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

Diplomacy

• Houshang Tale, Pahlavi era parliamentarian and member of the long-dissolved Pan-Iranian Party, reiterates Iran's claims on Bahrain.

Military and Security

• Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan, Islamic Republic of Iran Army commander: "In case of threats, we will use the Strait of Hormuz as an instrument."
• Revolutionary Guards Deupty Hossein Salami says the Islamic Republic controls the world economy. 
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, says the IRGC only enters the field of economic and financial activities, particularly in the banking sector, when competitors in the private sector are incapable of competing with the IRGC.
• Ramezan Sharif, Revolutionary Guards Public Relations directorate commander, complains about commanders who do not cooperate with the IRGC to explain the economic and cultural dimensions of the work of the IRGC to the public. 
• [E] The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces in a message felicitated the Egyptian nation on the election of Mohammed Mursi as the country's new president, and urged Egypt's Armed Forces to accept election results.
• [E] Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said that Iran's deterrent power enjoys different military, social and economic elements. 
• [E] Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said that enemies' propaganda campaign to accuse the IRGC of interfering in Iran's political structure and elections is part of "non-stop psychological war" to demonize the military force.

Nuclear Issue

• Rafsanjani receives the new ambassador of Spain to Tehran:
  • "The Islamic Republic of Iran is not at all trying to build a nuclear weapon... the nuclear weapon has today lost its deterrence value and its use will cause great and irreparable harm to the nations and future generations..."
• Alef News's columnist criticizes the communication strategy of the Iranian nuclear negotiators in Moscow:
  • "The negotiations themselves are not important. What is important is the public [perception]. Rather than concentrating on the proposals of the 5+1 Group, it should focus on guiding the domestic and international public opinion. The key to solving the crisis is the public opinion not efforts to convince people who do not have a will of their own [the 5+1 Group representatives]. This is exactly what the Iranian negotiators do not pay much attention to. But the 5+1 Group, with undesirable degree of deftness, have created a war room... Who is Iran's Michael Mann...? Who plays the role of Alan Eyre of Iran for the foreign media...? Mr. Jalili's speech was several times the length of Mrs. Ashton’s. He answered the questions of most journalists, but without convincing them... The most important parts of Mr. Jalili's statements disappeared in the midst of unnecessary statements. The media did not know if they should pay attention to Iran's opposition to an expert meeting on July 2, 2012 which is the anniversary of the attack of American aircraft careers against the Iranian airliner [in 1988], or Iran's five proposals or achievements of the Moscow [negotiations]... The entire world knows what the 5+1 Group wants, but what really is Iran's proposal? Why all these considerations? What expediency prohibits Iran from shouting its just message? In her press conference, Mrs. Ashton clearly declares that they presented three conditions to Iran... What is Iran's position in this regard? What is the Iranian package of proposals? The Iranian negotiation team constantly stressed that it has presented its five proposals. What are those five proposals? For a long time, it was not disclosed. When it was disclosed, it was vague."

Economy

• According to Alef News, one dollar is traded for 20,000 rials in the Iranian market. 
• Shia News reports a rise in the price of clerical robes. 

Trade

• According to the Islamic Republic Chief Inspectorate, Qatar pumps 450,000 barrels of oil out of the South Pars oil and gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar. Iran's oil production has not even reached 35,000 barrels of oil per day.

Photo of the Day

• The parliament commemorates Iraq war veterans.