Iran News Round Up

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

June 12, 2009

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

Iranians go to the polls today to elect the next president of the Islamic Republic; all candidates have already claimed victories, with Rezai’s campaign calling Rezai the “moral winner”; a late poll shows Mousavi in the lead with other polls citing the most support for Ahmadinejad; Fars News Agency claims Ahmadinejad has won a majority in Fars Province; Hugo Chavez wishes Ahmadinejad the best of luck in the elections; criticism flies over the role of the IRGC and the Basij in the elections; and the Guardian Council claims 20 million have participated in the elections by 4:00 PM Tehran time.

Presidential election: General

Presidential election: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Presidential election: Mir-Hossein Mousavi

Presidential election: Mohsen Rezai

Presidential election: Mehdi Karrubi

  • Karrubi's biography: http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/pages/?cid=51536
  • Ansar News Agency confirms Ahmadinejad's claims that during Karrubi's tenure as its head, the Martyr Foundation would arrest, imprison and torture family members of the martyrs who disclosed irregularities in the foundation and reported embezzlement to the press. http://rajanews.com/detail.asp?id=30854
  • Karrubi writes an open letter to Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ezhehi, Basij Chief Hojjat al-Eslam Hossein Ta’eb, and Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam Law Enforcement Forces Chief: "The role of the military organizations in securing the health of the elections is unclear and fatal. The three institutions under your supervision are countering accusations. If you abstain [ed. from committing what you are accused of] God willing we will have free elections or at the very least those institutions will be cleansed of such accusations...most unfortunately I am concerned after hearing news of organized interventions or interventionist supervisions of elections..." http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdcfvtd1.w6dxvagiiw.html
  • Iran-Iraq war-era Revolutionary Guards Commander Said Ghasemi criticizes Mousavi's recollections of Iran's involvement in Lebanon in the early 1980's: "1. Chief of the expedited forces to Lebanon was Hajj Ahmad Motevasselian and not Martyr Hajj-Hemmat, 2. The expedited forces was not even a brigade, not to mention to several armies. 3. In military terms, those responsible for the troops were chiefs and not heads of armies. 4. The Mohammad Rasoul-allah Force was expedited to Syria and was stationed at the Zobdani garrison after which the discussion of 'the path of Qods goes through Karabala' was presented and not prior to expedition of the forces. 5. The above-mentioned forces were expedited in three phases and the third phase was headed by martyr Hemmat. 6. Discussion of the path of Qods going through Karbala was discussed nine days after expedition of the forces and not the very night before expedition of the forces. 7. It was not the late Ahmad Khomeini, but his holiness the Imam [Khomeini]...who said that...8. These forces were formed upon decree issued by the very person of his holiness the Imam [Khomeini], which also passed the Supreme Defense Council and were expedited to Lebanon and returned by the Imam's decree...How come the former Prime Minister makes such mistakes?...How come the Prime Minister who spoke of creation of the Qods Force today...questions export of the revolution and support of the liberation movements?..." [Link can be sent upon request]
  • Karrubi, in an open letter to Rafsanjani, demands an end to "your supporters' character assassination of me,” as a reference to alleged Rafsanjani supporters' attempts at dissuading Karrubi to run for president in order to maximize Mousavi's chances of winning the elections during the first round.  http://www.jamejamonline.ir/newstext.aspx?newsnum=100909102634
  • Karrubi casts his vote: http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/pages/?cid=51604

Military and security

 

Nuclear issue

Trade

Photo of the day

 

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