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, please visit this page, fill out the "New Subscribers" section, and check "Iran News Round Up" listed under "Projects." 

(E) = Article in English

Politics

• Welfare Minister Sadegh Mahsouli auctions Ahmadinejad's car to raise money for housing projects.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad plans to visit Abu Musa, an island disputed with the United Arab Emirates.
• [E] Iran's President has questioned the recent leaked documents obtained and published by the Wikileaks website, saying the US administration "released" material intentionally.
• [E] A prominent Indian peace activist announced that a land aid cargo that is scheduled to leave India for Gaza on Thursday would be a move to unite Asian states against Zionism.
• [E] Ahmadinejad said in press conference on Monday that undoubtedly, the western governments and the Zionist regime were involved in the terror acts which killed one of the country's nuclear scientists.

Military and Security

• An "unarmed" and "mentally disturbed man's attempt to hijack a passenger plane to Damascus" was aborted.
• The Revolutionary Guards boast of preventing "an element related to the counterrevolution to hijack a plane."
  • Commander Ramezan Sharif, Revolutionary Guards Public Relations deputy, says the hijacking attempt was aimed at "impacting news coverage of the Lebanese Prime Minister's visit to Iran."
• Basij of the Oppressed will soon have a brown uniform of its own distinct from the IRGC uniform.
• Monthly salary during military service: 1st Private, 2nd Private, and Private First Class: C. $42, Corporal: $43, Sergeant First Class: $47, Sergeant: $45, Master Sergeant: $49, First Sergeant: $51, Sergeant Major: $54, 3rd Lieutenant: $58, 2nd Lieutenant: $62, 1st Lieutenant: $69, 1st Lieutenant Medical Doctor: $76.
• Basij Chief Mohammad-Reza Naghdi: "The enemies of the Islamic revolution have 30 years experience with us but have still not come to their senses and conspire against our country..."
  • Naghdi also says "the dirty monarchical regime of Britain was established and solidified during the past two to three decades."
• Former Revolutionary Guards Chief Rahim Safavi: "It is written in George Bush's memoirs that after invading Afghanistan and Iraq, they had decided to attack Iran, but the question remains: Why did the Americans not find the courage to attack Iran despite their decision? It is clear that after the wise preparations and courageous positions of the Supreme Leader, the presence of the Basij and the fact that the Americans did not know what would be the reaction of the Basij, they did not find the courage to attack Iran. Of course, apart from the military might of our country's armed forces, the Basij was the main deterrence towards United States invasion..."
• Hojjat al-Eslam Mojtaba Zolnour, Basij deputy: "There are those who think that Bani-Sadr fled the country, but the Islamic regime allowed Bani-Sadr to leave the country... Everyone saw that Bani-Sadr fled the country dressed as a woman..."
• Navy Chief Habibollah Sayari says the navy will add new submarine units.
• Expediency Council Strategic Studies Center arranges a seminar on underground music in Iran.
• [E] A senior Iranian diplomat denies western media reports claiming that Iran has obtained 19 advanced missiles from North Korea.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Tehran city declares Wednesday and Thursday holidays due to pollution.
• Hojjat al-Eslam Panahian: "The Gladiator shows more the meaning of martyrdom than Iranian-made films."
• The Social Security Organization distributes a Persian translation of Larry Hedrick's The Arts of Leadership and War based on Xenophon's Cyropaedia.

Photos of the Day

• Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri at a military exhibit in Tehran.