Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Mehrdad Moarefian and Iran Intern Amir Toumaj, with contributors Chris Rawlins and Marie Donovan. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.    

For in-depth analysis on the latest headlines please visit http://www.irantracker.org/analysis/iran-situation-report

Official Statements

• Head of the Passive Defense Organization Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Gholam Reza Jalali discussed the importance of an economic strategy in passive defense: 
  • “Passive defense means suppressing the enemy’s threats. In other words, passive defense means knowing the enemy and preparing against it, warn it and resist against the enemy, and continuing till victory.”
  • “The first approach is a function of our economic strategy. Without an economic plan, we cannot resist against the enemy, and this problem is obviously an issue.  [First,] we must acknowledge that we are in a war, and second, to deal with this war we must have an economic defense strategy.”
  • “Production is the main economic work against these threats. The solution to this problem is for us to focus on the foundational works, and we must produce commodities with the support of the government with a list of production. Once we produce goods at home we can turn the threat into an opportunity.” (Defa Press) 

• Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Hojjat al-Eslam Kazem Sadeghi discussed the importance of the ”Islamic cultural revolution” and  the recent acid attacks against women in Isfahan: 
  • “The acid attacks were not a personal crime, but rather a conspiracy that was carried out which in the absence of a law enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil as the most human law was reviewed and approved.”
  • “Our cultural revolution was Islamic and jurisprudential; but it was thought that the only aims were to deal with domestic tyranny, when the spy nest was occupied; the Imam [Khomeini] said that this revolution is bigger than the first…” (Mehr News) 

Military and Security

• Armed Forces General Staff Chief Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi addressed the Passive Defense Conference and conveyed the Supreme Leader’s expectations and prioritized threats in the passive defense arena:
  • “In the recent meeting with the Supreme Leader [and] with regards to the soft war base, he emphasized the prioritization of soft war cyber operations.”
  • “Today the President has complete awareness over national security matters and passive defense.”
  • “The diplomatic system must also use opportunities and capacities in cyber and radiation defense.”
  • “It would be passive defense if the negotiators, whom the [Supreme Leader] has called the nation’s children, can take the nation’s rights against the enemy’s international attacks.”
  • “The Supreme Leader’s expectation in passive defense transcends the branches and is the nation. All are responsible in this regard.”
  • “From now on, it must be announced to the administration that all ministries and offices observe the necessary credit for passive defense in civil and important and sensitive projects.”
  • “The nature of military and hardware threats has changed today. We must change our resistance calculations and the wall of our bunkers as the enemy increases the penetration of its bombs.”
  • “We cannot be indifferent to events that are occurring in the world today. There has been a transformation in the nature and emergence of threats, for example cyber and environmental wars and the possibility of expanding chemical pollutions by the enemy.” (Fars News Agency) 

• Head of the Passive Defense Organization IRGC Brig. Gen. Gholam Reza Jalali gave an interview to IRGC-affiliate Tasnim News Agency and praised the Islamic Republic’s efforts in countering US cyber-attacks against nuclear installations:
  • “We are responsible for answering the enemy’s threats in attacking the country’s fundamental infrastructures. For example, we have acted so strong in the nuclear arena to the extent that Obama clearly announces that he cannot do anything more in the matter of the Iranian nuclear matter.”
  • “This is observed in their classified reports. They believe that they cannot do much in the nuclear arena from a cyber-aspect.”
  • “We pursue confrontation with the enemy with the goal of deflecting foreign attacks.” (Tasnim News Agency)

Regional Developments and diplomacy

• President Hassan Rouhani congratulated his Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rouseff for her reelection and called for enhanced ties between Tehran and Brasilia: “The close relations, ties and friendly cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Federative Republic of Brazil have had precious achievements so far in the bilateral, regional and international arenas.” (IRNA) 

• Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attended the 4^th Istanbul Ministerial Process of Afghanistan held in Beijing and said that “terrorism, extremism, and narcotics” in the area have foreign roots.” (IRNA) 

• Arab and African Affairs Deputy to the Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian stated, “Aiding the people in Kobani must not transform into a reason for foreign meddling…We warn against recent foreign movements surrounding the Ayn al-Arab area and the messages of this country’s disintegration. Some pursue specific goals by taking advantage of the region’s situation.” (ABNA)

Domestic Politics

• National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission Vice Chairman MP Mansour Haghighat Pour discussed parliament’s vote of no confidence for President Rouhani’s Science Research and Technology Minister (SRT), Mahmoud Nili Ahmad Abadi:
  • “The literature of the president during the past week in connection with the assembly’s vote and his speech in Zanjan did not set a good atmosphere.”
  • “Government officials and people that were defending Mr. Nili did not have a serious [and convincing] entry. Nevertheless, the president’s literature and proposal for the minister’s [nomination] defense had flaws and drawbacks.”
  • “It would have better if the president had presented parliament with a better and more experienced person…” (Fars News Agency)