After the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, a widespread fear among Iranian hard-liners was that the United States and Western European countries would begin to “infiltrate” key institutions in Iran and attempt to influence domestic cultural, political and economic policy. The word “infiltrate,” which was first introduced by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, became a catchall phrase used by hard-liners to disparage anyone who expressed openness to broader ties with the West. One group receiving particular attention during this time was dual nationals working within the managerial and executive positions within the Hassan Rouhani administration.
Given the focus over dual nationals, parliament’s foreign policy and national security commission initiated a special investigation. On Aug. 20, Ali Najafi Khoshroudi, spokesman for the commission, read the report during an open session on the parliament floor.