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

• Presidential crisis:
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, addresses the Basij while appointing new clerical representatives to the Basij:  "The Revolutionary Guards will counter any movement which would want to deviate the Islamic revolution from Islamic foundations and principles." 
  • Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, parliamentarian: "Unity of speech [vahdat-e kalameh] has no meaning without guardianship [of the jurist] and the truly devout must be totally submitted to the guardianship of the jurist... Selfishness, stubbornness, relying on one's own opinion and authoritarianism is not the way to administer the country. One must totally submit to the guardianship of the jurist."
  • Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh, parliamentary National Security Committee member, warns against formation of a "150 man strong group of candidates organized by the current of deviation."
  • Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah Yazdi: "There is no path of return for the current of deviation." 
  • Parliamentarian Hojjat al-Eslam Rouhollah Hosseinian urges Ahmadinejad to "do away with seditionist elements among his entourage."
  • Minister of Higher Education Kamran Daneshjou, says First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi's doctoral degree from "Belford University" is "without value."

Diplomacy

• Professor Hojjatollah Joudaki urges the Islamic Republic to "distance itself from Syria," unless "Syria engages in deep reforms."
• [E] The result of elections in Turkey in favor of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was a victory for pro-Islamic movements in the region, Secretary-General of Iran's High Council of Human Rights Mohammad Javad Larijani said.
• [E] Iran is prepared to further boost aids to the Afghan reconstruction, an Iranian diplomat underlined.

Military and Security

• Iran launches Rasad satellite into orbit with Defense Minister Vahidi watching.
• [E] Iran successfully sent its second domestically-made satellite named 'Rasad' (Observation) into orbit, redisplaying the country's independence in its space program.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Ahmadinejad, in meetings with his Russian and Kazakh counterparts in Astana, has restated Tehran's readiness to hold talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany), Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.

Iran in the Afghan Media

• Afghan security forces arrest an Iranian national on charges of plotting attacks in southern Afghanistan.

Photo of the Day

• Iranian and Arab poets listen to Supreme Leader Khamenei's lecture on Persian and Arabic poetry.