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

• Sadeq Zibakalam, academic: "In June 2009, people participated at the election which was a source of pride, but it caused challenges. Therefore, the regime has reached the conclusion that the presidency should be eliminated and the [position of the] prime minister should be established... The parliamentary election is close, and if they want to change the political structure of the regime, it will be the next parliament which will elect the prime minister... Don't have any doubt, the next parliament will not be any different than the current parliament. Therefore, the legislative power will elect a prime minister who will not create any trouble, and whenever it [the parliament] desires, it can remove him... if the [position of the] prime minister is established, a number of its responsibilities will be given to the parliament and to the Leader, and in reality the future prime minister will be a nobody..."
• Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, Ahmadinejad's media adviser, is sentenced to one year in prison because of his statements against the hijab.

Military and Security

• In an unprecedented move, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's website publishes an article authored by a certain Amir Mohebbian in which the author discusses three war scenarios against Iran and Iran's reactions to the scenarios: "Total war of attrition"; "war as a prelude for political goals," and "restricted war in specific centers."
  • According to the author, the total war of attrition scenario will be difficult for the United States to engage in because of election year politics.
  • The author also finds "war as a prelude for political goals," a challenging scenario for the United States because a first strike might not paralyze the Iranian government, and Iran might then retaliate, with conflict spreading throughout the region.
  • Finally, the author lists the weaknesses of "restricted war in specific centers” with support rising for the regime as people rally around the flag.
  • The author concludes: "One can't force Iran to make concessions by pressuring Iran... There is unity of decision making revolving around the Supreme Leader... Iran has, by saying 'we will make threats in the face of threats' made Iran's behavior conditional upon behavior of the counterpart."
• Maj.-Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, former Revolutionary Guards commander: "Iran's answer to those beginning the war will be hard hitting and will make them repent. The enemies should know that any military threats of theirs against Iran will be countered with unimaginable military moves of the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic. In case of military and security moves against Iran the geography of the theater of war and management of the theater of war will be conducted by the Islamic Republic of Iran and by the strong Leader of the Islamic revolution, His Holiness Grand Ayatollah Imam Khamanei."
• Maj.-Gen. Gholam-Ali Rashid, Joint Armed Forces General Staff deputy, dismisses foreign involvement in the Malard blast: "The Mossad, CIA or the other services are not at all capable of doing such a thing, particularly because Commander Hassan Tehrani-Moqqadam was a man of precision and took extreme care of security issues... But of course, we are always prepared, and thanks to the missile capabilities which this great martyr Hassan Tehrani-Moqqadam established, we will level all Israeli centers."
• [E] A top commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) underlined the Iranian forces' crushing response to any aggressive move by Israel, and said Iran is waiting for the Zionist regime to make such a mistake.
• [E] A senior Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander dismissed the Israeli media claims that the Zionist regime caused the last week blast at an IRGC base near Tehran which killed 17 military men, including a senior commander.

Nuclear Issue

• Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri Najafabadi, representative of the Supreme Leader to Fars province: "Iran will under no circumstance retreat from its nuclear rights and will not allow others to take decisions concerning the future of this country."
• [E] Iran's envoy at the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asqar Soltaniyeh blasted the UN nuclear watchdog chief for making dishonest statements about a proposal for sending an IAEA team to Tehran, and stressed this has been Iran which has asked the IAEA to send a team to Tehran and Yukiya Amano had actually turned down the demand.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Hojjat al-Eslam Ahmad Hossein Sharifi, Imam Khomeini Research Institute research deputy: "93% of American families are rootless, homosexual or zoophiliac."

Economy

• [E] Managing-Director of Mapna Group Abbas Aliabadi told the oil ministry's website Shana that the development contract of the Forouz B gas field will be signed with the National Iranian Offshore Oil Company (NIOOC) in coming days.

Photos of the Day

• Horse racing in Gonbad-e Kavous.