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

• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei reacted to the Boston Marathon bombings:
  • "America and other human rights pretenders are silent about the killings of innocent people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, but after a few explosions in America they create tumult in the world."
  • "The Islamic Republic of Iran, by following Islam's logic, opposes and condemns any killings of innocent people, be it in Boston, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, or Syria."
  • "Due to these contradictions, illogical [actions], bullying, and ignoring human principles, Western civilization is facing collapse and decline."

Diplomacy

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast stated, "Iran's missile program is within the framework of the country's defensive doctrine for the legitimate defense of national sovereignty and all of the Iranian homeland. It is not a threat against any country."
• Deputy Foreign Minister for Middle East and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian announced, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has proposed a package to the UN representative for the political resolution of the crisis in Syria and requests holding a Geneva 2 session under the supervision of this organization."

Military and Security

• IRGC Commander MG Mohammad Ali Jafari commented on Persian Gulf energy security and IRGC priorities:
  • "The Supreme Leader's warnings to enemies are serious and based on Iranian defensive capabilities."
  • "The enemy has aimed to interconnect the security of West Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of a dangerous security scenario; they must be aware that they are on a futile and costly path to war. If they do not get themselves out of this condition, the results of this [war] of attrition will be to incur heavy political and economic costs, and the Americans are witnessing this reality today in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria."
  • "The security of the global energy reserves are in the hands of the IRGC and the enemies of the Islamic revolution are incapable of guaranteeing the security of energy transfers from the Persian Gulf despite fruitless and passive maneuvers and imposing massive costs on their own countries."
  • "Alongside ensuring domestic security, strengthening common national and Islamic values and principles for increasing the level of convergence in the people of the region is considered an IRGC priority."
• Representative of the Supreme Leader in the IRGC Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi encouraged participation in upcoming presidential elections and elaborated on the main issues that the future president must tackle:
  • "This year the Iranian nation has a grand test ahead of it, which is electoral valor."
  • "The people's unwavering endurance and resistance in confronting sanctions caused the enemy to shift focus in its struggle with the Islamic system towards political crises, and elections can be the people's decisive answer to this conspiracy."
  • "Any [IRGC] interference in [elections] lays the groundwork for division, and IRGC opposes the emergence of division and tension in destiny-making arenas."
  • "The country's sensitive circumstances and existing conflicts in the field of defending the nation's nuclear rights, reducing the effects of economic sanctions, acceleration in the trend of total expansion and continuous daily access to science and technology causes candidates to reflect on their capabilities and [they should] introduce the most qualified for this destiny-building arena."
• Head of the Armed Forces General Staff Political Ideology Directorate Hojjat al-Eslam Gholam Reza Safaei said, "If the Iranian nation participates in the elections with unity and cooperation, the country will be insured and rapidly advance toward prosperity."
• Khatam ol-Anbia Construction Base participated in the 18th International Oil, Gas, Refining, and Petrochemical exhibition in Tehran with the slogan of "Economic Valor Expressed in Self Sufficiency of the Iranian Oil Industry Jihad Movement."
• IRGC Navy Commander Admiral Ali Fadavi attended the opening of a large port at IRGC's Caspian Sea base.

Economy

• Oil Minister Rostam Ghassemi said, "If the price of oil is reduced to less than $100 emergency meetings with the rest of OPEC members will take place," but he does not anticipate that this price reduction will happen. He added that Iran invested $30 billion in its oil industry last year and it will soon celebrate self sufficiency.

Photo of the Day

• Artesh commanders meet with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.