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

• In an infographic released by the Supreme Leader’s official website Khamenei.ir, Ali Khamenei describes “the continuation scientific progress” as a certain prerogative of the Islamic Republic, based upon an “Iranian-Islamic independent model of progress.”  
• Tehran Interim Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani urged everyone to aid the administration and stated, “We hope that the administration can resolve the country’s economic, political, cultural and ethical issues.” 
• Planning and Budget Parliamentary Commission Vice-Chairman MP Gholam Reza Tajgardoun discussed President Rouhani’s budget revision and said, “The administration must work with the [2013-2014] budget longer” and noted similarities between the Ahmadinejad and Rouhani administrations regarding budget issues at the beginning of their respective tenures. 
• Qom Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Hashemi Hosseini Bushehri urged the people to support President Rouhani, praised Rouhani’s “acceptance of velayat” and stated, “The Islamic Republic system will only accept relations in which the Iranian nation’s greatness is preserved.” 
• Society of Self-Sacrificers member Reza Rousta Azad said that the the Rouhani administration's highest priority in fulfilling the “economic epic” should be by supporting the private sector and domestic technologies. 

Regional Developments

• Iraqi Shi’a militant group Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq buried three members, Mithaq Najam Abdollah, Salam Sa’d al-Kanani and Mohammad Karmi al-Maleki, who died “defending the shrines of Sakineh and Zeynab in Syria."
• Sadr Movement official Sattar al-Batat announced that Sadr Movement Leader Muqtada al-Sadr will return to politics and implement institutional changes in the organization.

Diplomacy

• Ministry of Foreign affairs Spokesman Abbas Eraghchi condemned Israel’s aerial attack in southern Lebanon.  
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Middle East and African Affairs Deputy Hossein Amir Abollahian said that recent events demonstrate “takfiri coordination with the Zionists,” adding that “confronting the takfiri sedition in the region is the joint duty of religious scholars and political leaders…The Islamic Republic…will continue is support of the Axis of Resistance.” 

Military and Security

• Intelligence Minister Hojjat al-Eslam Mahmoud Alavi stated, “They [enemies] are seeking to harm the country’s security, but the Unknown Soldiers of the Imam of the Age [MOIS operatives] neutralize their tricks.” He added that Qom sources of emulation, Mashhad's Friday Prayer Leader, and senior clerics Ayatollahs Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani and Naser Makarem Shirazi alongside other senior clergy will “aid officials well.”
• Head of the Basij Organization BG Mohammad Reza Naghdi stated, “Martyrs provide us an opportunity, after periods of forgetting and amnesia toward our grand rights, we can return to ourselves, awaken and know what valuable legacy they have left for us.”

Nuclear Issue

• Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the notion that sanctions would cause a change in Iranian foreign policy behavior and discussed nuclear weapons, reiterating previous Iranian positions. He added that President Rouhani would make an announcement regarding nuclear negotiations within the next two weeks:
  • “Sanctions create pressure on the people but will not cause a change in policy. Westerners must understand that pressure does not lead to policy change. We are obligated to reduce pressures on the people, but this pressure has neither caused a change in policies nor will it do so if continued. Sanctions harm normal people, but these people do not expect the country to disregard their rights.”
  • “We do not view nuclear weapons as ensuring our security. Nuclear weapons have no place in Iranian doctrine, and will not only not lead to the country’s security, rather they are a threat for our national security. We are a powerful country and fundamentally do not need nuclear weapons.”
  • “There is a variety of pressures in America, and for this reason [one] must consider this society as a complex system, in which, just as Israel has an active presence, Iran must also perform well. The Iranian complex that is present in America is an important capital for us, which, with their activities, must not allow that a small warmongering group impose its interests not only on Iran, but also on America.” 
• Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani discussed nuclear negotiations and stated, “Westerners throw stones at our nuclear matter, but we must say that it has been the strength, greatness and honor of our science that caused the Westerns to do this. Because this act is valuable, the Westerners have formed a line against us and the main reason is that our work in nuclear matters is excellent."
• According to Alef, the unofficial announcement of the transfer of the nuclear cause from the Supreme National Security Council to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been met with positive reactions by specialists and activists and may indicate a shift that the “security aspect must be divested or at least become less colorful, and competent countries should pursue political, legal and technical perspectives.” 

Economy

• Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh announced, “Iranian oil production capacity must return to [2005] levels [4 million barrels per day (mbd); current production is 2.56 mbd] within a period of six to seven months, and Oil Minister colleagues have promised and will strive to fulfill this important [directive].” He added that there was no obstacle to renegotiating with all “consumers, producers and large companies who can have an important role in expanding Iranian oil and implementing this industry’s expansion projects,” and that he would present the country’s market and capabilities to attract investors.
• Head of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mining and Agriculture Mohammad Nahavandian said, “While moving toward single-rating the currency [that is, the government purchasing primary goods at a lower currency rate than the market rate] is one of the primary plans of the administration, but at the present moment we will continue importing primary goods at the 1226 Tomans [unofficial Iranian currency rate] to create food security for the people.”

Photo of the Day

• "Child's Joy" festival in Bojnurd, North Khorasan.