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 subscribe to this daily newsletter, please visit this page, fill out the "New Subscribers" section, and check "Iran News Round Up" listed under "Projects." 
 
(E) = Article in English
 

Politics

• Ahmadinejad addressing the War for Peace International Seminar at the Iran-e Bastan Museum in Tehran, praises Cyrus the Great: "It is the mission of the Iranian nation to raise the banner of love and the message of the Iranian nation is the message of justice and love to the entire human race."
• Parliamentarian Mohammad-Reza Bahonar attacks Ahmadinejad and Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei's plans to celebrate the Iranian New Year at Persepolis in the presence of foreign heads of state. Bahonar also says "a new sedition is on the rise, a sedition surfacing from the principalist [camp] one which claims to be principalist but does not recognize theological seminaries and the Shari'a."
• Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi, former minister of culture and Islamic guidance: "In 2004 his son, Mehdi Hashemi [Rafsanjani] gave an interview to an American newspaper... in which he said: 'If my father becomes president, he will change the constitution and reduce the role of the Leader to a ceremonial position.' This statement means regime toppling. But the son was never reprimanded because of his statement... His daughter [Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani] has made all sorts of insults against the regime. A person who says such things is hired by Satan. How come she is not reprimanded?" 
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mahmoud Alavi discusses why 17 members of the Assembly of Experts abstained from voting for the election of the chairman of the Assembly: "There is a certain movement which is unhappy with election of a balanced individual such as Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani as the head of the Assembly of Experts and is planning within its ranks to scheme by abstain from voting... and thereby instigate conflict between the members of the Assembly"

Diplomacy

• The United States issues visa to Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei who intends to participate at the New Year festivities of Iranians living in the United States. Mohammad-Jafar Behdad defending Mashaei against accusations made against him in the Iranian media says: "Some political and media elements have addressed this issue with prejudice. In response to them I say that what will happen during this visit is in the direction of national interests, but some political and media elements are so inclined to attack the government that they have entered the arena of opposition national interests and expediency." Behdad also stressed that Mashaei will not meet with U.S. authorities.
• [E] Colombian Congress President meets with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and underlines Colombia’s enthusiasm for the further consolidation of relations with Iran, especially in economic ties.
• [E] A senior Iranian lawmaker denounces the invitation of Jordanian King Abdullah II’s visit to Tehran, saying it runs counter to the national interests.

Military and Security

• Mohsen Rafiqdust, former Revolutionary Guards minister, urges the people of Libya to kill Americans: "We must propagate the issue that wherever the United States has a military presence should be its graveyard. We must tell the people of that place to kill the first American soldier who sets foot on their soil. I said this during the imposed war as well. Therefore I can't travel abroad now."
• Habibollah Sayari, Iran Navy chief: "Next year we will deploy destroyers to control other areas... By doing so, God willing, we will expand the operational zone of this force so we will not face any attempts from pirates against oil tankers or the commercial shipping."
• Yadollah Javani, Revolutionary Guards political bureau chief: "The sedition of 2009 ended and the dusty atmosphere of sedition gave way to a clear atmosphere. Now we are facing a counterrevolutionary movement connected to the foreigners and our people know the nature of this movement well. Concerning the famous individuals among the heads of sedition it seems that gradually the circumstances are getting ready for the Judiciary to answer popular demands for prosecution and punishment of these gentlemen... Most certainly, in the future we will face other seditions and most certainly, the main players and contested issues will be different than those in 2009..." 
  • Javani criticizes a CD-Rom about the emergence of the Mahdi which gives Ahmadinejad prominent role in the events of the Day of Reckoning.
• Iraj Hassanzadeh, political and security adviser to the Kordestan governor, says a "Salafist" terrorist group "close to religious radicals" was "annihilated" near the town of Dehgolan.
• The earthquake disaster in Japan renews the debate about Tehran's vulnerabilities.
  • Abd al-Ali Taji, Ahmadinejad's parliamentary and legal deputy, says it is impossible to change Iran's capital.
• [E] Commander of the IRGC Naval Force announced mass-production and arming of domestically-produced Bladerunner speedboats in the next Iranian year (starting on March 21).
• [E] Iran's top military commander announces that the IRGC’s defense capabilities have “reached a reliable stage.”

Nuclear Issue

• Fereydoun Abbasi, Iran Atomic Energy Organization director, says the Islamic Republic is ready to "export nuclear articles."
• [E] Iran prepares to export nuclear products and services to other countries, according to the president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).

Economy

• The Islamic Republic begins the fiscal year 1390 on March 21, 2011 with no national budget due to the late delivery of the budget to the parliament.
• [E] Iran's non-oil exports have grown 22 percent since April 2010, with Asian countries the key destinations for the commodities.
• The Islamic Republic issues €3 billion in bonds to develop the South Pars oil and gas field.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Hojjat al-Eslam Hamid Mohammadi, deputy minister of culture and Islamic guidance, says the government aims at reviving traditional religious schools at the village level.
• Mohammad-Reza Sanjari, Bam prosecutor general, says "Bahai elements" have been arrested while trying to infiltrate local kindergartens.

Photos of the Day

• Fourth Conference on Defense against Chemical Weapons.