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].

Ahmadinejad announces 10 new sites for nuclear enrichment; the Dutch parliament asks the European parliament to include the IRGC on the EU list of terrorist organizations; the Iranian parliament investigates the possibility of denying visas to IAEA inspectors; Kayhan editor urges Iran to leave the NPT; Khamenei says “mercenaries…did not achieve their goal” in the post-election environment; Asr-e Iran lists elites isolated from the regime since June 12; Yemen Avenue renamed Martyr Al-Houthi Avenue; and five British civilians arrested by Iranian forces in the Gulf.

Politics

• Supreme Leader Khamenei:

  • "I urge those who care about the national interests to abandon petty and unimportant conflicts… Such things [creating doubt about the authorities of the country] is work for the enemy since authorities of the country, be they the President, the Speaker of the Parliament, Judiciary Chief and the Head of the Expediency Council are all individuals in power and the people must trust them..."

  • Commenting on post-election events, Khamenei adds: "In the course of events, they created doubt and conflict so the people became unhappy with the authorities. In such atmosphere of chaos and unrest, ill-wishing elements expedited treacherous mercenaries of theirs into the arena to engage in obstruction, but thanks to the insight of the people they did not achieve their goal..."

  • Khamenei concluded: "One can't call everyone a hypocrite because of a single mistake of his. Also, one can't call every one opponent of the Guardian Jurist because of any opposing viewpoint..."

• Ahmadinejad adviser and former American University professor Hamid Mowlana: "Those who questioned the election had lost the game from the very beginning." Link by request. 

• Asr-e Iran compiles a list of elites isolated from the regime since the June 12, 2009 election.

Diplomacy

• Iranian "students" change Yemen Avenue into Martyr Al-Houthi Avenue. Link upon request.

Military and Security

• The Dutch parliament passes a statement asking the European Parliament to include the Revolutionary Guards on the EU's list of terrorist organizations.

• Five civilian British citizens have been arrested by Iranian forces in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

Nuclear Issue

• Ahmadinejad announces establishment of 10 new sites to enrich uranium.

• Foreign Minister Mottaki protests against "discrimination" in the IAEA Board of Governors which passed a resolution against the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities.

• Kayhan editor Shariatmadari urges the government to leave the Non Proliferation Treaty as a reaction to "hostile acts of the IAEA."

• Parliament is investigating legal paths of denying visa to IAEA inspectors.

• Motalefeh central committee member and Resalat editor Mohammadkazem Anbarlouyi: "Hostile behavior of the West against our country will not end before Iran leaves the Non Proliferation Treaty. Off course, one must say that the latest resolutions of the IAEA against the Iranian nation will lead to consolidation and strengthening of national unity in society."

• Ja'far Ghaderi, parliamentarian, says "whenever the West has decided to restrict Iran rather than harming the country, restrictions have harmed them...The West has proven that the nuclear energy issue only is an excuse and should this problem too be solved between Iran and the Western countries, most certainly, they will find new ways of harming Iran's prestige."

  • Ghaderi also adds that the United States President has no independent power, but receives his orders from the "Zionist lobby."

• Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman says the time is yet "inexpedient" for "special sanctions against Iran."

Economy

• Supreme Audit Court to supervise reform of the subsidies system.

• Labor Supreme Council of Tehran head Ali Dehghankia, says unemployment in Iran is over 20 percent.

Trade

• Alef News report significant drop in Iran's oil revenue.

• Iran and Venezuela are engaged in more than 70 industrial joint projects.

Photos of the Day

• Supreme Leader Khamenei receives actors of Joseph the Prophet TV series.