Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
Key takeaway: Friday prayer leaders condemned President Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia.
Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami stated that Trump’s “Arab NATO” alliance would be comprised of “servants of the U.S.” Khatami noted that certain Arab countries have allied with the U.S. against the Islamic Republic for many years. Tabriz Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohsen Shabestari likewise condemned the “Arab-Western coalition against the Axis of Resistance.” The Iranian regime uses the term “Axis of Resistance” to refer to its network of proxies and allies across the region, including the Assad regime and Lebanese Hezbollah.
This Iran News Round Up predominantly covers events from May 26.
Tehran Friday prayer leader criticizes “Arab NATO.”
Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami condemned reports that President Donald Trump had planned to unveil an “Arab NATO” during his recent trip to Saudi Arabia. Khatami stated that such an alliance would be comprised of “servants of the U.S., not an Arab NATO.” Khatami also stated that the U.S. and certain Arab countries formed an anti-Iran alliance “in practice” 38 years ago anyway. (Tasnim News Agency) (E)
Tabriz Friday prayer leader condemns “Arab-Western” coalition against Iran and its allies.
Tabriz Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohsen Shabestari claimed that President Donald Trump and U.S. allies in the Middle East formed an “Arab-Western coalition against the Axis of Resistance.”Shabestari also called the raid on the home of Bahraini Shia cleric Isa Qassim “an attack on the dignity of the Muslim world.” (Tasnim News Agency)
Senior clerics denounce Bahraini police raid.
Senior clerics reacted to the Bahraini police raid on Diraz, the hometown of prominent Shia cleric Isa Qassim, on May 23. Five people were killed during the raid. A Bahraini court ordered the seizure of Qassim’s possessions and sentenced him to one year in prison on May 21.
- The Assembly of Experts, the body charged with selecting the next Supreme Leader, issued a statement condemning the raid. The statement read, “The inhumane treatment of Sheikh Isa Qassim by Bahrain’s al Khalifa regime… would create a tide and a storm that will not subside except with the toppling of the oppressive al Khalifa system.”
- Friday prayer leaders also condemned the raid during their sermons, and IRNA reported that rallies protesting the raid occurred “across the country” in Iran after Friday prayers. (Fars News Agency) (E) (IRNA) (E)
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2017/05/26/1420098/iranian-cleric-calls-arab-nato-members-servants-of-us
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/03/05/1420048/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B3%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%BE-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%B4%DA%A9%D9%84-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%AA-%D9%88%D9%82%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%B3%DA%A9%D9%88%D8%AA-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B9%DB%8C-%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%A8%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%AE-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%AF
Citations & Links
1.
Fars News Agency
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960305000736
2.
IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82545383/
Interior Minister: Allegation about elections violations is damaging to national security.
Interior Minister Abdul Reza Rahmani Fazli reacted to Ayatollah Ali Movahedi Kermani’s claim that violations may have substantially impacted the vote counts during the May 19 presidential elections. Movahedi Kermani stated conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi may have received as many as 3.2 million more votes than initially reported. Rahmani Fazli called Movahedi Kermani’s statement “insulting” and damaging to national security. (Radio Farda)
Citations & Links
1.
Radio Farda
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/f2-iran-interior-retort-movahedi-lawful-votes-rohani-raeesi/28510321.html
Fatimiyoun member buried in Golestan province.
Afghan Shia militia Fatimiyoun Brigade member Ali Reza Rezaei was killed during a “Kornet missile strike” in Syria on April 16. He was buried in Golestan province on May 26. (Tasnim News Agency)
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/03/04/1419181/%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86
