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 

Mousavi says "there is really no reason to make the entire world our enemy" and criticizes the government for high inflation and poor management of oil revenue; Tabnak lists the names of Ahmadinejad's campaign managers and says most of them are very young; presidential candidate Ghasem Sho'le-Sa'di says Barack Obama stole his slogan of "change"; and members of Iran's parliament say sanctions must be removed before engagement with the U.S. can occur.

Politics 

·         Kalameh publishes Mir-Hossein Mousavi's speech in Kerman:

o    "It is a source of grief that the historical oil revenue of the ninth government could have led to economic blossoming and result in single digit inflation, but with the elections ahead of us, we witness 25 percent inflation... The high inflation rate annihilates productivity. Annihilates the economy and causes hardships for the people...

o    Instead of thinking about managing the world affairs and solving global problems it should solve the problems of the country and not waste time by speaking all over the world...

o    I find it painful that at a time Iranian agricultural products are not harvested, South African grapes and Chinese oranges with Israeli brands have entered our national market...

o    [In our foreign policy] there is really no reason to make the entire world our enemy... In order to advance our Iran we need to be united and not instigating enmity and a negative atmosphere the price of which will be paid by the people of our country... In my cabinet there will be no hundred billions of tomans ministers since his holiness the Imam [Khomeini] advised us to choose the children of the nation and common people in order to administer the affairs of the country..." 

§  According to Kalameh Mousavi's speech in Kerman made the crowds chant: "Sall-e 'ala-Mohammad bou-ye shahadat amad" [Blessed be the household of (the prophet) Muhammed the scent of martyrdom has arrived [in Kerman]", and "Sall-e 'ala-Mohammad naji be Kerman amad" [Blessed be the household of (the prophet) Muhammad the savior has come to Kerman", "Mousavi, Mousavi hemayatat mikonim" [Mousavi, Mousavi, we support you", and "Sall-e 'ala Mohammad omid-e mellat amad" [Blessed be the household of (the prophet) Muhammad the hope of the nation has come]. According to Kalameh, the crowd chanted the nationalist anthem "Ey Iran" [O, Iran], usually not tolerated by the Islamic Republic authorities.

·         Tabnak News releases information about campaign headquarters composition for Ahmadinejad supporters. Senior presidential advisor Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi is the head of the Ahmadinejad campaign, Supreme Health Organization Chief Abol-Hassan Faghih is organizational manager of the campaign and former SAIPA car manufacturing company Director General Mehrdad Bazrpash is the head of the public relation office. Among other campaign managers is the head of the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry Young Advisors Chief Meisam Nili as head of the Political Committee and a certain Mansouri as head of the Planning and Program Committee. Abdol-Reza Dad-Boud is appointed head of the Ahmadinejad campaign in Mazandaran province. Most of the campaign managers of the Ahmadinejad group are very young.

·         (E) Ebtekar withdraws candidacy in favor of Mousavi.

·         Presidential candidate Esmail Ahmadi, civil servant in Shahriar with a diploma degree, talks to the journalists after registering for presidential elections: "I'm not among the Rejal-e Siyasi [Men of distinction, grandees - a requirement for candidacy for presidential elections mentioned in Constitution of the Islamic Republic] but after getting elected I can gradually become one."

·         Presidential candidate Iraj Sa'atchi, after registering his candidacy, declares he will vote for Mohammad Khatami. When the members of the press tell the candidate that Khatami has for some months announced that he will not run for president, Sa'atchi promptly declares his support for Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

o    75-year-old Abd al-Ali Sepid-Kaseh from Torbat-e Heydariyeh claims he was the main reason behind ending of the war between Iran and Iraq and that it was he who opened the path of the holy city of Karbala to Iranian pilgrims. Sepid-Kaseh also adds that should he become president he would prohibit soccer because young people should work rather than play. In foreign policy Sepid-Kaseh declares his support for dialogue with Barack Obama since "they [the Americans] are our brothers. I'll even negotiate with Israel since the Israelis are children of Abraham."

o    A third presidential candidate Ne'mat Dowlatyari says he is married to Iran.

o    A fourth presidential candidate 54-year-old Rasoul Allah-Yari claims he has experienced a divine revelation in which God commanded him to run for president in order to solve the problems of the people.

o    The more prominent presidential candidate Ghasem Sho'le-Sa'di claimed Barack Obama has stolen his slogan of "change.”

Military and Security

·         Armed Forces Command Council to issue CD Roms with biographic information on Iran/Iraq war-era commanders. 

Trade

·         While most of the candidates speak of self-sufficiency, the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran has become an imported product from China. 

·         (E) Germany’s former chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder says Iran plays a vital world energy role.

Diplomacy

·         (E) Iranian parliamentarian says removal of sanctions is a prerequisite for engagement with the United States.

·         (E) Ahmadinejad: Resistance is only way to defeat Zionists.

Photos of the Day

·         Pictures from the second day of registration for presidential hopefuls at the Interior Ministry.  More here.

·         As Mir-Hossein Mousavi speaks in Kerman, green banners indicating his being a seyyed [descendant of the prophet Muhammad] dominate the decor.