Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
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, Tehran Temporary Friday Prayer Leader: "Should anyone want to chant or engage in deviating deeds on this day and smear the beauty and greatness of February 11, 2010 [Revolution Day], they will be held responsible by God and the martyrs...Thanks to divine wisdom the entire nation will say no to anyone badmouthing the revolution and the nation...I beg you not to allow anyone who may try to infiltrate your ranks in order to chant slogans. Don't mingle with them...the path of the revolution is, with all its deficiencies, moving towards the Imam of the Era..."
o [E] Tehran’s Substitute Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Emami Kashani said anybody who would try to damage the path of the Islamic Revolution is considered to be a deviationist.
- Parleman News releases issues of Motalefeh’s weekly Shoma from 1997 in which Ahmadinejad accuses the 1997 presidential election of being fraudulent and saying that Nateq Nouri was the real winner.
- Mehdi Kalhor, Ahmadinejad's media advisor, summoned to Ekbatan Police Station for beating his ex-wife.
- Hojjat al-Eslam Morteza Agha-Tehrani, also known as the "morality professor of the cabinet,” says Ahmadinejad has urged Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, his chief of staff, to abstain from "becoming target of accusations."
- Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, the Supreme Leader's Representative to the Revolutionary Guards: "Why do the elites not pay attention to the words of the Leader of the Revolution and why don't they repent? Why don't they return to the bosom of the revolution, the people and the Leader…? Today, the Iranian nation has recognized the reality [of enemy conspiracies] and now they know the friends and foes of this regime and the revolution. It became known who was ready to pay what price to deal blows to this country... Unfortunately, today, some people inside the country followed the enemy and are cooperating with them in various ways and one must express deep sorrow for such individuals..."
- [E]People in Zanjan held mourning ceremonies to mark the fortieth day after the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shiite Imam in presence of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Diplomacy
- [E]Russia welcomed Ahmadinejad's announcement that Tehran is ready for a nuclear fuel swap under a UN-brokered deal.
- [E] "Radicalism is a threat to all countries in the region," Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with visiting Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza in Tehran on Thursday, adding that Tehran and Islamabad should cooperate with each other to remove radicalism.
- [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki arrived in Munich on Friday to attend the 46th Munich Security Conference, scheduled to begin later this evening.
Military and Security
- Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow: "Delay in transfer of S-300 air defense system from Russia to Iran is due to technical issues...Iran is ready to receive these systems and currently our Russian friends have promised to live up to their promises in this regard.
o [E] Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi announced that the Russian officials have assured him they will honor a contract to deliver the sophisticated anti-aircraft S-300 missile system to Iran.
Nuclear Issue
- Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow: "Tehran has not abandoned the principle of exchanging Iran's nuclear low enriched uranium... But we believe this must follow a just formula..."
o ...It is not without reason that Iran does not produce nuclear weapon. Firstly, we believe that the national strength of any country is produced by national unity and not nuclear weapons. We believe in national unity and solidarity. We witnessed that Lebanon, a country without a nuclear weapon managed to prevail in war against Israel with the simplest arms. Secondly, nuclear weaponry has no place in our religion and our defense doctrine…"
Religion, Society and Culture
- Alef News Agency warns of "Wahabi missionary activity in the capital."
Trade
- [E] A senior Iranian trade official announced that the country's non-oil exports to the Arab and African countries have undergone a tangible increase during the past 9 months of the (Iranian) year (ends March 20).
- [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki underlined Iran's preparedness to cooperate with Uruguay in industrial fields.
Iran in the Afghan Media
- An article in Hasht-e Sobh, entitled “Iran in a dilemma about Afghanistan issue,” criticizes Tehran’s “double-standard policy towards Afghanistan.” It warns that the Islamic Republic is trying to establish increasing influence in Afghanistan to be able to harm the United States in future, if its relations with the West deteriorate over the nuclear issue. While the Afghan government tries to maintain friendly relations with Iran, the author points out, the Iranian government is engaged in a vigorous propaganda campaign against Afghanistan, describing the situation in the country as deteriorating and fueling anti-western sentiments in the region.
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