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

Diplomacy

• Iran-Saudi Arabia relations:
  • Fars News's analyst slamming Saudi policies in the Middle East concludes that King Abdullah's need for a medicinal plant found in North America compels him to follow U.S. foreign policy in the region.
  • Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparst explains the purpose of intelligence minister Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi’s visit to Saudi Arabia:
    • "The regional conditions necessitate consultations among effective countries. One very important issue in the region is security problems. Schemes and conspiracies are taking shape in order to threaten the cooperation between regional countries... Certainly, one of the matters to be discussed is to investigate misunderstandings... The United States has charged allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and frank and clear negotiations must clarify that such allegations are baseless. It must also be clarified what agendas are behind such scenarios.”
  • According to Sharq's report on the OPEC summit, there is improvement in Iran-Saudi Arabia relations.
    • Commenting on the possibility of Saudi Arabia taking over Iran's share of the international oil market, Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi said: "He [the Saudi oil minister] dismissed this totally. He is here and you can ask him. We have very good relations with Saudi Arabia and in particular we agreed to expand our relations with Mr. Al-Naimi concerning energy issues."
• According to Afshar Suleimani, former ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan is considering launching a Persian language television to counter the Islamic Republic's Sahar TV in Azeri.
• [E] Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Mohammad Reza Sajjadi blasted the West and Israel for unrests in Syria, saying that they want instability and turmoil in the Arab country.

Military and Security

• Stories relating to the RQ-170 drone:
  • Minister of Higher Education, Kamran Daneshjou, says "universities are ready to investigate the RQ-170 drone."
  • Amir Mousavi, "strategic affairs expert" says Iran and the United States have begun "electronic warfare," the latest incident of which was the downing of the RQ-170 drone.
• Abolqasem Mozaffari Shams, Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base of the Revolutionary Guards commander:
  • "Recently, we have entered the IT and communications field which is very important for us and we believe that this is very important and good for the future of the country..."
  • "The sanctions have not been without impact, but we have not allowed them to stop our activities..."
  • "More than 60 or 70 percent of our projects are completed and conducted by the private sector [sub contractors] and the private sector is not unhappy with this arrangement. The understanding of the private sector is that Khatam Base's rivalry is with foreign contractors and that we do not create any restrictions for the domestic private sector..."
  • "For the time being we have more than 70,000 colleagues in the private sector with whom we cooperate in implementation of the projects..."
  • "We have been present in certain Islamic countries where their governments had expressed the need such as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon..."

Nuclear Issue

• [E] An Iranian lawmaker said the country plans to build a new nuclear facility in the Central province of Isfahan for civil purposes.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Ahmad Rouzbehani, Moral Police chief of the Law Enforcement Forces, discusses various types of ladies' boots which may be contrary to the "moral health" of society, and those which do not.
• Farda News releases a short introduction to the vocabulary of theological students.

Photos of the Day

• Scarecrows dressed in police uniform tasked to "enforce" speed limit.