Iran News Round Up

 Nuclear Issue

• Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader:
  • "Iran is reasonable. And since Iran is reasonable it is present in all international forums. What we say is that nuclear energy is the inalienable right of all nations, including the Iranian nation. And this nation will under no circumstances retreat from it... The main argument of the Westerners was that Iran should stop [uranium] enrichment. The very same 20% enriched [uranium] which they promised to deliver three years ago to cure one million sick people in Iran, but unfortunately they did not fulfill their promise. It is therefore not known why they repeat their old argument... Thanks to the nuclear scientists, particularly the martyred scientists, that Iran reached the 20% enrichment and will not retreat from it under any circumstance.... To the Westerners one must say: 'How much should Iran engage in confidence building measures?' The Westerners did not find any violations despite all their investigations. Even the Supreme Leader clearly stated that Iran is not pursuing the nuclear bomb and considers its use haram [religiously impermissible]. We tell the Westerners that it is now your turn to engage in confidence building measures to show that you are not the servants of the Arrogance... The Iranian nation is not a nation which has the habit of paying tribute. Those who liberated Khorramshahr [during the war with Iraq] insist upon their rights..."
• According to Asr-e Iran, the United States continues its "dual policies" at the Baghdad negotiations desiring both to "continue the sanctions but simultaneously to know the date for the next round of negotiations." According to Asr-e Iran, it is "rumored that the West demands Iran stop 20% enrichment and sign the additional protocol [NPT], viewpoints far from the viewpoints of Iran. Therefore, the diplomats say that if the West desires continuation of the negotiations, it must reconsider its proposed package."
• Commenting on IAEA's discovery of 27% enriched uranium at Fordo,  Fars News writes that "this news may have been released in order to create an atmosphere against the 5+1 negotiations." 
• As the Baghdad negotiations end without a clear result, Asr-e Iran reports that the next round of negotiations will take place in Moscow on June 18th and 19th. According to Said Jalili, Supreme National Security Council secretary, the conversations were "comprehensive and long," but did not end. Jalili added that Iran also discussed its non-nuclear issues, such as Bahrain and energy security. The 5+1 Group had in return suggested to discuss piracy, security of international waters and the fight against narcotics. An unnamed "informed" Iranian source who participated at the negotiations in Baghdad said: "We believe the United States is the reason why the 5+1 Group can't reach a result... What we heard in Istanbul were more important than what we hear during the Baghdad negotiations."
  • At a press conference following the 5+1 Group negotiations Jalili stressed: "We have on many occasions said that... enrichment of uranium is among the inalienable rights of the signatories to the NPT..."
• Ebrahim Jabbari, Revolutionary Guards Vali-ye Amr unit commander, commemorating the liberation of Khorramshahr:
  • "A great path is in front of the revolution. And summits and conferences and the 5+1 Group serve the purpose of preventing the progress of the Islamic Republic of Iran... It is through steadfastness and resistance that we have reached this point and the Westerners have no other choice but accepting the conditions of the Islamic Republic of Iran... The reformists dealt with humility towards the enemies,... which was because of their lack of belief in the values. This was apparent in the nuclear energy [policy] of the time." 

Military and Security

• Ebrahim Jabbari, Revolutionary Guards Vali-ye Amr unit commander, commemorating the liberation of Khorramshahr:
  • "Many of the elites were thrown to the ground in the sedition of 2009, which was due to their lack of insight... Since the beginning of the revolution, the enemy has used different strategies, including carrying out assassinations, provoking the counter revolution, countering the nuclear energy, and imposing the war [with Iraq] in order to counter the revolution. One was to change the behavior of the nation and the rulers, which happened in 2009... This strategy began during the reform era after which a group of mercenaries shouted 'Neither Gaza nor Lebanon; I sacrifice my life for Iran...' Those who let their children flee during the era of the sacred defense have today no honor or power or life to sacrifice for Iran... Lebanon is the frontline of the Islamic Republic and Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah is a part of our body since he has dedicated and sacrificed himself for the Guardianship... The enemies wanted to use someone who has become a counter revolutionary but uses the title 'the prime minister of the Imam [Khomeini] in order to change the course of the revolution... [Mir-Hossein] Mousavi and his wife went to welcome [Nobel laureate] Shirin Ebadi, the hijab-less counter-revolutionary and honored her at the al-Zahra University. This matter alone shows the deviation of Mousavi and his cooperation with the counter-revolution... [Mohammad] Khatami wants to return to the bosom of the people after having betrayed them. He must fall to his knees and say 'I did wrong'... Khatami should be ashamed. He should repent and he should say 'I did wrong...' The reformists are a bunch of seculars who have penetrated the revolution and want to thread upon the values of the revolution... These people are first and foremost quarreling with the Supreme Leader, with the Imam [Khomeini] and the martyrs. Insults against Imam Hadi [reference to a rap song] is inspired from these currents..."
• Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani comments on accusations made by parliamentarian Ali Mottahari against interventions of the Revolutionary Guards in politics:
  • "If some people have committed irregularities within the Guards, it is not related to the Guards itself..."

Diplomacy

• [E] Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was invited by Iran to participate in the 16th heads-of-state summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Tehran late August.
• [E] Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili met with senior Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani in the holy city of Najaf in Southern Iraq on Friday, and discussed the latest regional and international developments. 

Economy

• According to Hossein Anvari, Imam Khomeini Relief Committee director, 4.5 million Iranians receive assistance from the committee.

Photo of the Day

• Commander Ebrahim Jabbari.