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 Iran, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf has stepped up campaigning for presidency. One of the signs is resignation of deputy mayor Mohammad-Hadi Ayazi, Qalibaf's "right hand," who is allegedly engaged in organizing the Qalibaf campaign. Pro-Qalibaf websites include: Mard-e Amal, Talayehdar, Hoshdar News, Shafaf News, Farda, Tehran, Farda, Sit-e Hamian-e Doktor, Asheqan-e Doktor Qalibaf, Omid-e Yazdahom and the like. Iran criticizes Qalibaf for being "very close to the reformists."��

Diplomacy

• An Iranian delegation headed by Abbas Eraqchi visits North Korea.
• [E] Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani condemned the Wednesday attack in Damascus which killed a number of Syrian officials, and lambasted the officials of the western countries for their provocative remarks on Syria after the terrorist blast.�

Military and Security

• Parsineh writes that Salafi clerics in Syria have declared "Jihad" against Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and that the Shi'as in Damascus are being threatened. Parsineh advocates evacuation of Iranian citizens from Syria.
• According to Abrar, a certain Khaled Darabi, "a Wahhabi terrorist," "connected with the CIA" has been arrested.
• Masoud Jazayeri, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces for Cultural Affairs and Defense Publicity:
  
  • "Everyday a new dimension of pressures by the Global Arrogance, the hegemonic regimes and the United States and the Zionist regime at their helm, is revealed to the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran... The people of Iran know the dimensions of the sanctions and the level of pressure from this quarter on welfare, sanitation, health, and other fields of individual and social life imposed by the enemy. However, they are determined not to accept the bullying of the foreigners and it has always been like this in the magnificent history of the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
• Yadollah Javani, senior adviser to the Representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, addressing the political gathering of the Yazd Al-Ghadir Revolutionary Guards unit, says Iran finds itself in "special circumstances."�
• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, Representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, addressing the Revolutionary Guards Navy seminar in Mashhad, warns that Iran finds itself in the "90th minute" and "very sensitive circumstances."�
• Shi'a News slams the Revolutionary Guards attempts at establishing a theological seminary in Qom: "In the course of history of Shiism, sources of emulation kept the theological seminaries independent of the government... and would never allow the government to interfere in the seminaries... Recently, the government decided to establish a theological seminary which was fiercely resisted by sources of emulation such as His Holiness Sheikh Nasser Makarem Shirazi, and this forced the government to abandon it..."
  
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, Representative of the Supreme Leader, first informed the public about the intent of the Revolutionary Guards to establish a theological seminary.
  • Ramezan Sharif, Revolutionary Guards Public Relations deputy, has dismissed the rumors earlier.

Nuclear Issue

• Tehran-e Emrooz quoting a Reuters' report: "The Westerners are ready to give concessions to Iran," in the nuclear issue.

Economy

• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani blames the government's faulty execution of the reform of the subsidies for the rising prices.
• In an unusual report, Fars News complains about the rising prices in its report which concludes that even white bread and cheese have become too expensive for the unprivileged classes.� � � �

Trade

• According to OPEC, Iran's oil revenue reached $115 billion in 2011.
• Iranian officials in a meeting with their Pakistani counterparts in Islamabad underlined Tehran's enthusiasm for investment in Pakistan's energy sector, especially in electricity and oil fields.

Religion, Society and Culture

• According to Hojjat al-Eslam Rahimian, Representative of the Supreme Leader to the Martyr Foundation, the five million Iranians who travel abroad per year visit countries which are "centers of prostitution," and "if each traveler only spends $1,000 for prostitution, it reaches $5 billion on annual basis."

Photos of the Day

• People lining up to buy chicken.