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

Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi, former Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister, addressing the cultural office of Ansar-e Hezbollah vigilante group, warns that "Many have gone into abyss because of their children...

Partov-e Sokhan editor Hojjat al-Eslam Ghasem Ravanbakhsh: "Elimination of Hashemi Rafsanjani from the political arena of the country is not inconceivable, but the Leader is against elimination of individuals from the circle of the regime..."

Hojjat al-Eslam Zolnouri, deputy representative of the Supreme Leader to the Revolutionary Guards, accuses the Rafsanjani household of instigating unrest

  • Rafsanjani’s counterattacks:

Agahsazi, close to Rafsanjani, releases statements of Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi discussing the amendments to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic after the passing of Grand Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989:

-"By its very nature the guardianship of the guardian jurist is absolute, and when he says I conduct the duties of my guardianship through this law and the general tenets of it is the Constitution, there is no doubt since on the one side we speak of absolute guardianship and on the other we say there must be a law to restrict him.

-Rafsanjani pays a courtesy visit to Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, member of the Assembly of Experts.

Agahsazi also releases statements of Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati on the same occasion: 

-"The mere mention of absolute power of the jurist in the Constitution is contrary to the expediency of Islam and Muslims. One can't imagine anyone to have the advantages [of character] which His Holiness the Imam [Khomeini] truly had… I desire restriction of the guardian jurist. If there is no restriction anarchy, disorder and lack of trust will surface."

o ...And statements of Mir-Hossein Mousavi at the same meeting: 

-"Giving such vast responsibilities is in a way denying the responsibility to the executive...Micro management of the Leader will most certainly create problems. Our executive will become powerless and in reality the country will be harmed...It would mean total paralysis of the country." 

o According to Mehdi Khaz'ali, Abbas Palizdar who has earlier made various accusations against high ranking members of the clergy, including Rafsanjani, has met with Rafsanjani and apologized for his behavior. 

o Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani says her father has not made a "behind the scenes deal" to "sell out the demands of the people."

  • Ahmadinejad's Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei appoints Hojjat al-Eslam Shahidi to be Head of the Inspectorate of the President's Office.

  • 200 academics express their support for Health Minister Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi, whose article in an Iranian academic journal reportedly plagiarized from a foreign journal.

Diplomacy

"It is the responsibility of the ambassador and the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to use qualitative, strong and effective diplomacy in order to advance the policy of opposition to the hegemonic order. The necessity of such a policy is logical insistence upon the foundations of the revolution and religious pillars and not feeling bad about such principles and foundation..."

"In the hegemonic order there are two sides: The hegemonic power and the oppressed, but the Islamic Republic announced from early on that it is not hegemonic, and does not accept the hegemony of any power..."

"The president of the Zionists raises the banner of the fight against God, the pure, the justice seekers and those seeking the truth..."

"Wherever a crime is committed, they [the Zionists] and their masters are present...Thanks to divine wisdom and to the Palestinian resistance, it is no longer a secret that the Zionists are irreligious but are fundamentally opposed to the prophets and religion and it has become clear to all that establishment of the Zionist regime took place on a false and untrue background and was the world imperialism's attempt at establishing a base in the heart of the sensitive and decisive region..."

Addressing the "Palestinian and Lebanese resistance and the nations of the region" Ahmadinejad continued: "You should be in utmost preparedness. Should the Zionist regime commit a mistake you should end its shameful life once for all and thanks to divine benevolence the Iranian nation will be on your side and will be your supporter." 

"It is a strange statement. How can a country whose revolution is 31 years old and has had more than 30 great elections at various levels develop towards a military dictatorship? How does it resemble a military dictatorship…?"

"Because of their anger they make irrational statements..." 

Media

Military and Security

Human Rights

Trade

Nuclear Issue

"The Islamic Republic has announced from the very beginning that it is pursuing scientific nuclear know-how and technology in order to utilize it for peaceful fields including energy..."

"The propaganda and mayhem of some Western countries including the United States, Britain and the Zionists are a total lie and they themselves know that they are lying..."

"Despite the pressure, the Islamic Republic has made great advances in the field of nuclear technology and will progress as far as it is necessary so that it reaches self sufficiency in this scientific and technological field...

Some of the actions of the [International Atomic Energy] Agency demonstrate the lack of independence of this international organization..."

"The IAEA must not be under the influence of the United States and some countries since such unilateral actions harm trust in the Agency and the United Nations and are very bad for the dignity of such international forums..."

"More attention must be paid to qualitative diplomacy and each visit or statement in the field of diplomacy must be completely calculated and based upon correct predictions...Public diplomacy is one of the innovations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and greater attention must be paid to it..." 

Religion, Culture, and Society

Photos of the Day

 

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