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

• A photo taken on the week anniversary of Khomeini’s widow’s death shows Tehran Mayor Qalibaf in conversation with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting's Ezattollah Zarghami and unleashes speculation about impartiality of mass media executives in presidential elections.
• Former Revolutionary Guards Chief Mohsen Rezai says he will present his plan for a national unity government in a few days. 
• Mehdi Karrubi says he will not leave the presidential campaign nor will Mir-Hossein Mousavi do so.
• Labor Minister Mohammad Jahromi criticizes the financial policies of the Ahmadinejad government and says he "never wanted to join the cabinet" and does "not want to be a cabinet minister in Ahmadinejad's government in the future." 
• Raja News claims the opposition against the Islamic Republic has coalesced around Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
• Raja News's commentary claims Mousavi in pursues "the same dangerous policy goals...as Khatami" but keeps his goals "secret."
• Asr-e Iran analyzes the rising expectations from presidential candidates among the electorate. 

• Asr-e Iran speculates about secret meetings of U.S. and Iranian delegations at the Shanghai Pact Summit in Moscow. 
• In Najaf, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani says the problems between Iran and the U.S. "are not emotional problems which can be solved with congratulations or with words." Larijani continues: "We believe that such matters must be attended to calmly and with no haste." 
  • Larijani meets Grand Ayatollah Sistani. 
• (E) Iran and Mauritania signed three agreements in the fields of energy, oil, sanitation and medical treatment as well as agriculture.
  • Foreign Minister Mottaki praises Mauritania's decision to severe diplomatic relations with Israel.
• Syrian President Assad says Syria's relations with Iran are strategic.
• Former President Khatami speaking at the Australia National University urges the audience to unite against "extremism and violence anywhere in the world." 
• After 200 tons of Iranian aid to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon searched with Lebanese Army dogs, Palestinians accuse the Lebanese Army of using dogs to make the aid religiously untouchable.
• Iran to participate at the Afghanistan conference in The Hague. 
• (E) Iran blames Israel for a blast in Lebanon that killed a senior PLO official.
  • (E) Iran calls for a fact-finding committee to investigate crimes committed by Israel during the recent fighting in Gaza.
• (E) Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki arrived in Brazil for a two-day visit.
  • Mottaki plans on meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s parliament speaker, and his counterpart. He will be discussing expanding and consolidating Iran’s bilateral relations with Brazil.
• (E) Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan announced the construction of a 300-kilometer pipeline that will transport Iranian fuel into Armenia.

• ISNA reports huge rise in fruit prices during the holiday season, criticizes the government for not living up to its promise of regulating the market. 
• Ansar News Agency's Kioumars Katouzi claims Ahmadinejad is the "vanguard of free and popular economy." 
• (E) The Guardian Council approved the budget bill for next year after it was amended by the Majilis.

• As inhospitable treatment of Shi'a intensifies in Saudi Arabia, a book titled Ahang-e Hejaz [The Song Of Hejaz] discussing beheading of a Shi'a Iranian pilgrim in Mecca is published in Iran with colorful descriptions of the relations between the Shi'a and the Sunnis.
• Asr-e Iran reports tolerable air quality in Tehran because of the Nowrouz New Year holiday. 

• 1,500 trillion rials dedicated to improved border security. 
• Moqtada al-Sadr calls for demonstrations against the United States. 

• (E) Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist held in custody for more than a month for illegally working as journalist, claims she will go on a hunger strike if she is not released. Saberi has worked in Iran for six years and has reported for BBC, NPR, and Fox News.

• The Law Enforcement Force arrest "hooligans" in Tehran.