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 Analysts Mehrdad Moarefian, Marie Donovan, Paul Bucala, with contributors Ryan Melvin and Mondona Salahshoor.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.

Key takeaway: The P5+1 and Iran did not reach a final nuclear deal today; the foreign ministers of the P5+1 and Iran will meet on July 10.

Early on July 9, Head of the Atomic Energy Agency (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi initially expressed optimism that the remaining technical issues within the final nuclear agreement would be resolved as Foreign Minister Zarif met separately with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The P5+1 did not reach a final nuclear deal, however; later in the day, Secretary of State Kerry said: “We will not rush, and we will not be rushed.”  

President Hassan Rouhani met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summits. Rouhani called for the “speedy expansion of all-out relations” between Iran and India.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad signed a law ratifying a $1 billion credit line between the Commercial Bank of Syria and the Export Development Bank of Iran.

Recent strong anti-American and anti-Israeli statements from senior military officials and organizations such as Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan on July 6 or the Armed Forces General Staff on July 9 should be viewed in the context of International Qods Day, which will take place on July 10. Iran initiated International Qods Day in 1979 in condemnation of Israel and in support of the Palestinian people. The level of hostile rhetoric is not notably different from previous years.

AEI Resident Fellow J. Matthew McInnis discusses the implications of the debate over the arms embargo on Iran, and analyzes Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s June 30 announcement of Iran’s next five year development plan in his latest blog post, "Lifting arms embargo would be a real coup for Iran.”

Nuclear Talks

• Zarif: At the outset of the sanctions crisis “Iran had less than 200 centrifuges; today, it has 20,000.” In an op-ed published Wednesday in the Financial Times, Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote: “This sanctions regime— the most indiscriminate imposed on any nation in human history— has been met with unwavering determination. At the outset of this crisis, Iran had less than 200 centrifuges; today, it has 20,000.” The Foreign Minister added that "my counterparts have rightfully opted for the negotiating table…but they still need to make the critical choice between an agreement and coercion." Zarif declared that, “Iran is ready to reach a final agreement with the P5+1 because much more important issues exist, such as the threat of …ISIS militants in the region.” (IRIB) http://www.iribnews.ir/NewsBody.aspx?ID=87178
   
• Zarif and Kerry hold direct nuclear talks. Foreign Minister Zarif met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna on July 9. (IRIB) http://www.iribnews.ir/NewsBody.aspx?ID=87207
   
• Zarif meets with Steinmeier. Foreign Minister Zarif met with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier shortly after meeting with Secretary Kerry.  (Tabnak) http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/515774/%D8%B8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%81-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF
   
• Salehi: “God willing, today is the final day of the technical issues.” Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi expressed optimism that the remaining technical issues would be resolved on July 9 after meeting with U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. (ISNA) http://isna.ir/fa/news/94041809713/%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B6%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
   
• Araghchi: Media distorting the details. Abbas Araghchi stated “90 percent of the discussions raised by the western media are untrue…” The International and Legal Affairs Deputy to the Foreign Minister added: "The honorable Iranian nation shouldn’t pay attention to such speculations…” (YJC) http://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/5257170/%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%DA%86%DB%8C-%DB%B9%DB%B0-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B5%D8%AF-%DA%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B2%D9%86%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF
   
• P5+1 talks scheduled for Friday. The foreign ministers of Iran and the P5+1 will hold talks on July 10 in an effort to finalize the text of a comprehensive nuclear agreement. (Tasnim News Agency) (E) http://www.tasnimnews.com/english/Home/Single/794289

Official Statements

• Rouhani: BRICS and SCO offer great opportunities for Iran. President Hassan Rouhani held a press conference on July 8 before departing for Russia to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summits. The President said that the SCO and BRICS meetings serve as a great opportunity for Iran to expound its “views on important regional and international issues.” Rouhani highlighted the significant political and security status of the SCO, as well as the important economic position of the BRICS. Rouhani discussed the international shift away from a unipolar global economy and unilateral political system and stressed that current trend presents a great opportunity for Iran to pursue its “political and economic interests.” (President.ir) http://president.ir/fa/87940
   
• Jalali stresses need for unity in the Islamic world against Israel. In a statement ahead of Qods [Jerusalem] Day, IRGC Brig. Gen. Gholam Reza Jalali said, “The innumerable crimes of the agents of arrogance [the West] and international Zionism in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and other Islamic countries requires…the discerning and revolutionary people of Iran to declare their strong support for the liberation of Jerusalem…” The Head of the Passive Defense Organization stressed that “at this critical juncture, the duty of all Muslim nations and the pious ummah [community] of Islamic Iran is to create unity, avoid division and confusion, and declare overwhelming support for the cause of blessed Jerusalem.” Jalali also echoed the Supreme Leader’s statement that “Zionism and the usurper and fabricated Zionist government in Palestine is doomed.” (Defa Press) http://www.defapress.ir/Fa/News/49461
   
• Sharif: We are not trying to hide our support for Palestinian resistance groups. IRGC Brig. Gen. 2C Ramezan Sharif stated, “Our advisory assistance to Palestinian resistance groups is not a veiled issue; we consider this our own right to help these groups.” The IRGC Public Relations Deputy also stated that the “principal focus of the activities of Palestinian and Lebanese [resistance] groups…against the occupiers is” modeled after Iranian resistance forces during the Iran-Iraq War. (Sepah News) http://www.sepahnews.com/shownews.Aspx?ID=bc5d4363-d0f1-49e1-99af-3626bfc264d1
   
• AFGS: The Islamic Revolution’s “force manifested” resistance movements in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. In a statement ahead of Qods Day, the Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) said, “Qods Day will show that the fake society of Israel is rapidly approaching its end.” The statement continues, “There is no doubt that the strategic depth of the message of the Islamic Revolution outlined the formation of Islamic vigilance and resistance in the geography of the Islamic world…it is a reality that its [the Islamic Revolution’s] powerful and influential force manifested in the context of the resistance epic and miraculous victories [in] recent years of Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas of Palestine, and in the new scenes of Ansar Allah [the al Houthis] in Yemen and the popular resistance of Iraq and Syria.” The Basij Organization also released a statement ahead of Qods Day. (Tasnim News Agency) (Basij) http://www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/793251  http://www.basij.ir/news/67562-%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%AC-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B6%D8%B9%D9%81%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84.html?t=%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A8%D9%87
  • The Artesh highlighted Qods Day as an opportunity to condemn Israel “as the ‘common enemy of the Islamic society.’” (Tasnim News Agency) (E) http://www.tasnimnews.com/english/Home/Single/793186

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

• Rouhani plans to hold talks with his Russian and Belarussian counterparts. Tehran’s Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanaei stated that President Hassan Rouhani is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko on the sidelines of the BRICS and SCO Summits on July 9 in the Russian city of Ufa. (IRNA) (E) http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81675826/
  • Rouhani meets with Putin. President Rouhani and President Putin praised the close relations between Iran and Russia during their meeting. Rouhani stated: “I consider it my duty to thank Russia for the efforts it has made in resolving and negotiating the Iranian nuclear program, and for the personal efforts made by Mr. [Foreign Minister Sergei] Lavrov.” (Entekhab) http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/214244
     
• Rouhani meets with Ashraf Ghani. President Rouhani met with his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani on July 8 on the sidelines of the SCO and BRICS Summits. Rouhani stressed, “We want to strengthen the friendship between Iran and Afghanistan, and the legal movement of Afghanistan’s people in Iran.” Referring to the need for increased cooperation between the two countries, Rouhani noted, “Iran could help Afghanistan in the fields of railway, industry, mining, and investment...” (Fars News Agency) http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13940418000974
   
• Rouhani promotes enhanced bilateral relations with India. President Rouhani met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS and SCO Summits. Rouhani underlined the need for increased cooperation between Tehran and New Delhi to counter terrorism, stating: “The role of Iran and India in restoring stability and the fight against terrorism is very significant.” Rouhani also called for stronger bilateral economic ties, adding:
  • “We hope the meeting will lead to the speedy expansion of all-out relations between the two countries...[The] prospect of future cooperation is very promising and the endeavor of the Indian prime minister to this end is of prime importance.” (President.ir) http://president.ir/fa/87969
     
• Iraqi President meets with Iranian Ambassador. President Fuad Masum met with Iran’s Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danaeifar on July 8 in Baghdad. The Iraqi President praised Iran for its continued support and underlined the need for increased Baghdad-Tehran ties in various fields. (Tasnim News Agency) http://www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/793438

Economy

• UAE to expand economic relations with Iran. United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone Head Ahmed Bin Sulayem stated his country will "expand our economic relations with Iran" regardless of the nuclear deal. The Chairman of UAE'S Dubai Ports (DP) World is on a three day trip in Iran visiting different Free Trade Zones (FTZ) for "prospective investments ranging from USD 500 million to USD 1 billion." (Press TV) (E) http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2015/07/08/419383/iran-United-Arab-Emirates-Ahmed-Bin-Sulayem-Jebel-Ali-Free-Trade-Zone-P51-group-nuclear-deal-
   
• Syrian president signed a law ratifying credit line from Iran. Syrian President Bashar al Assad signed a law ratifying a $1 billion credit line between the Commercial Bank of Syria and the Export Development Bank of Iran. The money would be "used for funding imports of goods and commodities and implementing projects." (Kayhan) (E) http://kayhan.ir/en