IranWatch Daily: August 20, 2025

Brief Notes

Navy Missile Exercise Set to Begin in Indian Ocean: The Islamic Republic’s Artesh (conventional, non-IRGC) Navy will (https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1404/05/29/3380115) a two-day military exercise, entitled Eghtedar Paydar 1404 (“Sustainable Power 2025” in Persian) in the northern Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman tomorrow. Rear Admiral Abbas Hassani, the spokesperson for the exercise, said: “In this missile drill, a wide array of precision-guided cruise missiles…will be used to strike and destroy surface vessel targets.” Hassani added that electronic warfare simulations and drone operations would also be carried out during the exercise.

Security Chief Meets Swiss Special Envoy to the U.S.: Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, (https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1404/05/29/3380622/%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C) with Gabriel Lüchinger, Switzerland’s deputy foreign minister and especially envoy to the U.S. The Beirut-based pro-Islamic Republic outlet Al-Mayadeen (https://www.almayadeen.net/news/politics/%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%A4%D9%83%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%A5%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B4%D8%A3%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%AA) that Lüchinger delivered a message to Larijani from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff during the meeting; however, a U.S. official (https://x.com/BarakRavid/status/1958196817432096953) denied this claim.

**‘No Rush’ to Re-Engage With Syria:**Tehran has (https://www.irna.ir/news/85918062) it is in no rush to resume diplomatic ties with Syria, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling IRNA today, “The reality is that we are not in a rush to resume relations. Syria is currently facing various problems, with the possibility of fragmentation, civil war, and ethnic conflict. Economic challenges have also created major obstacles. We have no intention of interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, and political engagement is not an immediate priority for us.” Asked whether Tehran had received any signals from Damascus, he added, “So far, we have not received any signals from any side. We are waiting for conditions to become suitable for re-engagement.”

Belarus Strengthens Ties With Tehran

In a meeting between President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, this morning, the two (https://president.ir/fa/161139) a joint declaration and twelve cooperation memorandums spanning multiple industries, including agriculture, energy, aviation, and tourism.

After signing the agreements, Pezeshkian said, “We hope that the documents signed during this visit, covering economic, cultural, and legal areas, will further solidify our cooperation.”

In a meeting between delegations from the two countries later in the day, Pezeshkian (https://president.ir/fa/161155) the shared views of the two parties in “opposing illegal sanctions and supporting multilateralism.”

Pezeshkian also expressed gratitude for Lukashenko’s condemnation of Israeli and U.S. strikes during the 12-Day War.

G7 Urges Tehran to Refrain From Escalation

In a statement released today, the G7 Non-Proliferation Directors Group (https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2025/08/statement-of-the-g7-non-proliferation-directors-group.html) the Islamic Republic “to refrain from any escalatory action and to urgently resume full cooperation with the IAEA, including by providing verifiable information about all nuclear material in Iran.”

The statement from the G7 came as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-says-moment-effective-nuclear-talks-with-us-not-reached-2025-08-20/), “In my opinion, we have not yet reached the point of maturity where effective negotiations with the U.S. can take place.”

Araghchi added, “The return of inspectors will be possible based on the parliament’s law, that is, with the approval of the Supreme National Security Council… So, it is not that we say we absolutely cut cooperation with the agency.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Araghchi (https://x.com/IRIran_Military/status/1958162078755160065), “In the future, we may reach a point where we withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and change our defensive doctrine.”

On the Radar

- The Islamic Republic has (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAgNIZJDrT0&t=810s) 46 Afghans in the last eight months alone.

- The Islamic Republic has (https://www.irna.ir/news/85917017) the closure of public offices in more than 20 of its 31 provinces on August 23 to curb electricity and water consumption. Authorities have repeatedly issued such directives in recent months as the country faces one of its most severe water shortages in years. Tonight, in Tehran, after a blackout hit a neighborhood, people started (https://x.com/Vahid/status/1958269321056285148) “Death to Khamenei” in protest.

- Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh (https://www.isna.ir/news/1404052917692) the Islamic Republic has “missiles that have much better capabilities” than those used against Israel in the 12-Day War and “will definitely use them” if attacked again. He claimed the missiles fired during the 12-Day War “were manufactured a few years ago,” stressing that “Iran did not rely on foreign resources” and that all weapons came from the domestic defense industry.

- Former President Mohammad Khatami, 81, has been (https://www.jamaran.news/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-59/1678987-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AF%DA%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D9%87-%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%B9%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3-%D9%81%DB%8C%D9%84%D9%85) due to a heart attack caused by a blocked artery. He underwent an angioplasty and is now in stable condition, according to his brother Mohammad Reza Khatami, who said the former president is receiving treatment and remains under medical supervision.

- Multiple protests took place across Iran today over unpaid wages, power cuts, and regime mismanagement. In Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, municipal workers (https://www.hra-news.org/2025/hranews/a-56186/#:~:text=%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9%E2%80%8C%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%20%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA,%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%B1%20%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88) a sit-in outside city hall, striking due to more than five months of unpaid wages. In Saveh, Markazi Province, shopkeepers and traders (https://www.hra-news.org/2025/hranews/a-56186/#:~:text=%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%DA%AF%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AF%20%D8%A8%D8%A7,%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%B1%20%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88) outside the local electricity office to denounce repeated power outages, warning that continued blackouts could shut down the city’s bazaar and cripple economic activity. Yesterday, employees of the Pars Oil and Gas Company in Jam, Bushehr Province, (https://www.hra-news.org/2025/hranews/a-56186/#:~:text=%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%20%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D8%A8%D9%87%20%D9%87%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%20%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B6%D8%A7%DB%8C%20%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D8%AF%D8%B1%20%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%20%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9%20%D8%AD%D8%B6%D9%88%D8%B1%20%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AF.%20%D8%A2%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%20%D8%A8%D9%87%20%D8%AA%D8%B9%DB%8C%DB%8C%D9%86%20%D8%B3%D9%82%D9%81%20%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82%D8%8C%20%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%85%20%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%20%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84%20%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%AF%20%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%8C%20%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%85%20%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%20%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87%20%DB%B1%DB%B0%20%D9%88%20%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AE%DB%8C%20%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%20%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B3%D8%AA%DA%AF%DB%8C%20%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%20%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AF.) over unpaid salaries. Also yesterday, residents of Saravan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, protested against the municipality’s handling of public parks and green spaces, accusing it of neglecting tree care while harvesting and selling dates from palm trees.