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].

Politics

• Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani expected to return to Iran after leaving in the aftermath of accusations against the Rafsanjani family.

• Parsine News reports that the head of the Russian kiosk at Tehran Media Fair fled the fair when the visitors shouted "Death to Russia" to hail the visit of Mehdi Karrubi to the exhibition.

Diplomacy

• Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, says the Supreme Leader is "against negotiations with the United States."

• Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottakki: "I agree with Mr. Bahonar's statement with regard to the method of establishing relations with the United States." Bahonar had earlier said that "the Supreme Leader does not approve of relations with the United States" and "circumstances are not ripe for direct relations."

• Etemaad reports rumors in Tehran on Turkish mediation between the United States and the Islamic Republic as the main reason behind Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to Tehran.

• (E) Giorgi Janjgava, the Georgian Ambassador to Tehran, asked Iran to take a more active role in regional development. Janjgava also urged Iran to increase tourism and trade with Georgia, offering to establish appropriate financial facilities for Iranian businessmen.

• (E) In a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Bishkek, the President Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan emphasized the importance of increased tied between the two countries. Iranian Ambassador Manouchehr Morradi discussed the importance of the Iran- Kyrgyzstan relationship and expressed his determination to ensure greater economic and political cooperation.

• (E) Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar described Iran as the “main player” in regional development. Najjar explained that currently, Iran enjoys ultimate prestige within the region and exists as a symbol of Islamic unity.

• (E)Iran’s Ambassador to Islamabad Mashaallah Shakeri described the incredibly close ties enjoyed by Pakistan and Iran. Shakeri claimed that cooperation between Islamabad and Tehran extends far beyond the recent arrest of members of the Rigi terrorist group. Shakeri explained that this relationship is expected to flourish in the future.

• (E) In a meeting with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi in Tehran, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to defend Iran in all international meetings. Ergodan stated “we as a friend will back Iranian nation's rights in all international meetings.” Ergodan also stressed the importance of strong ties between the two countries.

Military and Security

• According to the BBC and Associated Press, 11 members of the Revolutionary Guards are arrested by Pakistani border authorities inside Pakistani territory.

• Supreme Leader Khamenei addressing Iranian pilgrimage authorities says "bloody deeds in other countries [a reference to bombing attacks in Baghdad] are the work of the foreigners who are trying to plant discord among the Sunnis and Shi'a."

• Sobh-e Sadegh's Reza Garmabedari ridicules Mir-Hossein Mousavi's "counter revolutionary group" and claims the number of protesters is not more than five thousand.

  • Ali Mousavi, Islamic Republic of Iran Voice and Vision Legal Department Chief, - also quoted by Sobh-e Sadegh - says "16,000 people have been instructed by Persian language satellite television stations to participate in soft warfare."

• Hojjat al-Eslam Ramezani, former Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Deputy, replaces Commander Nejat as the IRGC Security Chief [the Counter Espionage?]. Commander Nejat is expected to be appointed as Supreme National Security Council Internal Security Deputy.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Iran says it will not ship all of its enriched uranium in one go as it knows exactly how much nuclear fuel supply it requires to power its medical research reactor. Head of the Foreign Policy and National Security Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi told Iran's Labor News Agency (ILNA) on Tuesday that "Iran can send the scheduled amount in separate shipments so that its fuel supply [provided by foreigners] is guaranteed." Boroujerdi added: "Iran can send only a part of its stockpile … and then as it receives its 20 percent enriched fuel it will send the next portion... meaning it should not be so that it ships off all of its supply in one go."

• Sobh-e Sadegh's Siamak Bagheri on the nuclear negotiations in Vienna:

  • "There is no doubt that the Vienna negotiations have had considerable results and achievements for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Among other things, the result of the Vienna negotiation and more fundamentally the very issue of Iran exchanging its five percent enriched uranium with twenty percent enriched uranium embody the achievement."
  • "The 5+1 Group and the IAEA have recognized the enrichment program on Iranian soil. This event also refutes all the claims of the West and the United States with regard to nuclear deviations of Iran, secretive nature of the program and the like. This also proves the legitimacy of Iran's positions and behavior..."
  • "But one must not ignore the motives of the United States. The first hypothesis is that the White House has had no other choice but approving of Iran's nuclear program and accept Iran's demands. The second hypothesis is that the United States, rather than the old zero sum calculation has chosen a win/win policy. The third hypothesis may be that the White House within the framework of an intelligent diplomacy is pursuing secret goals and desires to exert influence through soft measures. The fourth hypothesis is a combination of above mentioned hypotheses: By evaluating its policies the White House has reached the conclusion that all those policies have been unsuccessful, that Iran - despite those policies - has had increasing success - and that an intelligent diplomacy is the precondition for containment of Iran."
  • "This diplomacy is based upon two pillars. One is intelligent dialogue, and the second is intelligent pressure. Based upon very this foundation during the last month it was announced that the United States, besides participation at the Geneva meetings and direct negotiations with the Iranian delegation, also passed the gasoline sanction scheme and even before the beginning of the Vienna meetings, and despite happiness with its results, a majority in the United States Senate passes the sanction. It seems that the intelligent relationship pursues several goals: One, restricting the upper limit of Iran's nuclear progress. Two, getting closer to the nuclear program. Three, opening a path into inside Iran and compensating lack of presence for the past years. Four, more precise information about the nuclear program, the politics, economy and culture of Iran and the like."

• "The intelligent pressures also pursue several goals. First, it raises the cost of Iran's development. Second, it spreads dissatisfaction among the masses. Third, it reduces Iran's capabilities. Fourth, It creates many worries and concerns and the like."

• An Iranian diplomat says the Islamic Republic from the very beginning was interested in purchasing nuclear fuel and not "delivering enriched uranium."

• Manouchehr Mottaki:

  • "Exchange of enriched uranium for nuclear fuel for the Tehran reactor is not cancelled... In order to acquire this fuel it is possible that we - like previous occasions - must pay money, but it is also possible that we deliver a part of the fuel which we have in our possession now and do not need for the time being..."
  • "Making a decision on what option to choose is under consideration and in a few days the decision will be announced..."

• (E) General Mohammad ElBaradei, the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency claimed that Iranian representatives will respond to the IAEA proposal for nuclear fuel supply in the next two days. Provisions in the proposal call for Iranian access to 20 percent enriched uranium to supply fuel to over 200 hospitals. Iran’s current supply is depleting.

• (E) Departing from President Ahmadinejad’s offer to exchange 20 percent enriched uranium with low-enriched uranium, Chief of Iran’s Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi has advocated a “step by step” approach to uranium purchases with the West. He explicitly recommended that uranium be purchase Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan d and not exchanged.

Trade

• Turkey invests $3.5 to 4 billion in the 6th and 7th phases of the South Pars Oil and Gas Field.

  • (E) Ibrahim Radafzoun, Deputy Oil Minister for Planning, claimed that Turkey is expected to invest 3.5-4 billion dollars in Iran’s South Pars gas field. The gas field is rumored to hold eight percent of the world’s reserves.

• (E) Iran established a new tax-exempt international exchange hall in the Persian Gulf Island of Kish for trading oil. Chairman of Iran's Bourse Organization Ali Salehabadi said that the exchange hall will improve Iran’s “strategic position in the region.”

Media

• Sobh-e Sadegh says Jamshid Pazhouyan, economic adviser to Ahmadinejad, has been criticized for an interview he allegedly gave to Radio Farda.

Public Health

• (E)According to Seyed Ali Yazdikhah, the director of the Education Organization of Tehran Province, three Iranian schools have been closed in order to prevent the spread of swine flu. The swine flu has already claimed the lives of 16 Iranian citizens with 1194 reported cases.

Religion, Culture and Society

• (E) President Ahmadinejad warned that he would respond in kind if Iranian citizens face restrictions in their Haaj pilgrimage. Noting the importance of the pilgrimage to Islamic unity, President Ahmadinejad hoped to see “the entire potentials of the Hajj rituals need to be taken advantage of.”

• (E) Iranian high school students were awarded first place at the Third International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Tehran. Students from 20 countries participated in the event. Next year, the competition will take place in China.

• (E) When Lemons Turn Yellow, a film directed by Mohammad Reza Vatan Doust, is scheduled to be screened at the 33rd edition of Brazil's Sao Paulo Film Festival this week. The film has already received the Silver Zenith of the Best First Film in Canadian Montreal Film Festival.

Photos of the Day

• Anti-riot exercises in Isfahan.

• “Rioters” dressed in green and plainclothes agents armed with sticks.