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

Politics

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the cabinet:
  • "Well, today's meeting mostly revolves around the economic issue, which is the main issue of the country and one of the important issues is the gaps between the authorities at various levels, between those who are protesters or critics. Very well, take this [issue] to the assembly of the elites and dissect it, defend it, express it. Imagine if the honorable economy minister or the head of the Central Bank going to a grand assembly of academics. Questions may arise and criticism may be expressed and it is also possible that partisan and non-technical questions surface. No problem, you should go and you should not look at the ten people among the one, two or five hundred people assembled. Among the five hundred pay attention to the four hundred and ninety individuals and say what you must say. Some criticism may be good for you..."
  • "Let me make a few recommendations... Be true to the slogans of the ninth cabinet since those slogans are attractive to our devout people, for example seeking justice, or fighting against the [global] arrogance, simple living and opposition to aristocratic lifestyle... Also reveal your weak points... Say there are things which we would like to do away with. Say we have done this, and we will do those things..."
  • "Another issue is that of the sanctions... They spoke of intelligent or crippling sanctions, but we see that these sanctions are not intelligent or for that matter crippling.
  • "[In cultural policies of the government] insist on Iran after Islam. The honors of Islamic era Iran are not fond in pre-Islamic history of ours..."
• Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani, Assembly of Experts head, urges Ahmadinejad and the government to "listen to the statements of His Lordship [Supreme Leader Khamenei] and act accordingly..."
• Hassan Bayadi, Abadgaran Youth general secretary warns that the Islamic Resistance Front, composed of defectors from the Ahmadinejad camp, "will develop into a dangerous sect," and that Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah Yazdi will soon leave them.
• Mahramaneh News releases fragments of a "letter of repentance" allegedly written by Mehdi Karrubi.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad addresses Israel and the West on Quds Day:
  • "Today, the entire world has understood, you have been unmasked. The foundation of your existence serves the sole purpose of plundering. You have come to kill, to uproot. But your era is over. All the nations are awakened and the power of the faith of the nations is ascending. It is to your benefit to return to your homes. Go back to where ever you were. Back to your homes. Stop your crimes and don't make your dirty track record dirtier. Don't think your existence will be stabilized by recognition of a Palestinian state."
  • "It is enough! 400 years of slavery and imperialism, and 100 recent years of war, massacre and plundering of the nations is enough! You are partners in crimes of the Zionist regime. You may think you decide the political geography of the region, and that you can control the oil and [popular] will of the region, but you are wrong. 100 years ago our nations were deeply asleep, but today our nations are at the peak of awakening and vigilance..."
• Ebrahim Mohajerian, Tabas Friday prayer leader: "According to the Quran, following Satan, Bani-Israel; i.e., the Jews and Zionists, are the worst enemies of human kind and especially the Muslims."
• [E] Ahmadinejad is scheduled to start a two-day visit to Tajikistan on Sunday in a bid to inaugurate several joint economic projects in the Central Asian state, an Iranian diplomat announced on Tuesday.
• [E] An Iranian top judiciary official underlined the ‘terrorist’ nature of the Zionist regime of Israel, and stated that Tel Aviv is training terrorists freely because it is strongly supported by the US and other western countries.

Military and Security

• Research conducted by the Revolutionary Guards Cyber Army shows that Internet users in Tehran have reached "a first place among 182 countries," when it comes to "visiting unethical websites," on Ashoura.
• Abbas Mottahari, Garmsar Revolutionary Guards chief, says "the final goal of the new structure of the Basij is to make 70% of the people in the neighborhood Basij members, 50% participants in group prayer, and 20% participants in Friday prayer."

Photo of the Day

• Tehran traffic jam.