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.

Khoshroudi said there are a number of dual nationals working within the government, including four people at the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, three people at the Iranian Red Crescent Society, two people at the State Welfare Organization and four people at the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution. This would put the total at 13, though some websites claimed there were a total of 17. According to the report, there are six individuals at the Ministry of Culture and Guidance whose names were given to the Foreign Ministry for review due to suspicions about them being dual nationals.

Khoshroudi added that there are laws restricting the employment of dual nationals within government positions. According to Iranian media reports, dual nationals were given three months to quit their government assignments before facing punishment. According to parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, the Intelligence Ministry presented the names of the dual nationals to the commission.