Iran's rhetoric softens as it balances retaliation for Hamas leader
Ali-Mohammad Naini, the spokesperson for the IRGC, tempered Iran’s rhetoric on Tuesday, adopting a more measured tone regarding sharp revenge for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh.
Ali-Mohammad Naini, the spokesperson for the IRGC, tempered Iran’s rhetoric on Tuesday, adopting a more measured tone regarding sharp revenge for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in Haniyeh's assassination in the Iranian capital on July 31, which further escalating the already tense relations between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
Naini remarked, "Time is on our side, and the waiting period for this response may be prolonged." This shift suggests a strategic withdrawal from Tehran’s earlier threats of immediate and severe retaliation against Israel, as Tehran reportedly delays its strike to avoid disrupting ongoing ceasefire talks aimed at ending the Gaza conflict.
Despite the apparent de-escalation, Naini insisted that "the enemy should expect calculated and precise strikes at the right time," and added that Iran's response might not mirror its past operations.
Naini further claimed that Israel failed to achieve its objectives with the assassination of Haniyeh, arguing that the "Resistance Front" has only grown stronger. He emphasized Iran's resolve to respond to what he described as “the Zionist regime's aggressions,” warning that “those in the occupied territories” are now suffering the consequences of Netanyahu's actions.
Jason Brodsky, the policy director for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), noted that Naini's remarks about "a long wait" for Israel are rooted in his role as one of the IRGC's top "experts" in psychological warfare and soft war.
He referred to an article by New Lines Magazine in which two Iran experts Saeed Golkar and Kasra Aarabi say Naini’s appointment was made by the Supreme Leader’s representative to the IRGC, Abdollah Haji Sadeghi, rather than by the commander-in-chief, Hossein Salami. The importance of this change is highlighted by the fact that Naini's predecessor, Ramazan Sharif, held the role for more than 18 years.
“An assessment of Naini’s expertise and experience in the context of the responsibilities of his role as deputy for public relations reveals a lot about the future trajectory of the IRGC. His appointment is a clear indication that the supreme leader’s office is preparing to step up the IRGC’s psychological warfare operations and intends to better coordinate control over its propaganda, communications and PR operations,” reads their article.
“The appointment of Naini reveals the direction of travel for the IRGC. The speed with which Naini asserted himself to limit the damage to the IRGC following reports that foreign infiltration was responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination gives an indication of the aggressive approach to propaganda and cognitive war the IRGC will take under his tenure.”
Naeini’s comments come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran and its allies of severe consequences should they choose to attack.
At the start of a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu issued a warning to Iran and Hezbollah, emphasizing Israel's preparedness to defend itself against any threats from these adversaries.
"We are determined to defend ourselves, and we are also determined to extract a very heavy price from any enemy that dares to attack us, from any theater," Netanyahu underlined.
Netanyahu also reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to its security principles, insisting they would remain non-negotiable despite the complexities of the peace talks.
Israel remains engaged in indirect negotiations with Hamas, with mediation efforts led by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt. The talks, held in Doha over the past week, aim to secure the release of Israeli hostages captured by Hamas during the October 7 attacks, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,100 Israelis. Despite these efforts, substantial disagreements persist between the two sides.
In an interview with Iran International, Neda Mihandoust revealed that intelligence agents pressured her brother Navid to contact Alinejad under the pretense of making a new documentary about women. When Navid refused, the state retaliated by re-arresting him in August 2023, placing him in Evin Prison to serve a three-year sentence.
First arrested in December 2019, Navid was taken to Evin Prison’s notorious ward 209, run by the Ministry of Intelligence, on charges related to a 2009 documentary about Alinejad. After two months of interrogation, he was released on bail in February 2020. The presiding Judge of Branch 28 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, Mohammad Reza Amouzad, notorious for issuing long and harsh sentences, and sanctioned by the UK and Canada for being involved in serious human rights violations, sentenced him to three years in prison.
Neda told Iran International that after Navid was released on bail, intelligence agents repeatedly pressured him to cooperate by reaching out to Alinejad.
“The interrogator told my brother that if he complied, they could halt the execution of Navid's sentence…every few weeks, he kept contacting Navid and asking him for an answer…The interrogator was asking him to call Masih,” Neda said.
This pressure coincided with a broader plot by Iranian intelligence to kidnap Alinejad and lure her back to Iran, where she could face the same fate as Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam, who was executed in Iran after being abducted.
“The incident coincided exactly with the disclosure of the Islamic Republic's plan to kidnap Masih Alinejad, which was stopped by the FBI,” Neda added.
US Justice Department announced in July 2021 that the FBI had foiled an attempt by Iranian intelligence agents to abduct Alinejad, luring her back to Iran in a plot that had been in the works since at least June 2020. Four Iranian nationals were indicted for their involvement in the plot.
Alinejad, speaking to Iran International, expressed deep concern over these developments, stating, "I am gravely concerned to learn that Iran’s security apparatus has attempted to coerce an innocent filmmaker into leveraging his connection with me in an effort to cause harm. This disturbing incident highlights the ongoing misuse of Iran’s judiciary by security forces to fabricate charges against innocent citizens, compelling them to collaborate with the regime or serve as instruments in their nefarious objectives."
She added, "These actions provide further evidence that Iran’s judiciary functions not as a genuine system of justice, but as a mere tool in the hands of the security apparatus."
Navid’s refusal to cooperate with the authorities led to multiple warnings and pressure tactics, including the freezing of his bank accounts, and his eventual re-arrest in August 2023. "They warned him that if he didn’t turn himself in, they would take action against his bail. Eventually, after the third warning, they closed his bank accounts to put pressure on him," Neda said.
While on bail, despite a ban on making films and the pressures from Iran’s intelligence agents, Navid turned his experiences into a source of inspiration, directing the underground film Café. The film, starring Setareh Maleki is currently being screened at the Incríveis Film Festival in São Paulo.
Speaking to Iran International, Maleki, who herself was forced to flee Iran following her appearance without the mandated hijab in another underground film commented on Navid’s courage despite state pressures: "Navid truly stood by his principles and refused to cooperate with them to avoid prison. While awaiting his sentence, he made this film underground and without a permit."
The film tells the story of Sohrab, a once-prominent director who, after being banned from filmmaking, spends his days in a cafe.
Maleki also noted that the character Sohrab is deeply reflective of Navid himself. "When I read the script, I asked Navid if the character Sohrab was him. He laughed and said, ‘No, it’s not me.’ But after his sentence came and I learned more of his story, I realized it was him. He created the character of Sohrab so that even behind bars, he could still breathe on the cinema screen."
Although there has been no update on Navid’s case, even behind bars, he continues to resist.
“On August 20, 2024, it will be exactly one year since Navid was imprisoned in Evin. Initially held in Ward 4, he was placed in solitary confinement for three days after sharing the story of a fellow prisoner who died due to delayed medical attention. During that time, he went on a hunger strike to protest his confinement. Afterward, he was moved to Ward 8,” Neda explained.
Asked if Neda herself has faced any threats by the Iranian authorities while advocating for Navid's release outside of Iran, Neda said:
"Navid's interrogator told him that we have a charge against your sister, and when my brother asked him the reason, he said we can explain it to her when she comes to Iran."
As Navid serves his sentence, his story highlights the ongoing struggle for artistic freedom and the Islamic Republic’s pattern of transnational repression, using intimidation and punishment to silence critics both within Iran and beyond its borders.