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 subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].  

(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Ayatollah Emami Kashani, temporary Tehran Friday Prayer Leader: "It is you [the enemies of the regime] who use violence and blood-letting. The Prophet was not violent and seized the world with his good ethics and his son His Holiness the Mahdi will also emerge based upon this logic..."
• Islamic Propagation and Culture Minister Mohammad Hosseini says banning newspapers is "natural."

Diplomacy

• [E] A leading conservative member of the Dutch Parliament on Friday called on Iran to step up comprehensive security cooperation.

Military and Security

• Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani says the Judiciary does not differentiate between common criminals and criminals with influential elite background.

Nuclear Issue

• Ayatollah Emami Kashani: "The enemies are well aware that their statements against Iran are baseless and they are convinced that Iran is not pursuing the nuclear bomb...The minimum worth of such accusations and deeds of the enemy is our country becoming more popular internationally. Now, this also creates some problems for the country, but we are witnessing increased popularity of Iran among different nations of the world."
• Supreme National Security Council Secretary Said Jalili in Beijing, China: "In our conversations with the Chinese, this issue has been agreed upon that instruments such as sanctions have lost their efficacy..."
  • [E] Jalili says that Iranian and Chinese leaders are determined to promote bilateral strategic ties.
  • [E] Jalili said that global disarmament should be turned into common cause of mankind.
• [E] The attitude adopted by the US and the rest of the European countries towards Iran's civilian nuclear capability is eccentric, subjective and entirely in conflict with reality, a former Pakistani intelligence official said.
• [E] Imposing economic sanctions are the "wrong way" to deal with Iran's nuclear policy, according to a German opposition legislator.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Iranians celebrate Sizdah-Be-Dar, the thirteenth day of the year 1389.

Photo of the Day

• Nowruz tourists in Masouleh.