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

• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani presents a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain and condemns "hostile positions of the British royal regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the country’s recent measure to sanction the Central Bank of our country, and Britain's support to the seditionists of 2009."
• News stories about the attack against the British Embassy in Tehran:
  • Two days ago, Fars News Agency ran an article titled "Is the British Embassy any different from the United States Den of Espionage?"
  • One day prior to the attack, the Student Basij openly announced that it desired to "seize the Embassy of the Old Fox."
  • "Student" protesters demonstrate Tuesday in front of the Qolhak Garden of the British Embassy and burn the British and Israeli flags.

• "Student" protesters demonstrating in front of the Qolhak Garden of the British Embassy force their way into the embassy ground. The protesters take down the British flag. The Law Enforcement Forces are incapable of stopping the protesters.
• The "students" seizing the British Embassy observe prayers in the Embassy garden. According to Fars News, the students carry placards of Revolutionary Guards Quds Force Commander Qassem Suleimani.
• Fars News Agency removes a video of the "student seizure" of the British Embassy from its website.
• The Law Enforcement Forces are trying to expel the "students" from the British Embassy ground in Tehran.
• "Iranian students" seizing the British Embassy in Tehran release a statement:

• "Seizure of the British Embassy has been conducted by revolutionary students. This deed has not been ordered by any organization or institution and the students seized the British Embassy in Tehran by themselves."
• "Since the students seized the British Embassy by themselves, they certainly will continue this path."
• "The seizure of the British Embassy has taken place after a 33-year delay... The Embassy of the 'Old Fox' should have been seized earlier."
• "Any free Iranian whose heart beats for this country and has witnessed the crimes of the Old Imperialist against Iran and Iranians, should know that the seizure of the Embassy of the Old Fox is good for the national interests of our country."
• Those who have seized the British Embassy also demand expulsion of the British ambassador to Tehran and a complete severing of diplomatic relations between Iran and Britain.

• Fars News Agency likens the British Embassy in Tehran with "the Den of Espionage" and demands closure of the "dens of espionage of Britain, France and Germany" in Tehran.
• Kayhan slams the Transport Ministry's memorandum of cooperation with Qatar Airline to service domestic flights in Iran.

Politics

• Ammariyon runs a piece on Sadeq Mahsouli, former Social Minister and a key Ahmadinejad ally.

Military and Security

• Supreme Leader Khamenei addresses the Iranian Navy personnel:
  • "During the Qajar era and particularly during the Pahlavi era, the authorities were humiliated in the face of the demands of the hegemonic powers and should a nation feel vulnerable in the face of enemy it is incapable of doing anything. But the Islamic revolution gave the gift of dignity to Iran and all must value of this dignity."
• Revolutionary Guards Deputy Hossein Salami says the Revolutionary Guards is "reassessing its defense doctrine" and will use the strategy of "threats against threats." Salami also stressed the importance of the Passive Defense Organization in the new defense doctrine.
• Stories related to an alleged blast in Isfahan:
  • Gholam-Reza Ansari, Isfahan Justice Administration head, says he heard "the sound of a great blast" in Isfahan.
  • Blast in Isfahan Monday around noon, but the source of the blast has not been identified.
  • According to Farhang-e Ashti, frightened Isfahanis took to the streets after the explosion.
• Yadollah Javani, former Revolutionary Guards Political Bureau commander, currently "senior adviser to the representative of the Supreme Leader to the Fars [province] Fajr Guards unit":
  • "One must take care about who will try to run for parliament, since the next parliament should not be like the sixth parliament where 135 members wrote a letter to the Supreme Leader demanding peace in the face of the threats of the United States... Unity of the principled ones is a necessity for victory in parliamentary elections..."
• Intelligence Minister Hojjat al-Eslam Moslehi says the social networking websites have become a threat to the enemies of the Islamic Republic to the degree that "the United States has filtered Facebook and Twitter" and has "decreased the speed of the internet."

Trade

• Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi says no sanction is enacted against Iran's oil exports.

Photos of the Day

• Seizure of the Qolhak Garden of the British Embassy.
• Supreme Leader Khamenei addresses Iranian Navy commanders.