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

• According to parliamentarian Javad Karimi Qodousi, the court, as a part of the $3 billion embezzlement investigation, has ordered the arrest of the son of Ala al-Din Boroujerdi, Parliament’s National Security Committee chairman.
• Reports on the 2012 parliamentary elections:

• Davoud Ahmadinejad, brother of the president, attacks the "current of deviation":
  • "The leader of the current of deviation [Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei] once said that the Imam of the Era would have his minor emergence on June 4, 2011. Very this issue proves that this current is a current of deviation, since we do not have any reference to 'minor emergence' in the [traditional Shi'a] accounts. We do have minor and major occultation, but we do not have minor and major emergence. This did not happen, since in the Shi'a books, the Imam of the Era appears on a Friday, but the current of deviation desired to present the Imam of the Era on a Saturday which is the sacred day of the Jews!"
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ahmad Salek, Combatant Clergy Association spokesman, urges Ahmadinejad to "have a clear position concerning the current of deviation."
• Shafaf News warns against "use of public funds" by "the current of deviation" to win the 2012 parliamentary elections.

Diplomacy

• Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi comments on Iran-Britain relations:
  • "They did this political action [sanctions against the Central Bank] which had a theatrical impact since we had really no financial exchanges with Britain... I have had two conversations with the British foreign minister. The first time he contacted and the second time I established contact."
• [E] Former Iraqi premier and head of the Iraqi National Alliance Ibrahim Jafari underlined Baghdad's strong opposition to any military adventurism against Iran and Syria, warning that a military attack on either country would jeopardize security in Iraq and the entire region.

Military and Security

• The Foreign Ministry warns Iranians traveling abroad against "the traps of foreign intelligence services."
• Hossein Salami, Revolutionary Guards deputy: "We [the Revolutionary Guards] have a stealth drone which is capable of tens of hours of flight."
  • The Foreign Ministry summons the ambassador of Afghanistan to Tehran to discuss the United States drone, which according to the Foreign Ministry, has violated Iranian airspace from Afghanistan.
  • [E] The hi-tech US stealth drone that was downed by Iran last week is of paramount importance in intelligence trade with the US foes as it can blunt the US technological edge over its adversaries
• Ministry for Higher Education releases the academic disciplines from which foreign citizens are barred.
• The Islamic Republic introduces compulsory HIV/AIDS test for the draftees to military service.

Religion, Culture and Society

• Tehran Governor General Morteza Tammadon tries to calm the inhabitants of the capital, saying that small quakes do not necessarily lead to major earthquakes.
  • Asr-e Iran releases an impact assessment of a major earthquake in Tehran.
•  Tehran air pollution reaches a 12 year record high.

Photos of the Day

• Vulture in the streets of Tehran.