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

• Ahmadinejad addresses Iranians expatriates in Kish:
  • "Those who are showing us animosity know that their enmity is not motivated by opposition to arms and bombs..."
  • "No, they are not afraid of this, they even don't worry about it. How can a government which has more than 5,000 fourth and fifth generation bombs fear a possible bomb which according to their claims may be built in Iran some years from now? Should they fear its first generation? Their claim is nothing but a lie. This is not what they fear. They fear rediscovery of Iranian independence and character. Throughout history they have experienced and seen that Iranians use any opportunity to rediscover themselves, their discourse becomes accepted by community of man and their movement is at the level of world governance..."
• Kayhan urges Rafsanjani to publicly distance himself from "the heads of the sedition."
• Mahramaneh News, close to Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, releases a report questioning the authenticity of an assassination attempt against Rafsanjani in early 1980's.
• As Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani was visiting Jahrom, a number of Ahmadinejad supporters attacked him chanting "Death to the Hypocrite [Monafegh]."
• According to Jahan News, the Special Clerical Court is considering whether they should "defrock Mehdi Karrubi."
• Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah Yazdi talking about Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, warned against the government being infiltrated by "freemasonry."
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Mohsen Ghorourian, one of Yazdi's students, says the ayatollah's relationship with the Ahmadinejad cabinet has been "weakened."

Diplomacy

• Supreme Leader Khamenei addresses the Islamic Unity Congress in Tehran:
  • "The United States is the main problem of the world of Islam..."
  • "This problem must be removed from the world of Islam and the United States must be weakened."
• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani addresses the Islamic Unity Congress:
  • "Recently, the U.S. Secretary of State announced that the United States will provide $150 million funding to the Higher Military Council of Egypt. One must ask this question: Had the people of Egypt not had a problem with military control? Did they desire a general to leave but be replaced by some other general? They don't understand that the Egyptian revolution came to being because of such humiliations. For years they have humiliated a deep nation to help the Zionists, but today, this nation is rediscovering its courage..."
  • "They want to weaken the resolve of the Egyptian nation..."
  • "Have no doubt: The regional dynamics are the results of the change brought about by the Imam [Khomeini]."
• According to Asr-e Iran, a meeting between Ahmadinejad and the German foreign minister was the Islamic Republic's precondition for releasing two German journalists imprisoned in Iran.
• [E] Iran’s foreign minister condemns the violent crackdown on Libyan protesters.

Military and Security

• News stories related to the February 20, 2011 anti-regime demonstrations in Iran: 
  • The security forces erect "an iron wall" at the front entrance of Mir-Hossein Mousavi's residence.
  • Mehdi Karrubi addresses the authorities from his house arrest: "Have courage, prosecute me in public."
  • Law Enforcement Forces Chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moghadam: "Despite attempts of the enemies and world imperialism which was trying to instigate revolt in our country, nothing happened this afternoon."
  • Law Enforcement Forces Deputy Ahmad-Reza Radan: "Luckily, police elements are based in Tehran and there are no special security problems."
  • Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, daughter of the former president, was arrested at February 20, 2011 anti regime demonstrations in Tehran.
    • Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani was released from imprisonment.
  • According to Parleman News, a group of vigilantes assembled shouted insults near the homes of Mohammad Khatami, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karrubi and Hassan Khomeini.
• Islamic Republic of Iran Navy ships pass through the Suez Canal.
• [E] Senior Iranian military commander warns US against further attempts to influence political unrest in the region.
• [E] Iranian internet security hacks Voice of America and other “US backed” websites.
• [E] Iranian naval ships enter Suez Canal for the first time in over 30 years.

Economy

• The cabinet presents next year's national budget to the parliament.
• Donya-ye Eqtesad's editorial calls for independence of the Central Bank from the government.
• Former Central Bank Director General Tahmasb Mazaheri:
  • "The degree of independence of the Central Bank from the cabinet must be so that Central Bank policy planners can prioritize the long term economic interests of the country rather than short term needs of the cabinet. Should they be under the pressure of printing currency, they should be able to disregard the pressure when printing more money would not be to the benefit of the economy..."
  • "It should not be so that anyone summons a bank director to his office, gives him a list of credit demands and say if you don't provide the credit today you need not showing up at work tomorrow..."
  • "The government's need for money is almost unlimited. The potential capacity of the Central Bank to created new money is unlimited as well. Therefore, should the Central Bank become subjected to the government control, the potential for increasing liquidity is very high. This phenomenon will in turn prove highly inflationary..."
• [E] Energy Commission say Iran has “vast capabilities” for high quality gasoline production.
• [E] Minister of Commerce urges creation of Iranian-Turkmenistan trade council.
• [E] Iran, the current OPEC president, says there have been no requests from member nations to hold emergency meeting on rising oil prices.

Region

• [E] Minister of the Interior says Iran to intensify anti-narcotics campaign.

Photos of the Day

• Supreme Leader Khamenei receives regime officials.