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

• Exorbitant cost of Supreme Leader Khamenei's planned visit to Qom.
• Supreme Leader Khamenei prohibits Rafsanjani’s proposal to make Azad University into a waqf.
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, Supreme Leader Khamenei's representative to the Revolutionary Guards: "It is quite possible that a person was once important. [For example] a lady who was the widow of a martyr, but later changes her mind and moves against the direction of the Leader. At this point, she has no longer the value she had before..."
• Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi: "[After Khomeini’s death], formation of a leadership council was suggested, mostly by Mr. Hashemi [Rafsanjani] which most members of the Association of the Professors [at the Theological Seminaries in Qom] opposed... During the sedition, the heads of the seditionists did a lot supported by Mr. Hashemi [Rafsanjani]... The reason behind my absence [from the meeting of the Assembly of Experts] last year was conflict with Mr. Hashemi [Rafsanjani]... Mr. Ahmadinejad himself suggested to me and Mr. Jannati to meet with Mr. Mashaei 'since you criticize him so much.' Mr. Jannati told Mr. Ahmadinejad: 'Do you really want us to damage our good name by meeting with Mr. Mashaei?"
• Mohammad Nourizad, imprisoned journalist, presents 28 questions to Supreme Leader Khamenei comparing Iran and the United States in which the United States is presented as superior to the Islamic Republic in all aspects.

Diplomacy

• Finance Minister Hosseini complains of "the World Bank’s discriminatory behavior towards Iran."
• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani visiting Kazakhstan says Iran is ready to provide engineering services to Kazakhstan.
• Film director Hana Makhmalbaf to the people of Lebanon: "Ahmadinejad considers your country the first trench in his imaginary war."

Military and Security

• Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base of the Revolutionary Guards is - on no bid basis - awarded the one thousand kilometer-long Qom-Tehran-Mashhad combined freeway and rail project. The estimated cost of the project is 130 to 150 trillion rials.
• Khatam al-Anbia also granted on no bid basis a project transferring water from the Caspian Sea to Semnan province.
• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says the Iran/Russia agreement for delivery of the S-300 air defense system was signed two years prior to the latest round of sanctions against Iran, which exempts the agreement from the sanctions regime.

Nuclear Issue

• Gholam-Reza Ansari, Isfahan prosecutor general, says Amir-Hossein Shirani, a former driver employed by the Iran's Nuclear Energy Organization in Isfahan, has been kidnapped by Jundullah terrorists.

Economy

• Donya-ye Eqtesad reports sharp decline on Tehran Stock Exchange.
• Peyman Nouri, newly appointed head of the Iran Privatization Organization, says there are no obstacles in participation of semi-public organizations in the privatization process.
• Central Bank director Mahmoud Bahmani says the sudden 20% decline of the Iranian currency against the dollar is not a sign of "fundamental problems."
  • According to Abrar-e Eghtesadi, the Iranian government has opted for a "permanent presence in the foreign exchange market through the Central Bank" in order to stabilize the Iranian currency.
• Supreme Audit Court's latest report concludes that only 36% of the privatization goals have been achieved.
• Welfare Minister Sadegh Mahsouli says the government's promised cash handout will be transferred to the bank account of applicants in ten days.

Trade

• First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi address International Industrial Fair in Tehran: "Some European countries have followed the example of the United States in sanctioning our country in the wake of the resolution... If we frown upon the European sanctions, a part of France' industries will collapse... For example, if our minister of industry decides to cancel import of Peugeot parts, our trade will decrease $2.5 billion. What will happen in France? I believe that Frances' car industry will collapse... The French government has created some hassles for us, for example in shipping. Should our Industry Ministry show them a sour face, the French government will be in deep trouble... If we bereave it of our benevolence it will [degenerate to the state] it was 100 years ago..." 
• Davoud Danesh-Jafari, former economy minister: "My prediction is that these sanctions will not have a significant effect upon our economy and as before Iran will prevail in this field... This does not mean that the government has not taken the sanctions seriously... If the government increases the role of the private sector in the economy through the Article 44 policies and improves the job market and reduces public costs, it will most certainly deal more adroitly in neutralizing the sanctions..."
• Iran plans building of dams and electrical power plants in Lebanon.
• Long lines in front of foreign currency dealers in Tehran.
• Malaysia’s SKS company and China’s CNOOC to participate in development of North Pars, Golshan and Ferdows oil and gas fields.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati: "Ayatollah Khamenei is the general of the army of our lord, the Imam of the Era."
• Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamadani says "Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is God's vice regent on earth... God has placed the destiny of mankind in the hands of Ayatollah Khamenei."

Photo of the Day

• Iran Nuclear Organization employee kidnapped by the Jundullah terrorist group.