Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh and Ahmad Majidyar. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English 

Politics

• Former president Mohammad Khatami addresses members of Islamic student organizations at Tehran University:
  • "Personally, more than thinking about the election, I am thinking of changing the [political] atmosphere... Concerning my participation in the last year's election, I felt that a movement, particularly from abroad, was officially aiming to topple [the regime] and boycott the election. On the other hand, although we and the reformists had clearly stressed that we did not boycott elections… [the regime] tried to depict all critics as people boycotting elections and trying to topple the regime. It was my view that one must deal with it. Participation in the election was because of this."
  • "Heroism and creating heroes is a historical illness. Unfortunately, after 1997 [Khatami's election victory] we became emotional. And among the slogans and issues discussed, it created some skepticism and conflict in society. This conflict benefited those not really believing in the rights and dignity of the people."
  • "We want the revolution to return to its true path. The rights of the people should be preserved in line with Islamic values and [the values of the] revolution should be strengthened. But one must also take the realities into consideration... We may be idealists and not see the realities which would make us unsuccessful, and we may ignore the ideals and only see realities which deviates us from the path. Having them both is very important."
  • "We accept the revolution, the principles and the framework. We fundamentally want this regime, despite all the criticism we have against it. Our aim is not to dismantle it. And we are incapable of [dismantling it]. Those who claim to topple the regime are delusional. Should, God forbid, this happen [collapse of regime], what would happen? What calamity would the society face?"

Diplomacy

• Elcin Manafov, acting Azerbaijan Islamic Party leader, in an interview with Bizim Yol, explains the party's relationship with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei:
  • "We consider our relationship with Iran from two perspectives: First, as an Islamic government, particularly because our religious leader [Ayatollah Khamenei] is in this country. The religious leader is such that he has nothing to do with politics, and we have always considered Azerbaijan our country. Therefore, we can't discuss our religious matters with Ilham Aliyev as long as Mr. Khamenei is there. We receive [guidance] on religious issues from the religious leader."
  • Question: "Don't you consider Allahshukur Pashazadeh a religious leader?"
  • Answer: "If you pose this question to Allahshukur, he too will tell you that he is a follower of Mr. Khamenei. Concerning the sighting of the moon [in Ramadan] and other religious issues, Mr. Khamenei's ruling counts. Yes, our country has laws, which we follow. We are not defenders of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
  • Question: "But your religious leader, Mr. Khamenei, has cordial relations with Armenia, whose hands are tainted with the blood of our compatriots. Does this not bother you?"
  • Answer: "You see, Ilham Aliyev visits and engages in conversations with both the president of Russia and the Armenian president. They talk and laugh. He goes skating with the president who has occupied 20% of our territory. Well, such are the necessities of politics. But know this: Our religious leader has never gone skating with [President Serzh] Sargsyan and has not friendly relations [with him]. He does not rest or engage in fun with him. Fundamentally, he does not give him so much time, but just how long does Azerbaijani diplomat, Mr. Polad Bülbülo?lu wait to see the leader of Karabakh? Does this not embarrass us? Is this behavior of Bulbuloglu not mean recognition of those demanding independence for Karabakh? This is what makes us unhappy."

Military and Security

• Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, the Supreme Leader's representative to the Revolutionary Guards, appoints Hojjat al-Eslam Jamal Mir-Mohammadi as the new head of the Islamic Research Center of the Guards in Qom. Other prominent individuals present at the ceremony included Ayatollah Ka'bi, the head of the Strategic Studies Center of the Association of the Professors and Scholars at the Theological Seminaries in Qom, Hojjat al-Eslam Haj-Sadeqi, deputy representative of the Supreme Leader to the Guards, Hojjat al-Eslam Toyserkani, representative of the Supreme Leader to the Basij, and Commander Mahdavinejad, Qom Ali-Ibn-e Abi-Taleb Revolutionary Guards commander. 
• Farzad Esmaeili, Islamic Republic Air Defense Force commander, discusses Iran's new integrated air defense system.
• Brigadier General Hossein Salami, Revolutionary Guards deputy: "We will push any attack against Iran into the borders of the enemies. They have understood our might. We will not allow the war to be brought to our land."

Economy

• Shafaf News wonders if Iranian workers will soon migrate to Afghanistan for work because of the sharp rise of the Afghan currency against rial.

Media

• Asr-e Iran presents the ten most read web-based news websites.

Photo of the Day

• Ayatollah Hosseini Bushehri, dean of the theological seminaries in Iran, meets a Chinese religious affairs delegation visiting Iran.