Iran News Round Up

Politics

• Alef News Agency reports that a student of mathematics at Sharif University asked critical questions during Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's meeting with the "scientific elites of Iran":

  • "First he criticized the method of selecting individuals to ask the Supreme Leader questions...which was applauded by those present..."
  • "Afterwards he criticized the performance of the Voice and Vision with regard to the post-election events and asked: 'Does our Voice and Vision depict a correct picture of the country and of the world or an unrealistic picture, a caricature? Does Voice and Vision allow different viewpoints to defend themselves? Especially the viewpoints of those attacked and criticized by very this medium? If we want ethical media one should begin with the greater media.'"
  • "In the second part of his question he criticized the issue of criticizing the Leader. He said: 'For the last four to five years, I have been reading the newspapers in a more serious manner and read the journals. During all this time I really do not remember having read anything criticizing the Leadership...One can criticize the Leadership in a general manner, but also in a specific way in the Assembly of Experts. I feel that if this does not take place, it will lead to discord and hatred. Issues which may be simple criticism, should they not find the right circumstances to be expressed, may develop into enmity, and depart from the path of justice.'"
  • "At this point a written message was given to the questioner telling him that the time is over. He asked the Supreme Leader: 'The time is over, but if you allow I'll continue.' The Leader of the Revolution enthusiastically answered: 'From the very beginning the time was over, but I am in favor of you continuing your statements.'"
  • "The student continued his speak and contrary to others who in accordance with the wishes of the moderator restricted their statements to 4 minutes, spoke for 10 minutes and criticized the way the Law Enforcement Forces dealt with assemblies after the election. He asked: 'Had more restricted methods been used and had violence been avoided with the exception of instances of necessity, would the regime not have had a better existence? Would the people not have been more united? Real unity, is in my opinion, rather than being achieved through teaching, is the result of the dealings of the people with the regime, the dealings of the regime with the people and a result of how the people treat each other..."
  • The Supreme Leader answered:
    • "'Don't think that I'll be unhappy to hear such statements. No, I would be unhappy if such statements are not made. At student meetings, and academic assemblies like the one here, I sometimes see that some people, either out of consideration, respect or whatever reason abstain from saying things which they think I dislike. But I am absolutely not unhappy about saying such things."
    • "Now, reference was made to the recent events and issues. In this regard there are many things to say. Don't you think that what the Voice and Vision says is the only thing which can be said. No, there are many things which can be said..."
    • "There is a wave of words in our mouth, but it is not so that one can say whatever he likes to say. There is a lot to be said. I hope there is at some point time to say this. At that point, one can add the leaves of untold words and open the book to illuminate the truth. In the future this can be said..."
    • "About lack of criticism of the Leader. You go and tell them to criticize. We have not said that no one should criticize us. We have no protest. I welcome criticism, I welcome criticism. Of course, there is also criticism. This is not the place to explain, but there is criticism and there is a lot of it. And I receive it and I understand the criticism..."
    • "A few years ago a student magazine had criticized me. They wanted to deal with it, but I said no, this is not problem and allow them to write..."
    • "Don't you think that just because I appoint the Voice and Vision Chief I also look through all the programs of the Voice and Vision and approve of them by the way of signature. No, there are a lot of the programs of Voice and Vision with which I am unhappy. For example..."
    • "I was against transmission of the campaign and debates from television [long before] the election...Unfortunately it broadcasted just to leave the impression of being independent minded. This is all an illusion..."
    • "Does the Voice and Vision show the true state of being in the country? No! It shows them deficiently. There is a lot of significant progress which is not broadcasted through the Voice and Vision. Had the Voice and Vision managed to show it like a certain Western country with a lot of experience and through use of artistry and lies to depict a truthful picture of itself, the hope of the youth, and love of the young generation towards the country, religion and the regime of the Islamic Republic would have been greater..."

• Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani: "All those who during the latest unrest moved towards the direction of illegality and questioning of the foundation of the regime should know that regardless their position, the Judiciary will not remain silent and will make decision about them based upon the law." 

• Mehdi Karrubi meets the press: "Every year I have gone to the Media Exhibit, but this year I had an additional incentive to go to the exhibit because of the increasing ban of newspapers and magazines and the arrest of journalists. I am not deeply affected by what happened, I was just sorry to see some unreasonable and not calculated moves. But it was good that I went so that the true nature of some individuals is revealed." 

• Abd al-Hamid Samreh Hashemi is appointed Research and Human Resources Deputy at the Energy Ministry. 

• Computer game on presidential election in the Islamic Republic with Mir-Hossein Mousavi as "Pac Man". 

Diplomacy

• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei receives Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan:

  • "Your position in support of the Palestinian people was a correct, rational and an Islamic move and such moves strengthen Turkey's position in the world of Islam..."
  • "Your government's ever closer movement towards the world of Islam partially strengthens your popular base in Turkey, but also mobilizes the support of the Muslims of the world to you..."
  • "The Western method for solving the problems of the region is neither just nor effective and is incapable of solving the problems of the region including Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. Therefore, Iran and Turkey should solve these problems in a friendly and brotherly way..."

• Speaker of the Parliament Ali Larijani: "What does it mean when we disregard slogans of 'Death to the United States' and 'Death to Israel'? Those who try to redirect the slogans against Russia and China should pay attention to the United States and Israel as well known enemies of the nation." 

• (E) Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said that Iran enjoys great power in the region and the world. Najjar declared that the courageous and determined Iranian nation will thwart conspiratorial enemy plots.

Military and Security

• Ahmad Vahidi, Defense Minister, warns against the psychological warfare of "the enemy" against the "Iranian nation." 

• Hossein Salami, IRGC Deputy addressing the Basij:

  • "We are engaged in soft warfare. An impalpable struggle without a solution, a battle both mysterious and complex but real which calls for attention before we understand the dimensions of this decisive fight..."
  • "When the Americans were writing their country's strategy for the 21st century, in their preamble described globalization, they described the continents getting ever closer to each other and the first element they recommend for realization of it is that everybody has the same opinion..."
  • "Therefore they consider liberalism the center of gravity of this uniform culture. This is the symbol of globalization of culture..."
  • "The second issue in the strategy of the Americans is that everybody consumes the same products. This element is the symbol of globalization of economy. The third element is education and creation of human beings with uniform information through a network of transforming the data..."
  • "Virtualization of the real space and realization of the virtual world is what they do in order to administer international understanding..." 

• Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, Basij Chief urges use of the mass media by the Basij to counter the media machinery of "the enemy."

• IRGC chief Mohammad-Ali Jafari: "The United States has stationed all its forces in the countries around Iran during the past eight years in order to annihilate the regime, but they even don't dare to threaten Iran..."

• Ansar News Agency hails killing of eight American soldiers in Afghanistan as "the epic of the soldiers of Islam." 

• Ansar News Agency publishes a backgrounder on Jama'at-i Islami Party in Pakistan.

Nuclear Issue

• Ahmadinejad in Mashhad:

  • "There was a time when they [the Westerners] said you should cancel your nuclear program. But today they declare their readiness to exchange nuclear fuel, building of nuclear reactors and power plants. We see that from a position of conflict they have moved towards a position of engagement and cooperation..." 
  • Addressing the United States government and Western countries, Ahmadinejad said: "You have experienced opposition with the Iranian nation, sanctions, resolutions, threats and military attack and you have seen the result of it. Today you say that you want to change your behavior. Very well. We welcome it. We will shake any hand which is extended to us sincerely. But if someone is engaged in conspiracy, scheming and insincere behavior, the answer of our nation is the decisive answer given to Mr. Bush and his gang..."
  • "During all this time they were harmed, but the Iranian nation was not. They experienced problems, but the Iranian nation resisted and thanks to divine wisdom it overcame its fundamental problems...."
  • "The world should know, also some people in various corners of this country should know that as long as this government is in power it will not make any retreat when it comes to the rights of the Iranian nation..."
  • "Providing nuclear fuel for the Tehran reactor is an opportunity to test the sincerity of certain individuals and governments and the IAEA..." 

• (E) Former Pakistani diplomat Asif Ezdi emphasized Iran’s right to develop a peaceful nuclear program. Ezdi noted that the proposal to send 70 percent of Iran’s uranium abroad for further enrichment was unfeasible: Iran should not feel obligated to curb its nuclear program.

• (E) State Department spokesman Ian Kelly is impatiently waiting for an Iranian response to the International Atomic Energy Agency proposal to ship Iran’s enriched uranium abroad for further processing. The Iranian envoy Ali Asqar Soltanieh simply reiterated that certain economic factors regarding Tehran’s research reactor must be discussed.

Economy

• A report published by the Research Center of the Parliament warns against drastic decline of Iran's oil export because of insufficient investments in Iran's oil sector.

• (E) With a 30 percent increase in Iran’s electricity output, Iranian officials are hoping to expand the country’s electrical export industry. Iran agreed to export 6,000 megawatts of electricity to Turkey this week during meetings between Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's.

• (E) Recent data collected by the Norwegian company StatoilHydro has confirmed the presence of significant gas and oil reserves in Khorramabad, located in western Iran. StatoilHydro signed a 50-million-dollar project agreement with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and in September 2006.

Trade

• First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi says the Islamic Republic will establish an industrial city near the Turkish border and also establish a Turkish/Iranian airliner. 

Health

• (E) After 70 students were diagnosed with swine flue, Iranian health officials closed 620 schools, 250 in Kashan and 370 in Isfahan.

Culture, Religion, and Society

• (E) The work of young Iranian artists will be showcased this week at Kuwait's Islamic Art Center, starting November 5^th. The event will display calligraphy by Jalil Rasouli, Esrafil Shirchi and Abbas Akhavein and miniature creatures by Alireza Aqamiri and Saeed Sonboli.

Photos of the Day

• Ahmadinejad visits Mashhad.