Tehran Exploits U.S. Unrest

Iranian leaders exploited U.S. unrest over the death of George Floyd—an African American killed in police custody in Minneapolis—to criticize the U.S. government. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the U.S. government of racism against African Americans. “If you're dark-skinned walking in the U.S., you can't be sure you'll be alive in the next few minutes. #ICantBreathe #BlackLivesMatter,” Khamenei tweeted. “Racial discrimination is still a dilemma in a country that claims to support freedom and human rights #Black_Lives_Matter.”

Some of the information in this article was originally published on June 2, 2020.

Iran’s New Parliament Holds First Session

Iran’s new parliament held its opening session on May 27 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers were required to follow health protocols, but many did not practice social distancing or wear masks. The 268 members of parliament who attended the session had all tested negative for the virus, according to state media. Their temperatures were checked before entering the building. Iran, the epicenter of the outbreak in the Middle East, recorded 141,591 infections and 7,564 deaths from COVID-19 on the day parliament convened.

Mosques Reopen for Ramadan Celebrations

On May 12, Iran temporarily reopened all mosques for three days during the holy month of Ramadan. Iranians celebrated the nights of Laylat al-Qadr, which commemorates the Quran being revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Prayer services were held in mosques, public parks and hospitals. Worshippers were required to wear masks and gloves and bring their own prayer mats and copies of the Quran.

Some of the information in this article was originally published on May 19, 2020.

U.S. Sanctions Chinese Firm Connected to Iranian Airline

On May 19, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned a China-based company for providing services to Mahan Air, an Iranian airline blacklisted in 2011 for supporting the elite Qods Force. Mahan Air has transported fighters, weapons, equipment and funds to support the Syrian regime and Iranian proxies across the Middle East, including Hezbollah. Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited was the seventh company sanctioned for acting as a general sales agent for Mahan Air. “We will not hesitate to target those entities that continue to maintain commercial relationships with Mahan Air,” said Secretary Steven T.

U.S. Issues Global Maritime Advisory

On May 14, the United States alerted the maritime industry to the deceptive shipping practices used by Iran, North Korea and Syria to evade sanctions. The joint advisory, issued by the State Department, the Treasury Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, also provided “best practices” for shippers and insurers to mitigate exposure to sanctions risk.

Part 2: Iran's Wish List of Weapons

The U.N. ban on conventional arms sales to Iran expired on October 18, 2020. It opened the way for Iran to import weapons – including battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems and spare parts – for the first time since 2010. The Trump Administration had called for the international embargo to be extended.

Some of the information in this article was originally published on May 12, 2020.