Trump's Caucasian corridor sparks threats, doubt in Tehran

“The Islamic Republic expressed its objection to the failure of the agency to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the Israeli and US attack and raised its demands for correcting the agency’s improper processes,” deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said.

Gharibabadi's remarks came following a meeting with IAEA deputy director general Massimo Aparo, who was in Tehran for a brief trip on Monday. The visit marked the highest-level meeting between the IAEA and Iran since the attacks on Iranian nuclear sites badly frayed ties.

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had stressed earlier that the visit would not involve nuclear inspections but rather dialogue with the agency.

In June, Iran’s parliament approved a bill to suspend the country’s cooperation with the IAEA, a day after a ceasefire with Israel.

The bill, passed with 221 votes in favor, none against, and one abstention out of 223 members present, and bars the UN nuclear watchdog’s inspectors from accessing Iran’s nuclear facilities.

At the time, Iran also accused IAEA chief Rafael Grossi of bias and failing to condemn the attacks.

On July 4, Grossi said that the agency's team of inspectors had departed Iran to return to its headquarters in Vienna after the new law barred cooperation with the IAEA.

Israel launched a surprise military campaign on June 13 targeting military and nuclear sites, killing hundreds of military personnel, nuclear scientists and civilians.

Iran responded with missile strikes that killed 31 civilians and one off-duty soldier, according to official figures published by the Israeli government.

The Islamic Republic says 1,062 people were also killed by Israel during the 12-day conflict, including 786 military personnel and 276 civilians.

On June 22, the US carried out airstrikes on Iran’s key nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear but President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the strikes "obliterated" the country's nuclear program.

Reform UK, formerly known as the Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage, says Camp Wilayah has “clear and troubling ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Regime.”

The camp, set to be held for boys and girls aged nine to 14 is run by the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM).

In a section on the camp's official website called "hijab and segregation," organizers said the genders would be separated and hijabs will be mandated for the girls.

Several local branches of Reform UK sent a letter to the managers of Phasels Wood Activity Centre in Hertfordshire outside London, urging them to cancel the event.

The center is run by The Scout Association, the largest mixed-gender youth organization in Britain which is a branch of the worldwide Scout Movement.

“The decision to host Camp Wilayah at this site is not just inappropriate – it is a grave betrayal of everything the Scout movement stands for," Reform UK Hertfordshire branch chair Keith Steers wrote in a letter.

"Camp Wilayah is not an innocent cultural gathering. It is the ideological outreach arm of AIM. By offering sanctuary to Camp Wilayah, you align yourselves ... with tyranny.”

Reform UK has been gaining in popularity in recent months with its sharp criticism of established political parties and illegal immigration which critics have branded xenophobia.

AIM fired back in a post on their website.

“Camp Wilayah is not a space for indoctrination or radicalization. It has never promoted hatred of any kind, and no incident has ever been cited nor any evidence presented to suggest a problem at the camp."

"We have no relationship with the government of Iran or any other foreign country."

A search of the AIM website shows it promotes books written by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In social media posts, the AIM has repeatedly praised Khamenei, calling his books “an excellent source of knowledge and a great read.”

AIM has also praised Qasem Soleimani — the former Quds Force commander killed in a 2020 US drone strike — as a “great hero.” One of its social media posts features a photograph alongside a Khomeini quote about exporting the Islamic Revolution.

The group has faced similar criticism in the past. In July, John Woodcock, Baron Walney , the UK government’s former extremism adviser, said: “We cannot allow propaganda and influence from this theocratic dictatorship to be spread to children in the UK."

"It is deeply alarming that schoolchildren are being taken to these camps. This raises ­further questions about the influence of Iran here in the UK,” he added.

UK-based human rights lawyer Omid Shams told Iran International that AIM operates under the umbrella of the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly, an Iran-based organisation whose leaders are appointed in Tehran and have historically been close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He says former head Mohammad Hassan Akhtari — a onetime Iranian ambassador to Syria and representative of the Quds Force — and other senior figures “are the closest people to Khamenei,” making AIM part of a wider network advancing Iran’s “soft power” abroad.

"There is no way, under any circumstances, that you would say that these organizations are not affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Shams said.

AIM did not immediately respond to request for comment but posted on their website "to be absolutely clear: AIM has never been affiliated with any organisation called the “Ahlul Bayt World Assembly.” We are not a branch, partner, or member of that body. These claims are entirely false."

The latest dispute comes a month after the British Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee warned of a growing threat of physical attacks by Iran in the UK, including targeting British Jews and Iranian dissidents.

The Intelligence Ministry said that the return of so-called snapback sanctions will include a ban on arms sales, freezing of assets and foreign currency accounts of companies abroad.

“Re-sanctioning of legal and natural persons active in industries such as oil, petrochemicals, banking, shipping, insurance and sensitive technologies will be activated,” the document said.

Potential fallout could roil markets and exacerbate unemployment and deepen popular discontent, the ministry added.

“Severe currency fluctuations, reduced purchasing power, increased unemployment, layoffs and heightened social discontent are to be expected,” the Intelligence Ministry said.

The snapback mechanism is part of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed a 2015 deal over Iran's disputed nuclear program called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under Resolution 2231, any party to the accord can file a complaint accusing Iran of non-compliance. If no agreement is reached within 30 days to maintain sanctions relief, all previous UN sanctions would automatically “snap back,” including arms embargoes, cargo inspections and missile restrictions.

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry also pointed to potential alternative partners for the Islamic Republic to evade the sanctions.

“Identify alternative suppliers in countries like China, Russia, Iraq, etc., which will be less affected by sanctions,” the statement said.

The guidance also warned of renewed threats to national security including cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.

“Increased targeted cyberattacks on economic infrastructure, focusing on supply chains, automation, and financial management, as well as efforts by foreign intelligence services to infiltrate through third parties, contractors, or organizational applications, will be some of the threats,” the statement said.

France, the United Kingdom and Germany told Iran they would restore UN sanctions unless it reopened talks on its nuclear program immediately and produced concrete results by the end of August.

Iranian diplomates last met representatives of the three European countries in Istanbul on July 25.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described the meeting with Britain, France and Germany as a “test of realism” for the E3 powers, calling it a chance for them to correct past positions.

As cities suffer blackouts and food rots in fridges, many ask why the state can swiftly and efficiently mobilize for a symbolic cross-border march—yet fails to provide basic services to its own people.

“Mr. President, if in these circumstances all preparations—from storing water, bread, and food to providing electricity, internet, foreign currency and transport—can be arranged for Arbaeen through jihadi management, then please do the same for non-Arbaeen matters,” wrote Islamic studies scholar Mahmoud Nejati-Hosseini in a widely shared post on X.

Economist Sadegh Alhosseini, a professor at Tehran University, slammed Tehran Municipality for spending millions on the pilgrimage while failing to pay sanitation workers and contract staff.

“The pilgrims of Imam Hussein do not need your services. If you have money, pay your workers’ wages,” he wrote on X.

Billions spent

Each year, authorities allocate vast sums to Arbaeen—covering transport, healthcare, logistics, and religious outreach.

This year’s effort includes $67 million in subsidies, 1,550 tons of rice, meat, and sugar for religious camp (mawkib) organizers and support from virtually every branch of government—from the Revolutionary Guards to municipal bus fleets.

Perks for pilgrims include free transportation, meals, lodging, mobile services and special leave for civil servants.

“Where does the money come from?” one user asked on X. “From my pocket and the rest of the people—people who, in 60°C heat, lose power for at least two hours every day.”

What is Arbaeen?

The Arbaeen pilgrimage marks the end of the 40-day mourning period after Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain ibn Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in 680 AD.

The procession draws millions of Shia pilgrims, many of whom walk long distances to the shrines of Karbala and Najaf.

Tehran has heavily promoted the event in recent years. Iranian participation has surged from 40,000 in 2010 to around 3.6 million in both 2023 and 2024, according to official figures. Over 2.8 million have already registered for this year’s walk, set for August 14.

Shrine officials say more than 20 million people take part—a figure that likely includes local attendees and repeat visitors during the extended mourning period.

Soft power

Officials frame Arbaeen as more than a religious duty—it’s a strategic asset. With Saudi Arabia hosting the Hajj, Iran has cast Arbaeen as a rival spectacle.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has called the pilgrimage a “combat rehearsal” and a show of ideological unity.

The mawkibs lining the route provide rest, food and shelter, but also serve as platforms for political messaging and solidarity with groups like Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi militia.

Above all, the Arbaeen appears to have become an opportunity for the Islamic Republic to reinforce its vision of transnational Shia identity and resistance.

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme National Security Council secretary, Ali Larijani, is undertaking consultations as part of his first foreign trip since taking office.

The talks aim to secure backing from key Shia groups for the PMF law project, which seeks to formalize the status of Iran-backed militias integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus, according to the Baghdad-based source.

The source told Iran International that Larijani will meet with Shiite leaders to stress the “necessity” of passing the legislation.

Larijani arrived in Baghdad on Monday as part of his first regional diplomatic tour as Iran's top security chief that also includes Lebanon. He has indicated plans to sign a bilateral security agreement with Iraq and engage various political currents.

The timing of Larijani’s visit follows recent remarks by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who emphasized that weapons should be controlled by the state and reported efforts to curb Iran-aligned militias’ participation in the June 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Iraqi authorities say they have prevented multiple planned attacks by these groups on US military bases.

Since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the country’s security landscape has been significantly influenced by various militias, many of which maintain close ties with Iran.Among these, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization composed primarily of Shia militias, was initially formed to combat the Islamic State.

Although integrated into Iraq’s formal security forces in 2016 and legally subordinate to the Iraqi prime minister, the PMF continues to operate with a high degree of autonomy, with many of its factions maintaining strong Iranian connections.

The PMF consists of approximately 67 armed groups, nearly all of which are backed by Iran. These militias play a crucial role in Iraq’s security environment but have also been a source of controversy due to their influence and perceived external alignment.

Efforts to reform the PMF aim to reduce this influence by formalizing their integration under Iraqi state control.

In March 2025, the Iraqi parliament introduced draft legislation seeking to reform the PMF by placing it more firmly under the authority of the prime minister as commander-in-chief, explicitly aiming to limit external influence, including from Iran.

The proposed law also includes provisions such as a mandatory retirement age for senior commanders, potentially replacing key figures with longstanding Iranian ties.