Iran News Round Up

 A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by the AEI Critical Threats Project's Iran research team. 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

• Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has been invited by his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud Al Faisal to visit Riyadh. 

• Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Air Force Commander Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Haji Zadeh gave an address televised in Iran:
  • “We do not ignore the matter of America’s war and invasion of Iran. We assume that war will happen in six months, meaning that we live with this image. We maintain this view at all levels so our people can live in peace.”
  • “IRGC Air Force is also an offensive force, meaning we are ready to attack if the enemy makes a mistake.”
  • “We passed the line of deterrence years ago and the people continue to live their lives in peace and [the Americans] are mistaken to threaten us. Our warriors were fighting in Shalamcheh and Fawz yesterday, and today the war is in the economic arena. Traders, bankers, and the people must be active in this field.”
  • Hajidzadeh went on to claim that the Iranian version of the RQ-170 drone will be tested within the next few months and that the second and third replications are under construction.

• More than a thousand protestors gathered in Tehran’s Fatemi and Vali-e Asr squares last week to protest hijab (veil) laws. Law Enforcement Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam warned that his forces would confront such “unauthorized” gatherings at the judiciary’s request.

• Senior Political Advisor to the Supreme Leader’s Representative to the IRGC Brig. Gen. 2^ndClass Yadollah Javani spoke at the IRGC’s Khatam ol-Anbia Construction Base: 
  • “The IRGC’s achievements [at the recent Air Force exhibition] contained a message for our arrogant enemies.”
  • “Imam Khomeini did not consider the Islamic Revolution limited to Iran’s borders. It was that wise leader who said ‘our revolution heralds Islam’s great global revolution’… Analyzing global events from all aspects signal the Islamic Republic’s daily regional and international growth. Iran is a country in the international arena that is an effective and active actor that enjoys regional and international weight.”

• Expediency Discernment Council Secretary and former IRGC Commander Mohsen Rezaeistated “We are unconcerned about Iran’s nuclear rights in negotiations, because these talks are pursued under the supervision of the Supreme Leader.”

• Senior Military Advisor to the Supreme Leader Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan, Chief of Staff to the Supreme Leader’s Military Desk Brig. Gen. Mohammad Shirazi, and Senior Advisor to Artesh Commander and Head of the Defense Ministry Political Ideology Organization Hojjat al-Eslam Amir Kheram Tousi unveiled five books on Khamenei’s thoughts on defense: Thoughts of Imam Khamenei on Defense; Thoughts of Imam Khamenei on Defense in the Soft War Arena; Defense Diplomacy in the Thoughts of Imam Khamenei on Defense; Intellectual and Spiritual Capitals in the Thoughts of Imam Khamenei on Defense; and Defense Science and Technology in Thoughts of Imam Khamenei on Defense.

• The Parliament passed the constitution of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), defining it as an upstream operations company with capital of 894.5 trillion rials [$34.8 billion]. Shareholders include the Oil Minister (head shareholder), Strategic Planning and Supervision Deputy to the President, Economy and Finance Minister, Energy Minister, and Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister.