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

• Ahmadinejad visits Rasht to inaugurate Sobhan Chemotherapy Unit.
• Rafsanjani addressing Friday Prayer Leaders of the mosques of Tehran, Shemiranat and Karaj warns against "some people who purport to defend Islam, the revolution and the regime, but are conspiring against the Islamic Republic."

• Rafsanjani mouthpiece Agah-Sazi reiterates Rafsanjani's warnings to the regime: "Foreign enemies work very professionally. Some of the statements they make show that they are using professional experts. Most of the experts are those who have left Iran and went abroad or have fled and are either cultural, political, intelligence or military types. They know Iran and are connected with Iran and analyze the affairs...A great discord is in the making and they are not making any retreat. Political and economic weaknesses come to their aid... "

• Fatemeh Karrubi, wife of Mehdi, scolds the regime for the attacks against her husband and son.

• Jaras runs a story about Farid al-Din Hadad Adel, son of the former Speaker of the Parliament.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad tells Iran's ambassadors that the final goal of Iran's diplomacy is "World government."

• Saudi Arabia denies visa to Ali Liyali, Head of the Islamic Republic's Haj and Pilgrimage Organization.

• [E] A senior Iranian legislator on Wednesday said that London's softening tone on Iran would not affect Tehran's decision on lowering ties with Britain, and called on London to revise its hostile policies towards Iran.

• [E] Iranian and Turkish officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand mutual cooperation in different industrial fields, especially in textile, auto-manufacturing and power industries.

• [E] Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Jaffar said on Wednesday that the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran fear that the country might turn into an exemplary model for regional security and resistance.

• [E] Ahmadinejad in a meeting with mines and industries ministers of the eight developing Islamic countries (D8) reiterated that the recent economic meltdown in the world defeated capitalism.

Military and Security

• Iranian Navy declares readiness to build an aircraft career.

• Hassan Abbasi, the Revolutionary Guard's "strategist," says the reason for his absence from television is the result of "bibliomancy" [estekhareh].

• The name of the "Police" changes into "Paas-var."

• According to Fars News Agency, General Hamid Gul, former Pakistani Intelligence Chief, says the United States has supported the Rigi terrorist group in order to disturb Iran-Pakistan relations.

Economy

• According to Abrar-e Eqtesadi, the government has withdrawn $9 billion from the foreign exchange reserve from March 2008 to December 2008.

• Alef News Agency warns of inflation and rising unemployment, urges the parliament to welcome government statements about not realizing its promises about the reform of the subsidies.

Trade

• Hojjat al-Eslam Hassan Rowhani addressing the Oil and Foreign Policy Conference warns against adventurism and sloganeering at a time where there is need for foreign investments to develop Iran's oil industry.

• Number of foreign tourists visiting Iran reached two millions over last year.

Religion, Culture, and Society

• Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, addresses the heads of physical education in Iran: "Recently it has been said that if we make man the pivot of the universe, we have automatically distanced ourselves from God, and that we, more than the West, stress upon man being the center of the universe, but there is a difference between the two  since the Western world presents a false image of man, and a wrong identity [of man]."

• 16,000 couples marry with economic aid from Imam Khomeini Aid and Relief Committee.

• [E] Three consecutive tremors hit the Iranian capital on Wednesday.

Human Rights

• In 2009, Germany gave asylum to around 7,000 Iranians.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] The Nuclear Safety and Security Department of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved the standard safety levels of all Iranian nuclear sites and installations, and lauded the country's measures and special efforts in this regard.

• [E] Iran announced on Wednesday that it welcomed Japan's offer for the supply of nuclear fuel to the Tehran research reactor.

  
  

Photos of the Day

• Abd al-Malek Rigi in detention center.