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

Politics

• Hamid-Reza Katouzian, parliamentarian: "Since our country is blessed with the guardianship of the jurist, there is no need for a president... The country could have a prime minister, elected by the parliament, as the highest executive authority..."
• Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah Yazdi: "The Supreme Leader knows certain enemies who can deal the greatest blows to the revolution, but he can't denounce them... These individuals do not bluntly declare the goals they are pursuing..."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mojtaba Zolnour, former deputy representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards: "Karrubi has better chances of returning [to the revolution] than [Mir-Hossein] Mousavi. I don't consider Karrubi ill-natured... Karrubi is a simpleton and good natured but he commits mistakes..."

Diplomacy

• News stories concerning Ahmadinejad's visit to the United Nations General Assembly:
  • Ahmadinejad meets with the president of the Comoros. Asr-e Iran's readers ridicule Ahmadinejad's diplomatic offensive:
    • "I suggest we arrange a meeting between Ahmadinejad and a tribal chief from a distant village in the Amazon."
    • "Could you please write more about the Comoros so we can find out where on the planet it is?"
    • "Iran and the Comoros are two great world powers!"
    • "Unity with the state of Comoros could change the international balance of power to our favor. One must struggle to increase and strengthen it with all force!"
    • "The dear Mahmoud has become Christopher Columbus!"
    • "I didn't find it on Google Maps!"
  • Meeting the Prime Minister of Swaziland, Ahmadinejad responds to criticism of his meetings with representatives from microstates: "In the foreign relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vastness or smallness of states is not considered as advantage, the human beings are worthy. Iran is increasing the level of its cooperation with the countries of the world based on fraternity."
  • Columbia University cancels Ahmadinejad's meeting with the International Relations professors. 
  • Rutgers Professor Houshang Amirahmadi urges Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei not to meet "controversial individuals" during his visit to New York.
• Kayhan accuses the United States and Saudi Arabia of complicity in the assassination of Burhanuddin Rabbani, Afghanistan’s former president.
• Tehran-e Emrooz praises "Realization of Imam-like predictions" by Supreme Leader Khamenei concerning "the Islamic awakening."
• [E] Ahmadinejad reiterated that resumption of the relations between Tehran and Washington would be possible only when the United States showed good attitude and good will in action.
• [E] Ahmadinejad stressed that the Palestinian nation's right of sovereignty should be recognized and put into action, and added that Zionists have displaced not only the Palestinians, but also the Jewish population, through their wrong thoughts and policies.

Military and Security

• Iranian Army displays the new generation of the Zolfaqar tank.

• [E] Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi blasted the deployment of NATO's anti-ballistic missile system in Turkey, and said the missile shield could not solve Israel's numerous problems.

Trade

• Tehran-e Emrooz: "As the Norwegian Statoil Hydro bids farewell to Iran's oil projects and pays reparations due to leaving one contract unfinished... Now, the only foreign contractors in Iran in the oil and gas sector are Chinese companies. But even the Chinese delay the steps they take... Chinese contracts in Iran's oil industry are $40 billion..."      

Photos of the Day

• Ahmadinejad's meetings in New York.