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

Diplomacy

• Diplomacy Irani calls Mitt Romney’s VP pick Paul Ryan as "a poisonous choice."

Military and Security

• News stories on developments in Syria:
  • Asr-e Iran analyst Ali Qaderi warns that "Turkey's decision to arm the Syrian rebels with Stinger missiles" would be "harmful to all" since "Islamist extremists constitute the largest part of the armed groups in Syria." Qaderi also writes that despite supervision of Turkish intelligence officers, it is possible that the Stinger missiles will fall into the hands of al Qaeda operatives. In a tone unusual for the Islamic Republic media, Qaderi also criticizes Syria's regime as "authoritarian," and says the regime is responsible for the problems it is facing. 
  • Morteza Nematzadeh, former cultural attaché at Iran’s embassy in Damascus, warns that "the giant of Salafism," will rise in Syria if the regime collapses.  
  • Former Revolutionary Guards Commander Mohsen Rezaei says the developments in Syria have reached its end, and stresses that "if Syria falls into the hands of the United States, the Islamic Awakening [Arab Spring] would be totally in the hands of the Americans. But if Syria remains, the Islamic Awakening will further unfold."
• Mohammad-Ebrahim Taherian, former Iranian ambassador to Pakistan, warns of recent developments in Afghanistan:
  • "The city of Zaranj is the largest Afghan city close to the Iranian border. The Islamic Republic of Iran has provided many services to Zaranj, including communications, water, electricity, and health. This development [suicide attacks targeting civilians in Zaranj] means that there is a war room trying to manage, expand and perpetuate the crisis in Afghanistan, which could prove costly for the entire region and the people of Afghanistan in the first place... Rather than making accusations [against Iran], the authorities in Afghanistan must live up to their duties. First of all, the government of Afghanistan is obliged to provide security for its citizens, and second, it is expected that the government of Afghanistan correctly fulfils its duties as a neighbor... On the other hand, one sees Afghan authorities blaming Iran for such incidents. Unfortunately, Iranophobia and enmity towards Iran can be seen both in the neighboring countries and Afghanistan and in the in the Afghan media... What is happening in Zaranj is not in the interest of anyone... Why should Iran behave in such a way to undermine its own interests?"  
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, criticizes the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, but suggests the reformists can "by repenting, clearly admitting their mistakes, and accepting the fundamentals and foundations of the regime, open their path to enter the social and political fields of the country."
• Blogger Hamid Davoudabadi slams the Center for Preservation of the Values of the Sacred Defense for corruption, inappropriate use of funds, and mismanagement. 
  • Commander Mir-Mohammad Baqerzadeh resigns as the head of the center and is replaced by Commander Bahman Karegar.
• In an interview with Andisheh-ye Pouya, Said Hajjarian, co-founder of Intelligence Ministry and now a reformist theoretician, says his mother was the first in his family to enter the security services of the Islamic Republic. Her career began as an interrogator at the local branch of the Revolutionary Committee in Naziabad neighborhood in southern Tehran.
• [E] Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi announced on Tuesday that the number of military products manufactured by the Iranian Defense Ministry has witnessed a 21% growth this year.
• [E] A member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission downplayed Israel's war rhetoric against Iran as boastful and empty remarks, but meantime warned that Tehran will destroy all Israeli bases in case it comes under attack by Tel Aviv.
• [E] The Iranian military has started construction of its largest air defense base in Southern Iran, a senior commander announced on Tuesday.

• "Remain in the path” of Ramadan.