NCRI

Iran News: Former Security Chief Accused of Profiting from International Sanctions by State-run News Site

Shahriar Kia

As the clerical regime in Iran gears up for its contentious presidential elections, new allegations have emerged against Ali Shamkhani, the former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. A state-run website, Rouydad24, accused Shamkhani of exploiting international sanctions for personal gain through his children’s companies, which allegedly profited significantly from circumventing these sanctions.

In an article published on May 30, Rouydad24 revealed that Shamkhani, who some media outlets have recently identified as being involved in Iran’s nuclear negotiations, had vested interests in the continuation of sanctions. The article titled “One More Day of Sanctions is a Blessing” disclosed that Shamkhani’s opposition to reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, also called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),  during the end of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency was motivated by these financial interests.

The report highlighted that in late 2020, Rouhani’s administration was striving to seize the last opportunities to revive the JCPOA. A draft agreement, known as the “Araqchi Draft,” named after a former senior official at the regime’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araqchi, was ready for signing, but progress stalled. According to former Rouhani aide Mahmoud Vaezi, Shamkhani was a significant obstacle, leveraging his position to block the agreement. Vaezi also revealed that Rouhani attempted six times to remove Shamkhani but was unsuccessful due to the necessity of agreement between the President and the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Rouydad24 further detailed that Shamkhani’s opposition to the JCPOA was evident as early as 2018, when he publicly criticized the 2015 nuclear deal in an interview with NBC, aligning his stance with those who viewed the agreement as a mistake. According to the site, Shamkhani had stated, “There were those who thought signing the 2015 nuclear agreement was a mistake,” and when asked if he shared this view, he replied, “Yes, I only follow the views of my nation, that is, the Iranian people.”

This source continued, “Vaezi’s recent statements have clarified some news about Shamkhani’s resignation. Following the incident of the Ukrainian plane being shot down, the Entekhab website reported that Shamkhani was set to resign. This news seems to align with Vaezi’s current remarks, indicating that Rouhani attempted to dismiss Shamkhani and portray it as a resignation. However, as Vaezi pointed out, these efforts were unsuccessful. At the time, Shamkhani responded to the Entekhab report by labeling the website a ‘pseudo-media’ that fabricated lies and published ‘news based on certain recommendations.’”

This revelation comes amid ongoing infighting and power struggles within Iran’s political landscape, particularly ahead of the upcoming elections. Khamenei’s calls for unity and avoidance of factional conflict appear increasingly disregarded, as public disclosures of corruption and internal disputes continue to fuel societal discontent and amplify public outrage among the disenfranchised and oppressed nation.

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