Iran News Round Up

The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.

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

 

Ahmadinejad pledges high economic growth for Iran; opposition leaders show defiance amid government crackdown; Mousavi says Ahmadinejad government lacks legitimacy; Iranian paper criticizes China’s ‘suppression’ of Muslims; France’s Sarkozy demands release of French national held in Iran; Larijani blames U.S. for worsening situation in Afghanistan

 

Politics

  • Ahmadinejad will appear on Iranian television tonight to discuss domestic and foreign policy issues.
  • In a radio interview, Ahmadinejad predicts Iran will become one of the 10-most developed countries, predicts high economic growth rate.
  • (E) In a meeting Monday night, Mousavi reiterated his stance that the election was fraudulent, stating that “the government [of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] lacks legitimacy as it does not have the nation's vote.”
  • Karrubi, speaking to a young crowd of campaigners: "We will continue the struggle and will move towards reforms within the framework of the thought and mentality of the Imam [Khomeini]. Now we must choose a path which leads to our goal, but our plans must be according to the post-election circumstances. Now we must organize our forces and maintain our relations with party and non-party political forces which were present in the elections. We must endure the hardships and attend to our organizational and party political work and consolidate our work...What has happened during the tenth presidential election is so clear and visible that everyone is aware of it. Regardless which city or village you visit, the inhabitants have many tales to tell about this election. Therefore, defending what has happened does nothing but damage the reliability of the defender... A government which takes over the wheel of the country without popular vote has no legitimacy and this reality gets more and more evident day by day."
  • Mousavi, receiving a small group of visitors on the occasion of the birthday of Imam Ali in his private home: "All governments try hard to increase their legitimacy, but in this government, legitimacy is questioned because of lack of trust of the people. This matter inwardly weakens the government, even should the government keep up appearances...I am trying to work within an organization and in a disciplined way and from the very beginning I was against doing all the work alone...What we say is that the government lacks legitimacy since it has no popular vote. We must show our protest within the framework of the law..."
  • Father of Ahmadinejad's son-in-law says Ahmadinejad has manipulated his son, stresses that he has not voted for Ahmadinejad and will never do so.
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Rouhollah Hosseinian, parliamentarian, claims the idea of shouting "God is Great" as a sign of protest was the recommendation of Daryoush Homayoun, exiled minister of information of the Shah.
  • A group of academics declare their support for Ahmadinejad. 
  • Kadkhodayi, Guardian Council Spokesman to leave the Council for a position in academia

Religion, Society and Culture

Diplomacy

Media

Military and Security

  • Law Enforcement Forces Chief Ahmadi-Moghaddam claims the Police have not shot a single shot during the recent unrest.
  • Karrubi speaking to his campaign staff members: "Ahmadinejad's letter calling for attention towards the murder of Neda Agha-Soltan is sent to the Judiciary at a time when according to Ahmadi-Moghaddam, 20 other individuals have been killed as well. Those very individuals who killed the remaining 19 people also killed Neda Agha-Soltan. Perpetrators of these murders were the individuals who armed with batons and arms attacked the university dormitories and residential buildings - the perimeter of the families - both women and men and according to some have arrested 1030 people. Despite the fact that documentation shows that the number of wounded and arrested is greater than this, but just by looking at statistics from official sources - we stress that the perpetrators of such deeds are punished...Willingly or unwillingly, you do away with the honor of the Basij which the Imam [Khomeini] proudly considered himself a member of - the Basij which has delivered 36000 martyred students, 14000 martyrs among workers and civil servants and more than 3000 clerical martyrs. You force them to attack the people and beat them up...If you have any documentation with regard to those who perpetrated such crimes, do present them to the public. But don't act like in the past with the serial killings issue, and don't make imprisoned members of the hypocrites [ed. Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization] deliver forced confessions in front of the camera that they were behind it. None of the doubt with regard to the catastrophes has been solved..." 
  • After 20 days of disconnection of the SMS service, the system was up and running for less than 48 hours before it was disconnected again.
  • Alef News Agency releases a backgrounder on a certain Einstein Institute which, according to the news agency, is a United States government agency engaged in regime change all over the world.
  • Islamic Republic of Iran Navy vessel engages in fight with pirates at the Gulf of Aden. 
  • An informed judiciary source says imprisoned reformist theoretician and Intelligence Ministry co-founder Said Hajjarian is in good health

Economy

Nuclear Issue

Photo of the Day

 

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