![\"n82612468-71770270\"](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/08\/n82612468-71770270.jpg\" "\\"n82612468-71770270\\"")
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By Mahmoud Hakamian<\/strong><\/p>\n On July 27, 2017, Iranian regime\u2019s media reported on the launch of a satellite carrier missile. The timing of the launch was arranged in such a way so as to coincide with discussions over US Congress\u2019s passing of sanctions against the Iranian regime.<\/p>\n While the move was widely advertised by regime officials, including regime\u2019s president Hassan Rouhani and state media, it was faced with tough stances and a new wave of condemnations by the international community, so that the US Treasury, among others, sanctioned six more entities related to regime\u2019s ballistic-missile program, following which three European countries, namely France, Germany, and Britain issued a joint statement with the United States, denouncing the regime\u2019s move and calling on the regime to immediately stop any ballistic missile test and related activities.<\/p>\n Such tough reactions and stances accompanied with putting more strengthened sanctions in place, raises numerous questions over the reason behind regime\u2019s provocative move as well as its possible consequences. Questions such as why regime has taken such a provocative measure in such a sensitive and critical situation while new US sanctions against the regime are being imposed? Is it the result of a bad decision making, or has the regime made up its mind about confrontation?<\/p>\n The missile test had a dual purpose. In the first place, it was a demonstrative move made only to satisfy regime\u2019s domestic forces as well as its foreign hirelings who, faced with current political and social situation and the crushing blows dealt to regime one after the other, have totally lost their spirit and are completely frustrated. It would suffice if we take a look at the remarks made by regime officials and media to find out to some extent the dimensions of frustration and low-morale of regime\u2019s forces:<\/p>\n \u201cThe toughest sanctions in the past 100 years have been composed against us, with its third chapter containing regime overthrow\u201d, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of regime\u2019s expediency council, July 27, 2017.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ultimate goal of the new sanctions is to overthrow Iran\u2019s Islamic regime\u201d, Resalat newspaper quoting Ali Aghazadeh, former member of regime\u2019s parliament\u2019s security committee, July 26, 2017.<\/p>\n The regime, however, has been extremely cautious while launching the missile, so that unlike previous displays in which missile tests were carried out by firing ground-to-ground or surface-to-surface missiles at sea and striking a specific target, this time, however, regime decided to launch a non-military satellite carrier missile into space so as to give it a scientific, research look.<\/p>\n The other purpose of the recent missile test was to check out the opposite side\u2019s reaction. Faced with such a test, though of little military and operational value that doesn\u2019t realistically make the United States concerned, the US government reacted by imposing sanctions on six more entities related to Iranian regime\u2019s ballistic-missile program, signaling the regime that the United States is not going to tolerate any kind of regime\u2019s missile saber-rattling.<\/p>\n But regime\u2019s major loss in this regard is political, as the regime had its eyes on the gap between the United States and European countries with regard to the nuclear deal. But following the recent missile test, major European countries effectively took the United State\u2019s side and condemned the test.<\/p>\n Another ambiguity in this regard is related to Rouhani and his band\u2019s stance. Rouhani had previously denounced Revolutionary Guards\u2019 missile demonstrations during regime\u2019s presidential debates, describing it as a measure taken to undermine the nuclear deal. But why this time Rouhani has praised the recent missile display on his Instagram page, describing it as the sign of \u2018capability\u2019 and something that brings \u2018power and respect\u2019?<\/p>\n \u201cPointing to the (importance of) military science and technology, Mr. Rouhani asserted that the more we are capable in various sciences, the more powerful and dignified we will become\u201d, State-TV, July 28, 2017.<\/p>\n This change of stance points on one hand to the true nature of Rouhani and his band, which in essence is no different from that of Khamenei and Rouhani\u2019s rivals, and on the other hand it\u2019s a sign of increased pressures by Rouhani\u2019s opposing faction. But such provisional proximity in relations should by no means be regarded as the sign of the two rival bands getting closer together or of their decreased conflict and power struggle in the face of foreign threats. Soon after the effects and consequences of the new sanctions begin to emerge, the conflicts between the rival bands will flare up more than ever.<\/p>\n What\u2019s obvious, however, is that regime leader \u2018Khamenei\u2019 keeps remaining silent regarding new US sanctions, hesitating on the horns of a dilemma – acceding to the demands of the international community, the United States in particular, holding back from its atomic bomb project and regional interventions, and agree to more nuclear-deal-like treaties, or stand against them all \u2013 with both options, however, leading to imminent overthrow of the regime.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Mahmoud Hakamian On July 27, 2017, Iranian regime’s media reported on the launch of a satellite carrier missile. The timing of the launch was arranged in such a way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":49315,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[175],"class_list":{"0":"post-23291","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-iran-a-world","8":"tag-updated"},"yoast_head":"\n