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

Diplomacy

• Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader:
  • "The Saud clan is the overseer and partner in crime with the United States in the region such as torture of women and children. The destiny of the criminal Qaddafi awaits the heads of the Saud clan."
• News stories related to commemoration of the seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran:
  • Fars News publishes an interview with Nader Dabiran and his wife Zeinab Kadkhodaei who both participated in the embassy takeover.
• News stories related to "100 documents documenting United States support for terrorism":
  • Said Jalili, Supreme National Security Council secretary, addresses the crowds in front of the United States Embassy building in Tehran: "The United States has officially used its forces to assassinate [Iranian citizens] and to enact sabotage against Iran and other countries, but as the Supreme Leader has said, with the documents which we have, we will do away with the honor of the United States. With all our might we will support 99 % of the opponents of the policies of the United States inside and outside of this country and we will pursue the statesmen of this country... From the files I present two main documents. The question is what is the relationship between the terrorists and the United States..."
    • Jalili says the documents have been delivered to the Swiss Ambassador to Tehran.
  • Kazem Jalali, parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesman: "The world must be informed about these documents. They show that the Americans in some assassination plots get directly engaged, and in other cases establish terrorist cells... In other cases they have established state terrorism with the Zionist regime at its center..."
  • [E] Iran on Friday asked the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to prosecute the US administration officials for promoting and sponsoring terrorism.

Military and Security

• News stories concerning Senate testimony recommending that the U.S. assassinate Qassem Suleimani and other commanders of the Revolutionary Guards:
  • Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader: "They shamelessly announce from their tribunes that one must kill the commanders of Iran's Guards; they even mention the name of Commander Suleimani and say he should be assassinated. You [the United States] say this at a time when you are raising the banner of the fight against terrorism. You occupied Afghanistan and Iraq with this banner. Let me put it blunt: This is the apex of shame of the United States and the apex of honor of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which has made the United States shed tears..."
  • Mohammad Shirazi, head of the Supreme Leader's Military Directorate, comments on statements concerning "assassination of the commanders of the Guards": "They have always been opposed to the Islamic revolution of Iran, Iran's progress and effective individuals in the revolution. This opposition is nothing new. They are in a state of emergency and every day they chant a new slogan and make new statements. Those statements were made in a political context."
• Basij Commander Mohammad-Reza Naqdi disparages Mohammad Khatami, says he "will end in the dustbin of history along with his followers if he does not repent."

Trade

• Chinese companies participate in development of a coal power plant in Tabas.

Photos of the Day

• Demonstrations commemorate seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran.