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

Politics

• Former president Rafsanjani’s son, Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani, left Iran for Geneva with his family after the Iranian authorities arrested a grandson of the former president, Hassan Lahouti, on his return from London to Tehran. 
• Parsine publishes an old interview with the widow of Grand Ayatollah Khomeini.

Diplomacy

• [E] A senior aide to Ahmadinejad strongly criticized the policies of President Obama, saying that Obama has not changed Washington's policies despite his earlier slogan.

Military and Security

• According to Jaras, at least 16 members of bin Laden’s family are still in Iran.

Economy

• Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, deputy speaker of the Parliament, expresses the worry that Ahmadinejad’s economic reforms will produce inflation and economic stagnation.

Trade

• China reduces imports of Iranian oil by 40 percent.
• [E] Turkish State Minister Hayati Yazici has said that Iran-Turkey customs and economic relations will further expand in the future.
• [E] Iran announces a joint Tehran - Ankara plan to triple bilateral annual trade volume from the current $10 billion to $30 billion in the future.

Photo of the Day

• Supreme Leader delivers a speech at Haram-e Razavi.
• Behind-the-scenes of “Iran’s strongest men ”.