Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh and Ahmad Majidyar. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English    

Politics

• Ahmadinejad at a ceremony celebrating the retirees:
  • "Another problem is this: At present, as the government decides to transfer some money to the pockets of the people, 80 people are mobilized to prevent this from happening... This country belongs to the nation, and the government, the parliament and the judiciary are the servants of the nation. But as soon as we want to give half of the money which has been taken by some - and have not returned - to the pensioners, there are those who scream... If someone receives [borrows] 100 billion and does not return it, it does not create mayhem in the economy of the country. But if we want to give a 5 million interest free loan to someone they will do their utmost to prevent it and claim that it will ruin the economy."

• Mohsen Rezaei, Expediency Council secretary, claims that the concept of "Guardianship [of the Jurist]" was the precondition for historical steps such as "the constitutional [revolution] or the nationalization of oil..."

Diplomacy

• [E] The Syrian government and opposition parties will send their representatives to Tehran next week to attend a "National Dialogue" meeting, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian announced on Tuesday.

Military and Security

• Ahmad Khorram, president Mohammad Khatami's minister of roads and transportation, discusses the issue of "unauthorized jetties":
  • "Back then, the Supreme National Security Council and the Headquarters for the Fight against Smuggling Products and Foreign Currency were discussing this issue. A report would declare that there were 94 unauthorized jetties in the country from which products were imported into the country. From all these jetties, products such as computers and automobiles were imported. Mr. Ahmadinejad too has declared this. It is not only us saying this. Military products would be imported with military licenses, but it was non-military and commercial products which were imported through these jetties..."

  • "The greatness and importance of the private sector advisers and contracting firms in development of the country has been undermined, since a first rate contractor which is forced to become a sub contractor to a public sector company in order to secure its survival, has no dignity left! Using the Armed Forces and their sources for peace era development of the country must be done properly. This has also been done in China and South Korea. China reduced its armed personnel from 2.5 to 2.1 million and transferred the remaining people to the private sector so they could work within the framework of the private sector. Unlike our country, where the Armed Forces establish powerful companies with whom no one dares to compete."

  • "With these companies entering the development projects, the cost of executing projects increased, since these companies just demand whatever money they desire, and can make their claims whenever they desire to and no employer dares to criticize their work. By disrupting the technical and executive system of the country, the cost of the projects rose and the dignity and role of the private sector contractors and advisers in the development of the country were questioned. And the time of executing projects was also prolonged. These are blows dealt to the national production, employment and Iran's capital..."
    • In a separate interview, Ahmad Khorram recalls the Revolutionary Guards' seizure of the Imam Khomeini International Airport in protest against engagement of a Turkish company rather than an IRGC owned company for a minor project.

• Farda News celebrates the anniversary of "the first martyrdom seeking operation against the Zionist regime in Lebanon," and stresses the role of the Lebanese Hezbollah in the first and ensuing suicide operations against the Israeli forces.

Trade

• The parliament's website warns that Iran's medicine reserves will be depleted "within two months." 

• Ala al-Din Mir-Mohammad-Sadeqi, Chamber of Commerce member, argues that the potentials of the private sector should be realized in order to bypass the international sanctions regime.

• Eqtesad-e Irani discusses the Islamic Republic's trade partners China, Russia, India and Venezuela.

Human Rights

• Digarban discusses the contradictory statements of the Islamic Republic authorities concerning the death of 35 years old blogger Sattar Beheshti in police custody. 

Photo of the Day

• Revolution era Bohloul cover inspired by Saint George slaying the dragon.