Iran News Round Up
The Iran News Round Up ran from February 2009-September 2018. Visit the Iran File for the latest analysis.
Key takeaway: Friday prayer leaders reiterated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s criticism of President Hassan Rouhani and Iran’s adoption of the UN’s “Education 2030” agenda.
Qazvin Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Abdulkarim Abedini called the agenda “incompatible with our intellectual foundation, principles, values, and religion, because the principle of this document is in line with globalization and the American presidency.” Semnan Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Shahcheraghi warned that the agenda’s “sole purpose” is to promote Islamophobia.
Their comments follow President Hassan Rouhani’s efforts to diffuse tensions with Khamenei on the issue of the “Education 2030” agenda earlier this week. Khamenei criticized Rouhani on multiple occasions leading up to the May 19 presidential election. Khamenei explicitly censured the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution for endorsing the “Education 2030” agenda. Khamenei dismissed the agenda as the West’s attempt to infiltrate Iranian society and values. His comments were directed at Rouhani, who chairs the Council. Following his election, Rouhani promised that Council will ensure a strict observance of Khamenei’s intentions regarding the agenda.
This Iran News Round Up predominantly covers events from June 2.
Friday prayer leaders criticize Iran’s adoption of UN education agenda.
Friday prayer leaders censured Iran’s adoption of the UN’s “Education 2030” agenda in 2015. They also commemorated the anniversary of the death of Iran’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
- Mashhad Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Alam ol Hoda called for the Judiciary to annul the agenda. Alam ol Hoda warned that involved countries are “required to implement the document, resulting in cultural assimilation and equality.”
- Qazvin Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Abdulkarim Abedini warned that “this document is incompatible with our intellectual foundation, principles, values, and religion, because the principle of the document is in line with globalization and the American presidency.”
- Esfahan Friday Prayer Leader Hojjat ol Eslam Mojtabi Mirdamadi objected to the agenda’s call to remove “talk of jihad, martyrdom, and revolution” from educational and training systems. He also called the document “disgraceful,” and stated it calls for the legalization of same-sex marriage… “and they say that human rights are not respected in Iran.”
- Semnan Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Shahcheraghi warned that the “sole purpose” of the “Education 2030” agenda is “Islamophobia” and stressed the importance of preventing the implementation of agenda in Iran. (IRNA) (Ghatreh) (Tasnim News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency) (Tasnim News Agency)
Senior hardliner: Raisi’s 16 million votes was an “investment for the future.”
Former hardline Parliamentarian and current Expediency Discernment Council member Gholam Haddad Adel called conservative presidential candidate Hojjat ol Eslam Ebrahim Raisi’s 16 million votes in the May 19 elections “an investment for the future.” Haddad Adel also criticized President Hassan Rouhani’s comments during his most recent campaign “unconstructive.” Rouhani openly attacked Raisi and Iran’s conservatives during his campaign. (Fars News Agency)
Office of the Supreme Leader: The unemployment dilemma is causing chaos.
Head of the Office of the Supreme Leader Hojjat ol Eslam Mohammad Mohammadi Golpaygani commented on Iran’s economic condition, stating “today is time of work and labor… the country needs work, [and] the unemployment dilemma is causing chaos.” He added that a “healthy country must be transferred to the next generation.” (Alef) (Radio Farda)
Citations & Links
1.
IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/fa/News/82552581/
2.
Ghatreh
http://www.ghatreh.com/news/nn37736846/%D9%82%D9%88%D9%87-%D9%82%D8%B6%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%84-%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AD%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%86%D9%87
3.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/03/12/1426213/%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%86%DA%AF%DB%8C%D9%86-2030-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%82-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B2-%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%AF%D8%B4%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%86%DA%AF-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AF
4.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/03/12/1426183/%D8%AF%D8%B4%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-2030-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B0-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%AF-%DA%AF%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
5.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/03/12/1426198/%D9%85%D9%84%D8%AA-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-2030-%D9%86%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA
Citations & Links
1.
Fars News Agency
http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13960309001836
Citations & Links
1.
Alef
http://alef.ir/vdcdjj0ooyt05k6.2a2y.html?478584
2.
Radio Farda
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/f7-khamenei-head-of-office-on-unemployment-in-Iran/28525151.html
Friday Prayer leader to Muslim nations: Don’t work with Trump.
Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani criticized the recent $110 billion U.S.-Saudi arms deal, and called Saudi Arabia “a servant of America.” He also warned other “nations, governments, and people of the region” that “it is not possible to work with the U.S. and [President Donald] Trump.” Emami Kashani further condemned the U.S. government for “committing crimes” but added that “the American people are not connected to them.” (IRNA) (E) (Fars News Agency)
IAEA confirms Iran’s commitment to the nuclear deal.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued its quarterly report affirming Iran’s commitment to its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). (IRNA) (E)
Citations & Links
1.
IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82552746/
2.
Fars News Agency
http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13960312000444
Citations & Links
1.
IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82552811/
Iranian killed in Syria.
Fereydoun Ahmadi was buried in Kermanshah Province on June 3. (Tasnim News Agency)
Citations & Links
1.
Tasnim News Agency
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/03/12/1426168/%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85-%D9%81%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%B4%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B9-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF
