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

• Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami spoke about the crisis in Iraq at the appointment ceremony of the IRGC Ghaem Al-e Mohammad Unit Commander (Semnan Province):
  • “Terrorist interference in Iraq will be defeated, just like in Syria, with the people’s participation and the readiness of Iraq.”
  • “The events that are occurring today in various countries are the results of the military interventions of America and Western governments in the affairs of these countries.” 
  • Salami appointed former IRGC Karbala Unit (Mazandaran province) Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Taghi Shahcheraghi as the new IRGC Ghaem Al-e Mohammad Unit Commander.
  • Outgoing IRGC Ghaem al-E Mohammad Unit Commander Brig. Gen. Ali Ostad Hosseini was appointed Commander of the Imam Hassan Mojtaba Unit (Alborz province). 
  • The Supreme Leader’s Representative to the IRGC Ghaem Al-e Mohammad Unit was also replaced; the Supreme Leader’s former representative to the IRGC Counter Intelligence Imam Hadi College Hojjat al-Eslam Mahmoud Shokri replaced outgoing Hojjat al-Eslam Jafar Reayati. 

• President Hassan Rouhani called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss the latest developments in northern Iraq and said:
  • “The Shi’a noble authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani declared that everyone should be involved in the fight against terrorism.”
  • President Rouhani told attendees at a conference that he “will be participating in [a] Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) meeting regarding regional issues.”
    • “We witness violence, terror, and displacement in the region today. As the government of Iran we will not tolerate this we will fight and confront violence, extremism, and terrorism in the region and the world our way. We also have a clear message that the enemies of the Islamic world’s unity and the region are not idle and are creating the groundwork for division.”
    • “I hope that nobody would see the savage acts committed by [ISIS] in Iraq and Syria. Unfortunately, these people claim to be Muslim.”
  • Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari to voice Iran’s support in combating the recent wave of ISIL attacks.

• Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi announced that Iran will lower its plutonium production at the Arak heavy water reactor to a tenth of its current production rate. Salehi added:
  • “The amount of plutonium production at [Arak] which is about 9-10 kilograms per year will drop to less than one kilogram.” 
  • Central Bank of Iran Head Valiollah Seif announced that Iran will receive the sixth tranche of funds per the Joint Plan of Action.

• Islamic Republic of Iran Navy Commander Habibollah Sayyari announced that the 30^th fleet has entered the southern Indian Ocean, docked in Tanzania.