Iran News Round Up

Politics

• Ahmad Khatami, temporary Tehran Friday prayer leader: "In the realm of politics, the politicians should realize that one can have opposing tastes but remain united. Opposing tastes are not a crisis. It is an opportunity…"
• Hojjat al-Eslam Shajouni, secretary general of the society of preachers in Tehran: "Today our issue is about the principles. There is a group which desires to topple the foundations of the regime with the help of the Bahais and monarchists. Mistakes of the government are only minor... After the election I met Mr. Ahmadinejad at a meeting and told him that our liking of you is because of the revolutionary slogans and the support of the Leader to you. Don't think that we love you…! In every government there are some problems. Even during the reign of the Imam of the Era there will be some who engage in theft. Therefore, one can't say that when a sound government has come to power the thieves don't steal. The Devil will not remain inactive."
• Tomb of Ayatollah Sadoughi in Yazd attacked by unknown perpetrators.

Diplomacy

• Ahmad Khatami:  "Until now you have not been able to do anything and you will not be able to do anything in the future. You once tested the people during eight years of war, but our nation is a nation which strikes the invader in the mouth so hard that it becomes a lesson to all whenever religion, honor and dignity is at stake. Don't speak the language of threats, because unity of our nation will be strengthened by your threats...What the Imam [Khomeini] meant [with exporting the revolution] was not that we will use arms. We don't need to use arms and will export our culture and thanks to God this is what has happened and the 33-days long resistance of Lebanon and 22 day [resistance of] Gaza are its signs. One should not pay attention to colonialist states. Free nations of the world are lovers of the Islamic revolution."
• [E] Khatami says the Iranian nation will never yield to the U.S. pressure and will continue its nuclear ambitions. "If enemy takes any measure out of foolishness and wants to threaten the country in action, the Iranian nation will give a strong response to its lunatic move and send them deep into quagmire," Khatami warned.
• [E] Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi says Tehran will soon present evidence substantiating that the three American nationals, who were arrested by Iranian security forces in July after crossing Iran-Iraq borders illegally, were working for intelligence services.

Military and Security

• Ahmad Khatami: "Should the United States desires to engage in madness, thanks to divine wisdom and the lovers of the Islamic revolution, its interests all over the world will be in danger and a quagmire will be made for them from which they can't escape. Playing with Iran is playing with the tail of a lion."
• [E] Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says Tehran will keep all defensive options on the table for defending the country against enemies' threats.
• [E] Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hassan Firouzabadi: "If the US seriously threatens Iran and takes an action against Iran, none of the US soldiers in the region will return to America alive."

Nuclear Issue

• Ahmadinejad congratulating Iranian nuclear scientists says the centrifuges in Natanz will provide for fuel of six nuclear plants.
• Ahmadineajd inaugurates the third generation of Iranian-made centrifuges.
• Ahmad Khatami: "It has been said repeatedly that the Iranian nation is pursuing nuclear technology and not nuclear weapons since our religion does not allow possession of weapons of mass destruction. Therefore we do not fear the mayhem of the enemies of the regime...Nuclear technology is a right... We demand our right, nothing more or less and thanks to divine wisdom we are resilient...One must tell them [the United States] if nuclear weapons are bad, why do they have it and if it is good, why do they make so much fuss about them…?! I tell the international community: If you are concerned about peace and international security, it is the United States which is the threat which has brought crime, murder and looting with itself wherever it has gone to - just take a look at Afghanistan and Pakistan as evidence. Therefore, if you are concerned about peace and security oppose unilateralism of this government. The United States does not understand reason..."
• [E] Ahmadinejad says sanctions against Tehran would not hinder the country's nuclear progress.
• [E] Iran’s first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr is scheduled to go under its most crucial test.
• [E] Greek Prime Minister Yeoryios Papandreou voices support for Iran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Photo of the Day

• Memorial service for the late Army Chief Sayyad Shirazi.