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

• Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, Tehran Revolutionary Tribunal general prosecutor, threatens Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who earlier condemned execution of five individuals on charges of armed struggle against the Islamic Republic:
  • "How many pages of these cases have your read since you make such a judgment? It would have been better if you did not add this to your own record..."
  • "The very years when executions of Monafeghin [Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization] took place according to decree of His Holiness the Imam, he [Mousavi] was prime minister. If he has such a claim, how come he served during those days? He has no right to question the decisive rulings of the courts and make statements which pleases the enemies of the Islamic regime..."
  • "The public prosecutor will act at the suitable time and this issue has nothing to do with the election..."
  • "Support from this individual and his statements is spreading of lies and such statements are an offense."
• 174 parliamentarians send an open letter to parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani demanding prosecution of "the heads of the discord."
• Fereshteh Hashemi Rafsanjani, wife of Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani, tells the tale of abuse at the hands of vigilante organizations:
  • "On that particular day I had gone out for shopping. All of a sudden, a number attacked me and said that I should not go to the other side of the street. I politely said that my car is on the other side of the street. I had not even ended my statements before the gentlemen attacked me with punches and kicks, they took the chador from the head of the daughter in law of the chairman of the Expediency Council, they scratched her face, took her to the ground and finally brought her with them..."

Diplomacy

• Supreme Leader Khamenei to the president of Brazil:
  • "The only way to change the unjust world order is cooperation and expansion of relations of independent states with each other..."
  • "The superpowers have defined a hierarchical world order at top of which there is a superpower. This relationship must change and change is possible..."
  • "A clear example [of the United States opposing cooperation among independent states] is the mayhem the Americans have made because of your visit to Iran, and this is because they are opposed to such relations..."
• Supreme Leader Khamenei receives the president of Senegal on the occasion of Group 15 summit in Tehran: "The Zionist occupiers who enjoy American support must be subjected to political and economic pressure from Islamic countries."
• Ahmadinejad and president of Brazil sign memoranda of cooperation in various fields, especially energy and oil.
• Ahmadinejad speaks of his last visit to New York: "At the New York meeting, Mrs. Clinton delivered a speech after me and seemed to be terrified! With all their propaganda they attempted to have representatives of the countries leave the venue during the speech... Iran's representative asked one of the Europeans leaving the meeting why are you leaving and he answered that I was ordered to but I was listening from a corner..."
• Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan visits Tehran.
• [E] Supreme Leader has called on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to focus its attention on the issue of Palestine. 
• [E] The 14th Summit of the Group of 15 (G-15) began in Tehran on Monday with senior officials from developing countries in attendance. 

Military and Security

• Hassan Firouzabadi, chief of the General Staff: "When the enemies of the Islamic regime see the preparedness of and modern arms of the armed forces as well as the presence of the people and the Basij members, well, this is deterrence. This is what bothers the enemies of the Islamic revolution...."
• Karim Abedi, parliamentarian, says the Foreign Ministry has asked Iranian authorities to bring their children home from foreign universities, especially Britain. According to Mehdi Shahriari, National Security Committee member, up to 400 individuals, all children of top authorities of the Islamic Republic, are studying in Britain, but adds return of the students is not obligatory.
• Asr-e Iran releases the biography of vigilante leader Hossein Allah-Karam.

Economy

• Jahan News releases the list of some of the richest Iranians.

Human Rights

• Mohsen Armin, reformist theoretician, is arrested on security charges.

Nuclear Issue

• Iran's Ahmadinejad, Turkey's Erdogan and Brazil's De Silva reach agreement regarding exchange of fuel for Tehran research reactor.
  • Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry spokesman, says a formal letter will be written to the IAEA and explain how 1200 kilogram low enriched uranium from Iran will be stockpiled, under IAEA and Iranian supervision, in Turkey.
• [E] Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says Iran expects a positive reaction from the West to the agreement made among Iran, Turkey and Brazil on the swap of nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor.
• [E] Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu underlined his country's commitment to keep safe Iran's low enriched uranium until Iran receives its needed nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor.
• [E] Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi says that Iran's decision to accept Turkey and Brazil's offer for the nuclear fuel swap indicates Tehran's good will.
• [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki explained the ten-article conditions of an agreement made among Iran, Turkey and Brazil on the swap of nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Rouhollah Hosseinian, parliamentarian, says after the discord of 2009, the hijab situation has deteriorated.

Iran in the Afghan Media

·         Iran plans to issues 90,000 work visas to Afghan refugees who would be willing to return their families from Iran to Afghanistan voluntarily.

·         Afghan police disperse dozens of Afghans gathering in front of Iranian consulate in the border Herat province to protest recent executions of Afghans in Iran.

·         Afghanistan’s Vice President Marshal Qasim Fahim meets Iranian Ambassador to Kabul Fida Hossien Maleki to discuss the issue of Afghan prisoners in Iran.

·         Afghanistan’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry refutes Iranian authorities’ claim that the Afghan government has agreed to switch Afghanistan’s exports and imports from Karachi port of Pakistan to Iran’s Chabahar port.

Photos of the Day

• Iranian nomads with satellite receivers.