Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin.  To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.
 
(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad-Taqi Rahbar, head of the parliamentary clerical association: "Sources of emulation have closed the doors of their houses to the government... We have lost our faith in this government.
• Iran highlights differences between Ahmadinejad and Rafsanjani.

Diplomacy

• Ahmad Tavakoli defends Alef News' invitation to Alan Eyre, the Persian-language spokesman of the State Department:
  • "This was done in defense of the Islamic Republic. By publishing the answers of the State Department's spokesman, the illogical and bullying nature of American statesmen would have been proven to the Internet users... We invited this individual as a special guest and we carefully chose 30 questions from the questions posed by the users. The questions were formed in a way that he would be in trouble regardless of the way he answered... He answered 27 questions. Should all those questions be published, even the most Westernized Internet users would agree with the Islamic republic and would reach the conclusion that the United States is illogical. Therefore, the Alef website's initiative was calculated and I'm proud of it..."
    • Alef News' readers comment on the story:
      • "Concern of Mr. Hosseinian [from the Internet Crimes unit] about this interview is one of the following:
        1. He does not believe in the legitimacy of the Islamic revolution and its influence in the hearts of the people.
        2. He [Hosseinian] considers the logic of the Americans in proving our illegitimacy particularly firm and fears that our people can't resist this logic!"
      • "Interesting. They invited him [Alan Eyre] to answer questions, but their goal was not to illuminate the public opinion and popular judgment; they just wanted to lure him into trouble."
      • "This really is such a question. We are logical, and they are totally illogical. They are in trouble too. Economically they are being annihilated, and 99% of the people of the United States are chanting slogans against them in the streets. Why do we fear such an unfortunate creature?"
• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei receives the Iraqi prime minister:
  • "The complete withdrawal of United States military is... a very important and great success which was achieved through the steadfastness of the government reflecting the public will in Iraq..."
• Hassan Kazemi Qomi, former ambassador to Iraq, discussing Iran/Iraq relations, says regional security in the Persian Gulf region is in the hands of Iraq and Iran.
• Ayatollah Taskhiri inaugurates an interfaith seminar of the Islamic sects in Sri Lanka.
• [E] Iran on Tuesday once again warned the regional states about Israel's divisive plots in the region, and called on the neighboring countries to keep vigilant about the harmful outcomes and repercussions of relations with Israel. 

Military and Security

• Said Jalili, Supreme National Security Council secretary, meeting the prime minister of Iraq, expresses Iran’s readiness to assist Iraq with its internal security "following the occupiers' exit from Iraq."
• Revolutionary Guards Navy Commander Ali Fadavi stresses "interest of the Guards in the three islands Abu-Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs."
• [E] Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi underlined Iran's high defensive capabilities and power, and said a newly developed missile called 'Khalij-e Fars' (Persian Gulf) will make the enemies change their equations and calculations due to its unusual and unique features. 
• [E] Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi stressed his forces domination and control over the US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf, and said that the American naval forces need IRGC's permission for any move in the regional waters.

Economy

• Iran quotes IMF's latest report which concludes that the Islamic Republic's foreign exchange reserve has reached $100 billion. 
• Two weeks prior to the final vote on the next fiscal year's budget, the parliament hosted a session discussing the government's budget bill:
  • Ahmad Tavakoli: "The budget bill is not transparent... the numbers behind the reform of the subsidies initiative are not known... Not even the parliamentarians know what amount the government expects to save from the initiative. They don't know the price of gasoline..." 
  • Tavakoli continued: "The average per capita income of every Iranian was a fixed price of $608 during Mir-Hossein Mousavi, $384 during Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani and $364 during Mr. Khatami. This amount increased to $824 during the first five years of Mr. Ahmadinejad's tenure in office... However, [because of higher energy prices after the subsidy reforms] the production sector faced increasing prices... As domestically produced goods experienced increasing prices the purchasing power of the people was reduced... The parliament decided to earmark 30% of the money saved for the reform of the subsidies system to help the production units but this did not take place... In only 40 days the national currency was devalued by 60%... this also led to inability of the Iranian produced goods to compete with imported goods..."

Trade

• Abd al-hossein Bayat, discussing Chinese credits to finance petrochemical projects in Iran, said the "names of the investors, involved countries and projects about to begin are classified."

Photos of the Day

• Tehran Metro eight days after flooding.