Iran Digest Week of March 8th-March 14th
/AIC’s Iran digest project covers the latest developments and news stories published in Iranian and international media outlets. This weekly digest is compiled by associate Samuel Howell. Please note that the news and views expressed in the articles below do not necessarily reflect those of AIC.
US-Iran Relations
Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and issues new warning
President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on the Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. The Houthis said at least 18 civilians were killed.
“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”
(AP News)
US imposes sanctions on Iranian oil minister, shadow fleet
The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and some Hong Kong-flagged vessels that are part of a shadow fleet that helps disguise Iranian oil shipments, the Treasury Department said.
President Donald Trump re-imposed a “maximum pressure" policy on Iran in February that includes efforts to drive its oil exports to zero in order to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and funding militant groups.
Paknejad "oversees the export of tens of billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and has allocated billions of dollars’ worth of oil to Iran’s armed forces for export," Treasury said in a statement.
(Reuters)
Nuclear Program
Iran very close to acquiring nuclear weapons, UN watchdog warns
The Islamic Republic is very close to developing a nuclear weapon, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog warned on Saturday, as the world awaits Tehran's response to Donald Trump's offer of either nuclear talks or the possibility of airstrikes on its atomic sites.
"Iran has an extremely ambitious and extensive nuclear program, under which it is enriching uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels," Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
Speaking in an interview with Argentine online newspaper Infobae, Grossi said Iran’s nuclear situation is relatively contained right now.
Women of Iran
Iran using drones and apps to enforce women's dress code
Iran is using drones and intrusive digital technology to crush dissent, especially among women who refuse to obey the Islamic republic's strict dress code, the United Nations has said.
Investigators say Iranian security officials are using a strategy of "state-sponsored vigilantism" to encourage people to use specialist phone apps to report women for alleged dress code violations in private vehicles such as taxis and ambulances.
Their new report also highlights the increasing use of drones and security cameras to monitor hijab compliance in Tehran and in southern Iran.
(BBC)
Economy
Despite tough talk, economic woes may force Iran to bargain with Trump
For Iran's clerical leaders, engaging with the "Great Satan" to hammer out a nuclear deal and ease crippling sanctions may for once be the lesser of two evils.
Though it harbours deep mistrust of the United States, and President Donald Trump in particular, Tehran is increasingly concerned that mounting public anger over economic hardships could erupt into mass protests, four Iranian officials said.
That's why, despite the unyielding stance and defiant rhetoric of Iran's clerical leaders in public, there is a pragmatic willingness within Tehran's corridors of power to strike a deal with Washington, the people said.
(Reuters)
Inside Iran
Iran unveils national AI platform prototype
Iran has unveiled a prototype of its national artificial intelligence (AI) platform, developed in collaboration with Sharif University of Technology.
The platform, designed to operate on domestic languages and remain functional even with internet disruptions, is slated for full release by March 2026, according to the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.
"This platform is a living entity and must be constantly updated," said Vice-President Hossein Afshin, during the unveiling ceremony.
Global Relations
Iran, Russia, China conduct joint naval drills in Gulf of Oman
Iran, Russia and China have begun joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, marking the fifth year the three countries have conducted military drills together.
China’s CGTN news said that the Marine Security Belt 2025 exercises began near the Iranian port of Chabahar on Tuesday and were aimed at strengthening “cooperation among the naval forces of the participating countries”.
The naval drills will involve “striking maritime targets, damage control, and joint search and rescue operations”, according to CGTN.
Russia, China call on US to drop Iran sanctions, restart nuclear talks
Representatives of Iran, Russia and China have urged United States President Donald Trump’s administration to end sanctions imposed against Tehran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme, while calling for the resumption of the multilateral talks on the issue.
The three nations “emphasised the necessity of terminating all unlawful unilateral sanctions”, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu read from a joint statement issued on Friday. He was flanked by his counterparts from Russia, Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich, and Iran, Kazem Gharibabadi.
“The relevant parties should work to eliminate the root causes of the current situation and abandon sanctions, pressure and threats of the use of force,” Ma said.
An Emirati diplomat identified as having a letter from Trump meets with Iran’s foreign minister
An Emirati diplomat earlier identified by Tehran as carrying a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump seeking to jump-start talks over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program met Wednesday with Iran’s foreign minister in the Iranian capital.
It is unclear how Iran will react to the letter, which Trump revealed during a television interview last week. Its intended recipient, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said he’s not interested in talks with a “bullying government.”
But Iran struggles with economic woes exacerbated by U.S. and Western sanctions over its nuclear program, and Trump has imposed more since he took office in January. That pressure, coupled with internal turmoil in Iran and recent direct attacks by Israel, has put Tehran in one of the most precarious positions its theocracy has faced since its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Analysis
Russia may prove to be a spoiler in US-Irannuclear mediation
By:Sam Shahravi
As geopolitical priorities are scrambled and reordered worldwide in the early days of the Trump administration, a new role in mediating the US-Iran nuclear standoff may be set to give Russia a strong new card in the Middle East.
Bruised by its falling out with Europe and feeling encircled by US-led sanctions, Moscow is likely to act as a spoiler, neither allowing its Mideast ally to be decisively weakened nor fully insulated from Western demands over its nuclear program.
Russia said this week that it seeks an agreement along the lines of an international nuclear deal in 2015 it signed onto along with the United States, signaling it might join the effort to press Tehran on its escalating nuclear enrichment.
