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

• Mobs prevent Seyyed Hassan Khomeini - whose support to the reform movement is well known – from making a speech at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini, shouting him down with slogans in favor of Supreme Leader Khamenei.  
  • Hassan Khomeini asks the mobs to remain calm, but the mobs ignore him.
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Rasayi, parliamentarian, says Hassan Khomeini's "support to the leaders of the discord" led to the protests of the people at Ayatollah Khomeini's mausoleum.
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Sobhani, parliamentarian, says Hassan Khomeini should take the protests of the mourners at the mausoleum as a "warning."
• Supreme Leader Khamenei, at Khomeini’s mausoleum: "Individuals or movements trying to change the identity of the revolutions do not openly admit this. Their movement is invisible and secret. Therefore, there is need to be mindful of factors in order to prevent any deviation...”
• Raja News says Rafsanjani might participate at the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, and writes "Seyyed Hassan Khomeini will praise him as one of the old fellows of Imam Khomeini in the face of potential protests of the people." Link upon request.
• On the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, Mehdi Karrubi expresses concern about Islamic character of the regime, criticizes intervention of the armed forces in the politics of the Islamic Republic.
  • The mobs attack Mehdi Karrubi as he attempts to enter the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini.
• Zahra Eshraghi, granddaughter of Ayatollah Khomeini and wife of Mohammad-Reza Khatami:
  • "I loved to study art, but studied philosophy because back then they did not allow the study of art for 'the granddaughter of the Imam...'"
  • One can't use methods of the 1980's in the new century. The Imam changed 180 degrees from the 1970's to the 80's. Had he been around in the 1990's, he would certainly have changed a lot..."
  • "When it comes to the hijab, there is no legislation in this regard, what we have is an administrative instruction. Hijab is a matter of personal preference..."
  • "It was my father who bought most of Shariati's books for me and I even easily studied the books of the Mojahedin [Khalq] Organization or Marxist literature at home. My father did not complain a single time for reading Marxist books. I remember that I once gave one of Gorky's books to the Imam and it was perhaps also my father who told him to 'talk with Zahra in this regard.' It was fundamentally my father who acquainted me with Shariati and the little faith that I have I owe to Shariati."
• Raja News releases an "in depth analysis" of the text of Grand Ayatollah Sanei's interviews to the BBC and Al-Jazeera Television. Link upon request.
• [E] Supreme Leader Khamenei warned about the new plots and conspiracies of the bullying powers against the Iranian nation.  “Global bullies and international gangs of power and wealth" have the aim of countering the Iranian nation’s progress, he said.
• [E] A commemorative ceremony kicked off in Tehran on Friday to mourn the 21st anniversary of the death of Imam Khomeini.  The head of Tehran's traffic police said more than two million people are anticipated to turn out.
• [E] Millions of protestors took to streets following the weekly Friday prayers in protest of Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla.

Diplomacy

• Khamenei at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini: "The global character of the movement and the Islamic revolution is completely different than intervening in affairs of other countries or export of the revolution in an imperialist way. What the Imam meant and desired was that the young nations should benefit from the perfume of this historical movement and perform their duties... The logical and wholehearted defense of the Imam of the Palestinian nation is an example of the global view of the Imam upon the Islamic revolution. The Imam bluntly said that Israel is a cancerous tumor and it is clear that cure of the cancerous tumor is severing it..."
• Ahmadinejad receiving chairman of the Syria’s parliament:
  • "Base and criminal acts of the Zionist regime can't be excused..."
  • "Today this savage act has even embarrassed supporters of the Zionist regime..."
• Ahmadinejad demands more expansive caravans to be sent to Gaza.
• Raja News editorializes:
  • "Whenever we look at the performance of the Foreign Ministry during the past few years, Ahmadinejad's loneliness in advancing his active and revolutionary foreign policy becomes clear. The current Foreign Ministry has not the vitality to represent diplomacy of the Islamic revolution. When it comes to the Freedom Caravan [to Gaza] the case is no longer about propagandist condemnations. There is need for a practical, brave and martyrdom-seeking deeds. Today is the day to deal the final blow to an Israel which has become weak…”
• [E] Supreme Leader Khamenei stressed that the Zionist regime is moving on a precipice towards demise and that it will soon experience annihilation.  "Israel is a cancerous tumor."

o    [E] Iran's Permanent Representative to the UN Mohammad Khazaei lauded Nicaragua for cutting relations with Israel over the flotilla incident.

o    [E] Ahmadinejad in a phone conversation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad discussed Israel's attack on the Gaza aid convoy, stressing the need for a stronger international response condemning Israeli brutality.

o    [E] Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stressed the need for concerted efforts to adopt serious measures against Israel in a bid to end the “Gaza Siege.”

o    [E] Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani called for the termination of the Gaza blockade, and asked for the formation of a parliamentary front with Syria against Israel.

o    [E] Iran's ambassador to the UN has called for an "all-out boycott" of Israel, saying that a recent attack on ships carrying aid to Gaza showed Tel Aviv's brutality.

• [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki is scheduled to attend the urgent ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) due to be held in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
• [E] Ahmadinejad congratulated Lebanese leaders on the anniversary of the liberation of the southern Lebanon from Israel's occupation.  He sent separate messages of congratulations to President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman and Secretary General of Lebanese Hezbollah Seyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Military and Security

• Mohsen Darreh-Baghi, Deputy Air Force Chief: "Israel is only capable of attacking four boats and a number of defenseless and unarmed people. If Israel has the guts it should enter the scene so we can show him who is man enough for fight..."

·         [E] Deputy Air Force Commander Mohsen Darrehbaghi said Thursday that the country will display fighter jets and a new set of advanced air-to-ground weaponry and gunnery equipment sometime in the coming months.

Trade

• Mehran border opens for individual pilgrims from Iran to Iraq.

·         [E] Different branches of Iran's Bank Mellat in foreign countries on Thursday began issuing bonds for the development of the country's South Pars gas field.  Iran plans to issue €1b in bonds in four stages in a bid to develop the giant gas field.

·         [E] Iran has given Royal-Dutch Shell and Spain's Repsol two weeks to make their final decision on investing in key gas projects in southern Iran.  They have been locked in negotiations with Iran since 2002.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Ali Larijani, speaker of the parliament, addresses the clergy in Gilan and speaks abotu Abd al-Karim Soroush's statements about migration of religious scholars from Iran to Najaf: "This issue is a suspect viewpoint and no one will pay attention to it. But the person who advances such an argument does not know the deep spiritual relationship between Qom and Najaf."

Nuclear Issue

·         [E] China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said on Thursday that any action taken by the UN Security Council should be aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear program “through dialogue and negotiation.”

• [E] Tehran criticized the IAEA for its failure to mention the nuclear fuel swap declaration signed between Iran, Brazil and Turkey on May 17 in its latest report on Iran's nuclear program.  Such an approach does not indicate good intentions on behalf of the agency.
• [E] Iranians will use nuclear-generated electricity late in summer after launching the Bushehr nuclear power plant in September, said Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi.  "Even if approved in the UN Security Council, a new anti-Iran resolution will be inefficient."

 Photos of the Day

• Praise singers and poets meet Supreme Leader Khamenei.