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

• Kazem Jalali replaces Ahmad Tavakoli as the director of the Parliamentary Research Institute. 

Diplomacy

• Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry spokesman, condemned the European Union oil embargo against Iran and highlighted that the new sanctions came as Iran and the 5 + 1 Group engaged in confidence building measures.
• Shi'a News slams arsonist attack against a theological seminary in Al-Muharraq in Bahrain, and accuses the government of Bahrain of plotting the attack and destroying 40 mosques in Bahrain. 

Military and Security

• Mohammad-Ali Aziz Jafari, Revolutionary Guards commander, speaks on the occasion of the Week of the Guards:
  • "Sometimes, some individuals or personalities may become affected by the psychological operations of the enemy. We should be vigilant and not move in the direction of the hopes of the enemy."
• Digarban's analyst questions why Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has not received the Revolutionary Guards commanders on the occasion of the "Week of the Guards". 
• Ali Fadavi, Revolutionary Guards Navy commander, explains the role of the speedboats of the Guards in the Persian Gulf, says the missile systems of the boats can reach "anywhere" in the Persian Gulf.
  • According to Mashregh News, the EU’s oil embargo has increased the risk of closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 
  • Analyst Pirouz Mojtahedzadeh says Iran should respond to the EU's oil embargo by closing the Hormuz Strait.
  • According to Bultan News, 100 parliamentarians have signed a letter demanding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to counter the European Union oil embargo.
• Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, Revolutionary Guards Air and Space commander, announces the plans for the Great Prophet VII war game displaying the missile capabilities of the Islamic Republic.
  • Hajizadeh added that Israel, "which was defeated by the partisan army of Hezbollah in Lebanon, does not dare to attack Iran," and warned: "Should Israel attack Iran, Israel would disappear from the face of the planet because of the missiles of the Guards."
• Bultan News writes that arrest of two Iranian citizens in Kenya for possession of explosives is a part of the "Iranophobia project."
• According to Sobh-e Sadeq, the Revolutionary Guards in 2009 established a "recruitment office" for new members.
• Ramezan Sharif, Revolutionary Guards Public Relations commander, discusses the role of the Guards in politics in an interview with Tehran-e Emrouz:
  • "Some people may say that a Guards commander or a Guards member has supported a specific individual or [political] current in election. But there is a difference between intervening in politics and supporting political currents... The Guards is very active in informing [the public] about politics and monitoring the enemy media. And because of its intelligence superiority, it tries to transfer this information to the majority of the public... The Guards constantly pursued [the agenda] that those who have a deep belief in the ideals of the Imam [Khomeini] and the strategy of the Supreme Leader are on top of the affair in society. The Guards does not dismiss [this charge]. We would be genuinely pleased that such individuals come to positions of responsibility in the country."
  • "[Answering a question if lower levels of the Guards, through rogue and unauthorized action, intervene in politics:] You see, despite the Guards being a popular organization, it is among one of the most disciplined organizations and institutions in the country... A number of Guards personnel are retired from the Guards... are active in the political, economic and societal spheres of life, but they are not connected with the Guards."
  • "We do not have an intelligence organization in the Guards which works as an institution parallel with the Intelligence Ministry. This is only the claim of the enemy."
  • "What the enemy calls economic activity, we call development work... We do not believe that because of enemy abuse, we should stop the development effort."
  • The Guards cultural activities can't be called intervention in the sphere of culture. The Guards just uses its capacities to keep alive the name and memory of the martyrs of the Sacred Defense."
  • "Our support [to Syria] is not necessarily military... We support Syria in the same way that Syria supported us during the Sacred Defense. This is a duty for our country... Syria is the front line of the fight against Zionism and [Global] Arrogance and therefore, we will not hesitate to respond to the calls of the Syrians for support and aid. However, the Syrians have good military capabilities and have never made military demands from us..."   
  • "[Answering a question concerning to Hillary Clinton's comments on Iran's need for external enemies to secure domestic unity:] The aim of the Guards’ actions is to prevent war... Contrary to the claims of the Americans, the Guards strongly avoids war..."
• Panjereh weekly publishes a background article on former officers of the Revolutionary Guards who pursued a career in politics and economy.

Trade and Economy

• Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi says his ministry is in a state of "mobilization" to deal with the impact of the European boycott of Iran's oil exports.
• Culture and Islamic Guidance minister Mohammad Hosseini urges the public to show a spirit of self-sacrifice to cope with the sanctions.
• Fars News calls the new round of sanctions "futile."
• [E] South Korean officials said that the country will resume oil imports from Iran later this month after consultations between Korean oil refiners and Tehran over using Iranian oil tankers yield result.
• [E] Iran allocated a $14 billion fund for the development of the country's oil sector a day after the European Union implemented an embargo on Iranian crude exports. 

Religion, Society and Culture

• According to Hojjat al-Eslam Sediqi, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader, Khamenei has "on a number of occasions seen the Imam of the Era, but did not recognize him." 

Photos of the Day

• Line to purchase frozen chicken at fixed government price.
• Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, Revolutionary Guards Air and Space commander.