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

New poll shows Ahmadinejad lead over rivals; Iran’s president accused of presenting inaccurate statistics on oil; Shah-era political prisoners declare support for Mousavi; Nasrallah says Lebanese Army to make all weapon procurements from Iran if Hezbollah wins election; new study shows quarter of Iranians suffering psychological problems

Presidential Election: General 

• According to Fars News Agency polls: 53 percent support Ahmadinejad, 36 percent support Mousavi, 3 percent support Karrubi and 2 percent support Rezai. 
• Rezai and Karrubi's presidential debate to be televised on June 2, 10:30 p.m. Iran time.
• Ansar News Agency claims to "disclose" information on activity of the Rafsanjani clan against Ahmadinejad in presidential election. 
• Revolutionary Guards propagandist Hassan Abbasi accuses Khatami-era parliamentarians of being foreign spies, attacks Rafsanjani of having forced Khomeini to "drink from the chalice of poison" by accepting the ceasefire ending the Iran/Iraq war and claims the reformists in letters told Khomeini that Iran was not in need of nuclear energy.
  • Abbasi also insinuates that the green color of the Mousavi campaign signifies his connection with Germany's Green Party and has nothing to do with Islam. 

Presidential Election: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

• Reformist theoretician Mostafa Tajzadeh says if Ahmadinejad is reelected, Iran will become "an Islamic Zimbabwe."
• Ahmadinejad travels to Isfahan to speak at its main square.
• Ategheh Sedighi, widow of Mohammad-Ali Rajai, speaking in Isfahan attacks Ahmadinejad for likening himself with her late husband and warns against reemergence of the Hojjatiyeh secret society.
• Former Oil Minister Bizhan N. Zangeneh accuses Ahmadinejad of presenting false statistics on oil.
  • Ahmadinejad speaking in Pakdasht accuses former Oil Ministry officials of corruption.
• Short campaign video of Ahmadinejad.   
• Rumors on SAIPA car manufacturer financing the Ahmadinejad campaign.

Presidential Election: Mir-Hossein Mousavi

• Mousavi's election headquarters in Qom set ablaze.
• Shah-era political prisoners declare their support for Mousavi.
• Ahmadinejad supporter Olfat-Pour says research into Mousavi's past shows he has not been active in the revolution.  [Link provided on request, as Raja News’ inclusion will cause State Department blockage].
• Raja News Agency ridicules Mousavi who has said he does not hold a doctorate, but on whose office door is written Dr. Mir-Hossein Mousavi. [Link provided on request, as its inclusion will cause State Department blockage of site]
• Former Post, Telegraph and Telephone Minister Nabavi criticizes Mousavi as having been an authoritarian Prime Minister.
• Short campaign video of Mousavi. 
• Rumors on production of a movie attacking Mousavi and his wife. 

Presidential Election: Mohsen Rezai

• Mohsen Rezai's campaign video. 
• Speaking in Boroujen, Rezai says the sweetness of the Ahmadinejad government's distribution of money will be gone with the first wave of inflation. 

Presidential Election: Mehdi Karrubi

• Karrubi's campaign chief Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi promises to pay two million rials to every Iranian.
• Islamic Republic Voice and Vision says it has not yet received any campaign video from the Karrubi campaign.
  • Entekhab News says the video will be shown tonight. 
  • Short campaign video of Karrubi. 

Diplomacy

• Revolutionary Guards propagandist Hassan Abbasi defends Ahmadinejad's questioning of the historical authenticity of the Holocaust which he depicts as a retaliation against the United States, European and Israeli questioning and alleged attacks against foundations of the Islamic Republic. Abbasi also threatens to publicize a list of 250 spies in the pay of foreigners among Khatami's entourage. Video.
• (E) Foreign Minister: Jundullah linked to foreign forces in Afghanistan.

Military and Security

• Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah promises that the Lebanese Army will make all its weapon procurements from Iran in case Hezbollah wins the election in Lebanon. 
• Ahmad Zolghadr is appointed Mohammad Rasul-Allah Revolutionary Guards' Unit Deputy in Greater Tehran, replacing Commander Ebrahim Jabbari.
• Law Enforcement Forces Deputy Ahmad-Reza Radan says calm has returned to Zahedan after the sectarian clashes.
  • Khedmat News Agency releases details about the Zahedan terror bombing. 

Nuclear issue

• Ayatollah Vaez Tabasi, caretaker of the Imam Reza mausoleum in Mashhad, meeting Karrubi says uranium enrichment could have been possible without provoking U.N. Security Council Resolutions against Iran. 

Religion, Society and Culture

• According to Jahan News, 25 percent of Iran's population - 75 percent of whom are youth - have psychological problems. 

Photo of the Day

• Ahmadinejad supporters tearing Mousavi's placard off the wall in Tehran.