Legislation that would impose new sanctions on Iran for its ballistic missile program, support for terrorism, and human rights violations won support from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a 18-3 vote and now will be considered by the full Senate. The sanctions bill has bi-partisan support and is not considered by most lawmakers to violate U.S. obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
News Briefs
May 25, 2017
Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that Iran has built a third underground missile production factory. Hajizadeh also stated that Iran would continue its missile production and tests and that a surface-to-surface missile is next in line for production.
-- Reuters
May 24, 2017
In testimony before the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin stated that the Treasury Department was reviewing licenses for aircraft sales to Iran. IranAir has agreed to purchase 80 jets from Boeing, 100 from Airbus, and 20 from the Franco-Italian company ATR. All of these contracts require U.S. licenses because of their reliance on U.S. parts. Treasury has issued licences for the main contracts, but these licenses may need to be renewed in 2020.
-- Reuters
May 20, 2017
Hassan Rouhani was re-elected president of Iran in a landslide victory. Rouhani won 57 percent of the 41 million votes cast, defeating his opponent Ebrahim Raisi. Turnout was high, with more than 70 percent of Iran's 56 million voters casting ballots. Rouhani is seen to represent a more moderate and reformist faction and has promised more economic openness.
-- New York Times
May 8, 2017
Iranian Communications and Information Technology Minister Mahmoud Vaezi announced plans to launch into orbit two domestically-produced satellites within the next few months. The Nahid 1 is a telecommunications satellite built at the Iranian Space Research Center. The Payam-e Amir Kabir is a remote sensing satellite built at Amir Kabir University of Technology capable of taking precision images. Iran has also manufactured a space tug called the Saman 1, which will be used to transfer satellites from low earth orbit to higher-energy orbits.
-- Fars News Agency
May 2, 2017
Turkish officials detained a 38-year-old Iranian citizen, known by his initials E.E., in the Black Sea port city of Zonguldak after he was caught attempting to smuggle anti-tank missile parts to Iran, according to a statement by the Turkish Customs and Trade Ministry. The truck carrying the missile parts arrived on a ship from Ukraine. The seized parts were for the Russian-made 9K111 FAGOT and 9K113 Konkur anti-tank missiles. Turkish authorities said that perhaps the parts were being returned following repairs.
-- Asharq Al-Awsat
April 26, 2017
An Iranian businessman was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison in the United Arab Emirates for violating international sanctions. The businessman, referred to only as S.M.A.R., attempted to ship a dual-use power generator and other devices to Iran for use in its nuclear program. UAE authorities seized the items. The Abu Dhabi Federal Appeals Court also ordered that the businessman be deported following the completion of his sentence.
-- Reuters
April 23, 2017
Iran and China signed a contract for the redesign of the Arak heavy water reactor. Under the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is required to redesign and rebuild the reactor to run on uranium fuel enriched up to 3.67%. According to the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran is responsible for the new reactor design and related equipment, with China and the United States responsible for evaluating and certifying the design.
-- Tasnim News Agency
April 18, 2017
The European Commission is embarking on a 2.5 million euro nuclear safety project with Iran. The project includes a feasibility study for the Nuclear Safety Center foreseen in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), support for the Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (IRNA), help with a review of stress test results from the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and help with Iran's accession to nuclear safety conventions. A future project with Iran will include a second stress test for the Bushehr plant.
-- New Europe Online
April 10, 2017
Hungarian deputy prime minister Zsolt Semjen and the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi have signed a memorandum of understanding that includes cooperation in building nuclear reactors and investment by Hungarian banks in Iran. Citing Hungary's experience with Russian VVER reactors, Salehi proposed a project with Hungary to design and develop a 25 MWe reactor and a 100 Mwe reactor. Hungary also established an 85 million euro credit line with Iran to facilitate bi-lateral cooperation and joint ventures.
-- World Nuclear News