Cleric Claims Nuclear Technology Enables Iran To See 15km Underground

The daily's managing editor Elias Hazrati, its leading columnist Abbas Abdi and former government spokesman Ali Rabiei wrote their accounts of the difficult situation facing the media in the newspaper's anniversary edition.

Hazrati, a former reformist lawmaker, wrote that he launched the paper at the end of his parliamentary career as "a media outlet for the majority of Iranians." He added that during the past 21 years he kept his promise of giving voice to both the older and younger generations of Iranian journalists. 

Etemad has been banned several times since its launch and its journalists came under pressure by the authoritarian government particularly under conservative presidents. 

Complaining about censorship and government pressure on the press, Abdi wrote that the government presumes newspapers that reflect society's problems are portraying a disparaging image of the country. Statesmen in Iran do not know that problems will not be solved if they are not discussed by the media.

Abdi said: "Newspapers act like medical examination reports. If nobody pays attention to what they highlight, problems will lead to serious abnormal situations." He further complained that the Iranian government has never taken the newspapers seriously and this is part of the crisis of media in Iran. 

Abdi added: "The government constantly insists that newspapers should not publish "negative news" and "disparaging accounts." They don’t see that the people are living in the society and see for themselves what is going on.

"The crisis of the media in Iran has roots in different narratives and the government's reliance on its own narrative. As long as the narratives rather than realities drive the government's policies, the media cannot have their true status," Abdi said.

According to Abdi, Etemad and a few other newspapers have refused to play the role of trumpets that voice the government's views and propaganda. The fact that this newspaper has survived for 21 years, so far is in itself a success. What makes this effort worthwhile is the daily's commitment to reflect the truth. 

Abdi was pointing out the fact that reformist newspapers in Iran are short-lived as governments have a pretty low threshold for tolerating criticism. At times, like 2001, tens of newspapers and other publications were closed down overnight without any explanation. At least one reformist newspaper, Mellat, was banned before the day it hit newsstands for the first time. 

However, Etemad and a few other relatively critical newspapers are not free of daily censorship and self-censorship, as their reporting has to somewhat accommodate the regime’s ideology and rhetoric. For example, they cannot criticize the Supreme Leader, who should be mentioned as “the esteemed Leader.”

Meanwhile, in an article in Etemad, former government spokesman, Ali Rabiei wrote that what makes the media situation different in Iran is the negative impact “of arresting and imprisoning independent Iranian journalists." 

What Rabiei said also referred to the emigration of hundreds of Iranian journalists to other countries, including Britain and the United States where key foreign-based Iranian media operate from. 

Rabiei pointed out that the Iranian government does not allow independent media to be active in Iran and arrests and jails journalists working on investigative reporting. But the emigration of independent journalist has gradually turned into a security threat for the Iranian government.

Iranian officials on a daily basis complain about investigative reports by foreign-based media that disclose corruption and inefficiency in the government and among its officials. Nonetheless, as Rabiei observed, the government perceives even the existing toothless media as a threat. 

Iranian Road Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash, who has travelled to Russia to attend the 26th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), urged the launch of a joint shipment company as soon as possible.

In a meeting with Igor Levitin, aide to the President Vladimir Putin, and the governors of the Volga River region the two sides reviewed the capacities of transportation from the Volga and the inland Caspian Sea, IRNA state news agency reported.

Dmitry Azarov, the governor of Russia's Samara, which is one the top ten Russian cities in terms of national income, also proposed creating a river hub in the three ports of Syzran, Tolyatti and Samara port, saying the development of these ports are important for Putin.

CNN reported last month that Tehran is using the Caspian Sea to transfer suspected weapons cargoes to Moscow.

It quoted experts as saying that as cooperation between the two countries deepens, the Caspian Sea route is being used to move drones, ammunition, and mortar shells that the Russian government has purchased from Iran to use in Ukraine.

Last year, shipping analytics company Vortexa also reported that eleven ships that previously carried Iranian crude transported Russian oil and products since April 2022.

“As more companies scale back from carrying Russian crude and products, those familiar with the sanctioned crude trade will continue using their tankers to assist Russia in exporting oil East of Suez,” Armen Azizian, a crude market analyst at Vortexa.

Hassan Mafkhami police commander in Mazandaran province on the shores of the Caspian Sea was inspecting beaches where millions of Iranians visit from the capital Tehran and other cities during the summer. Women are forbidden to bathe without cloths and should be fully cladded on the beaches.

He told law enforcement agents, “In this province and its towns if someone God forbid raises her voice, break her neck according to law and I will take responsibility for it.”

Tens of thousands of Iranian women have been defying compulsory hijab this year after nationwide protests erupted last September when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman died in ‘morality police’ custody from severe head injuries.

Hardliners in the clerical-military regime, however, have vowed “to restore order”, saying that hijab for women is their “red line”. The conservative dominated parliament is debating a bill to further codify the hijab, including imposing hefty fines on women and denial of social services if they refuse to cover their heads.

The issue has turned into a rallying cry against the regime that regularly intervenes in the private lives of the citizens. Many regime insiders have urged caution, saying that another hijab incident can lead to renewed anti-government protests.

Police officials have vowed to install “smart cameras” on the beaches of the Caspian Sea to identify women who break the rules.

The State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in his press briefing on Thursday responded to questions by reporters about a possible deal in the making, saying, “with respect to Iran’s nuclear program, there is no deal.“

But the fact remains that the Biden administration has had even direct talks with Iranian diplomats for the past 7-8 months according to multiple reports, in addition to talks mediated by Oman and others.

Also, Washington agreed to the release of $2.7 billion of Iran’s money frozen in Iraq for “humanitarian” purposes. Some argue that no matter what the formal label of the arrangement may be any funds Iran can use for imports alleviates financial pressure from the cash-strapped regime.

Given these concerns both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have begun stirring to make sure that the administration does not circumvent the lawmakers and according to law informs them of any deals with Iran.

"I'm extremely disappointed. To think this will end their uranium enrichment is childish. They'll continue to act in bad ways. When Iran is selling oil that it shouldn't, it gets those dollars and pumps it right back to extremist organizations," Sen. Joni Ernst told Iran International's Arash Aalaei.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Thursday saying, “I am disturbed by recent revelations that the Administration has re-engaged in “proximity talks” with the Iranian regime, and that the results of these discussions have included the apparent greenlighting of sizable payments to Iran.“

McCaul urged Biden to respect the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA), which was enacted during the finalization of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 to allow Congress to oversee dealings with Tehran. The Obama administration decided not to make the JCPOA nuclear deal a treaty, given opposition in Congress at the time and agreed to INARA to neutralize opposition among lawmakers.

“I urge the Administration to remember that U.S. law requires that any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with Iran needs to be submitted to Congress pursuant to INARA. Any continued obstruction will rob the American people, and in particular the Gold Star families whose loved ones were killed by Iran-backed terrorism, of answers about why the United States is facilitating the lining of Iran’s coffers,” McCaul said.

The Jewish insider reported Thursday that Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC), joined by Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), also introduced legislation on Wednesday that would require the director of National Intelligence to notify Congress within 48 hours if Iran produces or possesses uranium of greater than 60 percent purity.

The Iranian Enrichment Monitoring Act is a new attempt led by Graham, Menedez and other lawmakers to ensure congressional oversight of how the executive branch deals with Iran’s nuclear program.

The website also quoted several senators, some supporters of the JCPOA voicing concern about secret dealings with Iran and releasing funds to the Iranian régime that continues its „malign activities“ in the region and sending arms to Russia.

State Department’s spokesperson Thursday more clearly listed what the administration seeks in its dealings with Iran.

"Number one, we want Iran to take steps to de-escalate tensions, which of course includes steps to curb its nuclear program," Miller said, and added that Iran should cease its actions that destabilize the Middle East.

"Number three, we want Iran to stop its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine,“ he said, referring to a new complication with Iran that emerged in mid-2022. He also demanded the release of US citizens Tehran has imprisoned „for political leverage."

The one-way drone was launched on Wednesday from the Jask area of Iran 8-9 miles out to sea - within Iran's territorial waters - against a practice barge, the official said, citing US intelligence data.

"Essentially practicing hitting merchant vessels. That's the only reason why you would do that in the Gulf of Oman," the official said.

The United States has accused Iran of being behind several attacks since 2019 against merchant vessels in strategic Persian Gulf waters, which contain some of the world's most important oil and shipping routes.

Iranian media have so far not reported, and officials have not commented on the development.

Iran periodically tests explosive or suicide drones and broadcasts footage of them being tested.

"The closest merchant vessel was about 30 miles out away from the barge, but it was still dangerous," the official said.

Iran has supplied hundreds of its Shahed 131 and 136 suicide drones to Russia that have been extensively used against Ukrainian military and civilian targets.

Early on Thursday Russia launched 20 of these drones against Ukraine but all were shot down before reaching their targets. One purpose of the Iranian drones that are much cheaper than long-range missiles, is to swarm Ukraine’s air defenses during missile attacks.

Reporting by Reuters