Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
Key takeaway: The main conservative coalition challenging President Hassan Rouhani will elect its unity candidate at a later date.
The Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces will permit all five finalists to register to run in the presidential candidates. The Front will decide on a single candidate at a later date. The five candidates are Astan Quds Razavi Head Hojjat ol Eslam Ebrahim Raisi, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Ghalibaf, Former Minister of Education under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hamid Reza Haji Babaei, Former Parliamentarian Mehrdad Bazrpash, and former Parliamentarian Alireza Zakani.
The U.S. Treasury designated the Tehran Prisons Organization and Sohrab Soleimani, a senior official within the organization, for human rights abuses at Evin Prison. The Tehran Prisons Organization operates Evin Prison. Sohrab Soleimani is the brother IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani.
This Iran News Round Up predominantly covers events from April 12-13.
Over 600 people total register for presidential elections.
A total of 638 individuals had registered as presidential candidates by the end of April 13, the third day of the registration period. Registration closes on April 15. Oil Minister under former President Ali Khamenei and former parliamentarian Mohammad Gharazi and Assembly of Experts member Grand Ayatollah Hashem Bathaei Golpaygani were among the candidates who registered on the third day. A Guardian Council official, meanwhile, stated that “the majority of candidates” who have registered “are not legally eligible to run” for president. (Fars News Agency)
Popular Front: We will register all five finalists.
Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces Spokesman Marzieh Dastjerdi stated that the Popular Front will permit all five finalists to register to run in the presidential candidates. She indicated that the Popular Front will decide on a single candidate at a later date. (Tasnim News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency)
Officials react to Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s candidacy.
Senior officials reacted to Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s registration to run in the May 19 presidential elections. Ahmadinejad must be approved by the Guardian Council in order to stand formally in the election. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directed Ahmadinejad not to run last year. Expediency Discernment Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei referred to Khamenei’s order and stated, “If someone consults a wise person but then does not follow their advice, that itself is a problem.” Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs Hossein Ali Amiri said: “The recommendations of the Supreme Leader is official, binding, and will be binding for all...anyone who wants to take responsibility for the system, should have accepted all the principles of the constitution.” An editorial in the newspaper Jomhuri Eslami claimed that Ahmadinejad “does not believe in velayat-e faqih [guardianship of the jurist].” Ebrahim Mashaei, a longtime ally of Ahmadinejad and his protege Hamid Baghaei, insisted that Ahmadinejad and Baghaei’s dual presidential runs do not mean they are one another’s rivals in the elections. (ISNA) (Shooshan) (ISNA) (ISNA)
Raisi: “Our society’s problems can be solved by increased spirituality.”
Astan Quds Razavi Foundation and presidential hopeful Hojjat ol Eslam Ebrahim Raisi stated that Iranian society “requires increased spirituality and religious immunization” in order to “resolve many of [its] problems.” (Tasnim News Agency)
Jannati: Many of the registrants are unqualified.
Guardian Council Secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati stated that most of the people who registered for the presidential elections on the first day of the elections are not qualified. Jannati warned that their registration only adds to the workload of electoral officials and implored the press to properly inform the population about the requirements to run for office and the overall electoral process. (Tasnim News Agency)
Judiciary and Rouhani administration continue sparring over media activist arrests.
Judiciary Spokesman Mohseni Ejei discussed the arrests of 12 media activists in March. Ejei rejected Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) Head Hojjat ol Eslam Mahmoud Alavi’s claim that the activists “haven’t committed any crime.” Ejei said “some of these individuals were arrested because of security concerns and some for violating the public morals by publishing obscenities.” Ejei added that MOIS is not responsible for determining who is and is not a criminal. (Young Journalists Club) (Radio Farda)
Citations & Links
1.
Fars News Agency
http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13960124000081
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/01/24/1378331/%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%88%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B3-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B8%D8%B1%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%B3%D8%AE%D9%86%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%88-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D9%87%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AF-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%85
2.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/01/24/1378300/%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%87%D8%B1-5-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7
Citations & Links
1.
ISNA
http://www.isna.ir/news/96012309536/واکنش-محسن-رضایی-به-کاندیداتوری-احمدی-نژاد
2.
Shooshan
http://shooshan.ir/fa/news/68080/%D9%88%D8%A7%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%B4-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B1%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%86%DA%98%D8%A7%D8%AF
3.
ISNA
http://www.isna.ir/news/96012409567/%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%86%DA%98%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%87-%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF
4.
ISNA
http://www.isna.ir/news/96012309215/%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%86%DA%98%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%88-%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D9%82%DB%8C%D8%A8-%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AF
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/01/23/1377294/%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%AF%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%85%D8%B4%DA%A9%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/01/23/1377000/%D8%A7%D8%BA%D9%84%D8%A8-%DA%A9%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%87-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B7-%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%85-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AF
Citations & Links
1.
Young Journalist Club
http://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/6044555/%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87%E2%80%8C-%D8%B4%D8%A8%DA%A9%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D8%B6%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D9%88-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B8%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%82%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%BA-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B4-%DA%A9%D8%B0%D8%A8-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%B6-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
2.
Radio Farda
http://www.radiofarda.com/a/f2-iran-deputy-judiciary-contradicts-rohani-telegram-arrests-security-issue/28425551.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
IRGC battalion commander killed in Sistan and Baluchistan Province.
Unidentified militants killed Ruhollah Aali near Zahedan, the capital of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan, on April 11. Aali commanded the 110th Salman Farsi Brigade’s battalion based in Kurin. (Tasnim News Agency) (E) (ISNA)
- Unidentified militants killed IRGC 2nd Lt. Ruhollah Kamaldar and Vahid Aslani in southeastern Iran on April 12. The two were members of the IRGC Quds Base of Sistan and Baluchistan province. (Tasnim News Agency) (E)
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2017/04/11/1376195/irgc-local-commander-assassinated-in-southeastern-iran-gunmen-killed
2.
ISNA
http://www.isna.ir/news/96012208431/%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%88%DA%86%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%87%D9%84%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%AA
3.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2017/04/12/1377338/two-irgc-members-killed-on-duty-in-se-iran
Fatimiyoun Brigade members killed in Syria.
- Ruhollah Amiri and Khodadad Najafi were killed in Syria, and will be buried in Alborz Province on April 13. (Mehr News Agency) (ABNA)
- Hamid Heidari was killed in an unidentified area in Syria, and will be buried in Esfahan on April 13. (ABNA)
- Hadi Hosseini and Mohammad Tajik were killed in Hama, Syria. (Rasa News Agency)
Citations & Links
1.
Mehr News Agency
http://www.mehrnews.com/news/3951563/%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D8%B4%D8%AF
2.
ABNA
http://fa.abna24.com/news/%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7/%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85-%D8%AE%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%86%D8%AC%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%B4%D9%88_718274.html
3.
ABNA
http://fa.abna24.com/news/%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7/%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D9%85%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%AD%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7_718419.html
4.
Rasa News Agency
http://www.rasanews.ir/detail/News/490785/81
