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 subscribe to this daily newsletter, please visit this page, fill out the "New Subscribers" section, and check "Iran News Round Up" listed under "Projects." 
 
(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Iranians stage anti-regime demonstrations demanding release of opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karrubi and their spouses:
  • Protesters create artificial traffic to block the movement of the Basij and the police. 
  • Demonstrators chant "death to Khamenei" at Imam Hussein Square in Tehran.
  • Cars hunk in an act of protest against visible presence of the security forces in Tehran.
  • All pedestrian bridges in Tehran are controlled by the Basij and the anti-riot police.
  • Tehran Municipality is collecting trash cans fearing protestors would set them aflame. 
  • Internet speed is said to be down.
  • People chant "death to the dictator" in central parts of Tehran.
  • Political prisoners in Rajai-Shahr prison in Karaj declare solidarity with the anti-regime protesters.
  • Anti-regime bloggers urge the public to demonstrate against the regime while pretending to be on "new year shopping" if arrested.
  • Most classes at Tehran University are closed. 
• Mohammad Nourizad, political prisoner, urges the Iranian public to participate in today's anti-regime demonstrations.
• According to Jahan News, First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi will soon be replaced by Mahmoud Salahi Ahmadabadi, who currently serves as Khorasan-e Razavi governor general.
• The parliament refuses to issue license to a political association called the Association of Preachers of Mashaei.

Diplomacy

• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast:
  • "These issues [arrest of Mehdi Karrubi, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and their wives] are a totally domestic issue and no country has the right to intervene in our internal affairs."
  • "We hope that these issues [the crisis in North Africa] will not be utilized as an excuse for military intervention by other countries. Other countries, especially the West, should not take advantage of this opportunity... to remake these countries into their military bases."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ahmad Salek, Combatant Clergy Association Central Committee member: "The Islamic rising will also reach Europe."
• [E] Ahmadinejad meets with new Chinese ambassador and calls for an increased role for both countries in establishing a new world order.
• [E] Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman expressed Iran’s readiness to continue talks with the P5+1 on diplomatic issues. 

Military and Security

• Hassan Firouz-Abadi, chief of the General Staff: " At any rate, Western and world capitalism and despotism rely on oil from this region and the corrupt dictatorships which are now embattled. They have been lackeys of the United States and the West. Therefore, the United States and the West are threatened... Iran is not facing any threats."
• According to Asr-e Iran, the Revolutionary Guards has protested against the government's proposed national budget for next year.
• Yadollah Javani, Revolutionary Guards Political Directorate chief, reacts to inclusion of his name in the EU list of sanctioned individuals: "Some time ago, I was told that I have a considerable fortune in a few European, Indian and Arab banks... Now that there is news about sanctioning my assets... I have decided to donate it all to the homeless people in Europe and I therefore ask the EU members to send a representative to Iran so I can officially make the declaration to do this God pleasing deed so that they can solve the problems of the poor people in their countries."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Moetamed, Independent Imam Sadegh Brigade chief: "With intelligence superiority and its management, this unit is ready and able to increase the cost of opposition against the regime and the leader for any individual or group."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ezhehi, Judiciary spokesman:
  • "[One can talk of] sedition as long as the issues are ambiguous and the boundaries are unclear and nontransparent. Today, the issues are clear. Provocations by foreigners are clear, and the counter revolution has openly entered the arena. Therefore, it is natural that the policy of countering them will be different from now on."
  • "In the first place, all their contacts [of the heads of the Green Movement], such as visits and phone calls and the like, have been severed. If necessary, further restrictions will be imposed upon contacts between them and other elements of sedition."
  • "The legal case against these individuals started when they engaged in unlawful acts. Apart from this, there were people outside the Judiciary who have demanded action against them."
• Shafaf releases biographic information about Imad Mughniyeh.
• [E] A senior Iranian Army commander announces that Iran has the ability to supply the country's Armed Forces with their needed military tools and equipment without foreign assistance.
• [E] Iran denies US accusations that it is supporting militants in Afghanistan, calling them claims unsubstantial and contrary to Iran’s own security interests.

 Nuclear Issue

• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast: "The IAEA should not allow the Western countries to pressure and influence the legal path of this issue [Iran's nuclear program]."

Economy

• [E] The Head of Iran’s Custom’s Office reports that the country’s trade exchange increased to $82 billion dollars through the past year, showing growth in both exports and imports.
• Iranian authorities Islamic Republic authorities report sinking of an oil rig jacket in the Persian Gulf and other technical problems in development of Iran's offshore oil and gas fields.

Photo of the Day

• Ahmadinejad receives credentials from China’s new ambassador to Iran.