Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
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
Politics
- Nikahang Kowsar, caricaturist and journalist, releases his phone conversation with Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani, which was recorded before the latter returned to Iran and was imprisoned at Evin. Among other things, Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani criticizes the reformists for attacking the Rafsanjani family rather than uniting with the Rafsanjanis to exert greater pressure on Khamenei. He says the plan must be to "control Mr. Khamenei," who has since 2009 mobilized a "younger generation of followers" to replace the old elites of the Islamic Republic. Audio:
- Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani dismisses the alleged tape recording of his brother as a "fabrication."
- Policy analyst Sadeq Zibakalam says Kowsar's tape is not "evidence."
- Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani: "Should there be any reform concerning the structure of the regime [changing it from a presidential to a parliamentary system], it would not be the work of the parliament, but [requires] constitutional change... When the Leader of the Revolution expressed his viewpoint concerning the structure of the regime, I asked him about it and he said that he had just mentioned it as an example and it was not his viewpoint that the structure of the regime should be changed."
- Policy analyst Sadeq Zibakalam, close to the Rafsanjani’s team, urges the reformists to cooperate with Ahmadinejad in the light of the president's recent political reorientation in support of the constitution.
- Arman columnist Nasser Imani writes that Ahmadinejad has in practice established a "third way" within the principled faction.
Diplomacy
- Kayhan editorializes:
- "Today, tired revolutionaries present in the circles of power of the Islamic Republic insist on propagating the deviant idea that under present circumstances two groups are facing each other in the country: A moderate current which desires peace and modernity, support establishing relations with the West and solving problems in order to get rid of the pressure and the sanctions, which is supported by some in the cabinet, the reformists, elites, technocrats and many prominent statesmen; and a hard-line current which opposes collaboration, is against arrogance [the United States], demands continuity of resistance in the face of the West and the pressures from the sanctions regime, which is supported by the Supreme Leader of the revolution... It seems as if the tired revolutionaries at this juncture desire to strategically engineer the conditions of the state, and impose all out pressure on the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, so they can - as they like to think - force him to drink from the chalice of poison of retreat, leaving revolutionary positions behind and negotiate with the United States..."
- E'temad runs a backgrounder on the Revolutionary Guards' and Kayhan's opposition to negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the United States.
- "Today, tired revolutionaries present in the circles of power of the Islamic Republic insist on propagating the deviant idea that under present circumstances two groups are facing each other in the country: A moderate current which desires peace and modernity, support establishing relations with the West and solving problems in order to get rid of the pressure and the sanctions, which is supported by some in the cabinet, the reformists, elites, technocrats and many prominent statesmen; and a hard-line current which opposes collaboration, is against arrogance [the United States], demands continuity of resistance in the face of the West and the pressures from the sanctions regime, which is supported by the Supreme Leader of the revolution... It seems as if the tired revolutionaries at this juncture desire to strategically engineer the conditions of the state, and impose all out pressure on the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, so they can - as they like to think - force him to drink from the chalice of poison of retreat, leaving revolutionary positions behind and negotiate with the United States..."
Military and Security
- Mohammad Mehdinejad, Science, Research and Technology research deputy, says the Islamic Republic exports drones to a number of countries including Syria and Venezuela.
- Jomhouri-ye Eslami's editorial warns against "conspiracies against the 'Resistance'" in Lebanon and influx of arms to "Christians and the Salafists."
- [E] A senior Iranian commander said the distance between Iran and Israel is the maximum range that Tehran wants for its missiles, saying that Iran does not need missiles with a longer range.
- [E] A senior Iranian commander announced that the country has extracted all the data and information existing in the intelligence gathering systems of the United States' highly advanced RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft which was captured by Iran last year.
Nuclear Issue
- Ali Baqeri, deputy to Supreme National Security Council secretary, visits China to discuss the 5+1 Group's negotiations.
Economy
- First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi expresses his sorrow because the government privatized Iran Telecommunication, which was purchased by the Revolutionary Guards.
- According to the Industry, Mines and Commerce Ministry, employment in industrial production units has decreased by 44% compared with twelve months ago.
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