BBC MONITORING: IRAN BLOG HIGHLIGHTS 7-13 JANUARY 2016

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06587145
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: March 23, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-02058
• Publication Date: January 13, 2016

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PAAUZYUW RUEIFBS4322 0131843�UUUU--RUZDTPW.
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WARNING: TOPIC: DOMESTIC POLITICAL, INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL,
MILITARY
SERIAL:IML2016011365408626
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COUNTRY: IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, UNITED STATES
SUBJ: (U) BBC MONITORING: IRAN BLOG HIGHLIGHTS 7-13 JANUARY 2016
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2/22/2016
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SOURCE: Caversham BBC Monitoring in English 13 Jan
16 (U)
TEXT:
[PUBLICATIONS]
[OSC Summary]
(U) This product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use is
for national security purposes of the United States Government only.
Any reproduction, dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage
policy and the original copyright.
The detention of 10 US sailors for entering Iran's territorial
waters
and the continuing fallout from the growing hostility in ties
between
Iran and Saudi Arabia were the top talking points on Persian-
language
blogosphere in the period under review.
In the late hours of 13 January, Iran's semi-official Fars News
Agency broke an unexpected story: the Islamic Revolution Guards
Corps' (IRGC) naval forces had detained two US warships near Farsi
Island, a small territory in the Persian Gulf guarded by the IRGC.
One of the warships reportedly broke down while training in the Gulf
and ended up "drifting" into Iranian waters "unintentionally",
according to US sources.
Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was swift to reassure US
Secretary of State John Kerry that the sailors would be freed and
allowed to continue their mission. The IRGC's navy commander,
Rear-Admiral All Fadavi, confirmed the forces were in contact with
Zarif and the Foreign Ministry.
The development was all the more significant considering Tehran and
Washington are days away from implementing the landmark nuclear
agreement signed last summer, both aware any long-term scuffle could
scupper the prospects of the accord coming into force. Therefore,
both sides saw in their interest to avoid protracting the scenario.
"Reckless"
Although the sailors were set free the next morning as promised and
any exacerbation of events was avoided, the news garnered widespread
interest among bloggers.
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On Google Plus, bloggers posted various takes on the proceedings.
"Shahin Sartipi" called the statements released by the IRGC "empty
bragging". (http://tinyurl.com/gqn8m9t)
Pro-reform "Narges" suggested domestic hardliners were using the
story to portray Zarif as a weak diplomat who had personally
intervened and forced the IRGC to release the sailors.
"The hardliners are claiming Kerry had phoned Zarif to ask for their
immediate release, prompting Zarif to feel frightened and ask the
IRGC to let the Americans go; as if the IRGC takes orders from
Zarif." (http://tinyurl.com/gw48e8j)
Conservative blogger "Sadat" accused moderate President Hasan
Ruhani's government of visible weakness in foreign policy, which he
said had made the US more "hawkish and reckless".
"The government's push for the unconditional release of American
trespassers has gifted the US a new model: Illegally enter [our
waters or land]. Even if some preserve the national dignity and
confront you, there are others who would score an own goal without
demanding official apology or trying the trespassers; and then after
that, [you can] sneer at a nation," she posted.
(http://tinyurl.com/gn7jw4x)
"By the way, what would have happened to our forces if two of our
warships had been captured in US waters? Would they have freed our
sailors as quickly as that?" asked blogger "Saedeh" in a post which
was widely circulated.
Others highlighted the more measured and cautious tone used by the
Iranian authorities, in what seemed to be a departure from the
traditionally-applied anti-Western terminology.
"The words 'aggression, arrest or hostage' were not used in the
IRGC's statements," blogger "Davood Zamani" pointed out.
"Catastrophe"
More than a week after the incidents which led to the break-off of
ties between Tehran and Riyadh, Iranian bloggers turned their
attention to possible ramifications for the government and the
response by some of its senior officials to the ongoing tension.
Well-known opposition blogger "Dalghak Irani" was unimpressed with
the choice of words adopted by Government Spokesman Mohammad Bager
Nowbakht, who had been asked about Djibouti following Saudi Arabia's
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lead in severing ties with the Islamic Republic.
"What role does Saudi Arabia play in Iran's national development to
make us upset about its severing of ties with us? We have no concern
about Saudi Arabia cutting ties with us, even if they have a large
country like Djibouti on their side," Nowbakht was quoted as saying
ironically after the incident.
"Never mind the fact that the government spokesman's boasting of the
cutting off of ties with an influential country in the region is
wrong and weak, but mentioning the name of another country like
Djibouti in a mocking and belittling manner by a government official
is a moral and political catastrophe," wrote "Dalghak Irani", before
calling on President Ruhani to appoint a new spokesperson.
(http://tinyurl.com/z8q45qe)
Babak Dad, a famous pro-reform blogger, said the government's
response to the crises of Saudi allies severing ties with Tehran
would have geopolitical and strategic consequences.
"Iranian tankers or ships have been relying on Djibouti's friendship
and support while passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait towards
the Mediterranean, specifically because their well-equipped defence
bases have repeatedly pushed back pirates wandering around the
strait. Now, in the absence of stability in Yemen and any ties with
Djibouti, Iran's public and private shipping industries will suffer
a
great deal in terms of safety and security," he commented.
(http://tinyurl.com/gojpb6w)
[Description of Source: Caversham BBC Monitoring in English --
Monitoring service of the BBC, the United Kingdom's public service
broadcaster]
(U) This product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use is
for national security purposes of the United States Government only.
Any reproduction, dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage
policy and the original copyright.
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