Will the Islamic Republic ever get a female president?
Iran s social media was buzzing in January when, Faezeh Hashemi, daughter of Iran’s former President Rafsanjani gave a controversial interview, striking a chord with many Iranians. Questioning the merits of Tehran’s regional policy of resistance pursued by the late General Soleimani, Hashemi went on to assert that it will take sustained pressure to change the Islamic Republic’s policies. By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Back in early January, remarks made by Faezeh Hashemi, former MP (1996–2000) and daughter of the late President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, in a wide-ranging video interview created an uproar in Iran.
Fatemiyoun: Iran s Good Taliban
Iran is a significant player in Afghan internal affairs, presenting a sustained and long-term threat to its national security. The ability of Afghan institutions to identify and counter these threats needs to be improved. In particular, Afghan agencies need to significantly improve their strategic information capabilities. The Afghan National Security and Defence Forces (ANDSF) should continue to learn about Iranian operational and strategic objectives implemented through proxy groups such as the Fatemiyoun Brigade.
What is the Fatemiyoun?
The Fatemiyoun Division, also known as the Fatemiyoun Brigade, or Liwa-e-Fatemiyoun, is an Iran-backed Afghan shi’a militia group that has been active in Syria since 2013/14. The Fatemiyoun Division is primarily composed of second-generation Afghan refugees living in Iran. An estimated 20,000-strong force at the peak of the Syrian conflict, the Fatemiyoun had an estimated 50,000 members in total across the
President Joe Biden’s Iran policy was conceived and is being implemented by the same people who negotiated the JCPOA under Obama, who argued in favor of empowering Iran.
Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). is a key supporter and sponsor of the Houthis, and has been stepping up its weapons supply to Yemen.. Saudi Arabia, Iran s rival, has been the main target of Iran s supply of weapons to the Houthis.
After the attack on Saudi Arabia s oil installations, Iran s major state-owned newspaper,
Kayhan, whose editor is a close adviser of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and was appointed by him, had a front-page headline saying: The Houthis fired a missile into Riyadh. Dubai is next.
The Houthis, already in 2019, fired a missile at an Abu Dhabi nuclear facility an act most likely meant to create mass civilian casualties. Thankfully, the missile fell short.