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

Diplomacy

• A few hours after the State Department launched of a "cyber embassy to Iran" the Intelligence Ministry censors the website. Hossein Ebrahimi, parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee deputy said:
  • "With this step, the Americans aim to engage in espionage and desire to establish contact with individuals in Iran..."   
  • Esmail Kowsari, parliamentary National Security Committee member predicts the website "will not last more than a year."
  • Ali Mousavi, Islamic Student Association secretary, says the Iranian students will "also seize this embassy."
• Ahmadinejad follows the parliament's recommendation to reduce the level of diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom.
• [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Saleh underlined his country's opposition to any extension of the presence of the foreign military troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

Military and Security

• Hojjat al-Eslam Hossein Ebrahimi, parliamentary National Security Committee deputy, defends the IRGC’s Air and Space commander's statements about targeting NATO's missile defense in Turkey.
• Sabotage against electricity lines from Iran to Iraq 50 kilometers northwest of Baquba.
• According to Nasim Online, the Revolutionary Guards will soon display the United States drone which the Air Defense Force claims to have shot down.
  • According to Tehran Times, Russian and Chinese experts have asked Iran for permission to see the drone.
  • Fars News releases some technical specifications of the RQ-170 drone, stresses that the intelligence gathered by it did not self-destruct.
  • [E] Fars News Agency: The CIA's use of surveillance drones over Iran reflects the US administration's hostile strategy against Tehran, including expanded use of remote-controlled stealth aircraft, such as the one that was downed in Eastern Iran last week, according to former and current US government officials.

Economy

• [E] Senior Iranian oil officials announced that the country plans to increase its daily oil output from the current 3.5 million to 5 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2015.

Trade

• Kayhan's editorial stresses that "there is no silver bullet" which can force Iran to its knees, also writes sanctioning the Central Bank of Iran or Iran's oil exports is not a real option for the West.
  • Sharq's analyst: "The United States has let down Britain" by not following its lead.
• Parliamentarian Emad Hosseini warns against Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Iraq exploiting Iran's share of shared oil and gas fields in the Persian Gulf.
• According to Abrar-e Eqtesadi, 21 new oil tankers will soon be added to Iran's tanker fleet.

Photos of the Day

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the Sham-e Ghariban ceremony of Ashura at the Imam Khomeini Hosseiniyeh in Jamaran.