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

• Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast on death of the Libyan dictator: "Autocrats of history have no other destiny but annihilation."
• [E] Iran hailed the killing of ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi and said it hopes his death will spell a swift end to NATO's military intervention.
• Ayatollah Emami Kashani, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader, comments on the terror plot against the Saudi ambassador to the United States: "Islam is against terrorism... The world should know what our ideology is and that the Islamic regime is against terrorism... They have problems in the United States and they want to deflect popular attention from problems which capitalism has caused them..."
• Intelligence Minister Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi: "The first reactions of the intelligence officers of the Ministry - during the initial investigations of the Intelligence Ministry concerning this claim [of the Iranian plot against the Saudi ambassador] was great wonder because of the degree of stupidity of this scenario... The first question was how the United States wants to make the wise men of the world and even the American elites believe this primitive story... I am asking this question: Which intelligence organization, which intelligence officer runs his agent - and an agent living in the soil of the opponent at that - by phone? The order to kill is allegedly delivered on the phone! The place of murder, or the restaurant frequented by the target, is clarified through a phone conversation! It is also stressed that it would be better if more people are killed along with the target! They also haggle about the price..." 
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, Ayatollah Khamenei's chief of staff, visits Saudi Arabia.
•  [E] Iran and Turkey vowed Friday to collaborate in their fight against Kurdish militancy, as thousands of Turkish troops pressed ahead with an air and ground offensive against the militants in Northern Iraq for a third day.

Military and Security

• Mashregh News' analyst discusses "Iran's soft power."
• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on the missile defense system in Turkey: "It is highly unlikely that they should have the courage to do such a thing [attack Iran] but the Islamic Republic of Iran and the armed forces are ready to give them such a forceful and hard hitting answer which will start a wave greater than the wave of Islamic awakening..."
• Five reportedly killed and three missing as a ship owned by Pars Oil and Gas Company sinks. According to Aftab News the ship was transporting equipment to the South Pars Oil and Gas region.

Photo of the Day

• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani visits Kyrgyzstan.