Pentagon aide with past Iran ties appointed to less sensitive role

Russia's failure to provide promised S-400 anti-aircraft systems or Su-35 fighters left Iran vulnerable, Ali-Akbar Saadati of the Kar va Kargar daily said, even after Tehran had provided Moscow hundreds of drones for its invasion of Ukraine.

"Whenever they faced difficulties in Ukraine, suffered misfortune, or got stuck in the quagmire of the Ukraine war, they came running to us, asking for drones, missiles, everything," Saadati said. "On the night Israel attacked us, our military’s defense system stood alone, completely alone."

"What is the position of the Pezeshkian admin's foreign ministry regarding this blatant dishonorable behavior by Vladimir Putin, the invading president of Russia?" demanded Saadati, who was dressed in Western attire rare in official Iranian circles.

The line of questioning sparked visible shock from foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, who asked the reporter to show decorum.

“I ask friends to raise questions here and leave the task of issuing political statements to the foreign ministry,” Baghaei replied. “Secondly, I must mention that here is a gathering of educated people, so please follow the usual code of conduct,” he added.

Baghaei said Iran is self-reliant in defense, adding, “One of the proud achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran is its reliance on its own strength, a result of the sacrifices of thousands."

"For the past 45 years, we have been under the most severe economic and arms sanctions, and everything we have accomplished has depended on our own steadfast air defense and armed forces,” he added.

In April, the former head of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, criticized Russian inaction. After an Iranian attack on Israel, Falahatpisheh said that Western powers quickly mobilized to intercept Iran’s more than 350 projectiles, but no support arrived from Russia despite Iran’s provision of drones for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“The developments showed that Iran is alone in the region … other powers did not come to Iran’s aid even in wartime conditions. Russia was not willing to provide Iran with the necessary equipment,” he added.

The words were consistent with Falahatpisheh’s previous criticisms of Russian policies. In January, he accused Moscow of seeking a “partner in crime” for its actions in Ukraine, highlighting that Iran’s provision of drones has not been reciprocated.

Since October 2022, Iran has supplied drones to Russia for use in Ukraine to target infrastructure and civilian areas. After initial denials, Iran eventually acknowledged sending a limited number before the conflict escalated.

Iranian requests for advanced Russian defense systems, such as the S-400, were met with no public response from Moscow.

Despite Russia’s inconsistent support, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has maintained a firm pro-Moscow stance, emphasizing close ties with both Russia and China while warning against any reconciliation with the West.

Sharmahd was abducted by Iranian agents during a visit to the United Arab Emirates in 2020 and forcibly taken to Iran. In February 2023, the Iranian judiciary sentenced him to death on charges of endangering national security.

Sharmahd was convicted of heading a pro-monarchist group named Tondar accused of a deadly bombing incident that occurred in 2008 at a religious center in Shiraz, killing 14 and injuring 215 more. The accusation, repeatedly denied by the political prisoner, was never substantiated by documented evidence.

The US green card holder's execution comes two days after the Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military sites. Iranian officials have accused the US of allowing Israel to use Iraq's airspace to carry out the attack, calling for Washington's accountability as "Israel's accomplice".

Reactions

Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock issued a statement calling the execution a murder.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the murder of Jamshid Sharmahd by the Iranian regime... We made it unequivocally clear to Tehran that the execution of a German citizen would have severe consequences," she posted on X.

Abram Paley, US deputy special envoy for Iran called the execution abhorrent and condemned the country's rising rate of executions.

"Sharmahd should never have been imprisoned in the first place," Paley wrote on X. "His kidnapping and rendition, as well as sham trial and reports of torture, were reprehensible. We...stand with the international community in holding the regime accountable for its horrific abuses."

Iran conducted the most executions of any country in the world after China last year, Amnesty said in a report in May, adding that nearly 75% of all executions worldwide in 2023 outside China were in Iran.

The recent wave of executions brings the total number of hangings in Iran this year to more than 567, including 20 women, according to rights groups.

Earlier this month, HRNA reported that at least 811 people had been executed in Iran between 10 October 2023 and 8 October 2024, coinciding with the annual World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Call for international response

Kambiz Ghafouri, a Finland-based political analyst, believes the international community must take serious action against Tehran to prevent such cases from happening again.

"The Islamic Republic acts like an abusive, alcoholic, and addicted father who, whenever goes out and gets beaten up by someone stronger, returns home to beat up his stepchildren so they don’t become too bold. The Islamic Republic has acted exactly in this way," Ghafouri told Iran International.

"Experience has shown that dealing with a violent, criminal, alcoholic man requires a superior force from outside the family. The international community must severely punish the Islamic Republic; otherwise, we will face more instances like this," he added.

Following Israel's air strike on Iran, many asked if the leadership in Tehran will respond, and if so how?

In the initial hours after Israel’s Saturday attack, supporters of the Islamic establishment attempted to downplay it, presenting it as if there was no need for retaliation. Silence from IRGC commanders and officials only reinforced the perception that no response was planned.

However, Khamenei’s statements on Sunday introduced doubt among supporters. He refrained from clearly stating whether the Islamic Republic would respond, instead passing the decision to the Supreme National Security Council and the government.

This move suggests Khamenei wants to avoid the responsibility of decision-making on this matter, so that any outcome can be attributed to other institutions.

If the Supreme National Security Council decides on a military response, leading to a conflict with Israel and possibly the US, Khamenei can claim it wasn’t his decision. Alternatively, if no response is chosen, he can tell hardliners that he was prepared for conflict, but other officials opposed it.

Despite his usual direct involvement in state matters, this time—though the constitution grants him responsibility for war and peace, Khamenei is acting cautiously, keeping options open for both scenarios. However, the public, familiar with this behavior over the years, recognizes his attempt to avoid accountability.

This is not the first time Khamenei has taken this approach. During the anti-government protests of November 2019, when a fuel price hike sparked widespread unrest, he distanced himself, claiming he had no role in the decision, which he attributed to other leaders.

A similar pattern occurred in 2018, when Donald Trump announced plans to exit the JCPOA. Khamenei stated he had always opposed the agreement as it stood, suggesting officials had disregarded his advice. Yet it’s well-known that the JCPOA would not have been possible without his approval; Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Javad Zarif negotiated with US officials under his directive, and all stages of the negotiation were reported to him. Former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi even revealed that before Rouhani's administration, Khamenei had tasked him with initiating secret talks with the US in Oman.

These examples illustrate Khamenei’s tendency to deflect responsibility during critical moments, delegating difficult decisions to others. Now, confronted with Israel’s recent attacks on Iran’s missile, drone, and air defense facilities—and with the potential for US involvement if reciprocal strikes persist—he is once again refraining from taking a clear stance.

What’s more, he has delegated decision-making to the Supreme National Security Council, all of whose members are his appointees. Thus, the ultimate decision on whether to attack Israel still rests with Khamenei, though he seeks to sidestep direct accountability for potential consequences.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly or parliament and one of Khamenei’s close appointees, has stated that Tehran must respond to Israel. This indicates that if a decision to attack is made, it will likely come from Khamenei and IRGC leaders, and other top insiders, including Ghalibaf.

In this situation, the role of institutions like the government will likely be limited to providing funding and carrying out orders.

This presents a significant challenge, as with an empty treasury, the Islamic Republic faces serious obstacles in funding a potential conflict.

“The deployment of law enforcement and security forces in Pasargadae began on October 26, and fencing and concrete barriers have also been set up on the road leading to the tomb of Cyrus,” wrote Seday-e Miras, connected to the state's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, on Sunday.

According to this report, access restrictions to these two historic sites apply only to Iranian citizens until Thursday, while foreign tourists and tour groups can still visit Pasargadae, the original capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and Persepolis, its ceremonial capital, without restrictions.

The report also states that even Persepolis staff must carry special permits to access the site during these days.

Thousands of Iranians and history enthusiasts gather at Cyrus’ tomb and Persepolis every year on October 28.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the state has increasingly suppressed celebrations of pre-Islamic heritage, viewing them as potential threats to the Islamic state's authority.

For at least a decade, authorities have restricted access to Cyrus’s tomb at Pasargadae, deploying security forces to prevent large gatherings due to concerns that these might escalate into anti-state protests.

In 2016, significant anti-state protests erupted near Cyrus’s tomb, serving as a catalyst that contributed to the broader Iranian protests of 2017–2018.

An anonymous citizen provided Iran International Persian with a video on Sunday, showing blocked road leading to Persepolis.

The Islamic Republic's clampdown has regularly targeted access to Persepolis and other ancient sites on specific dates, including on Nowruz -- the Persian New Year.

Nowruz has roots in ancient Persian and Zoroastrian traditions, predating the advent of Islam by approximately 1,400 to 1,500 years.

“People in Iran are looking for their national identity in a situation where the Islamic Republic is looking to create an umma outside its borders, so commemorating such a day will not be acceptable by the government,” historian and researcher Alireza Manafzadeh told Iran International Persian.

Cyrus II of Persia, known as Cyrus the Great, founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire, recognized as the world’s first superpower due to its vast scale and influence. He unified the ancient Near Eastern states, creating an empire that spanned West and Central Asia—the largest of its time. October 28–31 marks the anniversary of Cyrus’s peaceful entry into Babylon, an event recorded as occurring without conflict according to ancient accounts.

Cyrus the Great Day, though not an official holiday, received informal backing from the Pahlavi dynasty, notably when former king Mohammad Reza Pahlavi restored Cyrus's tomb in 1971 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire.

Although a few government officials and parliamentarians have occasionally expressed support for organizing Cyrus Day ceremonies, the purported effort has faced opposition from the Fars province officials.

On Monday, the daily news outlet Payam-e Ma reported that senior officials in the province are neglecting noticeable ground cracks near Cyrus's tomb while diverting funds to other projects.

Iran’s former Minister of Cultural Heritage, Ezzatollah Zarghami, described the boundaries of historical sites as a significant issue needing resolution.

In late December 2023, he criticized the restrictions by questioning why the residents of Pasargadae cannot build two-story houses or drill wells due to the presence of Cyrus’s tomb and the associated protective regulations. Prior to that, in 2021, Zarghami advocated for amending regulations to ease construction around historical sites, including agricultural wells near Cyrus's tomb.

In recent years, there have been significant concerns regarding the management and protection of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage sites. Reports say that construction activities and insufficient funding for preservation efforts have posed threats to these culturally significant locations.

Speaking at a weekly televised news conference, Baghaei said: "(Iran) will use all available tools to deliver a definite and effective response to the Zionist regime (Israel)".

"The nature of our response will depend on the nature of the attack," he said without elaborating.

Iran previously played down Israel's air attack on Saturday, saying it caused only limited damage, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei not calling for retaliation during his first speech after the attack.

He said on Sunday that Iranian officials should determine how best to demonstrate Iran's power to Israel, adding that the Israeli attack should "neither be downplayed nor exaggerated".

Scores of Israeli jets completed three waves of strikes before dawn on Saturday against missile factories and other sites near Tehran and in western Iran, Israel's military said.

The heavily armed arch-enemies have engaged in a cycle of retaliatory moves against each other for months, with Saturday's strike coming after an Iranian missile barrage on October 1, much of which Israel said was downed by its air defences.

Iran backs Hezbollah, which is engaged in heavy fighting with Israeli forces in Lebanon, and also the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is battling Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Baghaei noted that Iran has supported all international processes against Israel, such as those at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, saying, "We believe these processes should continue without interruption."

Also on Monday, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), Hossein Salami, warned Israel of severe and unimaginable consequences for the attack.

In a message commemorating those killed in the recent attack, Salami said that Israeli attacks were thwarted by the country's air defense systems.

Echoing the words of Khamenei, Salami said that the attack indicated a miscalculation on Israel's part.

The Israeli air force conducted the strikes across various Iranian sites early on Saturday, with Netanyahu explaining that the operation’s purpose was to prevent Iran from advancing missile technology aimed at Israel.

The Israeli military said three waves of Israeli jets struck missile factories and other sites near Tehran and in western Iran early on Saturday in retaliation for Tehran's October 1 barrage of more than 200 ballistic missiles against Israel.

Israeli F-35 fighters entered Iran's airspace for the first time in during the Saturday raids. The New York Times and Axios, citing sources, reported that Israel targeted advanced Russian-made S-300 air defense batteries in Iran. "Four S-300 air defense batteries that were in strategic locations and protected Tehran and nuclear and energy facilities in Iran were also attacked."

Playing down the damage, Iran’s military said the Israeli warplanes used "very light warheads" to strike border radar systems in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan and around Tehran.