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

• Presidential crisis:
  • Mohammad-Reza Lavasani, Martyr and Veterans Affair Foundation deputy, resigns and says the families of the martyrs and war veterans no longer support Ahmadinejad.

Diplomacy

• In an interview with Diplomasi-ye Irani, Rafsanjani slams Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Khamenei's diplomacy:
  • "From my point of view, I think the current method is not desirable. Of course, the gentlemen in all their statements say we should have relations with the entire world and that we should cooperate. When it comes to words, the statements of the government don't differ from previous governments, but what the gentlemen do does not achieve those goals. After all, it is not without reason that our relations with the neighboring countries have darkened at this juncture."
  • "I have very good memories from the day when it was decided that I should run for president until I was elected. We see that there was a competition for foreign heads of state to visit Iran. The atmosphere was truly desirable. All the taboos were broken and all the paths were opened. We were assured of receiving credit and technology..." 
  • "Of course, even back then there were extremist forces that condemned such things. Those who were extremists in the 1980's also expected us to engage in extremism after the [end] of the war [with Iraq in 1988]..."
  • "When it comes to the behavior of the Americans... you know better than me that despite their offensive posture during the war, they made statements which signaled change in their positions and softening of their harsh policies in many fields. In Iran, we responded somehow bitterly because we were subjected to the policy of the Leader [Ayatollah Khamenei]. He [Khamenei] did not agree. Of course, they [the United States] made advances as long as I showed softness. Had we dealt with the United States as we had dealt with Europe, we may have experienced fewer problems."
  • "What needs to be done is a matter related to the executive branch, especially the Foreign Ministry. I can't say too much. But I say that it can be done. For example, we should not do things which we should not, and we should do things which we should do. After all, in Iran we have many capacities. Iran is a place with which many world powers and regional countries desire to have cordial relations with, each for its reasons. We can really use this capacity of Iran better..."
  • "If we weaken the Foreign Ministry in the eyes of other states by establishing parallel institutions, even African countries will not negotiate with us… Unfortunately, the authorities don't pay enough attention to the national interests in the policies they choose and the way they express the issues in foreign policy."
  • "You know that Iran/Saudi relations have darkened these days. If a sounder foreign policy view was dominant, we could solve many problems with the aid of Saudi Arabia which has a special place among the Islamic countries and even in the world. But not only is this not the case, but there are those who because of domestic goals try to depict that relationship [with Saudi Arabia] as problematic. A few years ago, during a visit to Saudi Arabia and visiting King Abdullah, I complained about the bad behavior of Saudi authorities with Iranian pilgrims in airports and especially the Baqie Cemetery. He recognized that these issues were not in our and their interest and ordered the issue to be solved, including the issue of free presence of women in the Baqie [Cemetery]... Discussions were held about cooperation of the two countries concerning Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine, which the authorities [under Ahmadinejad Ahmadinejad presidency] did not want to realize."
  • "Following my return to Iran, every single day there was fraudulent news about their behavior towards Iranian pilgrims to the degree that our foreign minister [Manouchehr Mottaki] at a press conference said that the Saudis had treated Ayatollah Reyshahri badly, even body searched him. This issue was very bitter for me, since it was contrary to our agreement in Saudi Arabia. I asked Mr. Reyshahri what the issue was. He told me: 'This is not the case at all.' Mr. Reyshahri himself asked Mr. [Manouchehr] Mottaki, 'Why did you say so?' He [Mottaki] responded: 'I was under pressure to say so.' You see, we should not intertwine foreign policy which has to do with our national interest with domestic conflicts. The gentlemen were ready to depict foreign relations in such a problematic way in order to make my visit to Saudi Arabia and my negotiations with the authorities of that country look insignificant."
  • "I believe one can negotiate on completely equal terms and with mutual respect with the United States. In words they [the Ahmadinejad government] break the taboo of negotiating with the United States..."

Military and Security

• Parleman News releases the full text of Mohammad-Reza Khatami's letter to Revolutionary Guards Chief Mohammad-Ali Jafari, in which he accuses the IRGC leader of planning a coup:
  • "Dear Mr. Mohammad-Ali (Aziz) Jafari: Greetings! I don't know how to address you. The head of the Revolutionary Guards? The head of state building? The head of culture and ethics of society? The cabinet chief or the head of the military junta?"
  • "In your latest interview, you addressed all small and big issues of the state. And according to the interpretation of some friends about the role of the Revolutionary Guards as defined by the constitution, which is defending the revolution, gives all those responsibilities to the Guards." 
  • "I'll not address the different parts of your statements, and of course, if there is an opportunity and immunity, thousands of elites will criticize it in a logical and documented way. I'll address those parts of your statements where you made preconditions for Mr. [Mohammad] Khatami [former president] and other reformists. Of course, if you allow me to."
  • "Could you please say from what political or judicial position you make preconditions for legal and political activity of a citizen? This issue and other political interventions are contrary to the path which the Imam [Khomeini] defined for the armed forces. If you truly believe in the Imam, you should without any hesitation abandon making such positions. Otherwise, not only your position as the chief of the Guards but also your membership as an ordinary member of this instituting would be questioned and you should start a political party. Even in that case, you do not have the right to say who should participate in politics and who not." 
  • "In the world of politics, your behavior as a military commander has only one definition and that is the rule of a coup d'état. This is because in a government of military coup, whatever the military commander says is the law and everyone must obey it. I, of course, do not believe that you so simply desired to prove all the criticism of the past two years with your unmeasured statements. There must surely have been a mistake made out of ignorance...."
  • "If you still insist upon your statements, I must say that those educated in the political school of the Imam do not need anyone’s permission for political and societal activism, not even yours, and they don't fear such threats. You can prevent people other than those close to you from participating in elections. You can even imprison all the critics and arrange a lively election, even livelier than the presidential election. But you probably know that the political arena is not a narrow field that you decide its limits. Sitting on the throne of power is very easy and by the way everyone’s turn hardly exceeds more than a couple of days. But having a place in the hearts of the people is very difficult, which is of course also unrelated to money, arms and the Voice and Vision [of the Islamic Republic]. You have demonstrated that you do not have the capacity and stratagem to do so."
  • "Your Excellency Jafari: Khatami and the real reformists don't thirst for power so that they abandon their principles in order to achieve it. They are concerned about the future of the country which is entangled in a dangerous era. Of course, for the sake of the salvation of the country they are ready to sacrifice their honor and if they speak of forgiveness it is not to save their heads from sharp swords but in order to create calm for those who did injustice to the people. There may be a chance for the rule of ethics, reason and stratagem."
  • "Your Excellency Jafari: Legally, religiously, and when it comes to the civil code or expediency, you are not in a position to threaten the political class and define preconditions for them. If you desire to improve the affairs of the state and if popular participation is of importance to you, live at the very least up to those conditions of Mr. Khatami, which are in your powers to fulfill, meaning freeing all political prisoners and withdrawing all military men from politics and leaving it to the politicians and social thinkers. If you then fear competing with Mr. Khatami and others in a free election one can think of solutions for your concern."
• Reactions to Mohammad-Reza Khatami's letter to Revolutionary Guards Chief Mohammad-Ali Jafari:
  • Yadollah Javani, Revolutionary Guards Political Bureau chief accuses Mehdi Karrubi, Mohammad Khatami and Mir-Hossein Mousavi of being engaged in "toppling the regime," in cooperation with the "United States and Zionism."
  • Hossein Hamadani, Tehran Mohammad Rasoul-Allah Revolutionary Guards chief:
    • "Question: Commander, if I ask you whether the reformists should enter elections or not, what would you answer?"
    • "Answer: Our nation decides. Our work is to present all the groups to the people and enlighten them. This means that our propagators, the clergy, the Guards, elites and academics should make the people know the parties and the candidates. The Guards must introduce them to the people as an organization engaged in the field of security. How can one expect the Guards not to intervene in these fields? How can the Guards or the Law Enforcement Forces not let the people know when it knows that someone [for examples] steals? It will most certainly do so. It must warn the people that this person may one day steal from you. Therefore, we don't express an opinion. We only present and enlighten [the public]. It is the people who elect. For example, during the presidential election of 1997 the people elected a reformist. After the election our people and we defended the government and the cabinet. That was also the case in the following election… We believe we should act in a non-partisan fashion..."
    • "The reformists are [divided into] two groups. The part of the reformist group such as the Kargozaran [technocratic faction], the Mojahedin Organization, Mosharekat [Participation], and the like is different from the other part. One can't make a general statement. If we distinguish between them, some of them are good people, but have a special thought and ideology. We say the exact words of His Lordship. They are present in the caravan of the Islamic revolution and we don't attack them..."
    • "It is a personal decision, and not an organizational decision [to leave the Revolutionary Guards and enter politics]. Everyone can make the decision to be in the Guards, and leave the Guards another day. The brother who has served in the Guards for thirty years has thirty years of experience. If he wants to enter the government, parliament, or city council we should never prevent him from doing so. This is the tradition everywhere in the world."   
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards:
  • "The people did not give the guardianship to His Holiness Ali [the first Imam of the Shi'as], but after twenty five years of staying home they gave him power. Therefore, the people are capable of transferring power, but guardianship is not transferable. Now, if they give the government to Ali it will be a religious rule, and if they give power to Muawiyah it will be the rule of Taghout [Satan] and will be a kingdom... The people have the right to choose, but not all choices are just. Therefore, if the choice of the people is in line with God's, will it is just, but if it is not in line with what God desires it will be a rule void of justice." 
• "An informed source" tells Nasim Online that the slow speed and disconnection problem of internet servers in Iran are because of establishing and testing a new system which filters Google and Yahoo search engines.
• [E] Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi underlined the vital importance of the Red Sea for Iran's security, and described the country's naval presence in the sea as a significant step in building Iran's security structure in the region.
• [E] Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi dismissed the allegations raised by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta about Iran's arms shipment to anti-US militants in Iraq and his threats against Iran as "empty" remarks.

Economy

• [E] Head of Iran's Customs Office Abbas Memarnejad announced that the country's exports increased by 45% in the first three months of the new Iranian year (March 21-June 21, 2011).
• [E] Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi on Wednesday lauded Iran's eye-catching progress in the oil sector, especially in gasoline production, irrespective of the embargos and sanctions imposed by the enemies on the country's energy sector.

Photo of the Day

• Rafsanjani.