Iran News Round Up

The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.

 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:
    • About 100 parliamentarians had called for questioning Ahmadinejad in a parliamentary session, which could result in impeaching the president. But the parliamentary board stresses that the move is not "expedient".
    • Judiciary Spokesman Hojjat al-Eslam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ezhehi says "arrest of other government officials [from the Ahmadinejad camp] may occur." 
    • Hojjat al-Eslam Mojtaba Zolnour, former representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, and a current parliamentary candidate addresses the Assembly of Engineers: http://alborznews.net/fa/pages/?cid=46220
      • "The gentlemen don't deny the guardianship of the jurist and the head of the deviant current does not refute the guardianship. They however believe that at the time of the the minor emergence [of the Imam of the Era] there is no need for having a representative of the Imam of the Era..."
      • "The deviant current believes that the signs of the era for the minor emergence are apparent, and that there are some people who can have a relationship with the Imam of the Era. Therefore, they also believe that the head of the deviant current is in contact with the Imam of the Era..."
      • "The deviant current argues that the majority of the people believe in the revolution. But in reality, they want to enjoy alcoholic beverages, the don’t want the ladies to be bothered when it comes to the hijab, and fundamentally they want a regime which does not bother them..."
      • Zolnour ended his speech by saying that the Ahmadinejad camp might have an alliance with supporters of former president Mohammad Khatami.  
    • Hojjat al-Eslam Hamid Rasaei, a defector from the Ahmadinejad camp, explains the president's calculations:
      • "...They thought that the majority of the people are tired of the revolution and [tired of] paying for the negative implications of preserving the revolution. They therefore reached an unwritten conclusion that they should not chant revolutionary slogans and should not have an ideological discourse, but should make two sided statements and use individuals who are critical of the utopian currents of the regime... I have on numerous occasions heard Mashaei and the people around him: "Why do you divide the society? How many are the Hezbollahi kids or the so called elites of the society? They have four to five million votes in society. With this vote we can't remain in power... We later heard the same argument from Ahmadinejad."
    • Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei appoints a certain Meisam Taheri as Iranians Abroad Supreme Council representative. 
    • Ahmadinejad appoints Cooperatives Minister Mohammad Abbasi "sports minister" as well.
  • Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf leads a ceremony "thanking God for the health of the Leader," and Ayatollah Khamenei's escape from an assassination attempt in the 1980's.

Diplomacy

Military and Security

Nuclear Issue

  • Abd al-Reza Torabi, parliamentarian:
    • "Russia has not lived up to its promises when it comes to the building of this [nuclear power] plant [in Bushehr]. It has always pursued its interests. And despite receiving exorbitant sums from Iran, it has delayed to bring into operation this plant by using various excuses... When it comes to electricity production, this plant is totally uneconomical... Two months from now, the Russian Nuclear Energy minister will visit our country, but we still don't believe that the Russians will live up to their promises." 

Trade

  • The Islamic Republic purchases 78 AN-148 planes from Ukraine. 
  • [E] Iran plans to increase supply of electricity to Pakistan.

Economy

Photo of the Day

 

 

 

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