Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh and Ahmad Majidyar. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English  

Diplomacy

• News stories about the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran:
  • United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon at the summit condemns the Islamic Republic's denial of the Holocaust as a historical fact. 
  • Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting manipulates the Persian translation of Egyptian President Morsi's speech at the Non-Aligned Movement summit. In the actual speech in Arabic, Morsi said:
    • "Ladies and gentlemen, our solidarity with the struggle of the dear people of Syria against a repressive regime, which has lost its legitimacy, is a political and strategic necessity, and also a moral duty. This support rises from our belief in the future of Syria as a free and proud state. All of us must declare our adequate and not half-hearted support to those who desire freedom and justice in Syria. Our solidarity must be transformed into a policy which supports a peaceful translation to a democratic regime in Syria reflecting the demands of the people of Syria in order to achieve freedom, justice and equality..."
    • Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting TV 1 translated Morsi’s speech as following:  
      • "Dear brothers and sisters, the issue of our solidarity with the Syrian nation against the conspiracy which is taking place against this country must not be forgotten. This is a moral duty as well as a strategic and political one."
    • Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Radio 1 made the following translation of the same passage:
      • "We must hope that in Syria, the regime which is popular, remains and we must use all our effort to advance reforms, and the initiatives must take place in a peaceful way."
      • "The Syrian nation is free and can survive the conspiracies against the Syrian nation..."
  • Asr-e Iran, provides a correct translation of these passages of Morsi's speech:
    • Asr-e Iran's readers ridicule the state controlled media's manipulation of Morsi's speech, particularly the parts in which interpreters replaced "Syria" with "Bahrain"!
  • Jahan News slams "unseasoned words of Morsi" on Syria.
  • Prime Minister of Syria condemns Morsi's speech: "The president of Egypt and no other foreigner is allowed to talk about Syria."
  • Kalemeh, media outlet of Iran's Green Movement, asks what Iran benefited from holding the summit with a cost of $600 million.
  • [E] Ban Ki-moon praised Tehran's positive and constructive initiatives in the region, and said Iran is famous for its efforts to create a nuclear-free zone in the Middle-East.
  • [E] Khamenei met with Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi on the sidelines of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Tehran, and called on Damascus to unveil the plots hatched by the enemies in a move to enlighten the world public opinion about realities in Syria. 
  • According to Blogh News, Ban Ki-moon’s photographer was "barred from entering sensitive areas," because of "relations with Western spy services." 

Economy

• Adel Azar, Iran Statistics director, says his organization "produces classified reports on the inflation rate to the authorities."

Religion, Society and Culture

• Pouria Alemi publishes a piece about puppet character "Jigar the Donkey's" disappearance from Iranian television and stresses: "You are not censored from TV because you are a donkey... Many donkeys appear on TV. You were censored because you are a jigar [sweetheart]!"

Photo of the Day

• Khamenei enters the NAM summit hall.