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 subscribe to this daily newsletter, please visit this page, fill out the "New Subscribers" section, and check "Iran News Round Up" listed under "Projects." 
 
(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Asr-e Iran's analyst Hamid-Reza Tahmasbipur provides statistical analysis of impeachment of cabinet ministers.
• Ahmadinejad's wife Azam al-Sadat Farahi appointed member of the Cultural/Social Women Association.
• As Rafsanjani launches a trilingual website, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance says the website has no permit.
• Iran’s parliament gives no-confidence vote to Hamid Behbahani, the minister for roads and transportation.  

Diplomacy

• Foreign Minister Spokesman Ramin Mehman says the fact that Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi is on the European Union list of sanctioned individuals does not affect Iran/EU relations and adds "Illegal and unilateral sanctions by some countries, especially the United States and the European Union, concerning certain individuals is a wrong path and will not produce any result."
• Foreign Minister Salehi cancels his visit to Ethiopia.
• Mashaei will visit Syria on Sunday.
• Asr-e Iran releases Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah Yazdi's travel plans on the occasion of his birthday.

Military and Security

• Former IRGC chief Rahim Safavi: "The policies of the United States have been defeated in North Africa and the Middle East. The popular revolution in Egypt is inspired by the Islamic revolution of the Iranian nation and doubtlessly the destiny of the dictator of Egypt will be like the dictator of Iran. This happens all the while the Americans are trying to create deviations in the revolution of the Egyptian people."
• Hassan Danayifar, Iran’s ambassador to Iraq:
  • "Iraq is insecure, but the people believe 'even if we become martyrs, we will go on pilgrimage to Iraq. They consider it the divine will..."
  • "Even if the official points of entrance are closed, Iranians will visit Iraq illegally..."
  • "The pilgrims are unhappy about the humiliations they suffer in the hands of American or Iraqi forces at the checkpoints..."
  • "Every week a couple of members of the Monafeqin [Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization] flee and return to their families [in Iran]."
• IRGC Chief Mohammad-Ali Jafari appoints Mehrdad Bazrpash as IRGC Cooperative Foundation deputy.
  • Parviz Fattah continues as the foundation's director.
• Intelligence Minister Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi says the Islamic Republic has "dissolved" the "Ron Arad spy network."
• The Iranian Navy and Oman participate in joint naval war game.
• Basij Chief Mohammad-Reza Naghdi: "Today, the Egyptian and Jordanian nations are awakened and demand execution of divine law in their countries... If the people of Egypt and Jordan continue the trend of their resistance, they will achieve victory in which case the Zionist regime will be encircled and the nations will revenge the 60 years of crimes upon every Zionist in Palestine. Therefore, it is better that they flee for their life today. Tomorrow will be too late."
• Sobh-e Sadegh discusses The Institute for the Study of War in its series of articles about think tanks in the United States.

Economy

• According to Supreme Audit Court, $11.7 billion from the oil export and duties on imported cars has not been transferred to the government's accounts.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Ali Gharabat is executed in Sousangerd after claiming he is God.

Iran in the Afghan Media

• High-ranking Afghan delegation visits Iran to resolve fuel transit dispute:
  • Afghanistan’s Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal says he has “resolved all misunderstandings regarding the fuel transit” with his Iranian counterparts during his visit to Tehran.
  • Afghanpaper reports that Iran and Afghanistan have signed a new agreement on transit of fuel from Iran to Afghanistan.
  • Hasht-e Sobh reports that Iranian and Afghan officials have agreed to open Afghan banks in major Iranian cities.
  • Ahmadinejad in a meeting with the Afghan delegation has called for a speedy withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.
• [E] An Afghan official Ghazni province says he was beaten up by Iranian police for blocking a protest against the Afghan government.

Photos of the Day

• Supreme Leader Khamenei and Hassan Khomeini visit the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini.