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

• Ahmadinejad addresses his critics: "You have problems with me, but you should not have problem with the people. Say whatever you want about us and we will not answer. You are free to do so, but you should know that this nation has awakened and whenever it is time, they will stop anyone who wants to stand in the path of their progress..."
• Davoud Ahmadinejad, brother of the president: "Have confidence! According to our information, and our information is reliable, since [the current of deviation] is defeated in the cultural and political phases, it desires to enter a military phase..."
• Jomhouri-ye Eslami releases the names of 86 parliamentarians who insist upon calling Ahmadinejad to answer the questions of the parliament.
• Rafsanjani receives members of the Association of the Scholars of the Qom Theological Seminary: "If the trustees of thought and reflection - especially those at theological seminaries - can't give satisfactory answers to the people - particularly to the elites and younger theological students - most certainly they will find the answers to their questions at other places, which may not be to the liking of the regime and theological seminaries."

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad in Birjand: "The Libyan nation has deep roots and has a long history of fighting against imperialism. This nation is on the move for the sake of justice and divine values, but the world arrogance - rather than helping them - has abused the Security Council and by issuing a vague and ambiguous Resolution purporting to help the Libyan people, has enabled NATO's Army to enter the Libyan issue... They killed the people of Libya and did not allow NATO to publish any statistics on the Libyans killed. Today, they have ruined Libya... Their goals are clear: They are trying to control Libya and its resources and use the pretext of reconstruction to plunder the wealth of this nation and solve their economic crisis with such deeds. From reliable sources I know that they are dividing up this country and its resources among themselves..."
  • Jomhouri-ye Eslami's editorial reflects the theme of "foreigners plundering Libya's oil." and so does Mardomsalari.
• Iran and Ghana allow one-month visa-free travel.
• Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah: "The need of the United States to negotiate [with Iran] has compelled it to make accusations against it."
• [E] Iran's Basij (volunteer) forces in a statement welcomed the US announcement on its pullout from Iraq, saying that the US has no way out but to retreat from the region as the Middle-East has become an exhibition of its failures.

Military and Security

• According to Mehr News, since IRGC commander Rostam Qassemi appointment as oil minister, three major oil and gas projects have been given to Khatam al-Anbia, the IRGC’s economic wing, as no-bid contracts: A $500 million gas pipeline; a major research project concerning subterranean oil and gas reservoirs; and a $500 million NGL factory.
• Chief of Staff Hassan Firouzabadi urges Occupy Wall Street movement to be careful of "government infiltration."
• [E] Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi cautioned that enemies are trying to sow discord among the region's Muslim states, and added that Tehran is doing its best to defuse this plot and preserve regional unity.

Economy

• The Energy Ministry, incapable of paying contractors, offers $5 billion worth of land and real estate as compensation.
  • According to Tehran-e Emrooz, the Energy Ministry's debt is more than $7 billion. 

Religion, Society and Culture

• Hojjat al-Eslam Abd al-Hossein Khosropanah, Islamic Propagation Office boardmember, says "75 percent of Iranian Internet users use the Internet to visit immoral websites."

Photo of the Day

• More public executions, this time in Varamein.