A state-run website, Rouydad24, has accused Shamkhani of exploiting international sanctions for personal gain through his children’s companies, which allegedly reaped significant profits by circumventing these sanctions.
The detailed exposé published on May 30 by Rouydad24 accuses Shamkhani of having vested interests in maintaining the sanctions, revealing a complex web of financial motivations intertwined with Iran’s nuclear negotiations. The article, titled “One More Day of Sanctions is a Blessing,” asserts that Shamkhani’s opposition to reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was driven by these interests. During the final months of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, efforts to restore the JCPOA were reportedly hindered by Shamkhani’s interference.
Rouhani’s administration, in late 2020, was on the verge of seizing what it saw as a last opportunity to revive the JCPOA. A draft agreement dubbed the “Araqchi Draft” after senior official Abbas Araqchi, was prepared but never signed. According to former Rouhani aide Mahmoud Vaezi, Shamkhani was a pivotal figure in obstructing the deal, leveraging his position to stall progress. Vaezi further disclosed that Rouhani had attempted to remove Shamkhani six times, but each effort failed due to the necessity of agreement from both the President and the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
#Iran: Why Was SNSC Chief Ali Shamkhani Replaced With Ali Akbar Ahmadian? https://t.co/pVqGGXrwbq
— Ali Safavi (@amsafavi) May 27, 2023
Shamkhani’s opposition to the JCPOA dates back to at least 2018. In a public interview with NBC, he criticized the 2015 nuclear agreement, aligning himself with factions that viewed the deal as a strategic blunder. He stated, “There were those who thought signing the 2015 nuclear agreement was a mistake,” and when asked if he shared this sentiment, he affirmed, “Yes, I only follow the views of my nation, that is, the Iranian people.”
Rouydad24’s article also touches on Vaezi’s revelations about Shamkhani’s potential resignation following the 2020 Ukrainian plane downing incident. At that time, the Entekhab website reported that Shamkhani was set to resign, but Shamkhani dismissed these reports, accusing the site of fabricating lies and acting on dubious recommendations. These allegations add to the already tense political climate in Iran, marked by internal power struggles and factional disputes.
#Iran News:
Internal Strife Heightens as #Iranian Regime Arrests Nephew of Former Official on Corruption Chargeshttps://t.co/OqRTlT0bFN— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 29, 2024
Despite Supreme Leader Khamenei’s calls for unity and avoidance of conflict, these public disclosures of corruption and infighting have heightened societal discontent. As the elections draw nearer, the nation watches closely, grappling with a sense of outrage and disillusionment amidst the continuous power struggles and revelations of high-level corruption.
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