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 receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.
 
(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Former reformist parliamentarian Soheila Jeloudarzadeh urges other reformist politicians to start campaigning for the 2013 presidential election: "Life goes on, and everyday could be different from the past... Reformists must use their rights, enshrined in the constitution, to engage in party politics."

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad addresses the people of Abu Musa island:
  • "Those states now trying to monopolize the name of the Persian Gulf have in no way a culture or civilization to face Iran. Those who call the Persian Gulf with another name should first of all consult their faculty of reason, and take a look at the map of Iran so they understand about which great and powerful country they are speaking. Some of these countries give their oil money to the arrogant [powers] so it can be used against another country, but they must be aware that their days are numbered and one day, the oil money will be used against themselves."
• Sobh-e Sadeq publishes lengthy quotes from the late Grand Ayatollah Khomeini refuting Rafsanjani's statements on relations with the United States. 
• The parliamentary National Security Committee passes a budget to "disclose human rights violations in the United States and Britain."
• [E] Head of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said that Iran supports any step towards the resolution of the existing problems in Syria, including the six-point peace initiative proposed by the UN-Arab League Envoy, Kofi Annan.

Military and Security

• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, Representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards:
  • "Syria has resisted the Zionist regime for sixty years and is on the frontline of the resistance..."
  • "Taking into account the Islamic awakening in the region, strengthening of the resistance front and Iran's increased maneuverability in the Middle East region, , the Westerners decided to conspire to contain the Islamic movements in the region..."
  • "In this conspiracy against Syria, the Saudi regime and Qatar play the role of the errand boys of the United States and the West... In the Zionist regime's attack against Lebanon and Gaza, Saudi Arabia sided with the Zionists and the United States. And we are witnessing that in these events, which in some ways are movements against the United States, Saudi Arabia has sided with the United States and Europe..."
  • "The Westerners and reactionary Arab states are, by conspiring against Syria, trying to revenge the resistance... This will certainly be to the detriment of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, since these events will soon pass away. The days of these regimes [Saudi Arabia and Qatar] are numbered..."
  • "The majority of Syrians have supported their president on a number of occasions. Therefore, I believe that Iran's spiritual support and Russia and China's steadfastness prepare the ground for the debacle of the conspiracies of the United States, Qatar and Saudi Arabia..."
  • "The regional dynamics in the Middle East are not to the benefit of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and some other countries of the region, and I believe they should reconsider their strategy and accept existing realities of the region..."
  • "Saudi Arabia, Qatar and some other countries should not place all their eggs in one basket and should not show greater servitude towards the United States..."
  • "The Turkish Prime Minister is trying to play multiple roles in the events in Syria. Erdogan is either dreaming of the Ottoman Empire or is trying to take the leadership of the world of Islam, because of the decline of the roles of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Another reason may of course be the big promises made to them by the United States..."
  • "Such duplicities would not be in the interest of the Turkish Prime Minister, and the people of this country would not tolerate it. The Muslim people of this country expected that the party of Mr. Erdogan would strongly side with the Islamic awakening and would resist the Zionist regime, and that it could prepare the ground for greater victories alongside with Iran and the resistance front."
• Kamran Daneshjou, Science and Higher Education minister, says "those involved in the sedition of 2009" and continued their engagements in the "sedition" following Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's final words, "are not allowed to enter universities." 
• According to Abolqassem Mozaffari, Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base of the Revolutionary Guards commander, Khatam al-Anbia will engage in a major project channeling fresh water into the Caspian Sea.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Iranian parliamentarians in a statement on Wednesday voiced their full support for the country's team of negotiators who are slated to meet representatives of the six world powers in a new round of talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 14. 
• [E] Iran's top negotiator Saeed Jalili Wednesday voiced Tehran's preparedness to hold successful talks with the six world powers in Istanbul, and said his team will take part in the meeting with new initiatives.

Economy

• According to Mashregh News, six million liters of state subsidized gasoline is daily smuggled from Iran to Pakistan. It also writes about extensive gasoline smuggling through the northwestern borders of Iran.
• Iran reports significant drop in gasoline consumption in the wake of the reform of the subsidies scheme. 
• Kayhan Editor Hossein Shariatmadari complains about the rising prices and criticizes the "incompetent" authorities.

Trade

• According to the Arabic language Islamic Republic media outlet, Al-Alam, the Islamic Republic is "sanctioning 100 European companies."
• Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi says Iran has stopped selling oil to Greece.
• According to Press TV, the Islamic Republic has halted oil exports to Germany and Spain. 
• Etemad reports on "semi-official presence" of foreign automakers in Iran.
• [E] Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi announced that despite the international and unilateral sanctions against the country's oil sector, Iran's annual crude exports have reached $60bln.
• [E] Foreign companies will finance more than 20 petrochemical projects in Iran, senior oil ministry officials announced on Wednesday. 

Photos of the Day

• Shepherds of Deylaman