Iran News Round Up

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

(E) = Article in English

Excerpts of these translations may only be used with the expressed consent of the authors

• Baghdad Governor Ali al Tamimi reportedly announced that “close to one thousand from the Saraya as-Salam Brigade affiliated with the Sadr Movement have entered Samarra to support the al-Askari shrine. These individuals will completely secure this city’s outskirts. They are armed with heavy, medium, and light weapons. They will protect the outskirts of Samrra in a radius of 10 kilometers.”
  • Muqtada Sadr has reportedly warned members with expulsion and punishment if they take any sectarian measures.

• National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission member MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi told the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliate Young Journalists Club (YJC) "Considering the widespread presence of terrorists in Iraq and the importance of this country's security for Iran, it is natural that any Iraqi government's request to confront terrorism in this neighboring country will be seriously reviewed and [then] decided upon."

• National Security Parliamentary Committee Chairman MP Mohammad Reza Mohseni Sani rejected US cooperation with Iran against the Islamic State (IS) in an interview with YJC:
  •  “Iran will never be aligned with America regarding these matters, because the Americans certainly support the terrorists. America and Saudi Arabia established Al Qaeda, Taliban, and ISIS.”
  • “Iran stands with the Iraqi nation. It will not enter in military dimensions. We will provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people.”

• Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government Massoud Barzani has reportedly written a letter to Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani urging him to interfere in Iraqi developments with the goal of ending Iraq’s “difficult situation.” Kurdistan Democrat Party member Erfat Karam said “In his letter, Barzani pointed out the good relations between Kurds and Shi’as and their joint history and sacrifices in fighting Saddam.”

• Qom cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani issued a statement expressing “great sorrow” with regards to “the behavior of Saudi officials towards Shi’as particularly prominent and respected ulamas,” referring to the death sentence of Sheikh Nemr Baqir al Nemr. He warned “Saudi officials must know that [Shi’as] will have no choice but to answer the people’s rightful demands…”

• Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Affairs Director Abdollah Akrei gave an exclusive interview to IRGC-affiliate Fars News Agency in Iraq, and denied that the Kurdistan Regional Government has sold oil to Israel and emphasized relations with Shi’as:            
  •  “We have 600 kilometers of mutual borders with Iran. We have made all of our efforts so the smallest problem does not emerge in this region.”
  •  “If you ask any Kurd if he supports the establishment of an independent country, he will give a positive answer. We do not have a problem with a federal government and were satisfied until this crisis happened.”
  •  “We have given hundreds of thousands of martyrs in our struggle. The beginning of the revolution was from Erbil which we pursued with Shia’s. We are allies with Shi’as, and there are no differences between Shi’as and Kurds.”