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 Digarban's analyst, Ahmadinejad has for months not participated in Supreme Leader’s several religious ceremonies such as the Ashura, but arranges his own ceremonies held at the Office of the President.
• Islamic Resistance Front, an offshoot of Ahmadinejad supporters, publishes an eighty page report refuting allegations that it secretly supports Ahmadinejad. The report criticizes Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani, Assembly of Experts chairman.
• Jomhouri-ye Eslami's editorial reflects viewpoints of Ali Salman, the president of Al-Wefaq political party in Bahrain.

Diplomacy

• [E] Iranian Culture Minister Seyed Mohammad Hosseini and Lebanese Hezbollah Movement Leader Seyed Hassan Nasrallah in a meeting in Lebanon conferred on the latest regional and international developments.

Military and Security

• The Secretariat of the Expediency Council dismisses rumors about an attempt on the life of Rafsanjani.
• Major General Qassem Suleimani, Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander, addresses The Youth and The Islamic Awakening seminar:
  • "The movements [in the region] have gradually become more Islamic, and they are being formed like the Islamic revolution of Iran…”
  • "Iran has the capacity to organize this movement and establish Islamic governments in order to fight against the Arrogance [the United States]..."
  • "Iran is the only country which has managed to remain safe in the face of the onslaught of the West and the Zionist regime. Iran has also managed to expand its cultural realm..."
  • "Iran is present in southern Lebanon and in Iraq. In reality, these areas are somehow influenced by the performance and thought of the Islamic Republic of Iran..."
  • "We must show the truth of our being Shi'a in practice and we should not make others Shi'a. Naturally, the truth of Shi'ism could have a great impact..."
  • "The people of Syria and the ethnic groups [there] are completely supporting the government. Among the Sunnis, an important group of the people looks with apprehension at the developments in Syria and the West's interventions. In addition, most machinations have not been in the cities, but in the villages..."
  • "The opposition has not managed to mobilize a million-man rally against the regime of Bashar Assad. Nothing happened, not even after the Arab League representatives entered Syria. The Syrian disease is therefore not one which can do away with its government..."
  • "It is too early to make a decisive statement about Ikhwan al-Muslimin [Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt]... What has been said by Jalal Talabani [about Suleimani's contacts with the United States] was not clear, but warnings are constantly issued to the United States concerning the consequences of their deeds..."
  • [Commenting on suggestions to assassinate him, Suleimani said:] I pray to God that the Americans do this." 
• Ahmad Tavakoli, Parliamentary Research Center director, condemns gatherings in front of Admiral Hossein Alaei's home as well as public attacks against former parliamentarian Emad Afrough, who in a TV interview said the public has the right to criticize all authorities, including the Guardian Jurist.
  • According to Baztab, a group is planning a gathering in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and later in front of Afrough's home to protest against the former parliamentarian's statements on live television.
• Gholam-Reza Jalali, Passive Defense Organization commander, says "the enemies of the Islamic Republic have begun attacking the sewage systems in Iran." Jalali also says bird flu in some provinces is the work of the enemy.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi renewed his country's support for Tehran's peaceful nuclear program. 
• [E] The future talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) will "most probably" be held in Turkey, Iranian top diplomat Ali Akbar Salehi said. 

Trade

• Kayhan dismisses the importance of sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran. 
• Indian authorities stress that they have no intentions of stopping oil imports from Iran. 
• Pars Takan Company offers its services to circumvent the international sanctions regime against Iran. 
• [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi stressed that Iran and Turkey, as the two neighboring countries, are determined to boost their trade exchanges to $30bln in future.

Photos of the Day

• Public execution of a convicted rapist in Kerman.