Pezeshkian proposes US-sanctioned rights offender ​​as intelligence minister

In a speech to Palestinian youth in Gaza, Sinwar said, "we will never cut our relations with Iran and other parties."

Iran is one of Hamas's biggest sponsors, funding the group designated by countries including the UK and US with at least $100m a year. Iran also gives Hamas military training, weapons and strategic support.

Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 atrocities in which over 1,100 mostly civilians were murdered in Israel, asserted that no force could disarm Hamas, explicitly rejecting any notion of peace talks that would lead to the recognition of Israel.

Al-Mayadeen News Network reported him as saying, "We are fighters for the liberation of Palestine and revolutionaries for granting freedom to our nation. We fight against the occupiers according to human rights laws and will continue to strengthen our military power to protect our people."

Haniyeh, assassinated in Tehran last week, had personally cultivated the deep ties with Iran all the way up to its Supreme Leader, since taking the political helm in 2017.

Unlike Haniyeh, who lived between Turkey and Qatar, Sinwar is in hiding in Gaza's 5,000km network of tunnels and unable to undertake the high level meetings afforded to Haniyeh, who on the day of his assassination boasted of his freedom of movement.

Iran’s involvement with Hamas is part of a strategic partnership aimed at extending Tehran’s influence across the Middle East and also part of the Supreme Leader's plan to eradicate the Jewish state, Iran's archenemy.

Iran is reluctant to engage in a war with Israel due to its severe economic challenges in spite of the brazenness of the assassination on Iranian soil which has brought embarrassment to Tehran's security apparatus.

Within the past week, Iranian officials have upped the ante and threatened to take definitive revenge for the assassination of the Hamas leader. However, warnings by world powers and a recent report of internal strife between the newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei suggest that Iran has seemingly backed down from its harsh rhetoric of revenge.

In a recent meeting with Supreme Leader Khamenei, President Pezeshkian urged the 85-year-old ruler to prevent any direct Iranian attack on Israel to avoid escalating tensions into an unwanted war, informed sources told Iran International. Pezeshkian warned that such a conflict could severely disrupt his presidency and lead to significant problems at home.

Pezeshkian cautioned that an Israeli decision to launch harsh retaliatory attacks against Iran's national infrastructure and energy resources could cripple the Iranian economy and potentially lead to the country's collapse in a time when the government faces immense challenges to its legitimacy.

According to a report by Politico on Wednesday, Iran may be rethinking launching a multi-pronged attack on Israel, US officials say. The Biden administration has in recent days worked through diplomatic channels, bringing in its Middle East allies to lobby Tehran to reconsider moving forward with a military attack on Israel. They’ve warned Iran that a massive strike would only inflame tensions and risk a direct confrontation between the two countries, two senior US officials said.

However, with Iran's proxies surrounding Israel, there are now increasing chances that military retaliation will come from one of Iran's militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthis in Yemen.

US officials have sent messages to Tehran through various intermediaries that if the attack that killed Haniyeh was caused by a covert Israeli operation and did not kill any Iranian citizens, then Iran should reevaluate its plan to launch a military attack on Israel.

The officials said they now think Tehran has recalibrated with the US not expecting an attack on Israel imminently.

However, the talk from Tehran remains defiant. Iran’s permanent mission to the UN said in a statement on Wednesday, “We have pursued two priorities simultaneously: first, establishing a durable cease-fire in Gaza and the withdrawal of the occupiers from this territory; second, punishing the aggressor for the assassination of martyr Haniyeh."

Retired diplomat Qasem Mohebbali warned that “any retaliation causing fatalities could lead to serious conflict. In such a war, Israel will not be alone, and the entire West, led by the US, will support Israel."

He told Roydad24 on Thursday that a potential war would bring back UN sanctions and create harsher conditions domestically. He says, "The JCPOA and nuclear agreement are still in limbo. We must accept our commitment to a peaceful nuclear program as an NPT member. The only way is to reach an agreement with the West, the IAEA, and the US and avoid war."

He said that Iran should neither be "influenced by regional extremist groups" or fall "into the criminal Israeli government's trap".

He said, "These governments thrive on war. For a secure Iran, we need a secure Middle East."

In a letter addressed to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Australia, Waters expressed deep concern over reports indicating that since Mohammadi's imprisonment in December 2023, she has been subjected to physical and mental torture, endured months of solitary confinement, and has been denied visits from her family, including her young son.

The death sentence for Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Iran on trumped-up charges of armed rebellion, has sparked widespread condemnation from activists. They maintain that the sentence is based on the pretext of her membership in an independent, public, and legal labor organization from a decade ago, highlighting the perceived unfairness of the verdict.

In her letter, Waters requested an urgent update on Mohammadi's welfare and case status and added that it is critical that Mohammadi is "granted an unbiased trial and that the death sentence is overturned immediately."

Pezeshkian, who is expected to present his cabinet to Parliament for a vote of confidence in the coming days, possibly on Sunday, has, along with his newly appointed parliamentary liaison Shahram Dabiri, emphasized that he will consult with Khamenei and secure his “approval” for the nominees before submitting them to Parliament.

Pezeshkian has consistently emphasized that his policies will be shaped by the overarching directives set by Khamenei. He also insists that his administration’s performance should be judged on how closely officials adhere to these guidelines and how effectively they utilize the resources at their disposal.

However, an editorial note in Javan newspaper Wednesday said that Pezeshkian's statements about getting Khamenei's approval “can provide excuses to certain people to avoid bearing responsibility for ministers’ performance” and to shift “responsibility and [need for] accountability” to Khamenei.

It has long been understood that no president can form a government without Khamenei's approval of individual candidates. However, Pezeshkian has taken an unprecedented step by openly emphasizing this reality, making it clear that Khamenei also shares responsibility for the administration's performance. This tactic sets him apart from his predecessors, who typically kept such matters behind closed doors.

“Such an approach, obviously, cannot be right neither politically nor ethically,” the Javan editorial charged. It also maintained that Khamenei does not get involved in “executive affairs” or “interfere in other entities’ activities” claiming that he even avoids interfering when directly requested to express his opinion.

Similar accusations are widely made by hardliners and ultra-hardliners on social media against Pezeshkian and his right-hand man, Mohammad-Javad Zarif, who he appointed to the newly created position of ‘strategic deputy’ last week to the huge disappointment of his critics.

“No president’s cabinet should be evaluated on the basis of the approval or disapproval of the Leader of the Revolution,” the Javan editorial argued while stressing that the responsibility for the performance of government officials only lies with the president.

“Opposition to and criticism of no minister can be taken as opposing the Leader,” Javan wrote referring to the very high possibility of strong opposition of the hardliner-dominated parliament in the review process of some of Pezeshkian’s proposed candidates.

However, while tightly controlling the core of the regime, Khamenei usually pretends he is not involved in the decisions and actions of the executive branch and tries to avoid responsibility for failures.

“We are certain that appointment to these positions will not be possible without consultation with the Supreme Leader,” Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a veteran conservative lawmaker and former head of the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said last week.

Pezeshkian is the first Iranian president to inform the public of such a step in the formation of the cabinet and to say he would discuss not only candidates for these five positions but also all others with Khamenei.

Javan’s editorial also referred to “some pessimists” who believe that Pezeshkian’s parliamentary deputy highlighted the Leader’s involvement in the selection of the ministers to put pressure on the Parliament and limit lawmakers’ independence.

Pundits say highlighting Khamenei’s role in setting guidelines for the government and shedding light on his deep involvement in the selection of its officials is indeed a step towards transparency and would allow the president to be held only responsible for what he has freely and independently chosen to do.

According to Afghanistan International, Seyed Mehdi, who suffers from partial hearing problems, was fleeing from the police as they launched a series of attacks on migrants in a village in Damavand country in Tehran.

In a video of the incident, verified by Afghanistan International, two plainclothes officers and one uniformed officer are seen pinning the teenage to the ground next to a police vehicle.

Initially, two officers are seen applying their total weight on the boy's body, with one subsequently placing his knee on his neck, in scenes echoing the death of George Floyd in the US in the hands of police. The teenager is seen crying out in pain with several nearby women screaming and attempting to intervene, but the security officers stop them.

The video depicts that after some time, Seyed Mehdi's cries fall silent, and the officers then drag him into the police vehicle.

According to Afghanistan International, the teenager is currently hospitalized, though his exact condition remains unknown.

Analysts have noted the irony that in 2020, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei condemned the murder of George Floyd as evidence of the "true nature" of American leadership, yet he is silent regarding similar actions perpetrated by Iranian police.

"The crime committed against this black man is the same thing the US government has been doing against all the world," Khamenei said in televised speech. "This is the US government's true nature and character that is being exposed today."

In recent weeks, the intensity of pressure exerted by Iranian security forces and certain segments of the Iranian populace on immigrants has markedly escalated, accompanied by a surge in reported incidents of aggression.

On Wednesday, Iran Police Chief Ahmadreza Radan said all illegal immigrants must leave the country and return home by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2025).

Meanwhile, the governor of Shahriar in Tehran Province announced a "rapid action plan for arresting illegal immigrants." Alireza Fatehi-Nejad said on Wednesday that undocumented Afghans will be returned to their country under the plan.

Also on Wednesday, Hamidullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, announced the expatriation of 4,000 Afghan prisoners from Iranian prisons back to Afghanistan.

Furthermore, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported in March that a comprehensive police initiative had been launched to apprehend and repatriate unauthorized immigrants from Tehran Province.

Additionally, it was announced that a "special patrol" has been established in Shahr-e Rey, south of Tehran, specifically tasked with identifying and detaining illegal foreign nationals.

Afghans represent the predominant group among both legal and undocumented immigrants in Iran, often referred to as "foreign nationals" by government authorities and media outlets. Official estimates suggest that the Afghan immigrant population in Iran could be as substantial as eight million.

International human rights organizations have meticulously documented years of systemic mistreatment faced by Afghan refugees and migrants in Iran, highlighting their persistent deprivation of essential services such as healthcare, employment opportunities, and housing.

The substantial influx of Afghan refugees following the Taliban's takeover in 2021 has exacerbated these issues, provoking a backlash from some Iranians who argue that their country is already grappling with severe economic and social crises and is ill-equipped to accommodate additional refugees.

According to Afghan authorities, Iran deported over 20,000 Afghan children last year, many of whom were unaccompanied and without guardians.

Last week, Iranian authorities expelled Kobra Gholami, an outspoken Afghan social researcher, allegedly for failing to comply with the country's mandatory hijab regulations.

While initial assessments had predicted an early attack this week, the latest information says any retaliation may now be postponed, reported Al Arabiya.

It is believed that Iran waited until after Wednesday’s meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah before taking any action.

Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri-Kani traveled Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, leading a delegation to attend an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of Foreign Ministers of the OIC. The meeting discussed the implications of the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.

Kani called on Muslim countries to support Iran's right to defend itself against "acts of aggression". Saudi Arabia supported Iran's position, saying the assassination was a "blatant violation" of Iran's sovereignty.

Iran has blamed Israel and the US for the killing of Haniyeh and has vowed to "avenge" his blood, however, the delay in retaliation has raised questions. White House officials said Tuesday that they believe President Joe Biden’s efforts to prevent a war in the Middle East "may be paying off" and "Iran may be reconsidering a plan for major retaliation" following the killing of the Hamas chief in Tehran, according to the Washington Post.

"The Iranian response has been complicated by seeming confusion over the circumstances of Haniyeh’s death. Tehran at first claimed he was killed by an Israeli missile, requiring a similar Iranian response. But officials say that Tehran has concluded privately that he was instead eliminated by a concealed bomb, perhaps prompting a different response," read the article.

Tehran may also be dissuaded by the US show of force this week, and secret White House communications passed via the Swiss embassy in Tehran and the Iranian mission at the United Nations, the report said.

“Iran understands clearly that the US is unwavering in its defense of our interests, our partners and our people. We have moved a significant amount of military assets to the region to underscore that principle,” a senior administration official told The Washington Post’s David Ignatius.

In another development, German airline giant Lufthansa announced on Wednesday that it will avoid using Iranian and Iraqi airspace until August 13, extending its earlier decision due to high tensions in the Middle East. In addition to this, Lufthansa has extended the suspension of its services to Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman, and Erbil until the same date.

Regional and international reactions

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty expressed concerns about regional stability in a phone call with Bagheri-Kani. Egypt has instructed all its aircraft to avoid Iran's airspace for a three-hour period early Thursday, amid fears of an Iranian retaliatory strike against Israel.

The United States and Australia have denounced Iran's destabilizing behavior, including its support for armed proxies and militant partners. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, along with Australian counterparts, condemned threats to shipping and freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden, stressing the need to defend navigational rights and freedoms.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis also highlighted Switzerland’s dedication to prioritizing restraint during a phone call with Bagheri-Kani, emphasizing the need for moderation and diplomacy.

Israeli perspectives

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz emphasized that the election of Yahya Sinwar as the leader of Hamas signals that the Palestinian issue is now significantly controlled by Iran and Hamas. Katz warned of the consequences of Israel withdrawing its military presence in Gaza, noting the regional threats posed by Iran. He proposed a solution of Palestinian self-management in Judea and Samaria, with Israel maintaining control over security and foreign affairs to prevent another Iranian stronghold.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Hezbollah that further escalation could lead to substantial damage to Lebanon. "As things stand, Nasrallah could lead Lebanon to pay a very, very heavy price. They can't imagine what could happen," he told Israeli troops. Gallant discussed threats posed by Iran and its proxies with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, calling for global unity against Iran.

This comes as a Hezbollah commander responsible for anti-tank guided missile fire on northern Israel was killed in an air strike earlier Wednesday, according to the IDF. Hassan Fares Jeshi was killed in southern Lebanon, with Israeli fighter jets also striking Hezbollah buildings in Aitaroun.

Iran's stance

Despite the lack of immediate action, Iranian officials continue to keep their rhetoric strong. President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Israel of inciting conflict through its “criminal and terrorist actions in Gaza and the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh” during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday. He criticized the US and Western countries for “supporting these actions instead of condemning them,” stating they have aided in “committing crimes, genocide, and terrorism.” Pezeshkian urged for a ceasefire, emphasizing that Iran is committed to peace and the defense of its interests under international law.

Iranian army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi on Wednesday issued a warning to Israel, asserting that their actions will not go unanswered. "These crimes and assassinations by the Zionist regime will not go unanswered and will receive a definite and decisive response," he said.

In a phone conversation with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Bagheri-Kani also criticized European countries for their passive stance on Haniyeh's assassination, holding the US, UK, and France responsible for what he described as the actions of the sole “malevolent entity” in the region.