A former Iranian MP and commentator Heshmatollah Falhatpisheh has called Iran's latest arms sales to Russia "the dirtiest example of Russophilia" as Iran gets ever closer to its allies in Moscow.
He said Iran's leaders "have turned Iran into a playing card" in the war on Ukraine as Iran already faces global sanctions for providing drones to Russia used in civilian areas of Ukraine.
The outspoken former MP said the latest debacle was part of a "dirty game" as Iran is dragged further into global conflict and sanctions which have led to the country's worst economic crisis since the founding of the Islamic Republic.
"It will continue until the dictator [Putin] leaves the quagmire," he blasted.
The former chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, he is now a faculty member of Allameh Tabatabaei University. He has made no secret of his opposition to the government's policies which continue to lead the country closer to conflict with global powers such as the US.
The latest arms sales to Russia were confirmed by an Iranian lawmaker who denied that the delivery of ballistic missiles would risk heavy implications for Iran, also sanctioned for human rights abuses at home and its nuclear weapons program. Iran's supply of kamikaze drones to Russia since 2022 has already angered Western powers that have imposed sanctions against Iranian entities and individuals.
Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani justified it by saying Iran has to subsequently "barter for our needs, including importing soybeans and wheat. Part of the barter involves sending missiles, and another part involves sending military drones to Russia."
When asked whether sending ballistic missiles to Russia might lead to further sanctions or trigger the so-called "snapback" mechanism against Iran, the member of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee replied, "It can't get any worse than it already is. We give missiles to [our proxies] Hezbollah, Hamas, and Hashd al-Shaabi, so why not to Russia?"
On Sunday, Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, once again denied being an ally to Russia in its war in Ukraine, saying "the Islamic Republic has never been part of the Russia-Ukraine conflict."
He said that "military cooperation between the Islamic Republic and Russia dates back well before the start of the Ukraine war."
According to Gholamhossein Karbaschi, former Tehran mayor and secretary-general of the centrist Executives of Construction Party, hardliners, reformists, and even the current Pezeshkian administration risk losing public trust unless Pezeshkian fulfills key promises. Karbaschi emphasized that Pezeshkian needs to show he is committed to changes in social media and hijab restrictions, and the release of protest leaders, as he has publicly pledged, in order to distinguish his government and gain credibility.
On foreign policy, Karbaschi emphasized that the public desires leaders to avoid creating tensions and to work on reducing existing ones. He stressed that easing relations, even with the United States, should be a fundamental principle of Iran's foreign policy, advocating for a more pragmatic and conciliatory approach to international relations.
Karbaschi also said in his interview with "reformist" Didar News: "If Pezeshkian fails to deliver, all hope will go out the window," Karbaschi warned. He added that in the recent presidential election, people were fed up by ongoing domestic and foreign policy issues, alongside economic crises. Despite their frustration, it was clear they were ready for change. However, due to past restrictions on candidates, many had lost faith in the electoral process. Karbaschi stressed that Pezeshkian must seize this opportunity to enact meaningful reforms to restore public trust.
He pointed out that the crackdown on women defying the hijab, the poisoning of schoolchildren—allegedly orchestrated by hardline elements—along with worsening social issues and increasing economic hardship, have intensified the public’s demand for change. The stalemate in Iran’s foreign relations has further fueled this unrest. Karbaschi added that the public's reluctance to participate in recent elections reflects their disappointment with all political factions, including the "reformists," whose performance has contributed to widespread disillusionment with the political process.
During this week, Pezeshkian has said that he believes solving the country's economic problems needs an "economic surgery." However, some economists have expressed doubts that the idea which is reminiscent of an expression used by former President Ebrahim Raisi could be a prelude to a new round of price rises.
Meanwhile, National Development Fund Chief Mehdi Ghazanfari quoted Pezeshkian as having said that he will not allow the underprivileged to be crushed under the pressure of any economic reforms. He further warned the President that a less painful road to development is feasible only through oil exports, but did not offer any further explanation.
Discussing ways to address Iran's cultural and economic issues, Pezeshkian recently called for encouraging Iranian expatriates to invest in the country. "We should assure Iranians living abroad that they won’t face harm if they return to Iran," he said. However, social media users quickly questioned why this attitude doesn't start with Iranians already living in the country, suggesting that offering better internet access and social media freedoms would be a good first step in improving the domestic situation.
Karbaschi stated that Pezeshkian may not be able to solve all the problems, but he needs to show that he is doing his best. This will also encourage the people to take part in future elections.
When asked about Pezeshkian's chances of success, Karbaschi noted, "I believe he made those promises based on agreements with key individuals. However, if he fails to fulfill them—such as lifting internet filtering—it will damage his credibility, especially since internet access is crucial to many people's livelihoods." Karbaschi added that failing to deliver on these promises would not only harm public trust in the government but also further diminish hope for the future.
French police sources told AFP that Abdelkrim S., 34, and his partner Sabrina B., 33, were detained on May 4, accused of conspiring with a terrorist organization. The pair now sit in pre-trial detention as part of an investigation known as "Marco Polo," a case that underscores the Iranian government’s renewed use of terror tactics on European soil.
According to a report by France’s General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), consulted by AFP, Iran has ramped up its policy of targeted killings since 2015. The DGSI highlighted how the threat has intensified in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Iran is targeting civilians to spread fear among Europe’s Jewish and Israeli communities, while simultaneously intimidating its political opposition abroad.
Tehran is outsourcing its operations to criminal networks, Iranian intelligence agencies having recruited criminals including drug lords to carry out such attacks.
Abdelkrim S., who has a criminal record, was the alleged point-man for an Iranian-sponsored cell. He was previously sentenced to 10 years for a killing in Marseille but was released on probation in July 2023.
French authorities believe he quickly became the linchpin in a terrorist network, tasked with planning violence in both France and Germany. His recruitment by an Iranian-linked drug trafficker in Lyon—who reportedly traveled to Iran in May—underscores Tehran’s use of criminal intermediaries to execute its deadly missions.
Among the cell's plans were attacks on several individuals, including a former employee of an Israeli security firm and three of his colleagues living in the Paris suburbs.
The plot also extended beyond France, with three Israeli-German citizens residing in Munich and Berlin marked as targets. French investigators revealed that despite being on probation, Abdelkrim S. made multiple trips to Germany, including visits to Berlin with his wife, purportedly for "scouting" purposes. He denied the charges, claiming he was merely running errands.
The plot did not end with personal attacks. French authorities have also linked the cell to a scheme to burn down four Israeli-owned businesses in southern France between late December 2023 and early January 2024. Although Abdelkrim S. has rejected the accusations, investigators are confident in his involvement. His defense, that he was only a middleman on the Telegram messaging app for an insurance scam, seems weak in the face of mounting evidence.
The case is far from isolated. As Der Spiegel reported on Thursday, security agencies across Europe have thwarted multiple Iranian-backed terrorist plots this year. Operations have been foiled in multiple European nations including those targeting Jewish and Israeli businesses and communities in Germany and France, in addition to countries such as Sweden and Belgium.
In August, Iran International reported on operations by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia group backed by Iran’s Quds Force, targeting Jewish centers in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Earlier this year, Israeli and Swedish intelligence agencies warned of Tehran's use of criminal networks as terrorist proxies in Europe, highlighting a broader pattern of state-sanctioned violence.
In May, Iran International reported that Israeli and Swedish intelligence agencies had warned about the Islamic Republic's use of criminal networks as terrorist proxies in Europe to carry out a series of attacks on Israeli embassies in Europe.
Last year, the US named Iran as the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism.
In a sermon on Wednesday, hardline cleric Alireza Panahian, who has close ties to Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, called on the Speaker to ensure that Parliament passes a law to prevent state-funded newspapers from “polarizing” Iranian society. He urged that such outlets should be shut down.
Panahian's call was especially striking given that Kayhan is backed by the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The newspaper’s firebrand editor, Hossein Shariatmadari, serves as Khamenei’s representative, making Panahian's criticism notable within hardline circles.
“Polarization is the fight in our own camp in Iran … in the middle of a full-on war with the enemy,” one of Panahian’s supporters tweeted, insisting that he was reiterating Khamenei’s warnings about divisive politics.
The demand to shut down divisive newspapers, along with the context in which it was presented, infuriated ultra-hardliners. It hinted at a potential political alliance among conservatives against them, a scenario previously considered unlikely. Also, the gathering where the sermon was delivered was attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf both of whom had traveled to Mashhad to take part in a religious ceremony.
The new president, advocating for ‘national unity’ as a solution to Iran's challenges, has grown increasingly close to Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf in recent weeks, forming a strategic alliance. Together, they are positioning themselves against ultra-hardliner Saeed Jalili and his supporters in the Paydari Party.
In his sermon a video clip of which has gone viral on social media, Panahian named not only the ultra-hardliner Kayhan, but also Ettela’at and Jomhouri Eslami, two conservative newspapers which are also funded by Khamenei’s office, but unlike Kayhan can even be considered as moderate when it comes to domestic politics.
Of the three newspapers, it was only Kayhan that reacted to Panahian’s sermon. As it was a public holiday, Kayhan protested in a note published on its online portal. Ultra-hardliners also took to social media to defend Kayhan.
Kayhan has for decades been known as a propaganda arm of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei office.
In a note titled "Whose Side Are You Taking, Mr. Panahian," the newspaper accused him of being misled by "certain associates" and repeating "the old demands of the Revolution’s well-known enemies" against Kayhan.”
Kayhan claimed to be “always at the forefront” of ‘Vindication Jihad’ -- to counter criticism and attacks against the Islamic Republic by using “hybrid warfare” as ordered by Khamenei –and compared Panahian’s sermon to “similar propaganda of foreign media against Kayhan.”
"Is defending martyr [Ebrahim] Raisi against the cowardly attacks of so-called reformers considered polarization?" Kayhan asked, while renewing its criticism of Pezeshkian for appointing reformists to his administration. The newspaper emphasized that Khamenei has repeatedly warned, over the past two months, against employing "people of ill-repute" and those "out of touch with the Revolution." Kayhan insisted that Pezeshkian's inclusion of such figures in his government undermines the values of the Islamic Republic.
Mohammad Imani, a Kayhan columnist, took to Telegram separately to defend his newspaper against Panahian whom he said had “shot compatriots instead of the enemy.” He, too, accused Panahian of providing ammunition to the opposition media with his accusations against Kayhan.
Ghalibaf’s adviser, Mohammad-Saeed Ahadian, defended Panahian in a Telegram post, stating that Panahian was merely reiterating Khamenei’s warnings about the dangers of "polarization." Ahadian also criticized Kayhan, accusing it of targeting figures like Ghalibaf who support the Pezeshkian government, rather than challenging Khamenei's positions directly. He argued that opposing the Leader's explicit wishes is "costly," suggesting that Kayhan avoids confronting Khamenei's stance while attacking those aligned with his broader message.
An editorial in the reformist Shargh newspaper on Saturday argued that the attacks on Panahian and Ghalibaf are not about their past or current statements. Instead, it contended that powerful ultra-hardliners are frustrated because they can no longer eliminate their political rivals with the support of "certain centers of political power." These hardliners, now in a weakened position, are struggling to maintain their influence and are reacting angrily to the shifting political landscape.