TOP STORIES
Documents apparently hacked from an Iranian government database and published exclusively by VOA's Persian Service have shed new light on how Iran's Islamist rulers covered up casualties from violent crackdowns on mostly peaceful mass protests and falsely labeled them as riots in recent years. VOA received the documents on March 6 from the hacking group Edalat-e Ali, which last month began exposing what it said were confidential Iranian governmental records that it obtained from breaching the judiciary's computer system. VOA Persian reviewed the documents and deemed them authentic but could not verify their veracity independently because it is barred from operating in Iran. Iran's United Nations mission in New York did not immediately respond to a VOA request for comment emailed Friday. Tehran has responded to past leaks of purported Iranian government documents by dismissing them as fake. One document from the latest Edalat-e Ali leak appears to be from a November 25, 2019, meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, which is overseen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Niger’s decision to end its counterterrorism alliance with Washington came after senior U.S. officials accused the country’s ruling junta of secretly exploring a deal to allow Iran access to its uranium reserves, Nigerien and U.S. officials say. The decision to end military cooperation with the U.S. was announced Saturday night by a spokesman for the Nigerien junta. It deals a serious blow to the Biden administration’s efforts to contain a sprawling Islamist insurgency in the Sahel, the semiarid region south of the Sahara. It could affect a $110 million base that was built by the U.S. and is used to fly surveillance drones over West Africa. It could also possibly force the withdrawal of more than 600 American troops still stationed in Niger. American officials had been working to salvage their relationship with Niger since the country’s military ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in a July coup, triggering restrictions on military aid under American law. The junta has been tightening ties with Russia and with two of its neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso, which are also ruled by Moscow-aligned generals.
Iran, China Quick To Congratulate Putin On Election Win As Others Reject Vote | Times Of Israel
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is among the first to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his “decisive” win in Russia’s presidential election, state media reports. “The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran in a message sincerely congratulated Vladimir Putin on his decisive victory and re-election as the President of the Russian Federation,” state news agency IRNA reports. Chinese President Xi Jinping also sends a congratulatory message to Putin, saying his re-election “fully reflects the support of the Russian people,” Beijing’s state media reports. The tone from the West is starkly different, with France and others charging that Putin’s re-election was neither fair nor free. The French Foreign Ministry says in a statement that the vote took place in a context of repression within civil society and the conditions for a free and democratic election were not respected.
UANI IN THE NEWS
Treasury Is Asked Why US Firm Insures Ships Carrying Iran Oil | Bloomberg
…Representative Zach Nunn of Iowa, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter Thursday inquiring about New York City-based American Club. “An American company reaping a profit from its involvement in insuring tankers that are transporting illicit Iranian oil to finance terrorism demands answers from this Administration,” he wrote. Nunn cited a February report by Bloomberg News showing that American Club covered 21 vessels suspected of carrying illicit Iranian oil, more than any of its 11 larger peers. The insurer had recently dropped 19 other vessels after inquiries from Nunn and Bloomberg, the report stated. The Bloomberg story was based on research by the nonprofit group United Against Nuclear Iran, which maintains a list of ships suspected of carrying the country’s crude. US sanctions prohibit Western businesses from knowingly participating in sanctioned activities. But the Treasury Department, which oversees sanctions, asks insurers like American Club to go further and monitor whether ships they cover are secretly trading in sanctioned products.
Jan. 3, the Islamic State group detonated two bombs in Kerman in Iran, targeting the memorial procession of the late Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. While global attention has focused on the Islamic Republic’s external response, at home the regime has used the attacks as a pretext to intensify political repression. By political repression, we refer to a range of actions, both clandestine and overt, aimed at detaining, torturing and silencing Iranian citizens who challenge the Islamic Republic and the IRGC. The reaction to the Kerman bombings by ordinary Iranians was itself quite telling. Many took to social media to claim the attack as an “inside job,” highlighting the absence of Soleimani’s family members and senior IRGC commanders at the memorial procession. Others expressed criticism of Soleimani himself, while some even went as far as celebrating the attacks, which targeted the hard-line pro-regime constituency.
…Claire Jungman of United Against Nuclear Iran, a campaign group that tracks tankers following the reimposition of sanctions by the US government in 2018, said that the move “underscores China’s troubling role” in backing Iran. “Why does China continue to bolster Iran’s terrorist activities by purchasing its oil? It’s time to confront and halt these transactions that empower aggression,” she said in a tweet. China opposes unilateral sanctions and has consistently spoken against them at the United Nations.
US Blacklists Suezmax Tanker And Owner For Iran And Houthi Links | Lloyd’s List
…In a statement on January 16, the AMP said: "Regarding the requests presented by the organisation Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), we must mention that after reviewing the list, from the 217 ships, we realised that there are mistakes in the sum, in the list, and repeated numbers, so there are actually 216 ships, from which 28 ships have been cancelled to date, so there are 188 ships left.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Iran Leans On Local Companies With Projects To Boost Oil Output | Bloomberg
Iran unveiled a series of projects to raise its oil production in collaboration with domestic companies, the country’s second initiative in days to leverage local resources to develop its energy sector. Iranian companies were granted $13 billion in contracts on Sunday to boost output from six oil fields by as much as 350,000 barrels a day, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The flagship projects include the development of the giant Azadegan field, which has an estimated 32 billion barrels of oil reserves, and Azar, both of which are shared with Iraq along Iran’s western and southwestern borders. Iran’s pivot toward domestic firms gained momentum in 2018, when multinational companies largely left the country’s energy market in the wake of former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Tehran nuclear deal and re-imposition of sanctions. The shift gathered pace after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who holds anti-Western views, became Iran’s president in 2021. Raisi advocated a policy that centered on curbing reliance on foreign entities.
Iranians Tighten Belts For Persian New Year Festivities | AFP
Iranians will celebrate the start of the year 1403 at exactly 26 seconds past 6:36am (0406 GMT) on March 20, matching the astronomical time of the spring equinox. Globally, some 300 million people will wish each other "Happy New Year" ("Nowruz mobarak") including in Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and among Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. "It's the most important holiday of the year, the one where we forget our problems to get together with our loved ones and dream of a better year," said Marjan, a young woman from Tehran who, like the other people AFP spoke to, declined to give her full name.
MISSILE PROGRAM
G7 Nations Warn Iran Against Sending Ballistic Missiles To Russia | Al-Monitor
The G7 countries issued a joint statement on Friday warning Iran not to provide ballistic missiles to Russia amid the war in Ukraine. “We are extremely concerned about reports that Iran is considering transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia,” the Group of Seven nations, which includes Italy, Germany, France, the UK, Canada, Japan and the United States, said in the statement. “We call on Iran not to do so, as it would add to regional destabilization and represent a substantive material escalation in its support for Russia's war in Ukraine,” the statement further read. “Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran.” Why it matters: The United States declassified intelligence last year indicating Russia’s interest in acquiring Iranian-made ballistic missiles amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu visited the aerospace headquarters of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps last September in Tehran, where Iranian officials displayed the Ababil short-range missile.
Iran Air Could Be Banned From Europe If Tehran Sends Missiles To Russia, US Warns | Reuters
G7 nations are prepared to respond with severe new penalties that could include a ban on Iran Air flights to Europe if Iran proceeds with the transfer of close-range ballistic missiles to Russia, a senior U.S. official said on Friday. The official commented as the United States joined its six G7 allies in issuing a statement warning Iran against sending the missiles to Russia or else face the consequences. "Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran," the G7 statement said. The United States has been increasingly aggressive at responding to what Washington considers belligerent behavior by Iran, such as its support for Iran-backed militias in the region who are launching attacks on U.S. bases and Tehran's alleged hacking of U.S. infrastructure.
Tehran Claims To Be ‘Self-Sufficient’ In Building Drone Engines – Analysis | Jerusalem Post
Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani said recently that Iran is “designing and manufacturing airplane and drone engines; the country is self-sufficient in this field,” according to reports in pro-government Iranian Fars News media. He also praised Qatar and noted Iran’s ongoing talks with Doha about potential cooperation. One of the links between them is Hamas: Doha hosts the terrorist group’s leaders, while Tehran backs it. After October 7, Ashtiani met Hamas members in the Qatari capital. According to the report, the defense minister said that Iran’s defense exports are growing, which has resulted in a major increase over the last two years. He did not mention Russia, but Tehran has been exporting Shahed 136 drones to Moscow, which uses drones against Ukraine, in a war that is becoming more and more deadly.
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
After UN Report, Iran Reveals Its Official Account Of Amini Protests | Asharq Al-Awsat
A fact-finding committee formed by President Ebrahim Raisi to probe the protests that swept Iran in wake of the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 announced that the unrest left 281 Iranian dead, including dozens of members of the security forces. The report was issued three days before the country celebrates its Nowruz new year holiday and ten days after the release of a UN fact-finding mission report on the violations that took place during the protests. The government report said “social disturbances” can happen in any society. It added that it was “normal for countries to take measures to contain the situation if protests were to veer off their peaceful course and if they were to go against order, peace and public security.” The committee defended the “responsible” actions of the security forces in handling the protests. It said: “The Islamic Republic confronted the situation that unfolded in wake of the death of young woman Mahsa Amini on September 16.” It noted that a protest first erupted around the Kasra hospital in Tehran and days later, spread to other parts of the capital and beyond.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Exclusive: Iran Political Prisoners Attacked By Other Inmates | Voice Of America
Inmates at Iran’s notorious Evin prison in Tehran allegedly assaulted a group of political prisoners on Friday as part of an ongoing practice reportedly orchestrated by prison officials, VOA’s Persian Service has learned. Assailants assaulted political prisoners with their fists on Friday, leading to bruises and other visible injuries, according to reports. The attackers also reportedly labeled the political prisoners as terrorists and verbally abused them. Documents apparently hacked from an Iranian government database and published exclusively by VOA's Persian Service suggest that for approximately a year, prison authorities had been employing certain inmates, including the prison’s Ward 4 lawyer and his deputy, to gather intelligence on political prisoners or physically attack them. A family member of one political prisoner told VOA that unlike the direct involvement of authorities in attacking political prisoners last October, the prison management's current tactic involves employing certain ordinary inmates from "Ward 4, Hall 3" to deter political prisoners from making demands or protesting.
Newly Elected Iranian Hardliners Try To Assert Their Influence | Iran International
Newly elected ultraconservative lawmakers are poised to leverage Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's credentials in order to protect a hardliner threatened with exclusion from parliament by the IRGC. All elected and re-elected members of parliament need to have their mandates approved first by the investigative committee and then in full session of the newly elected legislature. Ghalibaf’s saga started when Hamid Rasaei, a newly elected hardliner politician attacked him in a TV program and on social media, calling the veteran politician, former IRGC general, mayor of Tehran and speaker of parliament a “hypocrite.” The IRGC media immediately came to Ghalibaf’s defense threatening that Rasaei’s credentials could be rejected in parliament. It is worth noting that Ghalibaf is a relative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and it is safe to assume that he enjoys his support. According to Reformist figure Mohammad Reza Javadi-Hesar, the ultraconservatives at the new Majles (parliament) might take Ghalibaf's credentials hostage to make sure that Rasai's credentials get the approval of the parliament, and he can get away with undermining Khamenei's advice to avoid conflicts and controversies.
Iran’s President Wants New Focus On Artificial Intelligence | Jerusalem Post
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held a meeting focusing on “big steps” in the field of artificial intelligence, Iran’s pro-government Tasnim News reported on Sunday. Iran has already invested in cyber capabilities, and the use of AI is one of the technologies many countries are now investing in. The meeting provided an overview of issues, such as the “digital economy” and the steps Iran is taking in AI. Raisi held a discussion “with a group of virtual business activists in a meeting on Saturday afternoon,” the report noted, adding that he heard from 15 different business owners and discussed the current ecosystem for technology and innovation in Iran. Iran is seeking to invest in training young people in these fields and to work in AI, which could have security and defense implications for the region. For now, Raisi is talking about economic growth and job creation. Iran is “increasing financial and legal support as well as providing a suitable environment for the presence and participation of the private sector in this field,” the report noted.
Ex-President Challenges Disqualification In Iran's Elections | Iran International
Iran's former president, Hassan Rouhani, has challenged his disqualification from the sixth round of the Assembly of Experts elections, demanding answers and documents from the Guardian Council. In a letter sent on March 10, Rouhani pointed out the Council's criteria for disqualification, criticizing them as "generally involving vague affiliations" and lacking evidence contrary to explicit law. He insisted that the documents supporting the claims be presented "fully, without omission or summary." The hardliners controlling the candidate vetting process for the March 1 elections rejected Rouhani's candidacy, pushing him into political isolation along with other former Iranian presidents. Rouhani had registered and expressed eagerness to run for a seat in the Assembly, which holds the constitutional duty to select Iran’s next Supreme Leader in the event of Ali Khamenei’s absence.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Israel Hits Damascus As Iran Hints At Giving Syria Weapons | Iran International
Israel struck multiple sites in Syria hours after Iran hinted that it would give Syria weapons to "boost" its military power. In a meeting between the defense ministers of Iran and Syria Saturday, the Iranian official said his country is willing to “utilize its full capabilities” to help Syria strengthen its “defense and deterrence” against Israel and the United States. Shortly after, the Syrian army announced that Israeli missiles had hit “several points” in southern Syria early Sunday local time, injuring one soldier and causing some “material damage”. No more details were offered immediately, neither by Syria nor by Israel –which rarely comments on such events. Several local sources reported, however, that the targets had links with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and were located around the Syrian capital, Damascus. Syrian opposition sources indicated Israel launched missiles from the Golan Heights targeting the Damascus countryside. Some reports spoke of large explosions lighting up the night sky.
GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN
U.S. Attempts To Stop Arms Smuggling To Yemen With Limited Resources | Washington Post
The Biden administration is expanding efforts to surveil and intercept Iranian weapons being smuggled to Yemen, where Houthi militants have staged a deadly campaign of violence against commercial shipping that has proved resilient to six weeks of military strikes, said U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The initiative seeks to map seafaring routes used by Tehran and stop the arms shipments while in transit, an acknowledgment that the Houthis are likely to pose a significant security challenge for the foreseeable future. It is part of a broader strategy that also includes sanctions and diplomatic pressure, but it faces constraint as essential military resources are in short supply. A senior U.S. defense official described the evolving mission as “a renewed effort to try to better understand what those water routes look like.” Like others interviewed for this report, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive military activity. The work requires considerable collaboration with the U.S. intelligence community, the official said.
OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Iran-Azerbaijan Ties Still Off Track Despite Diplomatic Gestures | Al-Monitor
Azerbaijan's energy minister, Parviz Shahbazov, was in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Friday, as the two neighbors demonstrated willingness to rebuild their long-strained relations. According to Iranian media reporting, the Azerbaijani minister's agenda covered multiple topics, the first of which was preparation to reopen his country's embassy in Tehran. Baku decided to close down its Iran mission in January 2023 in response to an attack inside the embassy building, which left a security team member dead. Iran has said the assailant is currently on trial but has dismissed any terror-related motives, saying the killing was driven by a personal dispute. Shahbazov appeared also to be making arrangements ahead of a meeting next week between Iran's president, Ebrahim Raisi, and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev. The pair are expected to inaugurate a series of joint hydroelectric projects in the border area of Khodafarin on the Aras River.