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

• Members of the Rafsanjani family warmly welcome Hojjat al-Eslam Hassan Khomeini, who attended the funeral service of Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Hashemian, a relative of Rafsanjani's.
• Davoud Ahmadinejad, brother of the president:
  • "This movement [the current of deviation] would, under the guise of mountaineering instruction, provide military training for its members in the woods of Northern [Iran]. They were [also] sent out of the country for training purposes through tourism channels... The current of deviation is trying to mold a parliament which does not know anything about the guardianship of the jurist so it can achieve its evil goals..."

Diplomacy

• Ali Larijani, parliamentary speaker: "Our students should not take provocative steps such as attacking the British embassy because this will make a country like Britain engage in new acts of adventurism."
• Ghazanfar Roknabadi, ambassador to Lebanon, says the Islamic Republic's foreign policy priority is to "counter the regime occupying the Quds [Jerusalem]."
• Shi'a News slams the Republic of Azerbaijan's ban against theological students receiving theological education abroad.
• [E] Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan underlined the need for the boosting and bolstering of the her country's relations with Iran.

Military and Security

• Ayatollah Emami Kashani, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader:
  • "According to international law, this [U.S. drone] has been a violation of Iran's territory... If the Americans say it has been a mistake they need to apologize... It is clear that this was a spy plane and its entrance into our country’s airspace was a crime... Calling for return of this spy plane to the United States is because of their arrogant nature so they shamelessly make such a demand. They must apologize to the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran and they must ask for forgiveness from the Iranian nation..."
• Ali Shamkhani, Armed Forces Strategic Research Center director, speaking on the fifth anniversary of "disappearance" of Brigadier General Alireza Asgari:
  • "Asgari has not sought asylum in any country... The truth is that commander Asgari is not an asylum seeker type and can't be one. Anyone who doubts this is somehow a Mossad informer... Intelligence services of the Global Arrogance and the Mossad want to demonstrate through this kidnapping that someone who is a believer in holy struggle, martyrdom and the revolution, has deviated from the revolution... Commander Asgari is doubtlessly kidnapped and is still resisting in the Mossad prisons..."
• Iran closes the Khosravi border to Iraq and directs the traffic to the Mehran border.
• Mohsen Rafiqdoust, former Revolutionary Guards Logistics commander: "[Those who claim they have a direct relationship with the Imam of the Era] in reality don't at all believe in the Imam of the Era."
• According to Mohammad Seraj, Public Sector and Ministries Basij commander, "50% of the public sector employees are members of the Basij."
• [E] Iran and Afghanistan signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation.
• [E] Former Leader of Pakistan's Jamat-e-Islami Party Qazi Hussain Ahmed described as a brave step by Iran to hunt a very advanced US spy drone.
• [E] Iran cautioned the Kabul government not to allow the US use its soil for flying drones to spy on Iran.

Nuclear Issue

• According to BBC Persian an Iranian citizen carrying "a nuclear package" was arrested in Moscow Airport. The Airport authorities confiscated the package but allowed the passenger to travel to Tehran.
• Avaz Heydarpour, parliamentarian, says a new nuclear site will be established in Shahreza.

Economy

• Mohammad Khoshchehreh, economist, warns against the economic situation in Iran:
  • "One part of the situation is due to external factors such as a hostile environment created by the hegemonic powers against Iran, but others are because of internal factors such as the adopted policies and economic decisions... This atmosphere is one of stagflation which has been imposed upon Iran's economic. Under such conditions we do not enjoy the luxury of making mistakes in decision making and execution [of the adopted policies]."
• Ali Larijani, parliamentary speaker:
  • "Visiting one of the industrial towns I witnessed that a part of the factories are unfortunately partially or totally closed... By activating such units we can create jobs for the youth so they can easily make a living..."

Religion, Society and Culture

• Street art in Tehran is destroyed following allegations against the art piece of displaying "the star of David."

Photos of the Day

• Billboards in London show quotes by Charles Dickens, Mahatma Gandhi, and Thomas Carlyle considering Imam Hussein, third Imam of the Shi'a, as their source of inspiration.