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: 
  • The president’s office releases photos of the latest cabinet meeting in which both Ahmadinejad and Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi participated.
  • Judiciary Spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ezhehi confirms "arrest of exorcists," a term used for Ahmadinejad’s supporters. 
  • According to the Tavallaei blog, a certain Yaqoubi has been arrested on charges of "exorcism."
  • Rasoul Sanaei-Rad, Revolutionary Guards Political Bureau deputy, confirms earlier reports that Ahmadinejad had three preconditions for returning to office. 
  • Shafaf News releases the names of 13 governor generals who in an open letter declared support for the president.
  • Shafaf News writes about members of the Ahmadinejad family and their attitudes towards Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei.
  • Pro-Ahmadinejad websites start attacking Shafaf News and its patron Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf.
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Hamid Rowhani addresses the Ansar-e Hezbollah vigilante organization:
    • "The seditionists engaged in sedition in the name of Islam, the revolution, the Leader, and in the name of obeying the Guardianship. But they follow a path similar to that of the enemy. Today, the enemy no longer speaks against the revolution, Islam, the Imam and the Leader, but talks of the Leader and the Imam, talks of the pure Muhammedan Islam. But under such names, they try to crush the center..."
    • "In practice, they talk of Iranian Islam and the school of Nowruz. The school of Iran is not something which someone dignified and loyal to the path of the Guardian Jurist... would adhere to."
    • "In a recent interview, our honorable president said that a strong president would lead to dignity of the country, the Leader and especially the nation. This is true. But what does he mean by a strong president? Does it mean someone who flouts the law and bypasses the parliament? Someone who ignores the Leader and turns his back to the nation? If his cabinet ministers commit mistakes, they should not be dismissed. And if they are dismissed, should he be stubborn not to present a new minister to the parliament? Does a strong president mean - God forbid - someone who can show stubbornness towards the nation, the Leader and God? And by ignoring the divine regime, create dictatorship? Does a strong president mean that he can have a suspicious element sitting by his side?"
• Ahmadinejad merges the Oil Ministry with the Energy Ministry, the Industry and Mines Ministry with the Ministry of Commerce, the Roads and Transportation Ministry with the Housing and Urban Development Ministry, and the Welfare and Social Security Ministry with the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry. The mergers mean exclusion of Mehrabian, Mahsouli and Mir-Kazemi from the cabinet.

Diplomacy

• Judiciary Spokesman Hojjat al-Eslam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ezhehi says "three American citizens [charged with espionage] will be put on trial on May 11, 2011.”
• Ahmadinejad arrives in Turkey for a one-day visit.

Military and Security

• Amir-Farzad Esmaili, Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force chief, says the Sayyad II surface to air missile has been delivered to his force.

Economy

• The parliament passes the 2011/2012 national budget after 71 days of delay.

Trade

• [E] Iran and China signed six agreements for closer cooperation in industrial and mining fields in a move to speed up their growing ties in various economic sectors.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Hassan Abbasi, Revolutionary Guards theoretician, criticizes Islamic Republic of Iran Voice and Vision for showing "imperialist movies" such as "Robin Hood and Robinson Crusoe" which "take place in an age of the crusades."

Photos of the Day

• IRNA manipulates Supreme Leader’s photo with Ahmadinejad.