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

• In an editorial titled "Revenge or Reality?" Asr-e Iran questions accusations made by Davoud Ahmadinejad, brother of the president, against "the current of deviation," and urges Davoud Ahmadinejad not to continue "his psychological warfare against the public."
   
• Sadeq Kharazi, former foreign minister, is hospitalized and diagnosed with cancer.

Diplomacy

• Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi defends his record:
  • "They criticize us while smiling at meeting with the German foreign minister. What kind of criticism is this? Has the foundation of our foreign policy been disrupted? Has this smile endangered our national interests?"
  • "Concerning the negotiations with the foreign minister of Bahrain, do the critics expect me first to slap the Bahraini foreign minister in the face, and then say, in the name of God, let's talk?"
  • "One can't sever diplomatic relations because we have conflicts with a country. Did the Prophet [Muahmmad] not engage in dialogues with the polytheists and hypocrites of his time?"
  • "Concerning the events of the seizure of the British embassy in Tehran, I say this vaguely: we managed to prevent a wider crisis by the correct moves of the Foreign Ministry... How can we explain entering an embassy which is the soil of that country? Our friends should explain to us so we can repeat what they say, but of course legal, logical and ethical statements."
  • "Britain is trying to establish an interest section at the Embassy of Sweden in Tehran."

Military and Security

• The Intelligence Ministry announces the arrest of "a CIA spy" of the Iranian origin who had attempted to infiltrate the ministry. The statement adds that the individual in question was identified as he entered Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. 
  • Fars News Agency shows footage of the "confessions of the American spy." 
     
• Two Kuwaiti citizens who were arrested one month ago on charges of espionage in Abadan were freed and returned to Kuwait.
   
• A certain Taqavi, director of the fight against pyramid companies, warns the public against investing their money in financial institutions outside the Central Bank control, and promise them lucrative profits.
   
• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says Iran has already begun reverse engineering and reproducing U.S. drones downed by the Iranian forces.  
   
• Ahmadinejad warns "groups who import unnecessary products through the airports" with names such as "special imports." Ahmadinejad has earlier accused the Revolutionary Guards of using Iran's port facilities to engage in smuggling.
   
• Fars News praises the role of Hassan Tehrani-Moqaddam, the late Revolutionary Guards Self Sufficiency Organization commander, in reverse engineering North Korean missiles during the war with Iraq.

Nuclear Issue

• Iran’s embassy in Moscow in a statement stresses that the "radiological package" confiscated from an Iranian citizen at Moscow Airport was for medical use.

Trade

• Thirty months after the signing of the $5 billion contract between Iran and CNPCI, the Chinese company has still not started its activities in development of the 11th phase of the South Pars oil and gas field. Lack of development is despite presence of Chinese experts in Assalouyeh.

Religion, Society and Culture

• According to the Health Ministry Officials:
  • "The age of prostitution has declined to the 14-15 years age group... In the past, women entered as laborers in the sex market so as to cover their minimum living expenses. But today, a considerable number of the girls do so to reduce societal inequalities... Therefore, they choose this job as their second job... Girls who enter the sexual labor market have also reached the conclusion that they must take preventive [health] measures... Economic problems, family pressure, cold sexual relations between husbands and wives have led to spread of prostitution. However, among them, there are also those who have been rape [victims] and those who have greater sexual appetite... Societal stigma makes them not to go to hospitals..."

Photos of the Day

• Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi in his office.