Iran News Round Up

Politics

• Opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi says Iranians have been trying to reign in power ever since the constitutional revolution.
• Iranian blogs release the text of Mir-Hossein Mousavi's 1988 letter of resignation to the late Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, in which he wrote he was resigning as the prime minister because the government was kept in the dark about the war and ceasefire with Iraq as well as about the revolutionary institutions' involvement in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan.
• Former President Mohammad Khatami's speech: "We do not desire a secular democracy... What guarantee those who desire to change the constitution have that a Western democracy will replace the current regime?"
• Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, addressing Iranian expats: "Some criticize me why I don’t speak about the school of Islam, but speak about the school of Iran. The school of Islam has many interpretations, but our understanding of the truth about Iran and Islam is the 'school of Iran', and from now on we must present the 'Iranian school [of thought]' to the world."
• Assadollah Asgar-Owladi says he is proud of being a billionaire.

Diplomacy

• According to Agahsazi, the Iranian authorities paid 5 to 15 dollars to people in Mali to wear t-shirts welcoming Ahmadinejad with slogans such as "Commander of the Faithful Ahmadinejad: May your coming be blessed!"
• Ahmadinejad addresses the people of Hamedan:
  • Addressing domestic critics: "Some in this country say 'you are adventurous' when we resist the bullies. When we say we will engage in dialogue, they say 'he is a sell-out and he has retreated.' The nation knows you by now... This is no longer the era of the war [with Iraq]... Even if you [domestic critics of Ahmadinejad] have filled 100 chalices of poison, the Iranian nation will force them into the throat of the hypocrites..."
  • Addressing the United States: "If you think you can impose concessions on the Iranian nation by swinging your stick, you should know that this nation will - with its logic, belief and solidarity - smash hundreds of sticks on your head!... Because of your misbehavior and your bad manners as well as the ethics of those rebelling against God [Taghouti] and the Iranian nation, we will not negotiate with you for two months so you learn it and behave and negotiate like human beings... You issue as many resolutions as you desire and stand upon it until grass grows under your feet."  
  • Addressing Obama: "Because of the dominance of the Zionists in power centers in the United States, Obama has lost many opportunities and he thinks that the entire world is in the hands of the Zionists."
• Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a phone conversation declare support for "Lebanon's resistance."
• [E] Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Tehran Thursday morning to attend a trilateral summit of the Iranian, Tajik, and Afghan heads of state.

Military and Security

• Sobh-e Sadegh's Reza Garmabedari slams Mehdi Karrubi's accusations against the Revolutionary Guards' involvement in Iran's economy.
• Intelligence Minister Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi warns of "conspiracies of the imperialists in support of the Zionist regime in the region..."
• Iran and Oman sign a memorandum of defense cooperation.
• [E] The Islamic Republic Air Force (IRAF) has completed the third stage of its weeklong military maneuvers in the west of the country.
• [E] Supreme Leader Khamenei's representative to the IRGC said that Lebanon and Palestine are Iran's "front line" in the country's confrontation with enemies.

Economy

• Ahmadinejad pays 4 trillion rials to families with children born in 2010.
• [E] The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) announced that inflation decreased 0.3% to 9.1% in the last Iranian month (June 22 to July 22).

Trade

• Ahmadinejad addressing the people of Hamedan: "Any European country which should desire not to sell certain products to Iran or sanction [Iran] should know that it will not have a place in the economic market of the Iranian nation... Know that the day you leave Iran's oil industry is the fest day of the Iranian nation and the Iranian nation will celebrate that day..."
• Iran and Venezuela establish a joint shipping company.
• [E] Iran exported close to $104 million worth of hand-woven carpets in the first four months of the current Iranian year (began March 21).
• [E] China has defended its economic ties with Iran after the State Department's special adviser for non-proliferation and arms control Robert Einhorn asked Beijing to observe sanctions against the Islamic Republic: "China's trade with Iran is a normal business exchange, which will not harm the interests of other countries and the international community.”

Nuclear Issue

• [E] South Korea is under US pressure to close Iran's Bank Mellat branch in Seoul, as Washington is pursuing plans to put more pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.

Iran in the Afghan Media

• Afghan President Hamid Karzai, at a summit of the three Persian-speaking countries of Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan held in Tehran today, praised Iran’s role in Afghanistan and called for greater Iranian assistance to his country.
  • Karzai’s deputy spokesperson Hamed Elmi said the president would discuss with his Iranian and Tajik counterparts issues such as combating terrorism, regional cooperation, fighting against drugs smuggling, and the Afghan refugees in Iran.
  • Afghan authorities say Karzai will present a “specific proposal” regarding the Afghan refugees to the Iranian government. Karzai will also discuss the potential transfer of Afghans jailed in Iran to Afghanistan.

Photos of the Day

• Lake Oroumiyeh drying up.
• Karzai in Tehran.