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.
News Briefs
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
April 4, 2017
Iran's Aseman Airlines, Iran's third largest airline, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing to purchase at least thirty 737 MAX jets. The deal is valued at $3.4 billion and includes an option to purchase a further thirty planes. Aseman Airlines is owned by Iran's civil service pension foundation and managed as a private company. The sale would require U.S. government approval.
-- Reuters
March 28, 2017
Bipartisan sanctions legislation on Iran has been introduced in both the House and the Senate. The House bill targets Iranian and foreign companies involved in the ballistic missile program, including the banks that support these companies. The Senate bill imposes mandatory sanctions on entities supporting Iran's ballistic missile program, applies terrorism sanctions to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and includes measures to enforce the arms embargo.
-- Associated Press
March 19, 2017
South Africa has applied to the U.N. Security Council to sell the Umkhonto surface-to-air missile system to Iran. The high velocity missile is capable of taking out both airborne and stationary targets and was designed to carry a 23 kg warhead. It was developed for the South African Navy's Meko A200 class frigate. The application for the sale follows a memorandum of understanding on the expansion of defense cooperation signed on December 13, 2016 between the defense ministers of South Africa and Iran.
-- Tasnim News Agency