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

Torn Khomeini photos fuel tension between regime, opposition; Iran tests Sejjil II missile; Supreme Leader pledges visiting Hamas leader unwavering support; Iran reportedly arrests ‘Western spy’ seeking information on new enrichment facility; General David Petraeus accuses Iran of aiding Taliban 

Politics

• Kayhan predicts the future:
  • "Some analysts with whom Kayhan held conversations believe that these radical actions [burning of Khomeini’s and Khamenei's pictures] are part of a pre-planned scenario. These analysts believe that since Student Day, the heads of the discord have concluded that they can no longer mobilize the masses, even small parts of them to achieve their goals, and their social capital is limited to a small number of counter revolutionaries..."
  • "An informed source tells Kayhan: 'There is documentation that the movement of discord intends to - through great insults to the sacred issues [of the regime]...to force the pious forces to lose their self-control, so in the end, either one of the grandees of this movement [Mousavi or Karrubi] is arrested, or the security forces enter the university, leading to unrest on the scale of 1999.'"

• Iran warns that the demand of reformist politicians to demonstrate in reaction to the "insult" against the photo of Grand Ayatollah Khomeini could cause further unrest.

• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani urges personalities of the regime "not to disclose those issues which harm the country. That is treason."

• Rafsanjani cancels his speech at the House of [Political] Parties.
• According to Abrar,more than 100 parliamentarians demand resignation of Industry Minister Aliakbar Mehrabian.

Diplomacy

• Ali Larijani to travel to Egypt.

• [E] Supreme Leader Khamenei says should Israel start a new armed conflict against Gazans, it would suffer a much heavier blow. Speaking during a meeting with visiting Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal, Khamenei pledged Iran's unwavering support for Palestinians. "One of the main reasons behind the enmity of the global hegemony toward the Islamic Republic is the Palestinian issue," said the Leader on Tuesday. "If Iran had backtracked about the Palestinian issue, much of such hostilities would have ceased to exist; however, regarding this matter we stand fast," Khamenei added.

• [E] Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast has strongly condemned the U.S. court's decision to sentence Iranian national Amir Hossein Ardebili to five years in prison, describing the move as "illegal and unacceptable."

Military and Security

• The Islamic Republic launches Sejjil II missile.

• Intelligence Minister says "80 percent of the people consider the country's situation as normal."

Trade

• Seifollah Jashnsaz, National Iranian Oil Company Executive Director, says Iran possesses 40 billion barrels of heavy oil which the country is incapable of extracting and is in need of signing grand contracts with foreign companies.

• Deputy Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi says Iran and Russia are negotiating connectivity between the Russian and Iranian electrical grids.

• The Central Bank provides $1.1 billion to ease import and exports.

• An unnamed foreign bank begins operations in Chabahar.

• [E] Iran's minister for roads, Hamid Behbahani, outlines plans to privatize Imam Khomeini port, Iran’s biggest port in the Persian Gulf.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Iran reportedly arrested a Western spy seeking to gather information on its new nuclear enrichment facility in Fordo.

Iran in the Afghan Media

• General DavidPetraeus, the Chief of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), has accused Iran of assisting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Photo of the Day

• Ahmadinejad and Iranian basketball player.