Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Will Fulton. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly told Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting on FEB 6 that if they continued their conflicts he would "leave them to God." 
• National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission (NSFP) member IRGC BG Esmail Kowsari rejected the possibility of direct talks with the US:
  • "If they are telling the truth [they] should demonstrate change in their behavior, withdraw their forces from the region, and lift sanctions. It is at that time that we will review whether negotiations take place or not."
  • "Since the beginning of the Islamic revolution major foreign policy [issues] have been dependent upon the Supreme Leader's orders. Presidents execute these orders and they have no duty other than this in policies related to the Zionist regime and [the West]."
  • "Americans have become afraid of Iranian relations in Egypt and have faced defeat in Syria, and it is in the context of these defeats that they suggested negotiations."
• NSFP Deputy Chairman Mansour Haghighatpour echoed the sentiments of officials rejecting US negotiations:
  • "The US can create trust in the Iranian nation by lifting [sanctions against Iran's financial, pharmaceutical and oil sectors].... Of course, we have not witnessed any sort of honesty in American behavior."
  • "The Americans seek to create division between people and officials by introducing negotiations and, unfortunately, some in the country have believed them, but one must ask, 'if the Americans are telling the truth then why do they not use practical attempts to build trust?!'" 
  • "In recent days we have witnessed intensification of American sanctions against Iran. From one aspect they seek to sanction Iran and from another they say they are ready for negotiations; these attempts are absolutely unacceptable." 
  • "America in the Middle East has not only been defeated but has become bankrupt. All their designs for Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Afghanistan have faced defeat, but today the Islamic Republic of Iran is the power and victor in Middle East; therefore, it is natural that discussions between the bankrupt and the victor will benefit the bankrupt." 
• IRGC Deputy Commander BG Hossein Salami affirmed the Supreme Leader's rejection of US negotiations and said Iran will soon begin exporting military products:
  • "The wise leader of the revolution in his speech yesterday annulled negotiations with America and this demonstrated that the root of velayat [guardianship of the jurisprudence] in the country is deep and strong and our country does not fear [foreign] powers."
  • "Our country has become self-sufficient in its defense production and we can soon export our military products abroad." 
• IRGC Cultural Deputy Mohammad Hossein Saffar Harandi said Ahmadinejad's approval rating has fallen from 40% to 16% and criticized his recent comments regarding US negotiations while in Egypt:
  • "Some officials become delusional when they stand with other world leaders."  

Military and Security

• Editorial in Mashregh News reacted to the US Department of Defense announcement that they had delayed the deployment of the USS Truman aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf:
  • "At a minimum, one can conclude from this decision that the United States does not imagine any military operations in the Persian Gulf in the short term, because in this situation the reduction of military forces would be foolish." 

Photo of the Day

• Ahmadinejad supporters receive special adviser to the President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei in Tehran upon return from Cairo.