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 and Iran Intern Amir Toumaj. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

Politics

• Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council said in a statement that the February 13, 2013, disruption of Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani’s speech in Qom on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution was “organized by a specific group” but did not reveal the name of this group. 
• Head of the Cultural Parliamentary Commission MP Hojjat al-Eslam Ahmad Salek Kashani stated, “When [Minister of Culture Ali] Jannati came to the Cultural Commission, many matters were discussed, including [Iran's] cinema because…with the high sensitivity that the Parliament has toward cinema, [it] has a fundamental role in transferring the cultural values of the Islamic Revolution and presenting an appropriate model with the complexity of values as religious lifestyle that has been approved by the Supreme Leader. Without a doubt, it has a fundamental and widespread role in the country’s culture.”
• Combatant Clergy Society Central Council member Hojjat al-Eslam Hossein Ebrahimi said that while the President is at liberty to propose any individual as minister, “[W]hat is certain is that the lack of a presence of supporters and influencing individuals in the [2009] sedition in executive positions [is a priority]. These individuals have no qualification whatsoever to be present in government positions [and] in reality, the Parliament’s red line is sedition.”
• Principlists Parliamentary faction member MP Mostafa Afzali Fard echoed this statement and said, “In [casting] votes of confidence to the three remaining ministers, the Parliament will never back down from our requirements [that the ministers not have participated in ‘sedition’] and will attempt to consider these requirements in action.” 

Regional Developments

• Documentary filmmakers Esmail Heydari and Hadi Baqbani have been reportedly “martyred by takfiri Jubhat al-Nusrah terrorists” around Damascus. The two were were part of team producing a documentary about the recent victories of the Syrian Army.  
• Iranian media seek to discredit reports that the Syrian government used chemical weapons by asserting that images of chemical attacks were published earlier than the date of the reported attack. 
• The Syrian Army has reportedly restored stability to al-Shartah and Koum al-Hajr areas around Damascus after “killing a large number of armed terrorists.”
• Minister of Intelligence Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Alavi met with senior cleric Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani, during which Golpayegnani stated, “Establishing correct relations, alongside preservation of values, with Islamic and influencing countries in global equations is a benefit for the country, and the hope is that this event occurs in the new administration.” 
• Bahraini opposition groups issued a statement inviting the people to mass protests after Friday prayer.  

Diplomacy

• Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed reports of Syrian chemical weapons use with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmad Davoodaqlou and said, “If this matter is credible, it was certainly done by terrorist and takfirigroups who have demonstrated in action that they will not turn away from any crimes.” 
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Middle East and Africa Affairs Deputy Hossein Amir Abdollahian met with Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nation and said, “Although war with terrorism in Syria is long, the Syrian people are the main victors of fighting terrorism and takfiris, and victory in Syria is certain.”

Military and Security

• IRGC member Captain Mohsen Heydari was killed in Syria. Heydari was reportedly “one of the defenders of Seyyeda Zeynab shrine and Khomeini Shahr village cultural and Qur’anic activist."  
• Outgoing Oil Minister and former IRGC Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base Commander Brigadier General Rostam Ghasemi denied reports that he has accepted a position in the new administration, while various “positions in the new administration cabinet complex have been proposed” to him.
• IRGC Deputy Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami addressed the closing ceremony of the 14th Annual Meeting of Basiji Professors and discussed global opposition to the Islamic revolution, roots of West-Iran hostility, American strategy in regards to Iran and efforts to check Iranian influence in Syria:
  • “Why was the Islamic Revolution challenged by all powers when it destroyed the old order of the bi-polar system? … What was the secret of the unity of the East and West against the Iranian Revolution? This demonstrates the massive intellectual wave that the Islamic Revolution created in the world.”
  • “The Islamic Revolution occurred in Iran, but the radius of its influence penetrated the hearts of the owners of global power. It is because of this that we are witnessing global reactions against the revolution, and the reason for this reaction is that the scale of the revolution’s act has a global scale.”
  • “Regarding our revolution, the world utilized hard power and attacked us; this is a demonstration of global logic. When we were able to become self-reliant, the enemy entered into combat with us with the model of economic sanctions.”
  • Roots of hostility: “Our hostility with the West, in reality, is a competition regarding the fields of influence. They have imagined global power for themselves. America wants all the world to possess three joint characteristics, and American businesses are realizing this American strategy.”
  • “Eliminating cultural differences and globalizing all countries is a characteristic that America is pursuing. America wants all the world’s citizens to have common ideas and accept each other’s values.”
  • “The other characteristic that America is pursuing is that all of the world consumes their products, and this demonstrates that America wants all to live equally while America becomes the center of production.”
  • “On this basis, America has described a soft war and seeks to create fixed propositions in all minds. America wants its favorable [conditions] to govern the world and seeks to change our values.”
  • American strategy against Iran: “The first strategy that America pursues against Iran is to involve Iranians and not permit them the freedom of action.”
  • “The second American strategy is to contain Iran. America seeks to prevent Iranian policies from being fulfilled in Syria and seeks to reduce the radius of Iranian influence. In this instance, the Islamic Republic has been able to maintain its freedom of action.”
  • “America wants Iran to let go of its offensive against the interests of the Western world, and after this America seeks negotiations with Iran.” 
  • “In reality, the strategy of Western negotiation with us encompassed three stages; of course, the Islamic Republic has resisted against these pressures and has not allowed Western strategy to be implemented in the region, and further, Iran has expanded its field of influence.”
• The Preservation of Sacred Defense Values and Works Foundation issued a statement expressing condolences for Baqbani’s death in Syria. It reads in part: He was “the trench-holder of the Resistance front against Global Arrogance and racist Zionism, who was without a doubt a follower and continuer of righteous martyred journalists of the Sacred Defense-era.” 
• Rasht Naval Training Commander Rear Admiral Touraj Hassani Moghaddam announced that the 27^th Artesh Navy Fleet is headed towards the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Nuclear Issue

• National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission member and former IRGC officer MP Mansour Haghighat Pour stated, “[I]t is best that the West and P5+1 accept reality, recognize Iran’s right and negotiate in the trend of current negotiations and enrichment.” 
• Iran’s Representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asqar Soltaniyeh announced that his mission has ended and he is returning to Iran and that no replacement has been determined yet.
• A source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Disarmament Office Reza Najafi will be Soltaniyeh’s replacement in the IAEA.

Economy

• Kar Afarin Bank Managing Director Valiollah Seif will reportedly be appointed Head of the Central Bank.  
• Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh inspected Southern Pars gas phases and announced that the Oil Ministry’s first priority is to operationalize phases that are the closest to completion:
  • “Southern Pars is one of the most important areas in the oil industry, and we will strive with all ability and capability to expand this joint gas field.”
  • “Accelerating the completion of the phases is at hand and operationlizing new phases, as soon as possible, is one of the oil industry’s priorities.”
  • “[I]increased gas production from the Southern Pars joint field has a direct affect on the people’s livelihood and has an important role in improving Iran’s place in the oil industry on a global scale.”
  • “Currently, the Oil Ministry’s concentration is phases that have the most progression and possess the possibility of gas production in the short-term, and phases such as phase 14 and phases 22-24 will be expanded in later stages.”
  • “Special concentration to operationalize phases 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the Southern Pars gas field will take place.”
  • “We will utilize all of our capability to expand phases and secure their monetary resources and we hope to reach our considered goals.”
  • “[T]he expectation is that contractors also resolve their issues and think about securing their required monetary resources.” 
• The government approved a credit extension to areas of the country damaged by drought. 

Photo of the Day

• Burial ceremony of documentary filmmaker Hadi Baqbani, killed in Syria, in Babolsar, Mazandaran province.