Brief Notes

Iran–Iraq War Veterans Support the Crown Prince: On the anniversary of the Iran–Iraq War, a group of the war’s veterans, their families, and the loved ones of those killed in action issued a letter backing Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as “the only alternative to lead a governmental transition.” Some signees of the letter urged those currently serving in the armed forces to defend the Iranian people rather than the regime, when national protests next arise. Tehran Cracks Down on Unlicensed Drones: The Iran Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) announced today that its website for registering and licensing civilian drones has officially gone live. Under new regulations, the operation of any non-military drone without a registration plate is deemed illegal. The move comes as security forces have cracked down on micro-drone smuggling in the wake of the 12-Day War, during which Israeli agents reportedly used smuggled drones to target the Islamic Republic. Baghdad Security Advisor Pledges to Prevent Israeli Strikes From Iraqi Airspace: Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji today pledged that Baghdad will prevent any future Israeli violations of its airspace in order to hit targets in Iran. Al-Araji made the remarks during a meeting in Baghdad with the head of the Intelligence Unit of the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces General Staff, Brig. Gen. Majid Mirahmadi.

Tehran’s Snapback Pouting

In a televised interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that diplomacy is the only viable path to resolving tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. He said, “The U.S. attacked our nuclear sites. Our enrichment facilities were destroyed and severely damaged. But the military option has not resolved the problem. The technology remains…We have always been prepared for a diplomatic solution.” Araghchi also met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York. In the meeting, he described U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities as “a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, as well as a betrayal of diplomacy. There is an imminent need to hold the aggressors accountable.” Before leaving New York, he told reporters, “Excessive U.S. demands and European alignment had blocked a compromise to avert the sanctions snapback.” He added, “No agreement that does not safeguard Iran's interests will be acceptable,” although “well-considered” proposals would be taken to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). However, he concluded, “negotiations with Americans are a dead end.” Additionally, speaking after a closed-door meeting with SNSC Secretary Ali Larijani today, Majles (Parliament) National Security Committee Spokesperson Ebrahim Rezai said, “The need to confront Western dishonesty in the nuclear file was a central theme” of discussions between Larijani and MPs. He continued that the discussion reflected MPs’ growing frustrations with “unproductive negotiations.” State media outlets presented a united front in calling for “national unity” and praising President Masoud Pezeshkian. At the same time, some officials and prominent online commentators are arguing that former president Hassan Rouhani’s (2013–2021) decision to sign the JCPOA was a mistake and suggested that, despite his electoral victory, Pezeshkian is losing the power struggle to his more hardline rivals.

On the Radar

Members of Congress have introduced the bipartisan Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization (SEIZE Act) to “treat as stocks of the United States any weapon or materiel seized by the United States while in transit from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Houthis in the Republic of Yemen,” particularly in order to quickly transfer said equipment to U.S. partners. The bill was introduced by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Jefferson Shreve (IN-6), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), and Rich McCormick (GA-7) in the House, and Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in the Senate.
Today, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Abdolrahim Mousavi traveled to Hormozgan Province to review the offensive and defensive capabilities of both the Artesh (conventional) Navy and the IRGC Navy. During the visit, he praised what he called the IRGC Navy’s “extraordinary preparedness for a possible future conflict.”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has appointed Mehdi Sobhani, former ambassador to Armenia, as the new Deputy Foreign Minister for Administrative and Financial Affairs.
The Islamic Republic’s state TV on September 24 broadcast a documentary claiming to expose confidential documents related to Israel’s nuclear program. However, much of the information presented as new is readily available online.