Iran News Round Up

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

Politics

• Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani criticizes Ahmadinejad's interventions in legislative affairs, referring to the government's efforts not to let the Azad University become a charitable foundation [Waqf] outside the government control.
  • Government supporters and the Student Basij stage demonstrations against the parliament's decision regarding the Azad University. The students chant slogans against Larijani and threaten to "fire cannons at the parliament."
  • Addressing the parliament on June 23, Larijani criticized the government's interference and condemned anti-parliament slogans by Student Basij demonstrators. Larijani’s speech, however, won praise from many parliamentarians.
• Seventy seven parliamentarians condemn Ahmadinejad’s criticism of harsh treatment for ladies with "bad hijab."
• Eghbal Mohammadi, parliamentarian, says the government has not lived up to "190 promises" made during Ahmadinejad's visit to Kurdistan province.
• Agah-Sazi blasts Welfare Minister Sadegh Mahsouli for accumulating enormous personal wealth.  
• Ayatollah Amini condemns mistreatment of Hassan Khomeini on the death anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini.
  • So does Hojjat al-Eslam Shahrestani, official representative of Grand Ayatollah Sistani in Iran.
• Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, addresses Iranian investors based outside Iran:
  • "Empire of Cyrus invaded Babylon at the peak of its power... Anushiravan was a mighty ruler. Of course, one must say that if we here praise monarchical management, it is because it is the symbol of the Iranian nation... Anushiravan was a powerful ruler who depicted himself as just. Regardless of whether or not he was just, and one must say the fact that he depicted himself as a just ruler shows that justice has been the historical quest of the Iranian nation."
• Mohammad-Hassan E'rabi, Ayatollah Khomeini's son in law, has died.

Diplomacy

• Kamal Sajadi, parliamentarian, urges African Americans and Indian Americans to document "police brutality" by cell phones in order to inform "the entire world of U.S. crimes."
• [E] Iran says it has prepared ships containing humanitarian and medical aid for Gaza and is awaiting an Egyptian response for a route to deliver the aid.
• [E] Brazilian Foreign Minister said Tehran's nuclear issues can be resolved through political means and dialogue.
• [E] Iranian President's Chief of Staff stressed on Tuesday that the brotherly relations between Iran and Kuwait can serve as a model for the countries of the region.
• [E] Iran on Tuesday rejected some media reports alleging that it had stopped supplying Iraq with electricity.
• [E] Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi extended his congratulations to Choe Yong-Rim on his appointment as the new Prime Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (the DPRK).
• [E] Syrian Vice President Faruq Al-Shara arrived in Iran Tuesday evening for a two-day visit.
  • [E] Ahmadinejad: “Today the affinity, companionship and unity between Tehran and Damascus have deterred all the plots of the arrogant powers."
• [E] Iranian Labor Minister arrived in Turkey to discuss social and labor relations with Ankara officials.  They are scheduled to sign a protocol on labor cooperation.
• [E] A top Iranian official says 'irresponsible' remarks made by certain authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union's (IPU) Executive Committee will harm Tehran-Abu Dhabi relations.
• [E] Former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Gholam Ali Haddad Adel stressed the imperative of developing better ties between Iran and Algeria.
• [E] Iranian Police Chief Brigadier General said on Tuesday that Tehran and Moscow share common concerns over the growing trend of drug production in Afghanistan.
• [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki is scheduled to visit Turkmenistan on Thursday to take part in an international conference on disarmament.
• [E] A delegation from Turkey's Dianat (religious affairs) Organization met with the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader for Hajj Affairs and discussed ways to expand the two countries' religious relations.
• [E] Bahraini Foreign Minister said Manama attaches much importance to its friendly relations with Iran.

Military and Security

• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says Russia must pay "compensation" in case it does not deliver S-300 air defense systems to the Islamic Republic.
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mojtaba Zolnour, Revolutionary Guards deputy, says the Islamic Republic has two defensive strategies: "land based defense" and "mosaic defense." The mosaic defense "transforms the entire country into mosaic like operational zones and there will not be a safe place for the enemy, not even in the middle of the desert."
• Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base of the Revolutionary Guards expresses readiness to clean up oil leak from the Gulf of Mexico.
• [E] Iranian Army's Navy Commander announced that the Navy is prepared to counter the new UNSC sanctions by inspecting the foreign vessels passing through Iran's territorial waters.
  • [E] The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy plans to accelerate the trend for changing, modernizing and equipping its units and facilities, a senior IRGC commander announced.
• [E] Iran's defense minister called on Russia to abide by an agreement signed between the two countries on the delivery of the sophisticated S-300 air defense missile system to Tehran.
• [E] Iran has deployed a domestically-built radar system in the Persian Gulf capable of tracking and destroying enemy ships and fighter jets, says an Iranian army commander.
• [E] Iranian and Omani officials signed a border control agreement.
• [E] The chief of Iran's anti-narcotics police charges that the US and Britain have abandoned the fight against narcotics and are supposedly only after terrorism, despite the fact that terrorism in Afghanistan is fueled and financed by drug trafficking.

Trade

• Asr-e Iran warns against boycott of Iran's oil under U.S. sanctions.  
• Visa and Master Card will begin circulation in Iran.
• United Arab Emirates shuts down 40 companies violating anti-Iran sanctions.  
• [E] Pakistani senator: "The Pakistani parliament should show its solidarity with Iran and stress that the gas pipeline project will be launched at any price.”
• [E] Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry strongly rejected media reports that the country has or will stop swap of oil with Iran.

Economy

·         [E] Managing Director of Iran's Gas Transfer Company: “I declare very confidently that sanctions do not have any impact on our nation's and oil industry personnel's will of iron.”

·         [E] The World Steel Association reports that its steel production has exceeded 1m tons for the second consecutive month, showing an 8% increasing from the same period last year.

 Religion, Society and Culture

• In Qom, 62,000 women have received warnings regarding "bad hijab" from the moral police.
•  [E] The trial of ten members of the Jundallah terrorist group began on Tuesday, after the ringleader of the group was executed Sunday.
• [E] Tehran's Sa'ad Abad Cultural and Historical Complex has put on display documents chronicling the damages imposed on Iran as a result of the Second World War.
• [E] Iran's Law Enforcement police squads have seized three tons of drugs in a series of operations in Tehran province.

Nuclear Issue

·         [E] Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) head Ali Akbar Salehi: "Iran will enrich uranium to 20 percent according to its needs…up until now we have produced 17 kg (37.5 lb) of 20 percent-enrich uranium and we could potentially produce 5 kg per month."

·         [E] Turkey says it is committed to working with Brazil in seeking a solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear program despite fresh UN Security Council sanctions.

o   [E] Brazilian Foreign Minister said Tehran's nuclear issues can be resolved through political means and dialogue, and he opposed the pressures exerted by the western states on Iran.

·         [E] France says Iran's request to assign two new, unbiased officials for the inspection of its nuclear facilities is against the UN Security Council's resolution.

o   [E] Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast on Wednesday underlined Tehran's right to avoid entry of two IAEA inspectors into Iran.

·         [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki describes French President Nicolas Sarkozy's offer to hold nuclear talks with Iran as a "positive approach."

 Photos of the Day

• 100,000 rial bill.
• Student Basij demonstration against the parliament.