Brief Notes

Trump Says No Sanctions Relief: President Donald Trump today mocked Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei for his proclamation of “victory,” with Trump claiming he prevented Israeli and American armed forces from killing the Ayatollah, and adding that after hearing Khamenei’s boastfulness, he would be rescinding his earlier decision to offer Tehran sanctions relief. Trump further said he may decide to strike Islamic Republic targets again if this rhetoric continues. Trump had earlier claimed that Tehran was seeking to resume negotiations with Washington, while reasserting that the U.S. airstrikes “obliterated” the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Funeral Procession to Shut Down Tehran Tomorrow: The Supreme Leader-controlled Islamic Propagation Organization will hold a funeral procession for 60 individuals killed during the 12-day conflict in Tehran tomorrow. The capital will be shut down for the ceremony, which will end with burials of the individuals, who include a mix of IRGC commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Considering recent Islamic Republic state messaging trends, the ceremony is expected to resemble the funeral procession of slain Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani in 2020, which was framed as a rally around the flag effect in action by the regime’s state media and by some undiscerning foreign observers. U.S. Provided Israel With Aerial Support: It has been revealed that several American refueling aircraft were deployed during Operation Rising Lion to assist the Israeli Air Force with mid-air refueling operations, enabling hundreds of fighter jet missions. Azerbaijan Denies Involvement in Israeli Strikes: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has rejected as “complete nonsense” allegations of Israel using his country’s airspace to strike targets in Iran. President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday called for a probe into the allegations. Russia Using AI-Enhanced Shahed Drones: Ukraine’s military has published technical data on a newly modified Shahed-136 (Geran-2) drone, downed in the Sumy Region in June. The modified drone features artificial intelligence hardware and appears to be a joint product of the Islamic Republic and Russia. Tehran Accelerates Deportation of Afghan Migrants: More than 60,000 Afghans were repatriated in just two days following the start of the conflict with Israel. The Islamic Republic authorities have ordered the expulsion of all undocumented Afghans, with Tehran’s provincial governor saying the deportation rate has tripled compared to previous months. The UN and the Taliban have warned of a “deepening humanitarian crisis” and called for gradual repatriation.

IAEA Debacle Continues

Tensions between the IAEA and the Islamic Republic are soaring. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi last night said that Tehran currently has no intention of receiving IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. He accused Grossi of being partially responsible for the recent conflict with Israel, because of an IAEA report that led to a rare reprimand from the IAEA Board of Governors, which declared Tehran in breach of its safeguard commitments. Former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif today accused Grossi of publishing a “baseless report that contributed to the massacre of innocent people. He is now publishing reckless fantasies about [Tehran] hiding highly enriched uranium in world heritage sites in Isfahan, paving the way for another crime. The Agency must rid itself of this disgrace.” After the Majles (parliament) passed a law calling for a halt to collaboration with the IAEA this week, the Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the UN nuclear watchdog, which refrained from announcing an end to cooperation with the agency or an exit from the NPT. The letter was a complaint regarding the U.S. justification for its attacks on the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites.

Tehran Tightening Security

The IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) today released a statement urging citizens to report “suspicious movements” to authorities to help security forces arrest and “defeat the enemy.” The Cyber Police (FATA) issued a warning to the public against using “unknown apps with illicit access, as they may leak sensitive data to hostile states.” Meanwhile, the Pezeshkian administration announced today that the special powers invested in provincial governors during the conflict will remain for the time being. During the 12-day conflict, the admin elevated governors’ authority to the ministerial level in their respective provinces. The measure is designed to allow provinces to operate independently of the capital in case communications are disrupted. The Organization of Religious Associations and Groups has ordered nationwide congregations to tighten security for Muharram mourning ceremonies (June 27–July 25), which mark the death of the third Shia Imam, Hossein. The directive instructs organizers to conduct body searches, use X-ray scanners and mobile signal jammers, and select service staff preferably from current or retired members of the armed forces.

Harassment of Religious Minorities Surging

Human rights groups are reporting an intensified crackdown on Iranian civilians by the Islamic Republic following the ceasefire with Israel. State media says at least 700 people have been arrested over “espionage” charges. An intensified pattern of arrests and harassment targeting religious minorities is emerging. Over the past three days, IRGC forces raided the homes of five Baha’is, seized their personal belongings, and arrested three individuals. Despite regime claims that internet restrictions have been lifted, state-imposed disruptions continue. Certain Pezeshkian administration officials say the Khamenei-controlled Supreme Council of Cyberspace has arbitrarily throttled access, cutting bandwidth by 50% even after the ceasefire. Internal factions within the regime are now blaming each other for the ongoing limitations. Security forces have arrested at least 35 Jewish Iranian citizens, interrogating them about “contacts with relatives in Israel,” and warning them against “any online or phone contact with people outside Iran,” rights group HRANA reported. The security forces arrested four individuals in Astara on charges of “propaganda against the state.” IRGC forces shot and killed Azad Ranaei, a resident of Sanandaj, at a checkpoint. The regime has not published any explanation so far. Toomaj Salehi, a rapper and activist, has been summoned to court and will stand trial on charges of “inciting people to violence, propaganda against the regime, and insulting religious sanctities.” The Supreme Court has finalized Abbas Dris’s 10-year prison sentence for an alleged murder during the 2019 protests and rejected his retrial request for a separate moharebeh death sentence. Dris was arrested with his brother in December 2019 by the IRGC intelligence forces. IRGC intelligence forces arrested Jalal Khodamoradi, a civil and environmental activist from Sanandaj, and took him to an undisclosed location. His charges remain unclear. → For inquiries or more information, please contact k.isfahani@nufdiran.org