Iran News Round Up

Politics

• Supreme Leader Khamenei commemorates the Fath al-Mobin Operation: "Had the young people of today been present during the sacred defense [Iran/Iraq war], they would have been present in the arena with strong determination. Today, these very same young people have proved their loyalty in the fields of science, politics, struggle and labor, national unity and insight..."
• Rafsanjani complains of inadequate media coverage of commemoration of the Constitution Day.
  • Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani refutes rumors that the Rafsanjani family owns a Swiss residence.
• Ayatollah Mousavi Tabrizi says Guardianship of the Jurist should be in place only as long as the people desire it and stresses "The Imam [Khomeini] truly wanted the sovereignty of the people."
• Judiciary Chief Sadegh Larijani meets ayatollahs Makarem Shirazi, Safi Golpayegani, and Shobeiri Zanjani in Qom.
• Ayatollah Emami Kashani leads to lead Friday prayers in Tehran.

Diplomacy

• Ghazan Publishers releases a book on Ahmadinejad's visits to, speeches about, and correspondence with/about Russia.
• Iran says inviting Iraqi parties to Tehran is not meant to interfere in Iraqi affairs.

Military and Security

• The Office of Preservation of the Works of His Holiness Grand Ayatollah Khamenei releases a book titled Kalbodshekafi-ye Fetneh-ye Hashtadohasht [Dissection Of The Discord of 88 (2009)] discussing the post presidential election unrest in Iran.
• The Islamic Republic Broadcasting shows a movie about a certain Raghaseh [Dancer] who says she has been a prostitute and a member of the so called Monarchist Association allegedly engaged in struggle against the Islamic Republic allegedly from London. The "Dancer" is also accused of cooperation with Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization and was reportedly arrested by the Intelligence Ministry. The video also features other members of the "terrorist group" who say they were based in London and were paid to instigate unrest in Iran. Video.
• [E] Former Pakistan Army Chief, Mirza Aslam Beg, says the  United States and Israel are the main countries, which are hatching conspiracies against Muslim world. “A network is established in Afghanistan, which is hatching conspiracies against its neighboring countries including Iran, Pakistan, China,” he explained.

Nuclear Issue

• Said Jalili, Supreme National Security Council Secretary, meets China’s foreign minister.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says "inefficacy of sanctions has been demonstrated during the past thirty years."
• [E] Amid US-led efforts for fresh sanctions against Tehran, China said Thursday that it would continue to work towards a "peaceful resolution" of the Iranian nuclear case.
• [E]  US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claims that six key world powers are united in talks on a possible new round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
• [E] An Iranian nuclear scientist, who has gone missing since June, has defected to the United States, where he is helping spy on Tehran's enrichment work, US media report.
• [E] Russia's position towards Iran's nuclear program remains unchanged and essentially comes to diplomatic solution, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko was quoted as saying by the Vesti television channel.

Trade

• Agahsazi, close to Rafsanjani, releases Hadi Zamani's warnings against dangers of sanctions against the Iranian economy, particularly the oil sector.
• Reliance, India’s largest company, has announced it will not renew oil import deal with Iran. 

Iran in the Afghan Media

• U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen says Iran is pursuing a negative influence in Afghanistan by aiding the Taliban.
  • Daily Afghanistan expresses the concern that the escalating tension between Washington and Tehran could have dire consequences for Afghanistan. It calls on the two countries not to turn Afghanistan into a battleground.
• An article in Hasht-e Sobh, entitled “Iranians protest, Afghans are executed,” expresses grave concern over the fate of Afghan citizens arrested in Iran for allegedly taking part in the post-election unrest in the country. Iranian opposition news site, Kalemeh, has recently reported that 12 Afghans are jailed in Evin Prison in Iran. Hasht-e Sobh says the actual number is much higher and many of the Afghan prisoners are facing death penalty.  

Photo of the Day

• Nowruz at Persepolis.