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

• According to Nasim Online, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei's withdrawal from a number of public positions is due to diabetes.

Diplomacy

• Hossein Naqavi, parliamentary National Security Committee member, comments on the British government's demand for compensation for the vandalism at the British Embassy compounds in Tehran."If the treason of Britain against our country is measured they should give us the entire country of England!"
• [E] Tehran will soon announce which third party embassy represents its interests section in London, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast announced on Friday.

Military and Security

• Video of Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, Revolutionary Guards Air and Space commander, presenting the captured United States drone on national television. 
  • Fars News calls upon the Foreign Ministry to demand compensation from the United States for violating Iranian airspace.
  • Ala al-Din Boroujerdi urges the Foreign Ministry to call upon the Organization of Islamic Countries and the Non-Aligned Movement to condemn "the United States' violation of Iranian airspace."
  • [E] Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaee in letters to the head of the world body and president of the UN Security Council voiced strong protest at the recent violation of the Iranian airspace by the US, describing the move as "provocative".
• Hojjat al-Eslam Kazem Sediqi, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader: "These explosions [recent terrorist attacks against Shi’a in Afghanistan] take place in countries where the Americans are present and the occupiers have freedom of action. Therefore, these actions are not without their direct participation. We consider the claimants of human rights responsible for such bloodshed..."
• Ahmadinejad presents a law increasing the punishment for Iranian citizens visiting "Occupied Palestine" to the parliament.
• The wife of Ali-Reza Asgari, former deputy defense minister who disappeared in Istanbul on February 7, 2007, says Raouf Sheibani, Iran’s ambassador to Syria, is investigating her husband's disappearance.

• [E] The Iranian armed forces will make any aggressor repent its action, Tehran's provisional Friday Prayers Leader Kazzem Sediqi said a few days after the country's forces brought down a US spy drone in the Eastern parts of Iran.

Trade

• Thirty parliamentarians call for a closed session to discuss the impact of sanctions.

Photo of the Day

• The IRGC displays the downed U.S. drone.