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: Iran and the P5+1 extended the deadline for nuclear talks to July 7.

An unnamed Iranian official dismissed a report that Iran and the P5+1 have reached an agreement over access to Iran’s military sites. Meanwhile, the negotiating teams agreed to extend the interim nuclear accord by another week.

Qods Force Commander IRGC Major General Qassem Soleimani attended a commemoration for four Iranian fighters. Three of the fighters, Ali Amrayi, Hassan Ghaffari, and Mohammad Hamidi, were killed south of Damascus. The fourth fighter, IRGC First Lieutenant Hamid Javani, died in a Tehran hospital on June 25 after being wounded in Syria.

Kurdish Parliamentarian Majid Shangali stated that the upcoming trilateral meeting between Iran, Syria, and Iraq will intend to create “a strategic plan to permanently get rid of” ISIS.

Nuclear Talks

• Nuclear talks extended.  An Iranian official told reporters that the negotiation deadline has been extended to July 7.  A member of Iran's negotiating team had earlier announced that talks will continue for a few days to resolve remaining “subtle” differences. The American and Russian negotiating teams continued expert and deputy level talks with Iran. (Tabnak) (ISNA) http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/513319/%D9%85%D8%B0%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%DA%86%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A2%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA http://isna.ir/fa/news/94040905518/%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A8%D8%B9-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B0%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D9%81%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
   
• Salehi: Many technical issues resolved. Ali Akbar Salehi arrived with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Vienna on Tuesday. The Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) stated that Iran seeks a fair and balanced agreement. Salehi added that progress has been made and that “many technical issues have already been resolved leaving only minor issues.” (YJC) http://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/5248553/%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%86%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AD%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87-%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%84-%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A6%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%82%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
   
• Zarif resumed talks with John Kerry. Mohammad Javad Zarif resumed nuclear talks with U.S Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna on June 30. The Foreign Minister is also expected to meet with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano. (IRNA) (E) http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81665767/
  • Zarif met with Russian counterpart.  Zarif met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Vienna on June 30. (ISNA) http://isna.ir/fa/news/94040905451/%D8%B8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%81-%D9%88-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%81-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF
     
• Undisclosed source close to P5+1 talks dismisses AFP report on agreed access to military sites. An Iranian source dismissed an Agence France-Press (AFP) report which quoted a U.S. senior official saying that Iran and P5+1 members “worked out a process that we believe will ensure that the IAEA has the access it needs [to suspected military sites].” The source stated, “when the U.S. says all option[s] are on the table, it would be foolish to expect Iran to allow inspection of its defense centers. The U.S. diplomats are creating distrust at the negotiating table in nuclear talks with Tehran…” (Fars News Agency) (E) http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940409000749

Military and Security

• Soleimani attends commemoration for Iranian fighters. IRGC Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was photographed at a memorial ceremony for four Iranian fighters.   Three of the fighters, Ali Amrayi, Hassan Ghaffari, and Mohammad Hamidi, were reported to have been killed along the “Damascus-Dera’a highway” on June 18. The fourth fighter was IRGC First Lt. Hamid Javani of the 31st Ashoura Division who died on June 25 in a Tehran hospital after sustaining severe injuries in Syria on May 15.(Alef) http://alef.ir/vdcbz9b5srhbzap.uiur.html?279475
   
• Basij prepared to defend Iran “under any circumstances.” IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Fazli asserted that Iran is “attentive” to the threat posed by “some countries” and is monitoring the enemy closely “on land, at sea, and in the sky.” The Basij Organization Deputy Commander further stated that 1,547 battalions of the Beit al Moqhaddas Rapid Reaction Force, the Imam Hussein battalions, and the Imam Ali battalions are ready to defend Iran. (Defa Press) http://www.defapress.ir/Fa/News/48780                          

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

• Iran, Iraq, and Syria will discuss a new anti-ISIS strategy at upcoming trilateral meeting. On June 30, Iraqi Kurdish legislator Majid Shangali stated the trilateral meeting’s aim is to create “a strategic plan to permanently get rid of” ISIS. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announced on June 22 that the meeting will be in Baghdad. (Fars News Agency) (E) http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940409001226

Economy

• Tehran and Beijing expand economic cooperation. Ali Tayyebnia met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Finance Minister Lou Jiwei on June 29 to sign the articles of association of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The Economy and Finance Minister stated that Iran has a 1.6% stake in the $100 billion shares AIIB distributed among its members. Tayyebnia added, “The bank can operate as a complementary, and not a rival, to other financial institutions in the world.” China accepted Iran as a founding member of the bank in April.  (Press TV) (E)   http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2015/06/30/418142/iran-china-trade-tayebnia-aiib-jinping