Iran News Round Up

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

(E) = Article in English

Excerpts of these translations may only be used with the expressed consent of the authors

• Armed Forces General Staff Headquarters Basij Affairs and Culture Deputy IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, during a statement condemning the Israeli military attacks against the Palestinians, expressed that “the current conflict in Iraq and the conflict in Gaza are two sides of the same coin”:
  • “What we are witnessing in the region these days, especially in Syria and Iraq are countries where terrorist groups work on behalf of the hegemonic system. At the top it is American killing people and destroying towns and villages.” (Sepah)

• Head of the Judiciary Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani met with high-ranking judiciary officials to discuss the threat of disintegration in Iraq:
  • "Disintegration of countries has been among the goals of the colonialists in all times in contemporary history…it will inflict harm on Iraq and the country's Kurds."
  • "On one hand the Americans claim that they are opposed to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and on the other hand, it is observed that the countries which are American puppets are the main supporters of the terrorists in the region; they supply them with money and weapons." (Fars)

• Head of the Expediency Discernment Council Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani addressed the Iraqi crisis in an interview with a Japanese news outlet and said:
  • "I believe everyone who supports terrorism [Saudi Arabia] will eventually realize his mistake."
  • “Iran has sent some military advisors to Iraq to provide consultations to the Iraqi army which is facing setbacks in its fight against the Takfiri Islamic State of Iraq and Levant forces.”
  • "We've been advising and will be advising on security issues… [However] under the principles of the Iranian government, there will be no military intervention." (Mehr)

• Arab and African Affairs Deputy to the Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met with Oman’s Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah in Muscat. The two sides discussed the ongoing Iraqi crisis and Abdollahian said:
  • "America should specify its relationship with terrorist acts in Iraq."
  • "All countries should help Iraq in fighting terrorism since security of Iraq is an important component of security of all regional states." (IRNA)

• Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham dismissed reports claiming Iran has supplied Iraq with aircrafts; "Iran has sent no weapons or fighter jets to Iraq." (ISNA)

• Iran’s former ambassador to Lebanon Qazanfar Roknabadi: “Without a doubt, the takfiri terrorists are guided by the Zionists.” (ABNA) “Undoubtedly, the main problem of the Muslim world has always been the Zionist occupation. It has been emphasized that all the power and the potential of the Islamic world and the followers of other religions should be spent on destroying this cancer.”  

• Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi reiterated the Supreme Leader’s message on Iran’s nuclear rights and its ability to repel military threats. Salehi also praised the Fordows site for its robust security and discussed the current round of negotiations:
  • “The facility is well equipped to safeguard the country’s uranium enrichment technology.”
  • “The site must be regarded as a research and development center and a backup for the Natanz facility.”
  • “There are approximately thousands and some hundreds centrifuge machines assembled in the [Fordo] site, and we are currently producing five percent uranium.”
  • "Analyzing the current global issues realistically accompanied by the realities happening in America we come to the conclusion that America has no way but interaction with Iran." (Tasnim)

• According to Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency, reactor one of the Bushehr nuclear plant has reached its full capacity, following a scheduled fuel reload.