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 will visit Hamadan this week.
• Following Mahmoud-Reza Khavari, Melli Bank director's flight to Canada in the wake of the $3 billion embezzlement scandal, Asr-e Iran writes that Khavari has dual Iranian and Canadian citizenship.
  • Asr-e Iran writes that Khavari is not the first dual citizen whom Ahmadinejad has appointed to a sensitive position. Hamid Mowlana, Ahmadinejad's foreign policy adviser, has U.S. citizenship.
• Asr-e Iran compares Ahmadinejad's 100-man entourage to the UN General Assembly with Mohammad-Ali Rajaei's 10-man entourage in the 1980's. Asr-e Iran also criticizes Ahmadinejad for bringing his family to New York.
  • Photo: Ahmadinejad's son and daughter-in-law attend the United Nations General Assembly.
• Dolat-e Ma, close to the Ahmadinejad government, releases a document which shows that Ahmad Tavakoli, parliamentarian and Ahmadinejad critic, has achieved a Ph.D. degree without having a Masters' degree. The documents also show that Tavakoli received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Nottingham without ever attending classes, but spent time in Britain with his seven children.

Diplomacy

• According to Fars News, Azerbaijani security forces have "attacked" and "vandalized" an office belonging to Iran in Baku.

Military and Security

• Sacred Defense Week reports:
  • On the occasion of the Sacred Defense Week, the Iranian Army displays its latest military hardware.
  • Ali-Reza Sabahi-Fard, Iranian Air Defense Force deputy, presents the Mersad medium range missile system. See also here.

Economy

• In a new report, the Supreme Audit Court slams the performance of the government in the oil and gas sector. Hamid-Reza Katouzian, parliamentary Energy Committee member, comments upon the report: "In 2010, the oil industry's production has been reduced... The reduction has accelerated during the first three months of 2011... The oil and gas sector suffers from lack of a consistent strategy... The public sector owes vast sums to the private sector... funds for establishing four power plants were used to pay cash handouts..."

Photos of the Day

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei presides over the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada.