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 subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].

(E) = Article in English

Paper censures Obama for using Iran’s nuclear issue to legitimize missile defense; Mousavi urges against retreat in nuclear issue, calls for nationalization of oil industry; Rowhani elaborates on past nuclear negotiations with West; Mousavi criticizes Obama’s allegations against Iran; Central Bank director says inflation on decline; Iran attracts foreign investments in energy sector; Iran and Venezuela to start geological and mining cooperation

• Aftab-e Yazd condemns Obama's "instrumental" use of the Iranian nuclear program "in order to legitimize missile defense.
• Presidential candidate Mousavi: "We do not have the right to retreat in the nuclear issue and the importance of the issue has the magnitude of nationalization of the oil industry." 
• Hassan Rowhani, member of the Supreme National Security Council, defends his record in nuclear negotiations with the West:
  • Question: "Many of your critics consider the two-year suspension of enrichment and the Paris Agreement as the weak points of the performance of the government of reforms. How do you defend your performance? What are the mechanisms for decision-making with regard to an issue as suspension of enrichment?" 
  • Rowhani: "To begin with, please do pay attention to the fact that my tenure was one year and ten months, which makes your mention of 'two-years long suspension' incorrect. Secondly, suspension was during my tenure, but also during the tenure of the eighth government. Thirdly, the suspension period as agreed upon at the Paris Agreement was no more than seven months. Fourthly, one must answer this question by taking a look at the conditions of that time. Conditions which meant U.S. presence in our borders, U.S. invasion of Iraq with the excuse of presence of nuclear arms in that country, which also meant potential threat of U.S. attacks against the country [Iran]. Circumstances during which engagement in a total war was not expedient for the country. 
  • In those circumstances this [suspension of uranium enrichment] was also a way countering global consensus against Iran. Back then Europe had declared that it wanted to negotiate with Iran and it said that even the U.S. supported a diplomatic solution in Iran's nuclear portfolio, a trend which was even supported by permanent members of the U.N. Security Council Russia and China.
  • Had Iran not accepted this [suspension], there was a risk of unanimity against Iran. But Iran's active presence in the global arena neutralized the threat...
  • Fifth, what we did was this: We suspended Natanz, but continued our work in Isfahan since in Isfahan we had not yet reached any result and we were installing the equipment...We did not accept suspension in construction of centrifuges and continued the effort. We did so because we had few centrifuges and we needed a greater number. At the same time the Europeans promised us that they would resist the Americans and will not - under any circumstance - allow Iran's case to be aired at the U.N. Security Council. We also agreed to cooperate. We would assure them that we are not pursuing nuclear weapons and they should assist so that the issue comes to an end in IAEA...Suspension back then, was the result of consultation within the regime. Such decisions are never decisions of individuals, but always the decisions of the elites of the regime."
  • Rowhani also adds that "this time, the behavior of the Americans has changed slightly."

Economy

• Expediency Council member Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani says the government's plans for reforming the subsidies system will not promote more economic responsibility as demanded by Supreme Leader Khamenei. 
  • The Guardian Council member also says that the Fourth 5-Year Plan authorized expenditure of $107 billion from the oil revenue but during the first three years of the plan $197 billion was used to import goods and not even for investments. 
• Central Bank Director General Bahmani reports inflation at 19 percent and declining.
• Privatization Organization Chief says privatization over the next year is unpredictable because of the global financial crisis.
  • Sedarat [Exports] Bank to be privatized.

 Media

• Former Vice President Abtahi proposes establishment of private sector television broadcasts from Kish island in the Persian Gulf to mainland Iran.
• Alef News Agency discusses a closed session at the Press and Mass Media Directorate of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to discuss the latest guidelines issued by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution about the internet media which contain a long list of "impermissible acts." The "impermissible acts" were divided in two subsections, one discussing what is "generally impermissible" and another about "what is impermissible during the presidential elections." According to Alef News the latter list includes:
  • 1. Release of any news about popular boycotts of elections, decreased popular participation in elections, publication of logos of proponents of boycott of the elections (counter revolutionary propaganda) and providing a link to such materials.
  • 2. Release of insulting materials with regard to the elections and candidates.
  • 3. Character assassination of the candidates, personalities and movements related to the elections.
  • 4. Release of any news which disrupts the elections.
  • 5. Release of lies with regard to which candidates qualify for running for president [by the Guardian Council], releasing of news regarding counting of the votes, releasing news of election fraud or irregularity, news with regard to abstention of the candidates to run for president, release of election opinion polls, and the like.
  • 6. Release of the names and reasons behind disqualification of candidates without their written permission.
  • 7. Disclosing the number of voters and release of information about complains and name of those against whom there are complaints filed before the legal process.
  • 8. Disclosure of classified materials of the election authorities.
  • 9. Announcing purchase of the vote and other fraud methods.
  • 10. Instrumental use of picture of women and lack of adherence to Islamic behavior in internet electioneering.
  • 11. Release of announcement of illegal groups and publication of counter revolutionary comments about the elections.
  • 12. Campaigning prior to the authorized date.
  • 13. Disclosure of the opinions of personalities of the regime without their permission and consent.
  • 14. Abuse of names with similarity to the names of the personalities of the regime.
  • 15. Abuse of statements of the groups.
  • 16. Disclosures about the private sphere of the candidates and their family affairs.
  • 17. Use of publicly-owned servers and internet sites to propagate on behalf of certain candidates.
  • 18. Releasing false information about the candidates such as background and academic degrees which are unreal.

Politics

• Potential presidential candidate (and former interior minister) Abdollah Nouri holds consultations.
• Reformist Mosharekat [Participation] Front supports Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s candidacy.
  • Kayhan claims "some radical reformist elements are persuading Mir-Hossein Mousavi to take a radical stance."
  • Mousavi says he aims to "preserve the dignity of the nation and establish freedom…I believe that if we abide the law there is room for any belief and thought...I felt that the law is ignored. Therefore I chose to run for president...
    • Not once, not twice, but tens of times I have seen that the people, the elites and all classes of the nation face different statistics and lose the ability to make correct decisions. When there is no free circulation of information in the country correct decision making is impossible and one of the most fundamental rights of the people is violated...

Diplomacy

• Boroujerdi, Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman, says U.S. interest in relations with Iran was visible at the Afghanistan conference in The Hague. Other parliamentarians say "one can not ignore the crimes and injustice of the U.S. throughout centuries."
• Mir-Hossein Mousavi on Iran/Israel relations:
  • "Any type of extremism is costly for us if we are not vigilant. Today we even hear speak of loving the Israeli nation. Sometimes our enmity towards the West peaks to the degree that we are forced to balance it by sending futile messages and letters. Continuity of this issue is catastrophic."
• Mousavi on Iran/U.S. relations:
  • "Obama's speech in Prague has shadowed his Nowruz message because of the accusations he raises against us. We do not agree with such allegations and continued allegations casts shadow on any step in the direction of relations... I and my advisors are following behavior and policies of the new administration in the U.S. and pay attention to it to see where all this talk leads to and what steps are taken...With regard to Iran's cooperation in Afghanistan, when we saw the results, Bush called our country a member of the Axis of Evil. We have been bitten from this hole. Therefore we need to ask the question if there is any difference between this message and other deeds [of the U.S.]. If yes, we will negotiate, if not we will not... If the price of having relations with a country is abandoning the right of achieving superior energy, this has no benefit for us and Mr. Obama, who in his Nowruz speech and in his later speeches made allegations against us, including allegations of pursuing nuclear weapons, and accusing us, our nation of being terrorists. They should know that our regime takes note of such things.”

Economy

• Central Bank Director General Bahmani reports inflation at 19 percent and declining.
• Privatization Organization Chief says privatization over the next year is unpredictable because of the global financial crisis.
  • Sedarat [Exports] Bank to be privatized.

Trade

• South Korean, Swiss, German, and Turkish companies express readiness to participate in energy saving plans of the National Iranian Natural Gas Company.
  • Liberalization of the natural gas sector in Turkey generates Turkish private sector interest in importing natural gas from Iran.
  • Iran-Swiss natural gas agreement now operational.
• Abrar reports $7.1 billion petrochemicals export.
• Iran and Venezuela to start geological and mining cooperation.

Photo of the Day

• Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s first press conference