Iran News Round Up

Politics

• According to Javan Online, a video recorded in Mostafa Tajzadeh's private home shows Tajzadeh denying electoral fraud in a private conversation.
• Continued row about Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei:

• Mashaei answers Chief of the General Staff Firouzabadi's criticism: "I can't document that Firouzabadi is of the kind of the gang of Satan, but Firouzabadi is completely ignorant... His statements are irresponsible and ignorant. Who is going to prove who is an agent of capitalism?... The people will most certainly not elect you. And who are you and what position do you have anyway?!"
• Kayhan editor Hossein Shariatmadari writes that the Mashaei affair is not the most important affair of the country, but suggests that Ahmadinejad remove him in order to free the government from criticism.
• Ahmad Khorshidi, Ahmadinejad's daughter's father-in-law:
  • "In some cases Mr. Ahmadinejad's behavior towards others is based upon an incorrect interpretation of certain affairs. Everyone must abide by the law and personal interpretation should not impact affairs of the state... He says the country is not in need of parties and the Party of God is enough for the country. It is not certain from whose mouth he is making such statements… Mashaei makes statements in affairs in which he has no expertise. But he is among the executives of the country and should continue his work. But every single day he creates new problems in affairs of the country through matters totally unrelated with executive affairs."
• Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani: "The President executes the law. He does not interpret it."
• Ayatollah Emami Kashani praises Tehran Mayor Qalibaf.

Diplomacy

• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast: "Some regional countries [reference to Saudi Arabia] thought they could impact the domestic political situation in Iran by intervening, but this thought is based upon miscalculations and they must pay the price of their mistake...."

Military and Security

• Agahsazi releases the open letter of seven Mosharekat reformist party members who complain against Revolutionary Guards intervention in politics.
• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi announces new missile tests and release of "an Iranian jet."
  • Vahidi also says Iran wants compensation in case Russia cancels export of S-300 air defense system to Iran.
• Period of conscription to be shortened by two months should there be no opposition from the Revolutionary Guards.
• [E] A senior Iranian lawmaker expressed the hope that Moscow's decision on loading fuel into Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant reactor in coming days would serve as a prelude to the delivery of Russia's sophisticated anti-aircraft S-300 missile system to Iran.

Trade

• Mohsen Rezai and Ahmadinejad discuss how to bypass sanctions at a secret meeting.
• [E] Iran could come among the first five world countries in terms of car production growth after registering a 9.5% increase in its production capacity in 2009, a leading international organization projects.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Vice-Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Hassan Aboutorabi Fard underlined the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, and voiced Tehran's steadfast opposition to the acquisition and possession of nuclear arms.
• [E] Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi says the country is almost through with studies for locating proper sites for the construction of 10 more nuclear enrichment plants.

Photos of the Day

• Defense Minister Vahidi meets the press.