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, please visit this page, fill out the "New Subscribers" section, and check "Iran News Round Up" listed under "Projects." 
 
(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Ahmadinejad appoints Hamid Baqaei as presidential deputy for executive affairs and chief of staff. Baqaei replaces Mashaei.
• According to Ammariyon News, Hassan Khomeini is considering a run for the presidency to advance the reformist agenda.
• News stories on occult phenomena:
  • Bultan News reports: "During the past couple of days, a story was reported in media circles which was certainly a lie... it was claimed that Davoud Ahmadinejad, older brother of the president, had resorted to witchcraft and superstitious acts when visiting Dr. Ahmadinejad's home. This is the story: 'An informed source close to Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told our reporter: Some time ago, Davoud Ahmadinejad, the brother of the president visited the president's home. A few minutes later, when Dr. Ahmadinejad was talking with others, Hajj used an excuse to leave the assembly. When Dr. Ahmadinejad became aware of the lengthy absence of Hajj Davoud, he went after him and suddenly found out that he is burying something in one of the vases at the president's home. When he [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] looked at the vase, he found out that there is a small piece of paper in it with some obscure words written on it... Dr. Ahmadinejad discovered that the words were written by a a witch doctor. He talked with Hajj Davoud and he had no choice but to confess that he had reached out to a witch doctor in Shahr-e Rey in order to neutralize black magic of some people among [Ahmadinjead's] entourage."
    • Davoud Ahmadinejad refutes the story, says he has not visited his brother's home for months and says "such false stories... are fabricated by evil elements who are severely bruised by my recent disclosures."
  • Esmail Shafiei Sarvestani: "The signs of the emergence [of the Imam of the Era] are showing themselves. They explain our situation and circumstances and function as road signs."
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, slams the CD-Rom titled "Emergence Is Near," in which Ahmadinejad is depicted as the facilitator of the emergence of the Imam of the Era.
    • Producers of the CD-Rom retort: "At the time of the emergence, even some elite members oppose it [emergence of the Imam of the Era]."

Diplomacy

• Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi:
  • "Until now we have been abiding the principle of non intervention in [internal] affairs of states... We have had clear political positions towards the developments in Bahrain. We have behaved according to the principles in which we believe... If we had a position it was only concerning condemnation of use of violence against the people... We have always declared that the demands of the majority must be taken into consideration and nothing else. This was our position."
  • "When Saddam invaded Kuwait, we magnanimously opened Iran's gates to the people and statesmen of Kuwait and gave them refuge... Now they make false claims [of Iranian espionage effort in Kuwait]."
• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister will soon visit Egypt.
• [E] Iran is considering reducing diplomatic ties with Britain based on comments said by British ambassador.
• [E] Senior legislator emphasizes the Iranian Parliament’s decision to review diplomatic ties with Bahrain after Abu Dhabi’s support for Bahrain’s government crackdown and recent comments made against Iran at the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Riyadh.
• [E] Iran confirms Kuwait’s expulsion of three Iranian diplomats, citing links to spy networks.

Military and Security

• Ali-Reza Afshar, Cultural and Social Affairs director at the Interior Ministry and former Defense Cultural and Propaganda deputy, shares secret information about the arrest of British sailors in Iran in 2007:
  • "At the very moment of the arrest of British military personnel at the Arvand[-Roud] zone, there were many pressures to promptly free them..."
  • "Apart from the British, there were also domestic factions who pressured for not transferring the aggressor sailors to Tehran, but Mr. [Hassan] Firouzabadi and some of the dear people from the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council ignored the pressure and transferred them to Tehran. A deed which projected proud images from a position of power..."
  • "This affair was in reality a demonstration of power by the Islamic Republic and a victory in the face of the psychological warfare of the enemy. Even regional Arab countries considered it praiseworthy. It showed that whenever we do not allow fear to take over us and insist upon just issues, we will benefit from divine blessing and will prevail..."
  • "After the issue of arresting the British aggressor sailors, we visited the supreme Leader and he, praising the brave act of the Revolutionary Guards Navy elements, said: "With this act you have slapped Britain in the face thrice: First, by arresting the aggressors in our territorial waters. Second, the way of their release which was powerful and dignified. Third, by doing away with their theatrics after their release and by neutralizing the psychological warfare of the enemy in this regard."  
• Parliamentarian Hojjat al-Eslam Rouhollah Hosseinian: "The government of Iran should not abstain from mobilizing its military forces when Saudi Arabia deploys forces. We should not allow Saudi borders to get closer to us." 
• [E] MP proposes Iran dispatch military forces against Bahrain’s government crackdown against protestors.
• [E] Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announces restructuring of forces to meet changing developments in the region.

Iran in the Afghan Media

• Afghan senators accuse Iran of obstructing the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Nimroz Province.

Photos of the Day

• Fourteen Major Generals.