Iran faces a political standoff as hardliners in parliament move to summon President Hassan Rouhani to answer questions in a move that could result in his impeachment.
Amid an economic crisis, a crippled rial and a rising death toll from the coronavirus pandemic, hardliners – many of whom have long sought to undermine Mr Rouhani's term – are now looking to dethrone him a year before the end of his presidency.
First elected in a landslide in 2013, the "moderate" Mr Rouhani rode an early wave of popular support after the 2015 nuclear deal saw US sanctions on Tehran removed and money, development and jobs flow into the long-isolated nation.
However, US President Donald Trump tore up the agreement just three years later. Iranians' now struggle daily to make ends meet, the economy has been further damaged by rising inflation, growing unemployment, a slump in the rial and now the coronavirus crisis. The bitter disagreement with the US has also brought the two countries to the brink of war.
"The lawmakers have various questions for the president, including the reasons behind the foreign exchange market crisis as well as the high prices of basic goods and basic necessities of the people today," Iran's semi-official Tasnim quoted Tehran lawmaker Eqbal Shakeri as saying.
A motion on Monday to question President Hassan Rouhani was signed by 120 lawmakers out of 290 and handed to the presiding board of the assembly, Tasnim reported. To take effect, the motion must be passed to the president by the presiding board.
While the move is significant, it remains – for now – symbolic. The board might still hold back from issuing the summons, mindful that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for unity among the branches of authority at a time when Iran faces mounting US pressure.
While there have been similar moves against the president by hardliners in parliament before, Mr Khamenei has effectively vetoed the president's removal in order not to exacerbate divisions. Analysts have suggested that he may well be pleased to see a weakened Mr Rouhani he does not want his removal. A move by parliament to question Mr Rouhani's predecessor was blocked by a rare intervention by Mr Khamenei.
Hardliners always opposed Mr Rouhani's agreement to sit down with world powers and agree a nuclear deal and Tasnim said that MPs planned to quiz the president on "the government's strategic mistake that allowed the US withdrawal from the deal at the lowest cost".
Mr Zarif, also Iran's top nuclear negotiator, hit back by saying that the nuclear talks had been agreed by Mr Khamenei.
Parliament has no major influence on foreign affairs or nuclear policy, which are set by Mr Khamenei. But it might bolster hardliners in the 2021 election for president and toughen the anti-Western tilt of Tehran's foreign policy.
Conservatives swept most of the house's seats at an election earlier this year although there were accusations that most moderate candidates had their names rejected to run and numbers were significantly depressed due to the creeping pandemic and general apathy towards the political class just weeks after the military admitted to shooting down a passenger jet killing all 176 onboard – many of whom were Iranian dual nationals.
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What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
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Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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