Brief Notes

IRGC Quds Force Chief Traveled to Lebanon on Day of 10/7 Attacks: In an interview with IRGC-linked Tasnim News, the commander of the Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, confirmed that he was in Lebanon on the day of the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, and met with Hezbollah’s then-leader Hassan Nasrollah immediately following the launch of the attack. State Broadcaster Espouses Manchester Attack Conspiracies: State outlet IRNA published an article falsely insinuating that yesterday’s Yom Kippur terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester was orchestrated, or its coverage amplified, in order to redirect global direction away from Israel’s “piracy” of the Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla. The piece, in part, read: “This synchronization has raised serious questions at the level of analysts and human rights activists. Some believe that even if the Manchester incident is completely independent of the developments in the Middle East, its highlighting in the Western media has directly diverted the view of the Israeli regime’s action…” Unclear Status of Frozen Regime Assets in Turkey: The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has denied reports that its assets in Turkey were frozen following the reinstatement of UN sanctions. AEOI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said no such measures had been taken, stressing that “investigations confirmed there had been no seizure of the organization’s property or accounts in Turkey.” His remarks came after a decree signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published in the Official Gazette, confirmed Ankara’s enforcement of UN sanctions against Tehran. The development came after Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh visited Ankara, where he and his Turkish counterpart spoke of shared interests and warned against “enemies” attempting to “exaggerate differences between the two countries.”

Moscow–Tehran Treaty Goes Into Effect

Yesterday, the Foreign Ministry announced that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between the Islamic Republic and Russia has officially come into effect. Signed by Presidents Masoud Pezeshkian and Vladimir Putin on January 17, 2025, the Foreign Ministry described the accord as “a turning point” in the two nations’ relationship. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the treaty has gone into effect, stating, “This marks a major stage in the history of interstate relations between Russia and Iran, which have entered a fundamentally new stage of comprehensive strategic partnership…It stipulates tighter interaction on the international stage in conditions of the emerging multipolar world…as well as countering common threats and challenges.” Following the expansion of Tehran–Moscow relations, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov in Moscow. During the meeting, Ryabkov dismissed the “credibility” of the E3’s attempt to reinstate sanctions against Tehran, stating, “The Russian Federation has repeatedly expressed its clear and explicit stance on this illegal process through statements from the Foreign Ministry and remarks by diplomatic officials. This Western move shows they do not care about the content of UN Security Council resolutions and treat them selectively and instrumentally.”

On the Radar

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld a government decision to bar a former executive in the Islamic Republic’s state oil company from entering Canada on the grounds that his senior role in the Islamic Republic made him inadmissible due to its record of terrorism and rights abuses.
A bus accident in northern Iran has left four people dead and 30 others injured. The crash comes just days after another deadly bus accident in Semnan, which killed two and injured 12 passengers, further fueling public anger.
At least one person was killed and another wounded after gunmen opened fire in the southeastern Iranian town of Qasr-e Qand, Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Local police described the incident as a “blind terrorist act” and said operations to track down the assailants were underway. However, the Baluch outlet Haalvsh reported the victims were plainclothes intelligence officers, citing sources who said the men were shot inside a shop. Witnesses told the group that security forces flooded the area after the attack. The incident comes amid a surge in militant violence in the province.
Tehran Friday Prayer Imam Ahmad Khatami declared today that the Islamic Republic will never accept what he called the United States’ “humiliating” demands to halt nuclear enrichment and restrict its missile program. Speaking live on nationally-broadcast state-run radio, he echoed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s assertion that enrichment is vital for medicine and agriculture, denouncing U.S. conditions as “bullying.” Khatami warned that while Washington seeks to limit the Islamic Republic’s missile capabilities, Tehran is already capable of striking Tel Aviv and Haifa. He also condemned the E3’s move to trigger the snapback of UN sanctions.