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

Presidential candidates stepping up campaigning ahead of June 12 polls; Kayhan predicts Ahmadinejad’s reelection; new poll shows Mousavi takes lead; Abrar deplores restrictions imposed on media in run-up to elections; Mousavi, Ahmadinejad backers clash in Tehran; over 200,000 police forces tasked to provide security for polls; Rafsanjani urges Supreme Leader to rein in Ahmadinejad; Mousavi accuses president of promoting nepotism, defends earlier remarks calling Ahmadinejad ‘dictator’; paper discusses Iran, Israel rivalry in Horn of Africa

Presidential Election: General

• Kayhan claims Ahmadinejad will get 65 percent of the votes.
• According to ILNA, a recent poll shows that Mousavi will win the presidential election in the first round with 54 percent of the vote.
• Video of the Ahmadinejad vs. Rezai debate.
  • Asr-e Iran reports a respectful debate.
• Aftab-e Yazd discusses the placid Mousavi vs. Karrubi debate. 
  • Donya-ye Eqtesad discusses the economic dimensions of Mousavi and Karrubi's attacks against Ahmadinejad. 
  • According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting 35 million viewers watched the Mousavi vs. Karrubi televised debate. 
• Judiciary Chief Shahroudi warns the candidates against making allegations against people at televised presidential debates.
• Asr-e Iran reports clashes between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi supporters in Tehran. 
• Mehdi Khazali, son of Ayatollah Khazali, in his latest interview with Voice of America, accuses Kayhan editor Hossein Shariatmadari and Ahmadinejad of killing the late Dr. Kazem Sami.
• Abrar deplores the state of press freedom after receiving a letter from the Press and Information Deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance ordering the press to publish the Point 74 of the Election Law. 
• Asr-e Iran releases a poll which shows that Rezai and Mousavi lead.
• Agah-Sazi publishes a letter allegedly written by "concerned" employees at the Interior Ministry who claim to know rigging techniques to be employed by the Ahmadinejad campaign to secure him a second term.
• Islamic Republic authorities warn the media against breaking the election regulations.
•  Ministry of Culture and Islamic Propagation declares prohibition against publication of negative materials about the candidates effective today. 
• Alef News releases Google search engines registry of searches made from computers located in Iran during the past thirty days. 
• Kayhan editor Shariatmadari presents Ahmadinejad's government as the like of Imam Ali's government and its critics as Sunni villains. 
• The Mousavi campaign protest against the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting which has promised Ahmadinejad an extra 45 minutes to defend himself against allegations made against him in his absence at other presidential debates. 
• Ahmadinejad and Mousavi supporters stare down each other in Tehran.
• (E) All four presidential candidates will present their assets, as suggested by President Ahmadinejad during the Saturday debate with Mehdi Karrubi.
• (E) Head of Iran's Electoral Office Kamran Danes stated that over 45 thousand ballot boxes nationwide are available for voting on June 12 and that the presidential vote will be announced within 24 hours of the election.
• (E) More than 200,000 security officials have been dispatched in light of the Iranian election.
• (E) Officials announced that reporters from 44 different countries, including Britain, France, Japan, and the US, have arrived in Iran to cover the presidential elections.
• (E) Iranian Parliament representative Hojjatoleslam Morteza Aqa-Tehrani encouraged voters to contemplate the qualities of a good president, one who “would feel obliged to abide by Islam and the Islamic value system, obey the orders of the Prophet and the Supreme Source of Jurisprudence (Vali-e-Faqih), would not act wickedly and weakly in confrontation with hardships, and would in fact be a brave, capable human being with sound mental foundations.”
• (E) With the elections quickly approaching, the streets of Tehran and other cities are full of excitement and anticipation with street debates.

Presidential Election: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

• In sharp contrast to Ahmadinejad's denial,Ayatollah Javadi Amoli's office in Qom stresses that Ahmadinejad told the Ayatollah that he had experienced a halo of light and presence of the Imam of the Era while addressing the U.N. General Assembly.
• Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani, son of the former president, criticizes Ahmadinejad for involving the Rafsanjani family in the "feud" between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi.  More.
• Ali Mottahari asks Ahmadinejad why he has not disclosed names of corrupt individuals over the past four years?
• Kayhan praises the "unprecedented" public support for Ahmadinejad in Tehran.
• Both Ahmadinejad and Mousavi campaigns claim to have "members killed" in the street clashes. 
• Ahmadinejad campaign features congress of descendants of the prophet Muhammad who support Ahmadinejad's candidacy. 
• Fatemeh Rajabi, wife of government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham, attacks presidential debates which did not include Ahmadinejad which she said were used to launch attacks against Ahmadinejad. 
• Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani, brother of the former president, says Ahmadinejad's 2005 presidential victory was the result of a British conspiracy. 
• Ahmadinejad has been offered an extra 45 minutes on television alone to defend himself prior to the election. 
•  Ahmadineajd's latest campaign video, ridicules his rivals. 
•  Khedmat TV provides live online coverage of Ahmadinejad supporters' demonstrations. 
• Ahmadinejad speaks on Channel 4. 
• Ahmadinejad visits Ahwaz and Sari. 
• Elias Naderan defends statistics on unemployment and inflation presented by Ahmadinejad at his second presidential debate. 
• Ahmadinejad supporters demonstrate from Revolution Square to Sharif University. 
• A center for production of illicit CD's against Ahmadinejad's rivals was shut down by authorities. 
• Rafsanjani sends a letter of complaint responding to Ahmadinejad's accusations against him and his family to Supreme Leader Khamenei and demands his intervention to stop the campaign against him. 
  • Ahmadinejad in a vague reference to Rafsanjani's letter says it is the deed of a desperate individual. 
  • Fatemeh Rajabi, wife of Government Spokesman Elham, says Rafsanjani's letter of complaint to the Supreme Leader against Ahmadinejad only benefits Ahmadinejad's campaign.
  • Imam Sadegh University Basij promises to deal decisively against Rafsanjani's treacherous letter to the Supreme Leader. 
  • Ayatollah Yazdi criticizes Rafsanjani's open letter. 
  • Ayatollah Ka'bi warns that Rafsanjani's letter is against the principles of a healthy election. 
  • Self Sacrificers of the Islamic Revolution publish a "letter of sorrow" in reaction to Rafsanjani's letter. 
  • Islamic Student Associations in a declaration say Rafsanjani's letter is to the delight of the enemies of the Imam Khomeini and his path.
• (E) For the sake of his supporters’ safety, Ahmadinejad cancelled his appearance in Tehran’s Mossalla center.
• (E) Hamid Mowlana, from the Ahmadinejad campaign, defended the government’s foreign policy, saying, “After the Islamic Republic was established in 1979, Western countries sought to keep us content with our domestic issues, but Ahmadinejad changed that. He gave Iran a bigger say on international issues.”

Presidential Election: Mir-Hossein Mousavi

• Mousavi criticizes alleged nepotism in the Ahmadinejad government.
• Mousavi travels to Hormozgan.
• Second campaign video of the Mousavi campaign. 
• Ahmadinejad supporters accuse Mousavi of living in an "aristocratic estate." 
• Ansar News releases a document which allegedly is proof of transfer of ownership of an expensive estate to Mousavi during the Rafsanjani presidency.
• An unnamed source at the Ministry of Higher Education questions educational degrees of Zahra Rahnavard, wife of Mousavi.
• The Mousavi campaign starts a "God is great" manifesto where supporters of Mousavi are called upon to climb to the roofs and shout Allaho-Akbar.
• Mousavi's latest campaign video. 
• Mousavi speaks on Channel 2.
• Ansar News prints Mousavi's letter in which he as Prime Minister formally introduces Islamic dress code for women and men in the 1980's. 
• Mousavi arrives in Lorestan. 
• (E) Mousavi pledged to investigate the case of the missing $1 billion in oil revenue, stating: “The people have a right to know how the $1 billion that was not returned to the treasury was spent. They have a right to know who has benefited from the rise and fall in tariffs.”
• (E) Mousavi defended his comments calling Ahmadinejad a dictator, stating: “I say so because he does not abide by the laws, so why should we not call him a dictator?” and adding “We see no justice observed in our society today.”

Presidential Election: Mehdi Karrubi

• Karrubi's campaign headquarter in Bushehr attacked by agents in civilian clothes. 
• Speaking in Tabriz, Karrubi discloses information about Ahmadinejad's attempt to provide a $700 million loan for one of his confidantes. 
• Karrubi to speak in Qom. 
•  Speaking in Azerbaijan, Karrubi urges the Iranians to vote if they want change. 
• (E) Karrubi announced that Jamileh Kadivar will be the first female member of his future cabinet, if elected.
• (E) Karrubi announced: “After the June 12 presidential election, I will unveil documents pertinent to the $700 million dollar Ardebil oil case against Ahmadinejad.”

Presidential Election: Mohsen Rezai

• Rezai's second campaign video. 
• Rezai arrives in Ahwaz. 
• Rezai declares his cultural policies. 
• Ali Mottahari officially endorses Rezai's candidacy.
• (E) Rezai vowed not to back out of the presidential race, stating: “I am the representative of people who are fed up with crankiness, adventurism, and disorganization. Therefore, I will never pull out of the race in favor of other candidates.”

Politics

• Former Khatami advisor Said Hajjarian considers velvet revolutions superior to classical revolutions which are followed by a reign of terror. 
  • Kayhan warns against a creeping velvet revolution.

Economy

• Former Oil Minister and his deputy criticize lack of investments in oil sector during Ahmadineajd's tenure as president. 
• A group of Central Bank experts criticize Ahmadinejad's economic claims during the debate with Karrubi, pointing out that the government's debt to the banking sector has not decreased but rather increased, and that growth in oil revenue means empty foreign exchange reserves. The economists also criticize the government for distributing cash rather than investmenting.  More, here.
• Central Bank Public Relations Department explains that due to explosive number of visitors to the website of the Central Bank following the Ahmadinejad vs. Karrubi debate, the website is down.
• Predictions on state compensation to tea planters because of poor weather.
• (E) Iran started its $300 million Aghajari gas injection project.
• (E) Iran’s Bank Saderat is the third state bank to be privatized, following Bank Tejarat and Bank Mellat.

Trade

• Iran exports $1 million worth of cars to Angola.
• Aghajari oil field to be expanded. 
• An unnamed French company ready to participate in an oil project in Varamin. 
• Iran to sign oil contracts with China tomorrow. 
• (E) France’s Sofregas Company announced plans to rejoin an Iranian underground gas storage project.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Alef News Agency reports rapid deterioration of Lake Urumiyeh. 
• (E) Tehran’s Dey Gallery will honor Iranian artist Iraj Zand, who died in December 2006.
• (E) A German delegation will arrive in Shiraz to participate in Iran’s West-Eastern Divan Festival to honor Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Persian poet, Hafez.
• (E) Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will screen Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's About Elly.
• (E) The Wooden Carpet, by Iranian filmmaker Abdul Rahman Mirani, won the Jury Special Award at the Hamburg International Short Film Festival.
• (E) Iranian Vice President for Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Esfandyar Rahim-Masha'i will travel to Vienna, Austria to celebrate the opening of a pavilion showcasing statues of Iranian scientists.
• (E) French-Iranian photo exhibit “Two Glances: Gilan, Pyrenees” will open, comparing the beauty of both regions.

Diplomacy

• Academic Elahe Koulayi criticizes the conspiracy theory approach of the Ahmadinejad government to diplomacy and international relations. 
• Diplomasi-ye Irani discusses Israel/Iran rivalry in Horn of Africa. 
• (E) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki praised President Sarkozy’s comments on freedom of dress, stating: “The approach, based on mutual understanding with the Islamic world and Muslim communities, will have a positive influence on the public opinion.”
• (E) Ambassadors from 99 countries, including Japan, France, Greece, and Brazil, were invited to attend Iran’s World Handicrafts Day, which will honor local craftsmen and artists.
• (E) Iran and China signed a memorandum on increased cultural understanding in which both countries agreed to hold joint cultural exhibitions and scientific meetings.

Military and Security

• Draft Organization Chief denies rumors on collection of identity cards of the conscripted soldiers up to the presidential election.
• The Islamic Republic's military attaché in Ankara says the relationship between the Turkish and Iranian armies has reached top level of trust. 
• Armed Forces Disciplinary Court says IRGC theoretician Hassan Abbasi arrested for intervening in presidential election. 
• Abd al-Hamid Rigi, brother of Jundallah terrorist leader and executed by the Islamic Republic a few days ago, gave an interview to Press TV in which he claimed the United States authorities met with him in 2002, and that he was free to continue his operations because they were directed against the Islamic Republic. 
• Diplomasi-ye Irani website claims Hezbollah's electoral defeat in Lebanon is "another defeat for the ninth government." 

Photo of the Day

• Mousavi supporters in Tehran make a human chain from Rah-Ahan Square to Tajrish Square.