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

• Parliamentary runoff elections: 
  • Supreme Leader Khamenei cast his vote and stressed that a high voter turnout would strengthen parliament members’ legitimacy.
  • Jahan News reports "visible popular presence at the voting stations." 
  • Supreme Leader’s office said the Khamenei family did not endorse any parliamentary candidates after rumors that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, had declared support to the United Principled Front. 
  • The office of Ayatollah Kazem Sediqi, Tehran temporary Friday prayer leader who had earlier endorsed Islamic Steadfastness Front, led by Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, said Sediqi had not endorsed any political lists. 
  • Final results of parliamentary runoff elections will be announced next Friday. 
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi, Chief Inspectorate director, criticized economic corruption in the public sector and blamed the Ahmadinejad government. Speaking in Bandar Abbas Pour-Mohammad said:
  • "If people are unhappy with corruption, they must first criticize themselves because of their own bad choice [of president]... The people should show their unhappiness at future elections such as the parliamentary and city council elections by electing people who are more law abiding... At presidential elections, the people should not be deceived by slogans..."

• Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, Tehran temporary Friday prayer leader:
  • "We will support the innocent Bahraini nation with the same resolve we supported the innocent Palestinians... The reactionary [Arab] rulers should know that their crimes and recorded. Thanks to divine wisdom, the great people of Bahrain will prevail. That day, would be the day of your disgrace and misery."  

Military and Security

•  Commander Hozni, Ghorb-e Kowsar Construction Base adviser, says the Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base has finished 11,000 smaller development projects in the past years.

Nuclear Issue

• Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh, the Islamic Republic's Ambassador to the IAEA: "Iran has paid a high price for establishment and expansion of the Fordo Center. Therefore, there is no reason for disregarding all this cost... Enrichment will certainly never be suspended in Iran."
• A senior Iranian official announced that he has held "serious and important" consultations in China and Russia about the upcoming Baghdad talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany). 

Economy

• Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, Tehran temporary Friday prayer leader:
  • "I swear to everything sacred that raising this issue [rising prices] is talking of a palpable and painful reality, and it should not be called political. We don't want to blame anyone, but this situation is not worthy of the Islamic Republic of Iran... The sources of emulation, the Assembly of the Professors at the Theological Seminary of Qom, and the people are all complaining about the chaotic situation of inflation..." 
• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani warns against the government's attempts to finance cash handouts by increasing the gasoline price.

Religion, Society and Culture

• The government allows mosques to run kindergartens.

Photos of the Day

• Khamenei casts his vote. 
• Ahmadinejad and his wife Azam Farahi at a polling station.