Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Will Fulton. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Expediency Council Secretary and presidential candidate Mohsen Rezai said, "currently oil dollar [prices] determine Iran's national currency value but [if] elected I will tie the Iranian rial to non-oil exports and production."
• Director of Iran's Communications Infrastructure Company Public Affairs Department Mehdi Khodai denied reported internet access disruptions and said, "it is possible that some created disruptions are due to access denials to illegal VPNs that internet users and institutions were using before this [incident] to circumvent filters."

Military and Security

• Armed Forces General Staff Industrial Preparation, Support, and Research Deputy BG Mohammad Hejazi said, "In the case of Israel's foolishness, we will implement the Supreme Leader's statements [to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa] in the shortest amount of time."
• Commander of IRGC Khatam ol-Anbia Kosar Development Base BG Zia al-Din Hazani reported the base will implement approximately $600 billion worth of contracts inside and outside of the country. According to Hazani, annual profits from such Khatam ol-Anbia projects are approximately $100 billion.
• IRGC Ground Forces Deputy Commander BG Abdollah Eraghi said, "this force, by God's grace, has been successful in providing stable security for people along the northwestern and southeastern borders by [cooperation] with military, law enforcement, and security forces, [and] this security is strengthening day by day."
• Regarding the Supreme Leader's previous statements about confronting serious threats, IRGC Deputy Commander BG Hossein Salami said, "the statements of his Eminence are exactly proportionate with the armed forces defensive capabilities." He added, "they [United States], by introducing nuclear conflicts, want to tell the world that countries at this level cannot have nuclear energy and this is a psychological operation that the Americans are pursuing."

Economy

• According to Mehr News, Seoul has resumed Iranian gas imports and 70% of the South Korean industry are Iranian gas clients.
• Ministry of Oil Deputy Ali Reza Ziqami announced Iranian gasoline exports will soon reach 30 million liters per day and, added, "in such circumstances [the exit of Western multinational oil firms from Arab countries after Arab Spring instabilities], Iran proposed to these Arab countries that Iran can replace these oil companies."
• Head of Trade Expansion Agency Hamid Safdel said, "[one] can say with boldness that more than 70% of currency gained from exports can secure domestic needs in the economic cycle."

Photo of the Day

• Vice-Chairman of the Parliament Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Hassan Abu Torabi Fard and Tehran Governor General Morteza Tamaddon meet during the first Organization of Islamic Cooperation Heads of Registration Departments Summit.