Here are a few selections from Iran Daily Summaries published on 14-16 JAN 2023:
- Is JCPoA’s Slow-Beating Heart Stopping?: While some blame the West for the JCPoA’s current moribund state, some are asking for a more aggressive approach, such as moving towards making an atom bomb to bring the West back to the nuclear negotiating table.
- Officials Refute Earlier Accounts about Position of ‘Super Spy’: Contradicting earlier official accounts, Iran’s ministry of defense issued a statement stressing that Alireza Akbari, who was executed under the charge of espionage, was never a deputy defense minister. Meanwhile, reformists try to distance themselves from the disgraced official, while hardliners call for more investigation and intel disclosures.
- Khomeini Clan Remains Supportive of Protesters: In remarks that are viewed as unexpected support for the recent protests, Ali Khomeini, grandson of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s founder Ayatollah Khomeini, argued for heading the "aggregate opinion" of the Iranian people. Often sided with conservatives, Ali made his remarks while his older brother Hasan was harshly criticized for pro-protest comments, creating a challenge for hardliners who have supported Ali in recent years.
- Iran-Russia Relations: Friendly, Not ‘Strategic’: While Tehran-Moscow military ties seem stronger than ever, analysts doubt they would translate into a complete strategic relationship. A member of the national security and foreign policy committee of the Majles announced Iran had placed an order to receive Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, which they expect to receive in the next few months. But that would only make Iran a customer, not necessarily a partner.
- Mismanagement, Failed Neighborly Policy Lead to Gas Crisis: The natural gas shortage in Iran has turned into a hot topic in the cold season, triggering debates about mismanagement, the hollowness of President Ra’isi’s “achievements” in his neighborly policy, and concerns about the cycle of crisis that repeats every year.
- JCPoA: Does Iran Have Plan B of Its Own? As internal and external pressures are mounting and as reducing economic hardship becomes the marching order of the day, the discussion about the JCPoA has grown increasingly relevant in solving some of the more pressing domestic crises.
- Poor People’s Riot between Lines of Budget Plan: The Iranian government's budget plan for the next year is interpreted by experts and politicians as yet another devastating message revealing the resumption of policies that generated inflation and widespread poverty, leading to further social unrest across the country.
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