๐ฎ๐ท๐ถโโ๏ธ Big Shake Up in Iran: Da Big Boss Ali Shamkhani Take One Walk, Pau Hana Time ๐ผ
One big boss kine guy in Iran, Ali Shamkhani, had to pack up his stuffs and head out afta da guy he close with wen get accused of selling out to da Brits. Shamkhani, was one top security official ova dea, but no matter how high up you stay, get chance you going get da boot, and das exactly what wen happen. ๐งณ๐๐ฃ
Da kine official, Shamkhani, was running da show for da Supreme National Council. Dis group is da one making da big decisions about security and foreign policy in Iran. He was doing dis gig for ten years, and before that, he was ova at da Defense Ministry. Da spy guy, Alireza Akbari, was one British citizen too and he was right unda Shamkhani at da ministry and den he wen work as one adviser to Shamkhani for da council. ๐ฅ๐๐ผ
Fast forward to 2019, had all kine suspicion about Akbari. So Shamkhani wen get Akbari for come back to Iran from Britain, where he was living. Das when Akbari got arrested and executed in January. ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธโ๏ธ๐ฌ๐ง
Looked like Shamkhani was still doing good, even afta all da drama, until all of a sudden, he was out of da job on Monday. In March, he was da one doing all da talking for get Iran and Saudi Arabia to be friends again, and China was playing peacemaker. He also wen visit da other Arab countries near da Persian Gulf for make da trade and political relations more strong. ๐๏ธ๐ค๐
But on Monday, da Islamic Republic wen show again dat no one is safe from getting kicked out. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wen tell Shamkhani he gotta go, but mahalo for your service. He wen put one senior naval commander of da Revolutionary Guards in charge, even though da guy no get too much experience in politics. ๐๐โ
Last June, Iran also wen let go da head of da Guards intelligence unit, Hossein Taeb, afta had all kine sneaky attacks and killings in Iran dat was linked to Israel. Dis wen make people think da Iranian intelligence had one leak. ๐ง ๐๐
Had plenty controversies dat led to Shamkhani getting da boot. He was accused of being corrupt and dat his ohana wen make plenty kala through one oil shipping business dat was helping Iran to dodge sanctions. He also wen get blamed for da talks for bring back da 2015 nuclear deal not working out. ๐ธ๐ข๏ธโ๏ธ
Da council was getting heat too for how dey wen handle all da uprisings for get da ruling clerics out. Most of da Iranians wen think Shamkhani was part of da crackdowns dat wen end up killing plenty protesters, and even da people who like da government wen say his leadership was not strict enough. ๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ
On top of all dat, da hard-line group dat now get control of da Parliament and da presidency wen think Shamkhani was too close to da old governments dat was more in da middle and reformist, so dey no did trust him. ๐๏ธ๐๐ฅ
Da supreme leader, Mr. Khamenei, wen say he was making Mr. Shamkhani part of da Expediency Council, which is mostly there for give advice to da supreme leader. This job is mostly just for show; before had other officials who wen have beef with Mr. Khamenei, including one former President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also got named to da council for not lose face. ๐๐ก๐ญ
Da way Shamkhani wen handle da spy drama and still keep going could have been because of one deal between Mr. Khamenei and da Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, da analysts wen say. ๐ค๐ผ๐ก
On Monday, Mr. Khamenei wen give da Supreme National Council job to Gen. Ali Akbar Ahmadian, 62, who used to be da deputy commander for da Guards naval unit and also was in da Iran-Iraq war. He was known as one top military strategist who also was in charge of coordinating da armed forces of da Guards. ๐ช๐โด๏ธ
Even though Mr. Khamenei always gets da final say on da big state policies, from talks with the United States to da uprising against da ruling clerics, da role of da national security adviser is important, da analysts said. But, General Ahmadian no get too much experience in foreign policy or national security issues. ๐ฏ๐บ๐ธ๐ฃ๏ธ
“Shamkhani’s successor no get experience working with anyone outside da military,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran director for da Crisis Group. “He get plenty for learn. Might get reset or delays on da big issues like da future of da nuclear deal, da detainee talks with the U.S. and regional diplomacy.” โณ๐๐ฐ๏ธ
NOW IN ENGLISH
๐ถโโ๏ธ๐ผ Major Shake-up in Iran: Top Official Ali Shamkhani Gets the Boot ๐ฎ๐ท
One of the most powerful figures in Iran, Ali Shamkhani, had to pack his bags after a close associate was implicated in a spying scandal with Britain. Shamkhani was a top security official, but no matter how high the position, nobody is immune from being ousted, which is exactly what happened. ๐งณ๐๐ฃ
Shamkhani was in charge of the Supreme National Council, an influential body that sets Iran’s security and foreign policy. He was in this position for ten years, following a stint at the Defense Ministry. The suspected spy, Alireza Akbari, held dual British citizenship and was Shamkhani’s deputy at the ministry, and later served as an advisor to him on the council. ๐ฅ๐๐ผ
Fast forward to 2019, suspicions around Akbari grew. Consequently, Shamkhani lured Akbari back to Iran from Britain, where he had relocated. Upon his return, Akbari was arrested and executed in January. ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธโ๏ธ๐ฌ๐ง
Shamkhani seemed to not only survive but thrive amidst the controversy, up until his abrupt dismissal on Monday. Earlier in March, he had spearheaded efforts to restore relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with China mediating the process. He also made diplomatic visits to other Arab nations in the Persian Gulf to bolster trade and political ties. ๐๏ธ๐ค๐
However, on Monday, the Islamic Republic demonstrated that no one, regardless of their loyalty, is immune from being ousted. Iranโs supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dismissed Shamkhani from his position, thanking him for his service. He was replaced by a senior naval commander of the Revolutionary Guards, who had little political experience. ๐๐โ
Last June, Iran also ousted the head of the Guards intelligence unit, Hossein Taeb, following a series of covert attacks and assassinations linked to Israel. This led to suspicions of a compromise within Iranian intelligence. ๐ง ๐๐
Several controversies led to Shamkhani’s dismissal. He was accused of corruption amid allegations that his family profited immensely from an oil shipping business that helped Iran evade sanctions. He was also blamed for the failure to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. ๐ธ๐ข๏ธโ๏ธ
The council also faced criticism over their handling of the domestic upheaval in the monthslong uprising demanding the ouster of the ruling clerics. A majority of Iranians saw Shamkhani as complicit in the violent crackdowns that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of protesters, while government supporters criticized his leadership for not being strict enough. ๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ
Additionally, the hard-line faction now in control of the Parliament and the presidency saw him as too close to the previous governments, which were more centrist and reformist, leading to trust issues. ๐๏ธ๐๐ฅ
Upon announcing the dismissal, Mr. Khamenei appointed Shamkhani to the Expediency Council, which primarily advises the supreme leader. This appointment is seen as largely symbolic; in the past, other officials who had fallen out with Mr. Khamenei, including former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have also been named to the council as a face-saving measure. ๐๐ก๐ญ
Shamkhaniโs ability to weather the spying scandal for as long as he did may have been the result of an agreement between Mr. Khamenei and the Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi. ๐ค๐ผ๐ก
On Monday, Mr. Khamenei appointed Gen. Ali Akbar Ahmadian, a former deputy commander of the Guards naval unit and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, to the Supreme National Council. He was known as a top military strategist who also coordinated the armed forces of the Guards. ๐ช๐โด๏ธ
While Mr. Khamenei always has the final say on significant state policies, from talks with the United States to the domestic uprising against the ruling clerics, the role of the national security adviser is influential. However, General Ahmadian does not have extensive experience in foreign policy or national security issues. ๐ฏ๐บ๐ธ๐ฃ๏ธ
“Shamkhani’s successor lacks experience working with anyone outside the military,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran director for the Crisis Group. “He faces a steep learning curve. We may see a reset or delays on key issues such as the future of the nuclear deal, the detainee negotiations with the U.S., and regional diplomacy.” โณ๐๐ฐ๏ธ
