Iranian MP calls regional military buildup 'psychological warfare'
Military deployments in the Middle East are part of a psychological campaign rather than preparation for open conflict, a member of Iran’s parliament said on Friday.
“Military buildup in the region is psychological warfare; I know this well. Before a war there are other stages. Before the 12-day war they created ISIS, then launched the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement inside, and then initiated talks,” said Esmail Kowsari, a member of the parliamentary national security committee, in remarks on state television.
Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defense minister, earlier described the US military’s deployment of large numbers of refueling aircraft to the region as “psychological operations.”
“This talk of war after the snapback activation is also psychological warfare, not a real operation, because they want to disrupt the markets,” Kowsari added.
A renewed Israeli assault would spark a wider regional war involving all neighboring countries, a member of Iran’s parliament said on Friday.
“This war will certainly cover all countries in the region if Israel thinks of another aggression,” said Sara Fallahi, a member of the parliamentary national security committee.
“The new war will not be like the 12-day war when some enemies survived, and Iran will come to the battlefield with all its strength,” Fallahi said.
Iran’s atomic energy body dismissed reports that its assets and affiliated companies’ holdings had been frozen in Turkey.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said the reports were “not correct.”
Turkey announced Wednesday it had blocked the property of Iranian individuals and companies active in nuclear facilities, shipping, energy and research sectors.
Kamalvandi’s denial follows Ankara’s measure, which came into effect on October 1, targeting dozens of Iranian-linked entities.
Threats by Iranian hardliners to leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) after a June war are likely headed nowhere because of Tehran's keenness not to irritate Russia and China, Middle East expert Kenneth Pollack told Iran International.
“The Chinese absolutely do not want to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons. That would be very problematic for them. For the same reason, the Chinese do not want to see Iran violate the NPT,” added Pollack, Vice President for Policy at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington DC.
“I would say the same, at least in theory, for the Russians,” he added, referring to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iran and Western powers are at an impasse on how to revive dialogue and nuclear inspections after a 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States in June.
Stung over the weekend by resumed international sanctions triggered by European powers over its nuclear program, Iran likely sees China and Russia as key bulwarks against further isolation, Pollack said. "That’s too dangerous for them."
While Iranian-designed drones have been key to Russia's war effort against Ukraine, Moscow provided little support during the brief summer war.
The two countries have signed a long-term security framework, but Russia’s restraint underscores the limits of its backing.
China and Iran inked a 25-year cooperation agreement in 2021 which envisioned Chinese investment in Iran’s energy and infrastructure sectors in exchange for long-term energy supply commitments.
But implementation has lagged under sanctions, with Chinese investments limited and its exact terms kept secret.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian did not play a prominent role during a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, was notably absent from the customary group photo and filed out near the back of invited world leaders at a subsequent Chinese military parade.
China and Russia at the United Nations Security Council last week tried to win Iran a reprieve from the renewed sanctions but failed to muster enough votes.
Maximum pressure return
Pollack said oil sales remain Tehran’s economic lifeline, noting that Iran currently exports—largely through illicit channels—about 1.5 to 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, consistent with independent tracking estimates.
More could be done by the administration of US President Donald Trump to ramp up so-called Maximum Pressure sanctions to deprive Tehran of its revenue.
“The US could reduce that flow to 500,000 barrels per day, or even 300,000,” Pollack added, saying measures against Iran's use of neighboring Iraq's financial system and further listing of oil-exporting networks could yield further pain on Tehran.
“That would have a massive impact on the amount of money coming back into Iran. For the average Iranian, it could be very significant,” he added, noting the hardship wrought on citizens amid the geopolitical tussle.
The maximum pressure sanctions strategy was first pursued under Trump's first term, but since its reimplementation in January has fallen far short of its goal of drive Iran’s oil exports to zero.
The UN sanctions reimposed on Iran over the weekend appear set to deepen the country’s financial crisis. The rial has fallen to record lows against the dollar, inflation remains in double digits, and the cost of food and fuel continues to rise.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that Tehran can no longer serve as the country’s capital, citing a worsening water crisis that has depleted key reservoirs serving the metropolis.
Pezeshkian said the idea of relocating the capital had already been discussed with the Supreme Leader but now “is not a choice, it is a mandate.”
“Last year, rainfall was 140 millimeters, while the standard is 260 millimeters. That means rainfall has fallen by about 50 to 60 percent. This year, the situation is just as critical,” Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast from Hormozgan Province.
Iran announced in January it would relocate its capital to the southern coastal region of Makran, citing Tehran’s enduring overpopulation, power shortages and water scarcity.
Pezeshkian warned on Thursday that the cost of transporting water to Tehran could reach €4 per cubic meter (about $4.65), underscoring the unsustainable pressure on the city’s resources.
Tehran’s main reservoirs are nearing depletion. Government figures show that 19 major dams nationwide are operating at below 20 percent capacity, while satellite analysis indicates Amir Kabir reservoir outside Tehran is at just 6 percent of usable volume.
Iran has long studied moving the capital to the shores of the Persian Gulf, where access to water would be less strained.
Agriculture, which consumes about 80 percent of Iran’s water, remains highly inefficient, further straining limited supplies. Experts warn that without major reforms in consumption and water management, the country faces worsening shortages, environmental collapse and growing public unrest.
A long-debated issue
The idea of moving the capital has been raised for decades, with concerns ranging from traffic congestion and pollution to earthquake risk and water scarcity.
In 2016, parliament approved a motion to study the transfer, but high costs and political resistance stalled progress. Previous governments floated alternatives such as Semnan, Qom or Esfahan, but no decision was made.
Pezeshkian is the first Iranian president to frame relocation as unavoidable.
His warning comes after European states triggered the resumption of UN sanctions citing mistrust of Iran's nuclear intentions.
The move looks set to deepen Iran's economic pain as the Iranian currency has fallen to record lows against the dollar, inflation remains above 30 percent and food and fuel prices continue to climb.
Prominent academic and vocal critic of Tehran hardliners Sadegh Zibakalam warned that another clash between Iran and Israel could occur because there are those in Iran who still believe in “the mission of destroying Israel.”
The Tehran University professor said Iran possesses 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, enough to build at least 10 atomic bombs.
“When asked where these stockpiles are, they say ‘none of your business,’ and then it is said, ‘Why are the Israelis worried?’” he added.
