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

• Tehran-e Emrooz makes a comparative study of the three official visits Ayatollah Khamenei has made to the holy city of Qom in his capacity as Supreme Leader. http://www.tehrooz.com/1389/7/27/TehranEmrooz/400/Page/6/

Diplomacy

• Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez visits Tehran.
• Mardomsalari editorializes: "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has hitherto had three visits to Caracas and Chavez will be Ahmadinejad's guest for the ninth time. Tehran/Caracas relations are marked by exorbitant investments of the Iranians. Establishing tractor factories, housing projects, Iran Khodro's production line, expansion of cooperation in the field of agriculture, mines and oil count among some of the most important projects. The fate of the joint Iran and Venezuela bank is unknown and it is not clear what Iran reaps from its investments. But it is important that Venezuela is not a reliable and effective partner in the field of international diplomacy. It may be a beneficial regional ally for Iran, but the benefits and results don't balance the costs Iran pays... If we are to receive the S-300 [air defense system] through the Venezuelan channel, we should not pay exorbitant sums to Caracas as a middleman." 

Military and Security

• Said Ghasemi, former Revolutionary Guards commander, in an interview with Raja News: "Should we start the bypassing of the Ahmadinejad project and say that he is now done and we should look for someone else, we will not get anything better. Hezbollah should not commit this historical mistake by thinking one can get something better."
• Hossein Hamadani, Greater Tehran Mohammad Rasoulallah Revolutionary Guards unit chief, says "new Ashoura brigades" will be formed "based upon the Basij."
• Minou Aslani, Basij of the Sisters chief: "There is no such a thing as a women' movement in Iran."
• Commander Hossein Zolfaghari of the Revolutionary Guards says seven armed Afghan border policemen have been arrested after entering Iranian territory.

• The Ahmadinejad government is expected to transfer cash handouts to the bank accounts of millions of applicants in Razavi, Northern and Southern Khorasan provinces today. Each applicant is granted $81. The total number of applicants all over Iran is around 60 million.
  • Ahmadinejad and his political allies warn against "economic sedition."
• Adel Azar, Iran Statistical Center director, says an average urban Iranian family's monthly income is $780 while its monthly expenses are above $826.

Trade

• Javad Seyyedpour, Tehran-e Emrooz analyst, warns against depletion of gas and oil fields that Iran shares with neighboring countries but can't develop due to United States' unilateral sanctions.
• According to Egyptian sources, Iran has made $331 million in Egypt during the past 40 years.

Photos of the Day

• Nouri al-Maliki visits Supreme Leader Khamenei.