Page 9 - MEOG Week 26 2021

MEOG POLICY MEOG

Iran’s reported shunning of

inspectors casts doubt on deal revival

IRAN NEW doubts as to whether a revival of the programme remains entirely civil in nature in
nuclear deal between Iran and major powers can exchange for providing Iran with a shield against
be successfully negotiated emerged on June 27 heavy economic sanctions.
when the Iranian parliament said that an agree- On June 25, US Secretary of State Antony
ment to share time-stamped video images from Blinken said it would be a “serious concern” for
certain nuclear sites with the UN’s International future negotiations if Iran failed to extend the
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has ended and information-sharing agreement with the IAEA.
that the images of nuclear development activities “I would tell you that with regard to the IAEA
would not be handed over. this remains a serious concern, a concern that
Iran and the UN watchdog agreed on a three- we’ve communicated to Iran, and it needs to be –
month deal in February to share some images in needs to be resolved,” he said at a briefing during
order to maintain at least some monitoring of its a visit to Paris. Despite the election of hardline
atomic activities. President-elect Ebrahim Raisi there have been
Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad no indications in the past week that Tehran has
Baqer Qalibaf was reported by local media as tell- given up on its stated policy of attempting to find
ing lawmakers that “nothing has been extended a way to restore both Iranian and US compliance
after the three-month period and following that, with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
none of the information subject to recording will (JCPOA), and unilaterally abandoned by the
be given to the IAEA, but will remain at the dis- former Trump administration in May 2018.
posal of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. The temporary deal with the IAEA that has
Iran and major powers are involved in the ended stipulated that Iran would collect data
Vienna talks to attempt to restart the nuclear which would then be passed onto the IAEA at
deal designed to ensure the Iranian nuclear a later date.™

Iranians mount energy sector protests

IRAN THE industrial action besetting Iran’s oil, gas than 150,000 temporary workers in the Iranian
and petrochemicals industry has involved thou- oil industry who are denied the benefits that full-
sands of workers mounting protests to demand time, long-term contract workers enjoy.
better wages and working conditions, local Some lawmakers are supportive of the energy
news reports and social media posts indicate. industry workers. “Since we learned of the labour
The action seems mainly focused on southern actions and their salary and benefit demands...
gas fields and some refineries in proximity to big the issues are being seriously followed up in
cities. Iran continues to endure worsened eco- [parliament’s] Energy Commission,” Mousa
nomic hardship amid continuing US sanctions Ahmadi, a lawmaker whose district includes
and a severe, ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Assaluyeh, told ILNA. According to rights
There have actually been protests by workers and groups and social media posts, Tehran’s refinery
pensioners for several months, with the inflation has fired 700 striking workers. Shaker Khafai,
rate of more than 50% and high unemployment spokesman for the state-run Tehran Oil Refining
souring sentiment. The protests are dubbed Company, denied the dismissal report and said a
“Campaign 1400” with reference to the Persian sub-contractor had laid off 35 workers, the state
calendar year that started in March. news agency IRNA reported.
An unspecified number of workers with tem- For many Iranians, the mood in the country
porary hiring contracts “stayed home” to press was also soured by the early June presidential
for higher wages last week in Assaluyeh, Iran’s election—a Guardian Council vetting body
main gas production hub on the Persian Gulf, refused to allow any leading moderates to con-
the semi-official Iranian Labour News Agency test the poll, which was then won with a land-
(ILNA) reported, noted Reuters. slide by religious hardliner Ebrahim Raisi. The
There is said to be anger at the consequences turnout, which some analysis put as low as 42%
of replacing retiring full-time workers in the when spoiled ballots were taken into account,
energy industry with employees hired on a was registered as the worst ever as millions of
temporary contract basis. After 20 years of this Iranians stayed away from the polling stations in
practice, there are, for example, said to be more disillusionment or protest.™

Week 26 30•June•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9