Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Katherine Faley, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin.  To subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].

(E) = Article in English

Supreme Leader urges parliament to cooperate with government; Mousavi condemns security agencies’ attacks against reformist newspaper; Ahmadinejad outlines new approach to deal with foreign countries; Emir of Qatar hails democracy in Iran; Tehran’s ambassador to U.N. asks Ban Ki-moon not to interfere in Iran’s domestic affairs; 300 Basij members reportedly wounded during unrest; Japan, Thailand co-finance Mehr Petrochemical Plant; Iran’s Oil Minister announces plan to invest $100 billion in oil industry; Indian oil companies to invest $5 billion in Iran’s Farzad offshore oil field

Politics

• Supreme Leader Khamenei speaking to a group of parliamentarians: "With regard to the recent affairs related to the presidential election, I have stressed the execution of the law and will continue to do so. The Islamic regime and the people will never give in to force.... This power [ed. the legislative] reflects the shape of the law, and this law also regulates the entire country. Therefore, the most important issue is to ensure that such legislation, on the one hand, is in line with the values and principles of the Islamic revolution, and on the other, meets the immediate and long-term needs of the society.... If both characteristics are adhered to, the laws will be not only correct but also effective..."
• Khamenei urges the parliament to cooperate with the government.
• The Guardian Council's recount of Rezai’s votes shows the announced election result is way beyond his more modest actual performance in the presidential election.
  • Following Rezai's criticism that the recount of the vote has not met the unanimous judgment of the supervisory committee engaged in the recount process, the Interior Ministry released details of the recount from five constituencies.
• Aftab-e Yazd points out that no parliament leaders, including Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, participated in Ahmadinejad’s meeting with parliament members.
• Tabnak reports that Ahmadinejad supporters have threatened Larijani with a vote of no confidence because of Larijani’s allegedly indirect support to Mousavi.
• Karrubi speaking to the editorial board members of E'temad-e Melli deplores arrest of Mohammad Qouchani. He challenges Ahmadinejad to allow two separate public demonstrations, one in support of Karrubi and the other in support of Ahmadinejad, so that all Iranians can see who has the greatest number of supporters.
• Mousavi issues his seventh statement in which he condemns the attack by security agencies against Kalemeh Sabz newspaper and the arrest of its employees.  
  • See also BBC Persian's coverage.
• Agah-Sazi's analyst claims character assassination of Rafsanjani amounts to declaring war upon "the revolution and its achievements."
• The Student Basij at Tehran Medical Faculty calls on Rafsanjani to clarify his position with regard to the "path of Imam [Khomeini]."
• (E) At Friday prayers, Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami stated: “Rioters and those who mastermind the unrest must know the Iranian nation will not give in to pressure and accept the nullification of the election results… I ask the Judiciary to firmly deal with these people and set an example for everyone.” He added: “the (western) media showed their maximum level of treason. We expect government to bring activities of these, [which] are present in the country, under its control. They [Western media] add oil to fire and shoot and send false pictures minute by minute, thus inciting the public and telling lies.”

Media

• Washington Times' journalist arrested in Tehran.

Religion, society and culture

• Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi outlines legal avenues to solve prevailing problems and calls for a national reconciliation.

Diplomacy

• According to Fars News Ahmadinejad speaking at the Mehr Petrochemical Project in Assalouyeh, announces a new strategy to deal with foreigners: "Thirty years since the Islamic Revolution and despite all sanctions and pressures, we have seen that our resistance to pressure led to greater achievements.... Despite the heaviest sanctions, including closure of the banking networks and military threats against Iran, Iran has become a nuclear and space [power]. Achievements in the fields of nanotechnology, industry and development have multiplied. This shows that the capacity of the Iranian nation is great and elevated.... The tenth presidential election was a great and new beginning for the Iranian nation. And the Iranian nation will develop this era ever more forcefully and international equations must change and will change. And this election is the very beginning of this. The enemies thought that they could undermine the greatness of the Iranian nation, but today we speak to them from a different position, which will naturally be based upon dialogue and justice."
  • Ahmadinejad also comments on the U.S. reactions to the presidential election in Iran: "The European countries and America are angry about the vast participation of the Iranian people in the process. Therefore, they speak some nonsense.... If Britain and a couple of European countries, whose past conduct is well-known did some things during these days, it is not important. But why was the President of the United States trapped by them?... The questions is why Obama is repeating George Bush's words these days?... Is it how Obama wanted to engage in a dialogue with Iran?...Before repeating the scandals of the Bush era, Obama should correct himself and I say this to him because I care for him...I suggest that Obama correct himself before it is late and abstain from intervening in Iran's affairs."
• Member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament, Esmail Kowsari commenting about some embassies in Tehran providing asylum for some rioters in Tehran says: "Such actions clarify the nature of European countries, the Zionist regime and America, which claimed to be willing to negotiate with Iran. Kowsari also says the committee members have had a meeting with Rafsanjani, in which he has explained his silence in public.
  • According to Tabnak, members of the committee have also met with Mousavi, Rezai and Rafsanjani.
•  (E) Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki met with Yemeni President Saleh.

Election Aftermath: International Reactions

• Bahrain's Al-Waqt writes that the presidential election in Iran has no parallel in the world.
  • According to Tabnak, the Emir of Qatar speaking in France says one should take lessons from democracy in Iran.
• Saudi Arabia's Al-Riaz writes that expression of protest after election is normal in Islamic governments.
• (E) Ministers at the G8 meeting said of the situation in Iran: “We deplore post-electoral violence which led to the loss of lives of Iranian civilian,” urging Iran “to respect fundamental human rights including freedom of expression.”
•  (E) US Senators McCain, Graham, and Lieberman expressed their support for Iranian citizens as Lieberman stated: “We want the Iranian people to be able to stay one step ahead of the Iranian regime, getting access to information and safely exercising freedom of speech and freedom of assembly online.”
• (E) Deputy Secretary General of Hezbollah Ghasem commented on foreign interference in Iran, stating: “We are witnessing something which is not related to the presidential elections but we see that foreign countries manage the riots and crisis in the Islamic Revolution system.”
• (E) Iranian Ambassador to the UN Khazaei responded to UN Secretary-General Ki-moon’s remarks on the post-election situation, stating, “The UN Secretary-General is seriously expected to maintain his independence and position as the UN Chief and avoid taking stances considered to be interference in internal affairs of the UN members.”

Military and security

• According to Ali Fazli, the head of Tehran Province Seyyed Al-Shohada Revolutionary Guards Unit, "300 devotees of the Basij have been severely wounded" during the unrest of the past week. He adds that it has been proved that "houses belonging to the rioters connect them with foreigners and the Zionists." Addressing "those disturbing the public security and their main agents behind the curtains", he said: "Pay attention to what you do and do not act in such a way that you make the sweet mouth of the people bitter to the delight of the enemies of Islam and the revolution...Therefore, we urge them to return to the loving and caring bosom of the Islamic regime and the magnanimous Iranian nation and do not make themselves agents of America, England and the Zionist regime even more..."
• Jahan News accuses Iranian poetess Simin Behbahani of supporting the rioters and the counter revolutionaries.
• Javan claims a BBC journalist has paid for killing Neda Agha-Soltan.
• Sixty six university professors who were arrested for supporting Mousavi are freed. Four remain imprisoned.
  • Fars News claims no university professor has been arrested.

Nuclear Issue

• According to an unnamed RUSATOM official, Bushehr nuclear plant will become operational by the end of 2009.

Trade

• Japan and Thailand co-finance Mehr Petrochemical Plant.

Economy

• (E) Iranian Oil Minister Nozari announced plans to invest 100 billion dollars in the oil industry, including the Pars, Golshan, and Ferdowsi gas fields, over the next four years.
• (E) Indian oil companies to invest 5 billion dollars in Iran’s Farzad offshore oil field in the Persian Gulf.

Photo of the day

• Pictures of Supreme Leader after a failed assassination against him.