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

• The producers behind the controversial movie "The Emergence is Near" in which Ahmadinejad was presented as the facilitator of emergence of the Imam of the Era, produce a new movie called Lessons from History in which they compare Ahmadinejad with Mukhtar Ibn Abu Ubad al-Thaqafi, Islamic revolutionary who led an abortive rebellion against the Umayyad dynasty. Video.

• Ahmadinejad adviser Hamid Mowlana criticizes the use of the public space for advertisements, an indirect snipe Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf. 

• Assadollah Badamchian, Motalefeh Party deputy, complains about the difficulties of uniting the principalists in a united front ahead of parliamentary elections, especially defectors from the Ahmadinejad camp. 

• Rafsanjani addresses scholars of theological seminaries at an iftar ceremony: "In Islam, ends do not justify the means... the first and foremost goal of any Muslim must be preservation of Islam, the dignity of the people and the rights of the people. Power and government come second. But today, in many Islamic societies, the primary and secondary goals have been mixed which is not to the benefit of Islam and the Islamic community of believers."

• According to Serat News, Mir-Hossein Mousavi's is in critical condition and undergoing medical treatment.

Diplomacy

• [E] Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Iraq which took the lives of the innocent people, and took the foreign forces deployed in the country responsible for the spread of insecurities in the war-torn country.

• [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi is due to visit Mogadishu in the near future to accelerate delivery of Iran's humanitarian aids to the hunger-hit Somali people.

Military and Security

• Former prisoners of war demonstrate in front of the Presidential palace to protest against lack of government support.

Nuclear Issue

• Ahmadinejad hosting Russia's Security Council secretary says Tehran welcomes the Russian government's "step for step" proposal in the nuclear issue.

• Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi visiting Moscow says "from our point of view, the Bushehr plant is in practice functional."

Economy

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei: "The enemy is seeking to throw the Iranian nation and the Islamic regime to the ground with the ineffective weapon of sanctions, but this hostile goal will be unsuccessful because of the economic jihad of the authorities and the people and the great Iranian nation, hoping in future, will reach its deserved position... According to the policies decreed by the Point 44 [of the Constitution], the foundations of a competitive economy with presence of the private sector must be created the precondition of which is more activity in order to fully enact the Point 44 policies... The goal of the Point 44 policies is not merely privatization... but also the empowerment of the private sector..."  

• According to the Iran Statistics’ Office’s latest report to the parliament, the growth rate has reached 4%, although there is also 20% inflation and 13% unemployment.

Trade

• Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi says oil executives will be given freer hands to "circumvent the sanctions."

• Ezatollah Zarei, National Oil Company investment chief, says Iran is preparing "100 investment packages" in order to attract $80 billion from domestic and foreign investors.

Photos of the Day

·         Soccer: Persepolis meets Sarcheshmeh’s Mes.