15, and its resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), 1835 (2008), and 1929 (2010), Reaffirming its commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the need for all States Party to that Treaty to comply fully with their obligations, and recalling the right of States Party, in conformity with Articles I and II of that Treaty, to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination, Emphasizing the importance of political and diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated solution guaranteeing that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes, and noting that such a solution would benefit nuclear non-proliferation, Welcoming diplomatic efforts by China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Iran to reach a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, culminating in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) concluded on 14 July 2015, (S/2015/544, as attached as Annex A to this resolution) and the establishment of the Joint Commission, Welcoming Iran’s reaffirmation in the JCPOA that it will under no circumstances ever seek, develop -
Biden, Congress Should Defend Terrorism Sanctions Imposed on Iran
Research memo Biden, Congress Should Defend Terrorism Sanctions Imposed on Iran By Richard Goldberg, Saeed Ghasseminejad, Behnam Ben Taleblu, Matthew Zweig, and Mark Dubowitz January 25, 2021 During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to consider Antony Blinken’s nomination for secretary of state, Blinken was asked whether he believed it is in America’s national security interest to lift terrorism sanctions currently imposed on Iran, including sanctions targeting Iran’s central bank, national oil company, financial sector, and energy sector. “I do not,” Blinken responded. “And I think there is nothing, as I see it, inconsistent with making sure that we are doing everything possible – including the toughest possible sanctions, to deal with Iranian support for terrorism.”1 Bipartisan support for terrorism sanctions targeting Iran goes back to 1984, when the United States first designated the Islamic Republic as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Since then, every U.S. president2 – Republican or Democrat – and Congress have taken steps to reaffirm U.S. policy opposing Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism and tying sanctions relief to Iran’s cessation of terror-related activities. President Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if Iran returns to “strict compliance” with the agreement.3 Terrorism sanctions on Iran, however, should not be lifted, even if the Biden administration opts to return to the deal, unless and until Iran verifiably halts its sponsorship of terrorism. This memorandum provides an overview of Iran’s past and ongoing involvement in terrorism-related activities, a review of longstanding bipartisan congressional support for terrorism sanctions on Iran, and a list of terrorism sanctions currently imposed on Iran that should not be lifted. -
República Islámica De Irán
OFICINA DE INFORMACIÓN DIPLOMÁTICA FICHA PAÍS Irán República Islámica de Irán La Oficina de Información Diplomática del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación pone a disposición de los profesionales de los medios de comunicación y del público en general la presente ficha país. La información contenida en esta ficha país es pública y se ha extraído de diversos medios no oficiales. La presente ficha país no defiende posición política alguna ni de este Ministerio ni del Gobierno de España respecto del país sobre el que versa. FEBRERO 2018 Constitución. Además, en torno a un 25 % de la población tiene una variedad Irán del turco como lengua materna y se hablan otros idiomas minoritarios, como el kurdo. Moneda: Rial iraní (cambio a 4 de febrero de 2018: 1€ = 46.086 riales) Religión: El Islam está consagrado en la Constitución hoy vigente como religión oficial. La mayoría musulmana iraní (un 96% de la población total) es chiíta (en Mar Caspio torno al 89% de los musulmanes). Hay una minoría musulmana que pertenece TURQUÍA Tabriz a la creencia autóctona conocida como bahaísmo. Existe una importante mino- TURKMENISTÁN ría cristiana de origen armenio, junto a asirio-caldeos; también hay un pequeño Mashhad grupo de judíos y de seguidores del Zoroastrismo. Teherán Forma de Estado: El artículo 1 de la Constitución de 1979 define a Irán como una República Islámica. El sistema se basa en la distinción entre un Ejecutivo encabezado por el Presidente de la República y compuesto por los distintos mi- Isfahán AFGANISTÁN nisterios, que gestiona la administración del país, y un Legislativo o Majlis, que de manera efectiva aprueba las leyes y vota a los candidatos a ministro propues- IRAK Ahvaz tos por el Presidente. -
Introduction 1 the Nuclear Program of the Shah (1957–79)
Notes Introduction 1. MWt and MWe are common units of measure for the output of a nuclear reactor. MWt stands for megawatts of thermal output, while MWe means megawatts of electrical output. In a nuclear power plant, the fission chain reaction generates heat (thermal output), which creates steam to drive a turbine to generate electricity (electrical output). 1 The Nuclear Program of the Shah (1957–79) 1. Newton, David E., Nuclear Power, New York: Facts on File, 2006, p. 26. 2. Krige, John, “Atoms for Peace, Scientific Internationalism, and Scientific Intelligence,” Osiris, Vol. 21, no. 1, 2006, pp. 161–181. 3. Participating in the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy held in Geneva on August 8–20, 1955, were more than 1,400 delegates from 73 different countries. Abraham, Itty, The Making of the Indian Atomic Bomb: Science, Secrecy and the Postcolonial State, London: Zed Books, 1998, p. 9. 4. Krige, “Atoms for Peace,” p. 29. 5. “Atoms for Peace Agreement with Iran,” The Department of State Bulletin, Washington, DC, Vol. 36, no. 927, 1957, p. 629, <http://www.archive.org/details/ departmentofstat3657unit>. 6. Most of the bilateral agreements proposed by the United States under the “Atoms for Peace” program included unclassified information on the design, construction, and commissioning of research reactors, in addition to the supply of a few kilo- grams of nuclear fuel and a starting allowance of about $350,000. 7. Sanjian, Ara, “The Formulation of the Baghdad Pact,” Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 33, no. 2, 1997, pp. 226–266. 8. McKay, H. A. -
Resumes-RS-04 AB
Awards and Achievements • Winner of the Farabi International Festival (on Humanities And Islamic Studies), Third prize in education and psychology division (2012) • Outstanding Researcher at Tarbiat Modarres University (2012) • Winner of National Outstanding Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation Advisor Award by Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACEVR) /Iran (2010) • Translator of the Worthy of Appreciation book on 8th National Quarterly Best Book award and 7th Annual Islamic Republic of Iran Best Book Award for the: Forms of Curriculum Inquiry (2009) • Outstanding Faculty Award at the Humanities Department of Tarbiat Modarres University (2009) • Outstanding Faculty Award, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology/Iran (2008) • Outstanding Faculty Award at Tarbiat Modarres University/Iran (2004) • Outstanding dissertation advisor award, 5th National Ferdowsi Festival, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran (2002) Publications I. Books 1. Mehrmohammadi, M.; Kian, M. (2018). Art Curriculum and Teaching in Education. Tehran: SAMT Publishing House. 2. Mehrmohammadi, M. et al. (2014). Curriculum: Theories, Approaches and Perspectives (3rd Edicion). Tehran: SAMT Publishing House. 3. Joseph, P. B. (2014). Cultures of Curriculum. Translated into Farsi by Mahmoud Mehrmohammadi. Tehran: SAMT Publishing House. 4. Mehrmohammadi, M. et al. (2013). An introduction to Teaching in higher education; Towards Faculties as pedagogic researchers. Tehran: Tarbiat Modarres University Publishing. 5. Mehrmohammadi, M. (2013). Speculative Essays in Education. Tehran: Tarbiat Modarres University Publishing House. 6. Mehrmohammadi, M. (2008). Rethinking Teaching – Learning Process and Teacher Education, with Revisions. Tehran: Madrese Publishing House. 7. Mehrmohammadi, M. (Chief Editor) et al. (2008) Forms of Curriculum Inquiry (New Edition). Tehran: Translated into Farsi. SAMT Publishing House. 8. Mehrmohammadi, M. (2004). Arts Education as General Education. -
What Literature Knows: Forays Into Literary Knowledge Production
Contributions to English 2 Contributions to English and American Literary Studies 2 and American Literary Studies 2 Antje Kley / Kai Merten (eds.) Antje Kley / Kai Merten (eds.) Kai Merten (eds.) Merten Kai / What Literature Knows This volume sheds light on the nexus between knowledge and literature. Arranged What Literature Knows historically, contributions address both popular and canonical English and Antje Kley US-American writing from the early modern period to the present. They focus on how historically specific texts engage with epistemological questions in relation to Forays into Literary Knowledge Production material and social forms as well as representation. The authors discuss literature as a culturally embedded form of knowledge production in its own right, which deploys narrative and poetic means of exploration to establish an independent and sometimes dissident archive. The worlds that imaginary texts project are shown to open up alternative perspectives to be reckoned with in the academic articulation and public discussion of issues in economics and the sciences, identity formation and wellbeing, legal rationale and political decision-making. What Literature Knows The Editors Antje Kley is professor of American Literary Studies at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Her research interests focus on aesthetic forms and cultural functions of narrative, both autobiographical and fictional, in changing media environments between the eighteenth century and the present. Kai Merten is professor of British Literature at the University of Erfurt, Germany. His research focuses on contemporary poetry in English, Romantic culture in Britain as well as on questions of mediality in British literature and Postcolonial Studies. He is also the founder of the Erfurt Network on New Materialism. -
Examining 10 Warning Signs of Iran Nuclear Weapons
International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ) President: Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras Rue d’Arlon 63, B-1040 Brussels Belgium Tel : +32 2 400 1071 [email protected] www.isjcommittee.com EXAMINING 10 WARNING SIGNS OF IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT NOVEMBER 20,2014 Dr. Alejo Vidal Quadras, Former Vice‐President of European Parliament, Professor of Atomic and Nuclear Physics: “An objective, thoroughly researched report on the core issue of the nature of Iranian nuclear program and its status”. Bob Jospeh, Former US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Senior White House Security Council staff on weapons of mass destruction: “A critically important report at a critically important time”. John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the UN, former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security: "A timely and well document report with alarming findings on Iran's nuclear program." Contents Executive summary Chapter 1: SPND (organ in charge of weaponization) Chapter 2: Procurement of dual purpose equipment and its possible use for military dimensions of nuclear program Chapter 3: Secret enrichment of uranium Chapter 4: Enrichment using laser technology Chapter 5: High explosives tests and trigger mechanism Chapter 6: Neutron initiator Chapter 7: Manufacturing uranium metal (uranium hemisphere) Chapter 8: Hydro-dynamic tests and explosion vessels at Parchin site Chapter 9: Research on nuclear warhead Chapter 10: Key scientists and researchers engaged in possible military dimensions of nuclear program International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ) was initially formed in 2008 as an informal group of EU parliamentarians to seek justice for the Iranian democratic opposition. -
Full Issue File
Biannual of Research Institute for Strategic Strategic for Institute Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs 31 Vol. 11. No.1. Winter&Spring2020 Advisory Board Mohsen Rezaee Mirghaed, Kamal Kharazi, Ali Akbar Velayati, Ahmad Vahidi, Saeed Jalili, Publisher Ali Shamkhanim, Hosein Amirabdolahian, Ali Bagheri Institute for Strategic Research Editorial Board Expediency Council Seyed Mohammad Kazem Sajjadpour Director Professor, School of International Relations Mohsen Rezaee Mirghaed Gulshan Dietl Associate Professor, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University Imam Hossein University Mohammad Marandi Professor, University of Tehran Jamshid Momtaz Editor-in-Chief Professor, University of Tehran Seyed Mohammad Kazem Mohammad Javad Zarif Sajjadpour Associate Professor, School of World Studies Professor of School of Mohiaddin Mesbahi International Relations Professor, Florida International University Hosein Salimi Professor, Allameh Tabatabii University Secretary of advisory board Seyed Jalal Dehghani Mohammad Nazari Professor, Allameh Tabatabii University Naser Hadian Director of Executive Affairs Assistant professor, University of Tehran Hadi Gholamnia Vitaly Naumkin Professor, Moscow State University Copyediting Hassan Hoseini Zeinab Ghasemi Tari Assistant Professor, University of Tehran Mohammad Ali Shirkhani Layout and Graphics Najmeh Ghaderi Professor, University of Tehran Foad Izadi Assistant Professor, University of Tehran Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs (IRFA) achieved the highest scientific ISSN: 2008-8221 grade from the Ministry of Science, -
Zarif Extensive Dialogue”
WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y Pages Price 40,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13453 Sunday AUGUST 4, 2019 Mordad 13, 1398 Dhul Hijjah 2, 1440 Tehran condemns Sanctioning Zarif Fencer Mojtaba Abedini Iran opens exhibition U.S. sanctions shows U.S. frustration hungry to win gold to showcase historical against Russia 3 3 at 2020 Tokyo 15 objects of children’s life 16 Iran will take next step if obligations not met: Zarif TEHRAN — Foreign Minister Moham- ICANA in an interview published on mad Javad Zarif has said Iran will take the Saturday. Tehran-Baku trade next step in reducing commitments under He noted that Iran’s actions are within the 2015 nuclear deal if the remaining the framework of the JCPOA, the official parties to the agreement do not honor name for the nuclear agreement. their obligations. Paragraph 36 of the JCPOA has “It is the Islamic Republic of Iran provided a mechanism to resolve who should take decision in this respect. disputes and allows one side, under This step will be taken in continuation certain circumstances, to stop com- of previous actions if other sides do plying with the deal if the other side more than doubled not fulfil their obligations,” he told is out of compliance. 2 See page 4 Riyadh welcomes Iran’s condition for resuming Umrah Hajj TEHRAN — Saudi Hajj Minister Muham- He made the remarks during a meeting mad Saleh bin Taher Benten has welcomed with head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Tehran’s condition including guaranteeing Organization Alireza Rashidian. -
The Iranian Leadership's Continuing Declarations of Intent to Destroy
The Iranian Leadership’s Continuing Declarations of Intent to Destroy Israel 2009-2012 Prof. Joshua Teitelbaum Lt. Col. (ret.) Michael Segall Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs המרכז הירושלמי לענייני ציבור ומדינה )ע"ר( © 2012 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs 13 Tel Hai Street, Jerusalem, Israel Tel. 972-2-5619281 Fax. 972-2-5619112 Email: [email protected] Website: www.jcpa.org ISBN: 978-965-218-106-0 Production Coordinator: Tommy Berzi Graphic Design: Studio Rami & Jaki - www.ramijaki.co.il An updated version of “What Iranian Leaders Really Say about Doing Away with Israel: A Refutation of the Campaign to Excuse Ahmadinejad’s Incitement to Genocide”(November 2008) 2 The Iranian Leadership’s Continuing Declarations of Intent to Destroy Israel Preface In 2008, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs published an in-depth study of the Iranian leadership’s views on Israel and Jews.1 At the time, international attention had been focused on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s October 2005 statement that Israel should be “wiped off the map.” A controversy arose at the time over whether he indeed made this remark or was mistranslated, as several academics and two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and Ron Paul (R-Texas), alleged. It was demonstrated that Ahmadinejad indeed called for the destruction of Israel and his words were not misrepresented. The previous study concluded with the observation by Michael Axworthy, who served as head of the Iran Section of Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1998 to 2000: “The formula had been used before by Khomeini and others, and had been translated by representatives of the Iranian regime as ‘wiped off the map.’ Some of the dispute that has arisen over what exactly Ahmadinejad meant by it has been rather bogus. -
Q3 2010 Iran Oil & Gas Report INCLUDES 10-YEAR FORECASTS to 2019
Q3 2010 www.businessmonitor.com IRAN OIL & GAS REPORT INCLUDES 10-YEAR FORECASTS TO 2019 ISSN 1748-4022 Published by Business Monitor International Ltd. IRAN OIL & GAS REPORT Q3 2010 INCLUDES 10-YEAR FORECASTS TO 2019 Part of BMI’s Industry Survey & Forecasts Series Published by: Business Monitor International Copy deadline: May 2010 Business Monitor International © 2010 Business Monitor International. Mermaid House, All rights reserved. 2 Puddle Dock, London, EC4V 3DS, All information contained in this publication is UK copyrighted in the name of Business Monitor Tel: +44 (0) 20 7248 0468 International, and as such no part of this publication Fax: +44 (0) 20 7248 0467 may be reproduced, repackaged, redistributed, resold in email: [email protected] whole or in any part, or used in any form or by any web: http://www.businessmonitor.com means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by information storage or retrieval, or by any other means, without the express written consent of the publisher. DISCLAIMER All information contained in this publication has been researched and compiled from sources believed to be accurate and reliable at the time of publishing. However, in view of the natural scope for human and/or mechanical error, either at source or during production, Business Monitor International accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage resulting from errors, inaccuracies or omissions affecting any part of the publication. All information is provided without warranty, and Business Monitor International makes no representation of warranty of any kind as to the accuracy or completeness of any information hereto contained.