Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Katherine Faley, Ahmad Majidyar, Brianna Rosen, and Michael Rubin.  To subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].

(E) = Article in English

Ahmadinejad sworn in as riot police clashed with protestors outside Parliament building; hardliners demand prosecution of opposition leaders; Iran to build new prison to replace one shut down on Supreme Leader’s order; China invests billions of dollars in Iran’s oil sector; Iran plans to invest $27 billion to increase domestic gasoline production; senior parliamentarian accuses American tourists detained in Iran of ‘espionage’; Supreme Leader meets Oman’s Sultan Qaboos, stresses strategic importance of securing Persian Gulf from outside powers

Politics

• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech upon swearing in at Parliament:
  • "The recent election was only one reflection of the intelligence and belief of the people in the great ideals of the revolution... The greatness of popular participation in election can be seen in the anger in the eyes of the enemies who attempted their best to depict a dark future, but the people demonstrated their resolve... The characteristics of the government's policies during the past four years were defending the meek, love, resistance towards demands of the imperialists, preservation of dignity of man with civic rights, friendship and love... I have no motive but serving the people and the country and think of nothing else but elevation of the people and the country... The government policy has developed into a national pact towards which we all feel obliged..."
    • English coverage:
      • (E) He addressed the nation, stating: “We will resist oppressors and try to correct the global discriminatory mechanisms in order to benefit all the nations of the world." Of the West, he said: “We heard that some of the Western leaders had decided to recognize but not congratulate the new government ... Well, no one in Iran is waiting for your messages… Iranians will neither value your scowling and bullying nor will they pay attention to your smiles and greetings.”
  • Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani's speech.
• Abrar releases more information about potential cabinet ministers.
• Abrar publishes Asr-e Iran's analysis of the risk of arrest and prosecution of former President Khatami, former Prime Minister Mousavi, former Speaker of the Parliament Karrubi and Expediency Council and Assembly of Experts Chairman Rafsanjani.
  • Ali-Akbar Owlia, parliamentarian, refutes rumors on arrest and prosecution of Khatami and Mousavi.
  • Javad Karimi Ghodousi, parliamentarian:
    • "In the past, we have seen defection or enmity of some known faces and executives who have held responsibilities in the Islamic Republic who had sought asylum [in the West]..."
    • "The issue of Khatami's defection which has been discussed in the media is hardly anything new or strange... People who have held responsibilities in certain periods but have in practice failed, have gone abroad, appear in foreign news studios and other media and say things which are different from their earlier thoughts and outlook... Such individuals who undergo such a transformation, their distance to the regime grow gradually and finally, at some point they disqualify themselves...this is not unlikely when it comes to Khatami..."
    • "The mentality and behavior of Khatami during the eight year reform-era was not as expected in the Islamic Republic... His followers are in detention houses and, after having imprisoned in what looks like a prison, their free spirits have confessed to the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic. Such a transformation is the result of sincerity and morality of the Islamic Republic..."
    • "During the Khatami government, we witnessed his cabinet's grave treason with regard to national security which came to being with disclosure of nuclear and military secrets which had prepared the ground for [the foreigners] dealing blows to the Islamic Republic..."
    • "I hope that Mr. Khatami - by looking at his past record - corrects himself... But should this not happen, the Islamic Republic will never suffer from it since the national security of Iran today has reached such a strengthened and powerful position in the world that such cheap dirt does not even cast dust upon it...If the people in whom the enemy had invested hope in dealing blows to Iran go abroad their connection with the country is cut and the will no longer have a connection with the country which deals another blow to the enemy..."
    • "Khatami must react to this news... The Judiciary must take away Khatami's permission to leave the country." Link upon request.
  • Abrar quotes an unnamed member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament demanding confiscation of Khatami, Mousavi and Karrubi's passports upon rumors of Khatami's desire to seek asylum in a European country.
• Some of the individuals not present at the inauguration ceremony of Ahmadinejad in the Parliament: Most members of the Path of the Imam [Khomeini] Factin such as Tabesh, Hashemian, Ghanbari, Nariman, Ansari, Sazdar and the like. Expediency Council Chairman Rafsanjani was absent, so were Ali-Akbar Nateq Nouri, Mohsen Rezai, Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf.
  • Raja News comments on the absence of Khatami, Mousavi, Karrubi, Rezai and Rafsanjani and other high ranking individuals of the Islamic Republic who were not present at the presidential inauguration ceremony:
    • "The coming months will be the time of the final battle between bureaucratic aristocracy and the nation. A nation which saddled on it horse demands justice and independence in the one camp, facing the opposite camp of bureaucratic aristocracy and its foreign supporters. The result of this battle will change the future of Iran, the region and the world, and off course as our leader has said, 'the future belongs to the Hezbollah [the Party of God].' Which camp do you belong to?" Link upon request.
• (E) Amid speculation that Reformists will boycott Ahmadinejad’s inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, Judiciary Chief Shahroudi called on Iranian politicians to unite, stating: “I hope all officials understand the conditions and maintain unity and solidarity… I hope they do what is best for the system, the Revolution and Islam and disappoint the enemies.”
• As Rafsanjani's absence from the Friday Prayer continues, Ayatollah Emami Kashani will lead this Friday's prayers at Tehran University.
  • Abbas Salimi-Namin, Historical Research Institute Executive Director attacks Rafsanjani in a two-part article on Raja News. Links upon request.
• Kayhan editorializes:
  • "The verdict of the tenth presidential election was validated by the Commander of the Muslims [Supreme Leader Khamenei] yesterday in the presence of a large number of authorities of the country. The ceremony confirming the presidential elections was deemed a decisive and sacred affair. According to paragraph nine of article 110 of the Constitution, the principle of the 'signing the presidential decree after the choice of the people' is among the 'prerogatives of the Leader.' On this basis, one must therefore say that confirmation of the vote of the people is not only a ceremonial occasion, but is rather part of the legitimacy of the President of the Republic in taking executive office. Obtaining more than half of the votes of the participants at the ballot box constitutes another part of the legitimacy of the president…What we witnessed yesterday was the divine legitimacy of the president…and what was done on June 22 with a vote of 62 percent, with 85 percent voter participation, further demonstrated the popular legitimacy of the president."
• Sobh-e Sadegh, mouthpiece of the Revolutionary Guards, editorializes:
  • "Appointment of Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei as First Vice President was painful to the Islamic nation... The enemy used the occasion to claim there is discord between the Supreme Leader and the President...But the President's change of mind...and his remarks with regard to his filial relationship to the Supreme Leader frustrated the hopes of the enemies..."
• Hamid Ansari, Deputy Director of the Institute for Compilation and Publication of the Works of the Blessed Imam Khomeini, stresses that Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, is not in Paris, but in Pakistan where he is visiting scholarly Shi'a centers and announces that Hassan Khomeini will return to Iran to participate at the festivities of the birthday of the Imam of the Era.
• (E) The Majlis ratified the economic reform plan, rectifying differences with the administration.

Human Rights

• (E) Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s campaign aide, Mir-Hamid Hassanzadeh, was arrested Tuesday night.
• Kazem Jalali, the Parliament’s special investigator into affairs of arrested individuals since the presidential election, resigns.
• Hamid Derakhshan-Nia, Tehran Deputy Prosecutor General, says the detention center in Kahrizak has never been a part of the Prison Organization of the Islamic Republic.
• (E) Iran will build a new, “standard” prison to replace the Kahrizak detention center that was shut down following orders issued by the Supreme Leader.

Religion, Culture and Society

• Hojjat al-Eslam Gha'em-Maghami refers to the statements of the Supreme Leader: "The Mosque of Zerrar was the base of ignorance to attack Islam under the banner of Islam... Those who did not pass the exam of the election have in reality failed in the meaning that any individual or group who engages in a conflict with the principle of the regime enters the free fall despite having had revolutionary credentials..." Link available upon request.
  • So does Hojjat al-Eslam Shajouni, who calls Mousavi, Karrubi and Rafsanjani "those in clerical robes" and "the likes of clerics."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mohsen Mohammadi Deynani says at the Day of Doom the Imam of the Era has 313 elite troop members, most of whom are Iranian. Link upon request.
• (E) Iranian composer Amir-Hossein Eslami won the International Composing Competition in Bologna.
• (E) Iran has banned its citizens from going on the umrah pilgrimage during Ramadan as a result of health concerns over the spread of swine flu.

Military and Security

• Radio Farda reports clashes between the Riot Police and demonstrators in the streets leading to the Parliament.
• Parleman News reports the riot police have closed to traffic all streets leading to the Parliament.
• Ahmad-Reza Radan, Law Enforcement Forces Deputy, says the inauguration ceremony in the parliament took place in a calm atmosphere with no unrest reported.
• (E) Kazem Jalali, spokesman for the commission investigating the death and detention of arrested protesters, confirmed his resignation but provided no explanation for it.
  • (E) Principlist MP Bijan Nobaveh called for a “news conference where the confessions [of post-election protesters] are retold in the presence of domestic and foreign reporters. If deemed appropriate, these confessions should be broadcast live on TV.”
• (E) Iranian police forces have seized over a ton of smuggled narcotics in the Yazd province.
• (E) Deputy Police Chief Ahmad Reza Radan stated that “the security conditions at Iranian borders have improved considerably in recent years,” noting that battling drug trafficking is a major priority for police forces. 

Trade

• Iran and China expand cooperation in the field of oil. The government of China invests $3 to 6 billion in Iran's oil sector.
• The Parliament demands a new round of bidding for the Third Mobile Phone Operator, which does not include any specific demands of presence of foreign candidates.
• (E) Iran plans to dramatically increase its gasoline production with the construction of seven new refineries by 2013, costing 27 billion dollars. 
• (E) Pakistan Railways to launch an international freight train service connecting Islamabad, Tehran, and Istanbul.
• (E) Iranian Offshore Oil Company announced that an unnamed European company will invest 4 billion dollars in Iran’s Lavan gas field.

Diplomacy

• Mohammad Karim-Abedi, member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament says the three arrested American citizens had crossed the Iraq/Iran-border with the purpose of espionage.
• Oman's Sultan Qaboos meets Ahmadinejad in Tehran.
  • And Supreme Leader Khamenei.
    • (E) In a meeting with Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Supreme Leader Khamenei stressed the strategic importance of securing the Persian Gulf, stating: “The United States and certain interventionist foreign countries have always prevented the sensitive Persian Gulf region from becoming tranquil and constantly injected insecurity and suspicion into the region.”
  • (E) Additionally, Iran and Oman strengthened ties by signing seven memoranda of understanding, including one on investment in the Uroh-Hormuz petrochemical company.
• (E) Majlis Speaker Larijani criticized Western powers for their reactions to the post-election situation in Iran, stating: “Certain Western powers ridiculed themselves by their hasty behavior towards post-election events.”
• (E) White House spokesman Gibbs recognized Ahmadinejad as Iran’s “elected leader,” adding, however, that the US would not congratulate him on his re-election. 
• (E) UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed congratulated President Ahmadinejad on his re-election.
• (E) Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qashqavi condemned German interference in Iranian affairs, referencing a call by Frank-Walter Steinmeier urging the release of post-election protesters.

Media

• (E) Mehdi Karrubi’s newspaper, Etemad-e Melli, has been warned by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for its “circulation of untrue reports and appearance of numerous articles constantly questioning the legal process of [Iran's] tenth presidential election.” 
• (E) Azerbaijani police detained a producer and cameraman from the Islamic Republic of Broadcasting, demanding money for their release.

Photo of the Day

• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sworn in, at parliament.