Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Will Fulton. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Temporary Friday prayer leader and Assembly of Experts member Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said that "an official who has [difference] with velayat is hated by the people," affirmed Supreme Leader's position regarding the United States, and condemned the attack on Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani this past week:
  • "It has been about a year that the enemy has sought to separate the people from their revolution through psychological warfare and in this regard uses sanctions and incorrect media behaviors, and [they] were waiting for 22 Bahman [anniversary of revolution on Persian calendar] but the splendidly insightful people were present in the scene."
  • Some naive [individuals] saw this [US direct negotiations offer] as a golden opportunity, but they must know that America was not seeking negotiations and seeks domination and wants to bring Iran to the negotiations table and through this make regional revolutionaries hopeless."
  • "America's case is only in the hands of the Supreme Leader and no one in any status can conduct any attempts in this arena without the Supreme Leader's permission."
  • Regarding the Qom incident [President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad supporters' attack on Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani] he said "if you want to see the result of your actions look at foreign media." 
• Judiciary Chief Sadegh Amoli Larijani announced the establishment of "special headquarters to investigate election crimes across the country," including in the centers of all provinces and cities. The decree required a section of every court to be dedicated to investigating election crimes. 

Photo of the Day

• "Ala Beit ol-Moghaddas" [Towards Jerusalem] military exercise in southern Iran.