Iran News Round Up

 (E) = Article in English

Official Statements

• Supreme National Security Council Secretary Maj. Gen. Ali Shamkhani responded to President Obama’s strategy to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) during an address at the Qom Seminary and said:
  • “America seeks to continue unilateral policies and violate the sovereignty of other countries under the pretext of fighting against terrorism.”
  • “The move to form the so-called international coalition to fight takfiri ISIS militants is aimed at diverting global public opinion from America’s support for terrorists fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.”
  • “Iran’s unwavering approach to fighting terrorism is to rally international support for an honest, transparent and impartial approach.” (Mehr News Agency)

• Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati touted Iran’s support of Iraq and Syria in their fight against ISIS:
  • “As you know ISIS and other terrorist groups came to existence with the cooperation of America and its allies in the West in the same way they created al Qaeda.”
  • “Iraq and Syria oppose the US sending airpower into their airspace under the pretext of fighting ISIS.” (Akbar Velayati Home Page )

• Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli discussed the US strategy to defeat ISIS during a press briefing and said:
  • “We do not trust the Americans on this [ISIS strategy] because the Americans have double standards [and are not sincere].”
  • “The Americans have followed double standards on such issues as fighting terrorism, human rights, peaceful use of nuclear energy and a number of other cases.”
  • “There is evidence that America and certain countries which have formed the coalition against ISIS terrorists have previously provided the militants with financial, logistical, and political aid.” (IRNA News Agency)

• Basij Organization Commander Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi spoke about ISIS:
  • “The White House is the headquarters for ISIS.”
  • “The first objective of America is creating this criminal current to portray a distorted image of Islam and this has been achieved through the preparation of inhumane and savage crimes by the media. The second objective is to create rift, animosity and war between the Shi’a and Sunni.” (Fars News Agency)

• International and Legal Affairs Deputy to the Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to questions from reporters about Iran’s potential participation in a Paris conference on anti-terrorism:
  • “The Islamic Republic of Iran is a leader and guide in the fight against extremism and terrorism. The Takfiri groups have formed with the support of some countries in the region.”
  • “We participate in different official and unofficial meetings for the stability of the Muslim world and to fight terrorism.”
  • Speaking of the negotiations that will take place in New York Araghchi stated: “I know it is unlikely given the number of issues that need to be addressed that we will reach an agreement in New York.” (IRNA News Agency)

• Upon discharge from the hospital following prostate surgery last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the United States against "unauthorized" operations on Syrian and Iraqi soil:
  • In response to US Secretary of State, John Kerry’s recent remarks that the US will not request help from Iran, Khamenei said he (John Kerry) “personally asked Mr. Zarif for help in fighting ISIS but Mr. Zarif denied the request”.  Khamenei stated that “In this situation we will not work with the Americans because their intentions and hands are polluted.” 
  • Khamenei added that “The truth is that the US is looking for an excuse to do the same thing that they did in Pakistan…in Iraq and Syria. The Americans know that if they do this, the same problems that they’ve had over the past 10 years in Iraq will happen again”. (Khamenei) 

• Head of the Supreme Leader's Inspectorate Office Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri praised the Supreme Leader's "guidance" in Iraq that "led to the formation of a new government and preserved Shi'a sanctity." Nategh Nouri then touted "Iranian regional power, which is so serious that the Americans now know that they must rely on Iran to confront [IS]." (Fars News Agency)

Nuclear Talks

• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei published five red lines for the authorities of the Iranian nuclear negotiations team:
  • Closure of any sites is out of the question; they will have 190,000 Separate Working Units (SWUs); ballistic missiles off the table; "preserve the nature of the Arak heavy water reactor"; and "lift all sanctions."
  • An unnamed source told the website that if President Rouhani's upcoming travel to New York "does not lead to fundamental progress in differences, moving the negotiations forward afterwards would be very difficult." The source added "We will witness important developments within the next 15 days. (Nuclear Iran)

Military and Security

• Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) Chief Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi reacted to upcoming international airstrikes against the Islamic State [IS]; he called for Syrian and Iraqi "popular forces" to have "primary roles" in this comprehensive effort. He then warned regional countries of the "primary goal" of "America and its allies in the region": It "has always been the plan of the great Middle East," [to allow the] "flow [of] cheap oil to the West and guarantee the stable security of the Quds [Jerusalem] occupiers."
  • "The excuse of bombing [ISIS] terrorists cannot be a permit justifying the violation of the the sovereignties of the Syrian and the Iraqi governments. Airstrikes are not the solution to confronting terrorism. Creating [ISIS] and the conspiracy to destroy them is a mercenary excuse for weakening Muslims and secure the West's interests." (Borna News Agency)

Economic

• Expediency Discernment Council member Ali Agha Mohammadi addressed the "Economy of Resistance" training workshop on September 14, warning against the long-term effects of chronic unemployment and economic malaise in Iran, which include increase in the cost of transactions, growth of rent-seeking behavior, deepening inequalities, oil dependency, and a state-dominated economy. (ISNA News)

• Following a series of bilateral trade agreements with Moscow, Parliament Executive Board Spokesman MP Behrouz Nemati warned the Rouhani administration, "Historical record of Iran's political and economic relations with the Russians shows that they are untrustworthy...The Russians in the past four decades have taken advantage of Iran's trust in various shapes. They have now extended a tactical hand towards Iran now that they have been targets of the wraths of America and the West." (ISNA News)

• Jomhouri-ye Eslami newspaper penned an op-ed analyzing the recent trade agreements with Russia, downplaying the expectations of any substantial benefits in the short run: "Determining a 70 billion euro ceiling of bilateral trade is not so achievable, with attention to the present economic situation in Iran and Russia's specific disabilities. At least five years are required to achieve such levels of cooperation." However, there is opportunity for the "Iranian agriculture sector" to meet the Russian market's needs in "food and fruit products." (Jomhouri-ye Eslami)