Iran News Round Up

��� � A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by�Ali Alfoneh�and�Ahmad Majidyar. To receive this daily newsletter, please�subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English ��

Politics

• According to Farda News, Rafsanjani is trying to form a national unity government.
• A group of people welcome Ahmadinejad on his return from New York and shout slogans in support of Ahmadinejad and Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad is criticized for expressing readiness to negotiate with the United States:
  
  • Ali-Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to the Supreme Leader: "The general policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran concerning relations with the United States is as in the past, and no decision has been made to change this policy in the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran..."
  • Mohammad-Baqer Zolqadr, Judiciary Strategic Affairs adviser: "No one negotiates with the Great Satan."
• Reactions to United States' removal of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization from terror list:
  
  • Ala al-Din Boroujerdi, parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee chairman, accuses the United States of backing the Mojahedin-e Khalq.�
  • Ali-Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to the Supreme Leader: "This shows that the policies of the United States in the region have reached a dead end."
  • Mohammad-Saleh Jokar, parliamentarian, says the removal "shows the secret relations between the United States and the Monafeqin [Mojahedin-e Khalq]."
  • Fars News' condemnation.�

Military and Security

• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi reacts to the Israeli prime minister's address to the United Nations General Assembly: "If having the nuclear bomb means violating the red line, the Zionist regime, which possesses tens of nuclear warheads and various types of weapons of mass destruction, has violated the red line for years and must be dealt with."
• Brigadier General Farza Esmaeili, Islamic Republic Air Defense commander, says no one attacking Iran's nuclear facilities will "get away alive."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Shirazi, Representative of the Supreme Leader to the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards:
  
  • "Today we do not see any reason for expansive military presence in Syria - no need to deploy military forces and no need to overtly extend military assistance to Bashar al-Assad. Consultation and advice in Syria is enough. The Syrian Army and popular forces in Syria are prepared to crush the enemy on their own... We are not saying Bashar is an ideal individual without any faults. Bashar al-Assad must enact the promised reforms in Syria and he has delivered some of those reforms."
  • "Are our enemies clever or stupid? They are stupid. It is also possible that they will do this stupid thing [attacking Iran]. Why are we saying that the possibility of this sometimes becomes stronger? Because the Israelis have announced today that 'we are not the Israel of yesterday, we are getting weaker by the day and the Islamic republic is getting stronger by the day.' Well, when Israel sees itself on the brink of annihilation it does things. Doing stupid things is easy and they will engage in a war in order to at least sting Iran. [This leads to] the commander of the Guards to say something which relies on this analysis that they will in the end do this stupid thing... Should a war take place, it would not be long war and the result of the war will decisively be to the benefit of the Islamic community of believers. We are experts in prolonging the wars and the Israelis absolutely do not have the capability to engage in a war of attrition."
  • "Let me share a memoir. In the beginning of the 33-day war when Hezbollah said 'We took a prisoner, we were wrong,' the Supreme Leader said [to Hezbollah General Secretary Hassan Nasrallah] 'No, you were right; they wanted to corner you and attack you when you were not ready. But now that they attack you, you have 100 percent preparedness. Their loss is your benefit.' Afterwards he [Khamenei] said: 'Be confident that you will prevail. This is an act of God.'"�
  • "A lot is said in the media, they even announced that commander Suleimani was engaged in the fight and explosion in Syria. Some said he was killed. Mr. Suleimani was not at all in Syria. On that day he was in Iran."
  • "Last week, he [Major General Qassem Suleimani] said 'Should Commander [Major General Mohammad-Ali Aziz] Jafari say anything, we will follow. Yes, his [Suleimani's] relationship with the Supreme Leader is strong, but it does not mean that if the IRGC Commander says something he would not follow. This subordination and devotion exists, and the devotion is mutual. Mr. Aziz Jafari is devoted to Mr. Suleimani and Mr. Suleimani to him. At any rate, there are some who want to weaken these people so that the Guards and the Quds Force are weakened, but no conflict will take place because of these talks."� �
  • "To annihilate Israel, we just need 24 hours and an excuse."
• The Twelfth Resistance Film Fest in Kerman celebrates Major General Qassem Suleimani in the absence of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards.�

Religion, Society and Culture

• Asr-e Iran publishes a background article on how the Islamic Republic political celebrities found their wives.

Photo of the Day

• Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf gives a prize to his wife Zahra al-Sadat Moshor, advisor to the Mayor of Tehran.

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