Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
Key takeaway: Senior military officials dismissed U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis’s comments regarding regime change in Iran.
Mattis had stated, “Until the Iranian people can get rid of this theocracy, these guys who think they can tell the people even which candidates they get a choice of. It’s going to be very, very difficult,” in response to a high school newspaper’s question of how to improve U.S. relations with Iran. Armed Forces General Staff Deputy IRGC Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri stated that “America’s dream of overthrowing the Islamic Republic is delirious.” Defense Minister IRGC Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan also stated earlier that Mattis was “better off thinking about his own domestic issues” since “not only will the current American government collapse in the not-too-distant future, but the country’s political establishment is also faced with multiple challenges.”
This Iran News Round Up predominantly covers events from July 12-13.
Jazayeri responds to Mattis comments.
Armed Forces General Staff Deputy IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri responded to comments made by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis on regime change in Iran. Jazayeri stated that “America’s dream of overthrowing the Islamic Republic is delirious,” and stressed that despite Mattis’s “childish” remarks, Iran “continues on with the framework of its defined goals and policies of driving foreign [powers] out of the region and does not hesitate in the least whilst following that sacred path.” (Mehr News Agency)
Larijani meets with Talabani.
Former Iraqi president and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) founder Jalal Talabani met with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani as part of a visit to Iran this week. No details on the topics of discussion during the meeting were provided. (ABNA)
Citations & Links
1.
Mehr News Agency
http://www.mehrnews.com/news/4029969/%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%B0%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
Citations & Links
1.
ABNA
http://fa.abna24.com/news/%d8%a7%d8%ae%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1-%d8%a7%db%8c%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86/%d8%af%da%a9%d8%aa%d8%b1-%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%b1%db%8c%d8%ac%d8%a7%d9%86%db%8c-%d8%a8%d8%a7-%d8%ac%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%84-%d8%b7%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%86%db%8c-%d8%af%db%8c%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%b1-%da%a9%d8%b1%d8%af-%d8%b9%da%a9%d8%b3_722661.html
Jafari: IRGC cannot ignore needs of the people and revolution.
IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari continued to defend the IRGC’s role in the economy as tensions between IRGC supporters and President Hassan Rouhani persist. Jafari stated that “the IRGC sprang from the words of the people and the revolution and can therefore never [ignore] the needs of the people and the revolution.” Jafari added that “however much the government may provide by way of foundations, we are prepared to play our part with a jihadi outlook and a revolutionary method, with the help of the people themselves and [alongside] the public sector and Iran’s native capabilities.” Jafari provided the example of the IRGC’s Khatam ol Anbiya Construction Headquarters and its assistance in water control in the country’s west and added that “the people’s satisfaction and happiness will be the best reward for us.”
- Jafari reiterated that the IRGC will continue its involvement in the construction and poverty relief fields. He stated that the government has facilitated the IRGC’s role in the economy and could provide even more opportunities for the IRGC in this regard. (Mehr News Agency)
Omid Faction head: Rouhani indebted to reformists for victory.
Head of the reformist-backed Omid parliamentary faction Mohammad Reza Aref urged President Hassan Rouhani not to forget his electoral allies in remarks on July 13. Aref stated that “there are some [people] who, after winning, forget those who made an effort on their behalf.” He continued to note that “there is no doubt that Rouhani’s victory in the [May] elections is owed to the reformists. Our request with regard to the formation of [the administration in Rouhani’s second term] is companionship and coordination with the Omid Faction.” (Fars News Agency)
Citations & Links
1.
Mehr News Agency
http://www.mehrnews.com/news/4029913/%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AF
Citations & Links
1.
Fars News Agency
http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13960422000901
Four Fatemiyoun fighters buried in Mashhad.
Fatemiyoun Brigade fighters Jamshid Zaershah, Mohsen Hosseini, Hossein Hekmati, and Jafar Jafari were buried in Mashhad in northeast Iran on July 12. No further details were provided. (Khabar One)
Citations & Links
1.
Khabar One
http://khabarone.ir/news/9528951/%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B7%D9%87%D8%B1-%DA%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF
