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 Marie Donovan, Paul Bucala, and Caitlin Shayda Pendleton and contributors Ken Hawrey and Shayan Enferadi. 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: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized the prospect of Iran’s integration into the global economy. 

Khamenei warned that “while attracting foreign investment is good and necessary,” Iran must avoid complete integration into the global economy during a ceremony marking the anniversary of the death of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khamenei stressed that such integration is tantamount to being “swallowed” by “the global economy, of which America is the leader.” Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have disagreed historically on the necessity of Iran’s global integration to the revitalization of its economy. Khamenei further criticized the possibility of a productive U.S.-Iran relationship outside of the nuclear deal by calling trust in the U.S. a “big mistake” and asserting that U.S. interests are “180 degrees opposed” to those of Iran.

Khamenei also denied the controversial BBC report claiming that Khomeini established a secret correspondence with the Kennedy and Carter administrations as “propaganda.”

AEI Must-Reads

• Follow the latest electoral developments in Parliament and the Assembly of Experts, including the parliament speaker election, in the Critical Threats Project’s “Iran Elections Tracker: Updates and Analysis.”
   

• Caitlin Pendleton discusses how a reformist parliamentarian’s late disqualification could transform Iran’s domestic political scene in “Iran’s Guardian Council pushes the limits of its electoral control.”
   

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

• Supreme Leader: Integrating Iran into the global economy is “not an honor.” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei discussed the possibility of a relationship with the West and Iran’s integration into the global economy during a June 3 ceremony marking the anniversary of the death of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
  • On integration into the global economy: “After the nuclear talks, the Americans said, ‘The nuclear deal with Iran must cause Iran’s economic integration into the international community.’ …Now that the nuclear negotiations have led to results, [the Americans] want Iran’s economy to be swallowed in the digestion of the global economy, of which America is the leader.”
  • “Merging a country’s economy with the global economy is not an honor, but a damage… Economic independence will only be achieved through the Resistance Economy.”
  • “Attracting foreign investment is good and necessary, but enabling the country’s domestic capacities is more important. Everything must not depend upon attracting foreign investment.”
  • On Khomeini’s purported contact with the U.S.: Khamenei also dismissed the controversial BBC report claiming that Khomeini established a secret correspondence with the Kennedy and Carter administrations. Khamenei stressed that “Britain’s malice against the Iranian nation has never stopped… The same enmity continues as the British government’s propaganda apparatus spreads propaganda against the dear Imam of the Iranian nation [Khomeini], with the help of the Americans and forged documents, on the anniversary of the great and holy Imam [Khomeini’s] death.”
  • On a relationship with the West: “If anyone who moves in the direction of Islam trusts America, he has committed a big mistake. Most hostilities come from America and evil Britain… Using the experience of the [nuclear] negotiations to prove the necessity of distrusting America, the country’s trajectory and progress must continue.”
  • Khamenei added that America’s interests are “180 degrees opposed” to those of Iran.
  • On Iran’s revolutionary identity: Khamenei encouraged Iranians to “remain revolutionary” and stated, “It is wrong to think that remaining revolutionary means extremism. This dichotomy is a souvenir and the rhetoric of Iran’s enemies and must not be incorporated into our political culture... [The foreigners] consider a revolutionary person a hardliner and a non-revolutionary as a moderate. This is a foreign dichotomy.” (IRNA) (E) (IRNA) (Leader.ir) (IRIB)

Domestic Politics

• Rouhani: We are all very close to the Supreme Leader. President Hassan Rouhani dismissed concerns of dissension in the regime during a ceremony commemorating the death of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He stated, “Those who wish to see differences between me and the branches of government and the Supreme Leader will take this wish to the grave.” He added, “With the guidance of Supreme Leader Khamenei, all the branches of the government are united and there is no dissension between the branches of the government and the Supreme Leader.” (Mehr News Agency)
   

• Tehran Friday prayer leader: Parliament must counter American plots. Hojjat ol Eslam Kazem Sedighi called upon newly elected parliamentarians both to address the country’s economic issues and counter American “plots” to infiltrate Iran during his sermon on June 3. The interim Tehran Friday prayer leader warned, “The Supreme Leader is attentive to the revolutionary nature of the [political] system, and this is the very thing that the enemy wants to take from us.” He added that Iranians must strive to have a “revolutionary” character “now, more so than before.” (Asr Iran)
   

Military and Security

• Jazayeri reacts to Clinton’s speech. Deputy Chief of Staff for Iran’s Armed Forces IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri reacted to Hillary Clinton’s assertion that the U.S. would “act decisively if necessary, including with military action, to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon” during her presidency. Jazayeri stated, “Although she was speaking of how all options against Iran are on the table, in today’s era the U.S. is a propaganda show. Iran is prepared to deal hard and decisively with every American option.” (Defa Press)
   

Economy

• Deputy transportation minister: The Airbus deal still needs U.S. authorization. Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan stated that a deal with Airbus for 118 planes is still pending authorization from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control because components in the planes are of American origin. The deputy transportation minister added that he hopes the contract will be concluded by the end of June and stated, "We have had discussions with Airbus, and finance channels have been identified… Some banks are willing to provide the funding, but Airbus has had delays in obtaining U.S. authorization.” Iran signed an agreement with Airbus during President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Paris in January 2016, but it has encountered difficulty attracting banks fearful of sanctions. (Press TV) (E)