The International Institute for Iranian Studies (Rasanah) released its monthly Iran Case File (ICF) which provides readers in general and researchers in particular with an in-depth analysis and comprehensive review of Iranian affairs at various levels. The file is divided into three main parts: Internal Affairs, Arab Affairs and International Affairs.
At home, at the political level, it seems that the “conservatives” found an opportunity to politically annihilate Zarif and his team in the leaked audio recording in which Zarif says that Iran gives precedence to the battlefield over diplomacy, in addition to his complaint about Qassem Soleimani’s control over Iranian foreign policy.
At the economic level, the file discusses Iran’s handling of the digital currency bitcoin. The Iranian government allowed the mining of the cryptocurrency and levied fees on this activity after it once blocked it.
At the military level, the file sheds light on Israeli airstrikes targeting the Iranian presence in Syria, discussing the attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. Iran rushed to point the finger of blame at Israel. In the aftermath of the attack, Iran announced an increase in its uranium enrichment activities to 60 percent purity.
As for Arab affairs, the file reviews the reports of the Iraq-brokered negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia about easing tensions and addressing the outstanding regional files between the two countries. Further, it highlights Iran’s massive pressure to hold the Syrian presidential election without making any substantial change within the Syrian regime, a move that Russia opposes. Finally, at the international level, the file reviews in detail the nuclear talks in Vienna between Was dhington and Tehran — which were brokered by the Europeans.
