Healthcare workers strike, Khamenei-approved cabinet—and more
The Iranist for the week of August 23, 2024
NOTE: I’m testing which day of the week to send the newsletter (standby for a poll)
۱/1 Pezeshkian’s cabinet approved with Khamenei’s blessing
On August 21, the hardline-dominated parliament approved all of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s picks for his cabinet. The new nineteen-member cross-factional cabinet ran contrary to his promise of a “national unity” government that would be more inclusive of ethnic and religious minorities, women, and youth. The average age is sixty, with only two nominees under fifty, and includes just one woman. It was the first time all officials were approved since 2001, demonstrating the picks were palatable to the upper echelons of the clerical establishment (AP).
During a speech in parliament, the new president said, “You know we didn’t choose these ministers without co-ordination” of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “I had certain ideals, but I compromised because unity is more important to me than those ideals. When we stand together, we’re stronger than when we’re powerful but divided.” (Financial Times) Pezeshkian also confirmed that the security apparatus, including the intelligence ministry and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), “were fully consulted, and only after securing their agreement was the final list presented.” (IranWire)
Sources told Amwaj.media that hardliner Ali Akbar Ahmadian will continue his role as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) per Khamenei’s request. The SNSC is an influential body headed by the president where key foreign policy and national security decisions are made.
Meanwhile, Pezeshkian’s pick for foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said that his priority would be the removal of sanctions (PressTV). Many analysts believe the choice of Araghchi, the former chief nuclear negotiator during the Hassan Rouhani presidency, is because Tehran wants to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Here are some of the names that stand out from the new cabinet:
Foreign Minister: Abbas Araghchi, deputy foreign minister during Hassan Rouhani presidency and former chief nuclear negotiator
Defense Minister: Aziz Nasirzadeh, currently deputy chief of the Armed Forces General Staff
Intelligence Minister: Esmail Khatib, maintaining same role since Ebrahim Raisi presidency, sanctioned by the US (known for his brutal crackdown on Women, Life, Freedom uprising)*
Interior Minister: Eskandar Momeni, IRGC commander and former deputy chief of the Law Enforcement Forces*
Justice Minister: Amin-Hossein Rahimi, maintaining same role since Ebrahim Raisi presidency
Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister: Abbas Salehi, same role during Hassan Rouhani presidency
Economic Affairs and Finance Minister: Abdolnaser Hemmati, former head of Iran’s Central Bank and a 2021 presidential candidate
*Khatib and Momeni are considered the most controversial of the picks.
۲/2 US blames Iran for attempted hacks of Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns
Separately, Artificial intelligence company OpenAI blocked the accounts of Iranian groups using its ChatGPT chatbot to generate content aimed at polarizing American voters in the upcoming US presidential election (Reuters).
READ: The Iranians who hacked Trump’s campaign have deep expertise (Reuters)
۳/3 Human Rights Watch: 87+ executed since the presidential elections in June
With the disturbing rise of executions, there’s now fear about the fates of women’s rights activists imprisoned in Iran (The Guardian).
۴/4 Iran signals retaliation may not be imminent
۵/5 Nurses and medical staff strike across Iran
Since August 5, nurses and medical staff have staged a strike across seven provinces, including Alborz, East Azerbaijan, Fars, Isfahan, and Tehran. Protesters demand a wage increase, better working conditions, elimination of mandatory overtime, and respect (Iran International). Nurses in Iran reportedly earn $200 to $250 monthly, well below the poverty line.
The strike has affected some fifty hospitals and medical centers and was prompted by the death of Parvaneh Mandani, a 32-year-old nurse who died from overworking, a condition known as Karoshi syndrome. There have also been several suicides of healthcare workers that have made domestic headlines. With dire working conditions at home, doctors and nurses increasingly emigrate for better opportunities abroad. According to Fereydoun Moradi, a member of the Supreme Nursing Council, 150 to 200 nurses leave Iran each month (Iran International). “One by one, nurses are learning German so that they can leave the country,” said Jafarian, noting that a German language certificate is sometimes all that is needed to emigrate (IranWire).
As the protests gained momentum, other groups, including student and teacher associations, are throwing their support (Iran International). On August 19, the Union of Truck Owners and Drivers also backed the nurse protests, noting in a statement:
“We warn that if the just demands of the nurses are not met, we, the truck drivers and drivers nationwide, will strike and protest in their support.” (Iran International)
On August 21, several nurses were arrested in Tehran, likely for partaking in the strikes (IranWire).
۶/6 Qatar’s prime minister to visit Tehran in coming days
۷/7 The dubber who immortalized Alain Delon in Iran
OTHER اخبار/NEWS THAT MADE HEADLINES:
Human rights
۰ Iran executes four Baluch and Afghan prisoners (IranWire)
۰ Death row political prisoner faces fresh charges (IranWire)
۰ 89 Iranians charged five years after 2019 protests (IranWire)
۰ Court sentences three Baha’i citizens to prison (IranWire)
۰ Iran arrests teacher union activist on unknown charges (IranWire)
۰ Activist gets reduced one-year sentence after legal battle (IranWire)
۰ Human rights lawyer summoned to prison amid heart problems (CHRI)
۰ Police admit shooting woman after 3 weeks, but blame victim (IranWire)
۰ At least 34 political prisoners denied access to medical care in recent weeks (CHRI)
۰ No medical care in prison, reveals jailed women’s rights activist (IranWire)
۰ Iran intensifies pressure on donors aiding families of crackdown victims (IranWire)
۰ 40+ rights groups call for independent investigation into violence against women political prisoners (CHRI)
۰ Global coalition demands immediate release of lawyer, end to repression of rights defenders (CHRI)
Domestic issues
۰ Iran’s military denies safety breach was partial cause of chopper crash that killed president (Radio Farda)
۰ Border forces again shoot two kolbars (IranWire)
Foreign policy + security
۰ Iran shuts down the last language institute recognized by the German Embassy (AP)
۰ Intelligence minister claims Iran has identified ‘Mossad spies in 28 countries’ (Jerusalem Post)
۰ Iran seeks China’s help with surveillance satellites, officials say (Washington Post)
Iran deal + sanctions
۰ Iran’s scientific modeling likely influenced US assessment of Tehran’s nuclear program (VOA)
۰ Iranians struggle to access crucial medicines as sanctions hit supplies (Financial Times)
۰ Israel wants to trap Iran’s ‘Ghost Fleet,’ the oil tankers financing its axis under the radar (Haaretz)
۰ US imposes sanctions targeting Houthi, Hezbollah trade (Reuters)
Economy
۰ Why Iran is liberalizing second-hand car imports (Amwaj.media)