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:
  • Ahmadinejad's speech on the anniversary of Khomeini’s death ends in tumult as Ahmadinejad's critics chanted "Death to [Esfandiar Rahim-] Mashaei, and "Mashaei, shame on you, let Ahmadi[nejad] go." Ahmadinejad supporters responded: "Ahmadi, Ahmadi, we support you." On several occasions, Ahmadinejad, unnerved by the slogans against Mashaei said: "Have patience, my speech will end in a few minutes." Ahmadinejad who made many mistakes in his speech, at some point said: "I'm your servant." As the slogans became worse he said: "I'm the servant of the boss! It will be your turn [sooner or later]! I love you all and I'm the servant of you all." Ahmadinejad's speech was not broadcast on live television and the footage which was later broadcast was heavily censored. Last year Ahmad Khomeini, grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, faced a similar situation with the public chanting slogans against him because of Hassan Khomeini's support to the Green Movement. 
    • According to Jahan News, Hassan Khomeini's speech, which was broadcasted live on national radio, was interrupted by the radio speaker on several occasions where the nervous radio host was afraid of what Khomeini intended to say or how the audience would respond to his speech.
  • Orooj compiles a list of the "services of the evil spirits" to the "deviant current," including the ability to predict future events, luck in investments, making Ahmadinejad's opponents ill, twisting the tongues of Ahmadinejad's opponents while making Ahmadinejad eloquent, and the like.
  • Davoud Ahmadinejad, brother of the president, says "the deviant current" is the "anti-Christ of the era."
  • Qasemi, former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, incites the public against Ahmadinejad accusing him of freeing the British sailors from imprisonment in Iran. Video
  • Hassan Bayadi, former Tehran Islamic City Council deputy and former Ahmadinejad supporter, explains how Ahmadinejad was elected mayor of Tehran:
    • "There were other options [for the rightist camp], especially Dr. Nourian, the head of the Iran Meteorological Organization... but he abstained... Other candidates included engineer Saidi-Kia, Dr. Danesh-Jafari and Mr. Ahmadinejad. Of course we had investigated more than 60 options... Mr. Ahmadinejad was the last option. No one was happy with him..."
    • "Ahmadi-Moghadam, then Basij deputy, in a friendly manner suggested Mr. Ahmadinejad and this suggestion impressed us... Ahmadinejad had files at the Interior Ministry and in the Intelligence Ministry and many tried to prevent his becoming the mayor of Tehran. But it must be said that Mr. Younesi and Mr. Mousavi Lari - despite their inclination - made a sacrifice and on that sensitive time showed great respect to the members of the City Council [by not prevent Ahmadinejad's candidacy to become Tehran mayor]."  

Diplomacy

• Supreme Leader Khamenei addressing the mourners on the anniversary of Khomeini’s death urges the people in North Africa and the Middle East to not "allow the enemy [the United States] who has been thrown out of the door to return through the window."
• Kayhan commemorates the anniversary of Khomeini’s death:
  • "When the Imam said 'this revolution will not be restricted to the borders of Iran and it will one day spread to the entire Islamic community of believers,' there were probably many who thought it was just a slogan, or news for a very distant future... The Americans especially did not believe it..."
  • "In Saudi Arabia, which secures Western interests in the region... a generation has been born which no longer accepts antiquated fossils ruling them and plundering the wealth or throwing it into the throats of the Americans... In Yemen... the people tirelessly fight against the servant of the United States, and in Bahrain... the struggle hast just begun... and will not end until the Shia have been granted their civic rights."
• Kayhan condemns Turkey for hosting a Syrian opposition conference.
• [E] Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Movement Seyed Hassan Nasrallah lauded the leading role and correct perceptions and analyses of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, reminding that all the predictions made by Imam Khamenei have always proved to be true.

Military and Security

• [E] Iran's Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar cautioned that enemies of the country are seeking hard to trouble the smooth and transparent trend of elections in Iran in a bid to strike a blow at the Islamic Republic.

Photo of the Day

• Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad exchange pleasantries on the anniversary of Khomeini’s death.