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

• Tehran Mayor and former senior Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf spoke about nuclear negotiations at a conference in Tehran for Iran-Iraq war veterans. He said the talks were “…a battle facing the nation and the revolution” and urged critics of the interim Joint Plan of Action not to weaken the Rouhani administration’s negotiating team:
  • He added that Iran’s negotiators “should not expect all of our demands to dictate the other side because the other side cannot meet all of our demands. Westerners, especially Americans are in conflict with the Muslim nation of Iran.”
  • “The Supreme Leader has reminded us many times in the last government and in today’s government that we should not be naïve and imagine that if they speak with us and sound good that they have the interests of the Iranian nation and people in mind.”

• Head of the Judiciary Branch Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani met with provincial attorney generals to provide clarification on the full five-year judicial report on the “88 sedition” [2009 post-election uprising] and said:
  • “The judicial inquiries regarding the ‘88 sedition' were satisfactory.”
  • Regarding the investigation of abuse in Evin prison: “Everyone saw the problems the foreigners started, even some within the country gave voice to them. Our investigation was legal and correct, but [the ‘seditionists’] were united by external and some internal media outlets who sought to destroy the judiciary.” “We expect this from the foreign media outlets, but why have some domestic media outlets taken this step with them and shared their voice?”

• IRGC Khatam ol-Anbia Construction Base presented its “capabilities” at the 19^th International Oil, Gas, Refinery, and Petrochemical conference in Tehran. The theme for the conference is “expanding energy diplomacy and strengthening domestic production.” 

• Arab and African Affairs Deputy to the Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian denied reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki made a “confidential” visit to Tehran. He said Iran maintains “spiritual influence” in Iraq, but rejected the notion that it constitutes “meddling” in Iraqi affairs. 

• National Iranian Gas Exports Company Managing Director Ali Reza Kameli announced that negotiations over LNG projects with companies from Italy and Japan are underway. 

• Senior Lebanese Hezbollah officials attended the funeral of senior commander Haj Hassan Fouad Mansour (AKA Abu Ali Meitham) who was killed fighting in Syria.

• IRGC Navy Lieutenant Commander Rear Admiral Majid Zamani Ghalei announced that naval speedboats will be equipped with a new advanced hull and “advanced power transmission systems.”