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

• Video of Rafsanjani avoiding praying the Fitr prayer next to Ahmadinejad.

Military and Security

• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says Iran and Russia continue negotiations about delivery of the S-300 air defense system.
• According to Tahavol-e Sabz, the theological seminaries are resisting a plan to impose Revolutionary Guards management of the seminaries under the leadership of Morteza Moghtadaei.

Economy

• Ahmadinejad addresses people in Gorgan: "How many BA's in history, geography, literature and political science do we need? No one becomes a politician just because of a BA in political science, and no one becomes a manager just because of having a BA in management... Someone who has a BA and for example becomes a taxi driver complains about this. Now, is it bad to be a taxi driver? It is an honorable job. When I tell someone with a BA to go and become a shop keeper they don't like it and say 'I have a BA.' Now, is this bad? Someone has to do these jobs..."

Trade

• President of Turkey urges Turkish merchants to increase their trade with Iran.
• Turkey invests $754 million in a pipeline to export Iran's natural gas to Europe.
• Malaysia’s PETRONAS says it does not want to leave the Iranian market and will not abstain from investing in Iran's oil and gas sector because of the sanctions.
• Ahmadinejad says "12 foreign companies have announced that they are ready to participate in these fields [oil and gas] despite the sanctions."
• Importers of consumer goods and durables shut their stores amidst uncertainty about the rial.
• Tehran-e Emrooz reports increased interest in purchasing of U.S. dollars by currency dealers in Iran.

Photos of the Day

• Brick workers.