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 and Michael Rubin.  To subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].

(E) = Article in English

Supreme Leader warns against fomenting unrest, urges opposition to promote unity; Rafsanjani’s Friday prayer speech draws harsh criticism from hardliners; last of nine British embassy employees released on bail; Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says, “We cannot speak of a Middle East without nuclear weapons while making no words about the more than 200 nuclear warheads of the Zionist regime”; Supreme Leader appoints new army chief; Iran’s controversial vice president reportedly resigns amid pressure from hardliners; Syrian, Iranian officials discuss boosting economic ties

Politics

• Supreme Leader Khamenei speaking on the occasion of ascension of the Prophet Muhammad: "In Iran, there are various inclinations when it comes to social life and everyone expresses his viewpoint. But when the nation feels that the issue is one of enmity with the regime and a hand, or a movement is aiming to target the regime, they distance themselves from it, even if it chants the slogan that the nation believes in...The recent events provide an experience and a lesson. Even when the great stride takes place calmly and with stability, one must not lose sight of the schemes plotted by the enemy...Everyone accepted that the recent election with participation of over forty million people was a big achievement – unparalleled since the beginning of the revolution, and a sign of the power of the regime to make the people enter the arena thirty years after the election. Everyone, however, has now understood that even under such circumstances one should not underestimate the enemy's plans and schemes aimed at harming the nation...Intervention by the enemies, especially the role of their media, is very clear. And their claim of the opposite is a sign of their shamelessness...The enemies of the nation through their media overtly instruct ignorant rioters on how to create insecurity, and engage in destruction and fighting. Although they claim that they do not intervene in internal affairs of Iran, they do so most overtly...Naturally, the media of the imperialists calls the rioters 'the people'. But the people are those who as soon as they see the rioters and the corrupt elements of them, they look at them with hatred and dislike...Anyone who, in whatever position and with any excuse, desires to direct the society towards insecurity is considered despised by the public opinion in Iran...The elites should be vigilant since any word, analysis and deed which disrupts societal security is a movement against the path of the Iranian nation...Everyone must be careful of what they say and even what they don't say, since not saying things that should be said is not performing one's duty. And saying things which should not be said is tantamount to acting against one's duty...The elites should be careful because they are facing a great test. And not succeeding in this test is not only failure, but will lead to their fall...The most free, the most enthusiastic and most unparalleled election and choosing the honorable path of the Islamic revolution is a harbinger of a bright future for the Iranian nation and for mankind." 
  • (E) Regarding the resurgence of political protest in Iran, Supreme Leader Khamenei cautioned the political elites: “Everyone should proceed with extreme vigilance with respect to their stance, both in what they say and what they do not say” for the elites “currently face a significant challenge and their failure to rise to this challenge will lead to their collapse.”
• Hardliners blast Rafsanjani’s Friday prayer remarks.
  • Deputy Representative of the Supreme Leader in the Revolutionary Guards Hojjat al-Eslam Mojtaba Zolnour speaking in Sari: "On May 9, 2009, there was a meeting in which Hashemi Rafsanjani, Karrubi, Mousavi and Khatami participated in order to establish a committee in defense of the vote and in which representatives of the candidates were appointed." The aim of this committee was to "collect dirt." "Hashemi Rafsanjani has presented himself as a fellow and follower of the Supreme Leader, but has actively engaged in activities against the government." Zolnour said Rafsanjani's pre-election letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was "one of his [ed. Rafsanjani's] greatest political mistakes", a "vote of no confidence" and "before it was sent to the Supreme Leader it was broadcasted on Radio Israel and American radio stations and emboldened the hooligans." Zolnour added: "Mohammad Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani's] transfer of five billion Touman to the bank account of Mohsen Rezai and active participation of Faezeh Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani] along with the rioters are signs of widespread crimes by the Rafsanjani family during the latest election."
  • Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, a member of the Guardian Council: "Last Thursday, before Mr. Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani] gave the speech, I was with some friends at the meetings of the Investigations Committee of the Assembly of Experts. I was the head of the committee and different discussions took place...The Supreme Leader in his Friday Prayer sermon clearly said that Mr. Ahmadinejad's viewpoints were closer to his than even the positions of Mr. Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani]. This is a reality. The Supreme Leader was not being polite towards anyone. But unfortunately little attention was paid to this...Before the election they had planned to use the election to start a velvet revolution or a color revolution as they call it, a revolution which actually aimed at toppling the regime. And the election was considered the best opportunity to engage in this work. I became aware of this, maybe for the first time when I read the statements of Mr. Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani] in his letter to the Imam [ed. Khamenei?]..." Referring to Rafsanjani's Friday Prayer sermon, Yazdi continued: "One did not expect such statements from a person of his rank, especially all the recommendations made, and the capital the Supreme Leader has used to preserve him, which in the words of some friends took him outside the pile of destruction under which he was buried. We are all certain that if he wanted to come to the Friday prayer, he would not have been able to...The arrangements were made so that the Supreme Leader should attend the prayer… Itlso turned out to be the water to extinguish the fire of the country. He truly invited the country to calm and revealed the truth to all. It was expected that everyone would understand how the affairs were and that what the Supreme Leader said was right, and it would be the end of discussion. But unfortunately we saw that certain stances were taken...One expected that after the speech of the Supreme Leader in defense of him [ed. Rafsanjani] and because of the position he commands in the Expediency Council, he [ed. Rafsanjani] would promptly thank the Supreme Leader, since the Leader in reality backed him. But there was nothing but a meaningful silence. In my opinion, this silence was no silence but a shout in defense of the opponents...This silence also became the bastion of the opposition...When it was decided that Mr. Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani] should be present at the Friday Prayer, we were all concerned...Some friends called him and said the lovers of society wanted him to strengthen solidarity and unity of the society and work to preserve the regime, and that his words should promote unity. But we all saw and heard what he said...All the people know that the Friday Prayer did not forge any unity, but provoked conflict. We expected otherwise of Mr. Hashemi [ed. Rafsanjani]...If you are the head of the Expediency Council of the country, is this expedient for the country under the prevailing circumstances? Is this expedient for the country that you – rather than to defend the Supreme Leader and the regime and attack those who want to break the system – say, on the one hand, that one should abide by the law, and on the other, say things against the law and claim the Guardian Council did no good use of its time after the election?..." 
  • Guardian Council member Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi strongly criticizes Rafsanjani's call for release of imprisoned political activists:
    • "Who are you to say that those arrested should be released?...The enemy would laugh at us...They have received some money to do certain things. They have been arrested while provoking the people. Therefore, they should not be released," Yazdi said. 
    • Referring to Rafsanjani's pre-election letter to Supreme Leader Khamenei expressing concern about the health of the election, Yazdi asked: "Who was the person who planted the first seed of doubt? Who was the person who wrote a letter to the Supreme Leader and claimed that the fire of discord is burning in the streets of Tehran and it will blind the eyes of everyone?...The Friday prayer should promote unity, but you came and created conflict and said the same things of the past..." 
  • Tehran Governor General Tammaddon says Rafsanjani's call to release the political prisoners is "illegal." 
  • Keyhan editor Hossein Shariatmadari attacks Rafsanjani's Friday Prayer sermon. 
  • Resalat editor Mohammad-Kazem Anbar-Louyi,  in an interview with Fars News Agency, says Rafsanjani has broken the image of Tehran Friday Prayers as a symbol of unity and solidarity: "Some interpretations of the presidency are the same as the monarchy...[the pre-election] letter of Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani to the Leader of the Revolution  and a scrutiny of the language of the letter shows that we are facing a literature and usage of words unknown in the vocabulary of the honorable Leader of the Friday Prayers of Tehran. Provocation, threats, insults, hatred, terror and power are visible in every sentence of this letter. Using such sentiments in a letter addressed to the people and the Leader of the Revolution, and only three days to the presidential election forced the healthy and ethical atmosphere of the election into a violent...phase...On election day when Mr. Hashemi and his wife came to the ballot, his wife said that should Mir-Hossein [ed. Mousavi] not get enough votes the people should get into the streets. Should we look at that letter and this guidance to riots we see a painful reality: There are some who want the presidency to secure the monarchy of a certain part of the political factions. Should this not happen, one must create mayhem..." 
  • Parliamentarian Elias Naderan attacks Rafsanjani's Friday Prayer speech: "If he [ed. Rafsanjani] and his friends believe in the rule of law and political activities within the framework of the law, why did he not pay attention to the...statements of the Supreme Leader?... I, along with a parliamentary delegation investigating the post-election events,...visited him, and at that meeting he said: “Mr. Mousavi is thinking about something beyond annulling the election.” Has he [ed. Rafsanjani] done anything to persuade Mr. Mousavi to respect the law and legal frameworks of the regime?...Now that a month has passed since the election, signs of a velvet revolution have come to the surface, crises are resolved, and instigators of the unrest and chaos are arrested, he [ed. Rafsanjani] calls for adherence to the law. Although it is very late, it is acceptable. But a question remains unanswered: Should those who committed crimes and instigated street riots and created unrest through pyramid networks be prosecuted and punished or not?...It is an acceptable demand that the authorities pay attention to freedom of those who are arrested by mistake, or have committed light crimes. But should the brother or wife of those instigating the unrest, those who planned or were part of the unrest, a person who ten years ago was arrested in a safe house along with a lady, someone who confesses that he has had several trips to the United States and has a Green Card, be released?...Should people who have received tens of billions of Touman from the Free Islamic University [ed. Daneshgah-e Azad] to support a certain candidate not be prosecuted?...Should people close to senior members of the regime who through contact with some people in Saudi Arabia have raised money for campaign headquarters of certain individuals, and cover the organizational costs of the 'vote organization' and the 'unrest organization' not be questioned or prosecuted?...Does he [ed. Rafsanjani] allow the provocative words of Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani to be released to the public?...Should people who attacked the Basij base to seize light arms be freed?...Should the heads of the unrests who confess to have participated in velvet coup meetings in United Arab Emirates - in the presence of Mr. Dick Cheney's daughter - be freed?...Should those engaged in planning of street fights directed by foreign media not be prosecuted?"
• Iranian state television says Rafsanjani's Friday Prayer speech promoted unity, not division. 
• According to Alef News Agency, the number of people taking part in the Friday prayer led by Rafsanjani was "normal." 
  • Former president Mohammad Khatami did not show up at the Friday prayer. Mousavi supporters accused him of fleeing from the arena at the time of need. 
  • Forty ladies were present wearing green mantles. Some Mousavi supporters did not participate in the prayer, but carried a green banner. 
  • As Rafsanjani walked to the podium to speak, there were shouts, "Hashemi, Hashemi, we support you" and "Hashemi, Hashemi, if you remain silent you have betrayed us." 
  • Some Mousavi supporters demonstrating in the streets around the Tehran University chanted the slogans: "God is Great", "Oh Hussein, Mir-Hossein", "Long live Hashemi, permanent be Mousavi", "We are not citizens of Kufah to receive money and remain silent", "Long live Khomeini, peace upon Mousavi", "Iranians prefer death to humiliation", "Death to Russia", "Death to China", and so forth. 
  • Some Mousavi supporters sang the song from the 1999 student uprising: "My fellow schoolmate comrade." Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani wore a green wrist band. 
  • Mehdi Karrubi and Hadi Ghaffari were beaten up by unidentified individuals.
  • After the end of Rafsanjani's speech, he was accused by some Mousavi supporters of being a "collaborator." 
  • Mousavi's wife participated in the Friday prayer along with wives of imprisoned political activists. 
• According to Ham-Mihan, Rafsanjani is visiting high-ranking clergy members in Mashhad. 
• Mousavi supporters ask Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani for access to national television so that they can explain their viewpoints, and call for establishing a committee to assess their complaints to the election process.
• Ahmadinejad proposes teaching of Azeri and Kurdish languages at university level as a part of his election promises. 
• (E) Supreme Leader Khamenei replaced Hojatol Eslam Alawi with Sayyed Mohammad-Ali Ale Hashem as the head of the Iranian Army's Religious and Political Organization. 
• Due to political pressure Esfandiar Rahim-Mashayi is removed from his post as First Vice President even before his formal appointment to the post. 
  • Mashayi denies. 

Diplomacy

• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi explains Iran's relations with Egypt and the United States, as well as Iran's positions with regard to the NABUCCO pipeline and other international issues. Video. 
• (E) Syrian and Iranian officials discussed the need for expanded diplomatic ties in order to achieve greater economic cooperation.
• (E) Majlis Speaker Larijani met with the Kuwaiti ambassador to Iran.
• (E) At a weekly press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qashqavi called US sanctions on airplane parts a “violation of human rights” and discussed Iranian relations with Egypt.
• (E) British Embassy employee Hossein Rassam was released on bail.

Military and Security

• Iran Liberal releases a series of recordings, which, according to the website, are from the Kowsar Seminar of the Intelligence Ministry up to the sixth parliamentary election in 2000. The discussion reportedly takes place in the aftermath of the 1999 student uprisings in Iran. 
  • Welcome by Commander Sadr al-Eslam. 
  • Commander Mohammad-Ali Najafi: "What is happening in our society today…Under the present circumstances, we need to know who is with us and who is not. Those who believe in the Quran and in the regime and care for national security belong to us. But those who receive money from foreigners, those who struggle to bring back the United States to Iran, those who insult the Imam [ed. Khomeini] and disregard the interests of the people, are alien and not part of us...This is the very view we have about such matters in the Intelligence Department of the Law Enforcement Forces... When we look at a society, the united political front – those who are politically defeated – we examine how they see us. What do they say? What are their past records and what are they saying now? It is important for us involved in intelligence work to know about this united political front, in which some have recently jointed – to know about which newspapers they use and what issues are they taking on… When we look at their media outlets and the language they use, they launch attacks in a concerted effort against the Intelligence Ministry. They think: “How can we tarnish the honor and prestige of the Law Enforcement Forces?” Now, what have the Law Enforcement Forces done? We believe that the Law Enforcement Forces have performed their legal and religious duty, and have acted according to its ideological principles. They have done everything in order to preserve our values. We don't have much to say about maintaining order at the university campuses as discussed here. Anyone who opposes our values or insults them in the streets will be confronted by us. Allow me to give our dear participants a warning so they have the right instruments to deal with such affairs. They have formed the united student front and make some of its radical elements mobilize and radicalize the students. They formed a movement called the united workers’ front and now we are witnessing its consequences in the society and more so in the future. We are already facing it... This is the very beginning of their preparations for the sixth parliamentary elections...We need to base our methods upon social and cultural research and scholarship, labor and educational issues. Therefore, our work is based upon knowledge. These were the introductory remarks I found necessary to share with you dear ones...Look at the issue from these viewpoints. When you hear that the students are demonstrating at the university campus area and are chanting slogans, here is a missing link [ed. from the upper command levels]. They tell us not to enter the university area and that it is under the control of the Herasat [ed. University Guards]. But those of you who are aware of the current state of affairs, those who knew that such events could take place, why did you not warn the [ed. Law Enforcement] Forces to be prepared to deal with the issue? We don't cooperate in this issue...You tell us, no, this issue has come to the surface by itself. But if this really is the case, how come the Intelligence Ministry recalls its protest against Salam newspaper at the very same day the uprising is a reality?...At 9 pm, this movement demonstrates in front of the university and infiltrates the campus area. Now, who is leading this movement? I saw it with my own eyes: The University Student Department, those responsible for the student dormitories, those responsible for the student affairs. I heard this gentleman who today plays the role of the martyr, saying “We must make our demands known to the Law Enforcement Forces. They have to apologize to the student movement.” Now, what had the Law Enforcement Forces done? It has said that it is unlawful to break the windows of a kindergarten, or a phone kiosk, or set public property ablaze. They openly chanted the slogan against the parliament, and other institutions. When you enter the scene, we can't forget our values, all those things we believe in and let them do whatever they want. Between 10 pm and 4 am, we showed tolerance allowing negotiations. But they would go back and forth and make insults. When a colleague of us was filming the events, they said - and please do excuse me for saying this - they said go and film your mother. They wanted to attack the camera. They wanted to provoke the forces, and they insulted as much as they could. What we did,...was this, when the force saw that there are some who are attacking their values, we tolerated, hoping that the gentlemen [ed. in the political level] would solve the problem, but they didn't care...Now that our forces entered the campus area, it had a negative and a positive implication. The positive was...that the criminals found out that...we could pursue them." 
    • Part 2.
    • Part 3
    • Part 4
    • Part 5
    • Part 6
    • Part 7
    • Part 8  
• Abbas Palizdar, accusing leading members of the clergy of corruption, is bailed out of prison. 
• (E) Jahan News reported that the MKO terrorist group plotted to assassinate Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karrubi.
• Supreme Leader Khamenei appoints Hojjat al-Eslam Seyyed Mohammad Al-e Hashem Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ideological/Political Indoctrination Organization. Al-e Hashem replaces Hojjat al-Eslam Alavi.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Yazdani-Khorram, Wrestling Association Chairman, responding to the question of why ladies are prohibited from taking part in wrestling championships, said: "We did not do the revolution in order to see our women wrestle in public!" 
• Mehrdad Bazrpash, SAIPA car manufacturer executive director to replace Mohammad-Javad Hajj-Ali-Akbari as National Youth Organization Chief.   
• (E) With 21 goals in Iran’s Premier League this season, Arash Borhani was ranked the 25^th best goal scorer in the world for 2009.
• (E) Iranian wrestlers competed in Baku, winning a number of medals.

Economy

• (E) According to the head of Iran’s Steel Producers Association, the first quarter saw the private sector steel industry increase by 22 percent.

Trade

• (E) Delays to the Iran-Pakistan Peace Pipeline are costing Islamabad 5 million dollars each day.

Nuclear Issue

• (E) Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qashqavi stated Sunday: “We cannot raise the nuclear issue without speaking of an international disarmament. We cannot speak of a Middle East without nuclear weapons while making no words about the more than 200 nuclear warheads of the Zionist regime [Israel].”

Photo of the Day

• Funeral procession of the victims of the Wednesday plane crash.