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

• Rafsanjani not invited to the seminar of the Friday prayer leaders meeting with Supreme Leader Khamenei.
• Jahan News discusses Supreme Leader Khamenei's household: "One of the daughters of His Eminence is wife of the son of Ayatollah Mohammadi Golpayegani, the chief of staff of the Leader... and his other daughter is married to the son of Ayatollah Bagheri Kani... Seyyed Mostafa, his eldest son is married to the daughter of Ayatollah Khoshvaght. Seyyed Mojtaba is the son in law of Dr. Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel. Seyyed Masoud is married to the son of Ayatollah Kharazi and sister of Sadegh Kharazi. Seyyed Meisam, the youngest son of His Eminence is married to the daughter of Mr. Lolachian, a devout bazaari. The Supreme Leader has, as the deceased Imam [Khomeini] urged his children to abstain from political and economic activities."
• [E] Ahmadinejad says national spirit and self-reliance are rising in the country while the hegemonic powers' strength and political makeup are falling into disarray.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad expected to "throw a symbolic stone at the usurper Israel" during his upcoming visit to Lebanon.
• Ahmadinejad "addressing the occupiers in the region": "If you don't leave the region voluntarily, the nations of the region will kick you out."
• Ahmadinejad on 9/11 (again): "What was September 11th? Who was behind it? There are hundred unanswered questions here. They must answer." Video
• Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez says he will soon travel to Iran.
• The cabinet decides to establish an embassy in Mozambique.

Military and Security

• Hossein Hamadani, Greater Tehran Revolutionary Guards unit chief:
  • "We expected the events of the discord and we did so based on intelligence estimates, not analysis and interpretation. Our intelligence estimate was that the espionage network of the enemy, the United States Congress' budget for countering the revolution taken into consideration, had plans. They had plans one of which was the election... However, we did not expect that some would move to the camp of the enemy and engage in deeds against the people..."
  • "There are those who ask why the Guards and the Basij of ours had a poor performance last year. We don't see it this way..."
• According to JARAS the Supreme National Security Council has formally transferred all the internal security obligations of the Intelligence Ministry to the Revolutionary Guards.
• JARAS reports several Revolutionary Guards officers suddenly walk out of a venue featuring war veteran Morteza Ghorbani.

Nuclear Issue

• Ali-Akbar Salehi, Iran Nuclear Energy Organization director, responds to Russian President Medvedev's statements prohibiting Iranian investments in any kind of commercial activity related to exploration, production, or use of materials related to nuclear technology on Russian soil: "We (Iran) have never had and do not intend to invest in enrichment of uranium in Russia and our investments in the field of enrichment are only domestic."

Trade

• Mohsen Rezai says the sanctions unite political adversaries such as Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad.
• Syria’s President Assad and Ahmadinejad sign a free trade agreement in Tehran.
• Following the sharp increase of the value of the dollar against rial, Syrian traders stop accepting the rial.
• Captain Mohammad Samii, Iranian Shipping Companies Association secretary general, says 10 more ships have chosen to sail under other flags than Iran’s in the Caspian Sea which leaves only 21 ships with the Iranian flag. Samii adds that "Iran's sovereignty [in the Caspian] is threatened."
  • Mohammad-Reza Ghaderi, Caspian Sea Shipping executive director, denies.
• Turkey’s TAPRAS stops its activities in Iran's energy sector.
• Ahmadinejad on gasoline sanctions:
  • "There were some who for years worried about what would happen if gasoline were sanctioned. When Western countries desired to cut the gasoline exports we welcomed it and declared that we hope that gasoline is cut. They didn't believe it, but when they sanctioned gasoline, the path was opened for domestic experts and during a week we substituted it with domestic gasoline with the help of our scientists and experts. We even managed to export two shipments of it, after which they returned and said it was a mistake and we will sell you gasoline."
  • [E] President Ahmadinejad reiterates that international and unilateral sanctions against Iran will leave no negative impact on the country's progress, stressing that pressures will merely strengthen Tehran's resolve to move forward.  

• Arya News says Iran's gasoline consumption is now less than 65 million liters per day.
• According to JARAS, despite claims of Iran's gasoline self-sufficiency, 15 containers of gasoline entered the port of Anzali.

Media

• Ayatollah Dastgheib and Ayatollah Bayat Zanjani criticize censoring of his website which he says is meant to give religious guidance to the public.

Photos of the Day

• Law Enforcement Forces war game recreates the post election unrest.