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].

Politics

• Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi, former Culture and Islamic Guidance minister, has speech disrupted at Tehran University by students chanting "Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, my life be sacrificed for Iran,” and "Death to Russia" [which many Iranians believe assisted the Ahmadinejad government in suppression of popular unrest after the election].

• Supreme Leader Khamenei on Zahedan bombing: "The crime of blood thirsty criminals in Baluchistan has shown the Satanic face of the enemies of security of unity who are supported by some spy agencies of certain imperialist powers more than before...The strong arm of the Islamic regime will punish those treacherous individuals who have violated the life, property and security of the people..."

• Ghahreman Rashid is appointed South Khorasan governor.

• Mousavi issues a video message to the supporters of the Green Movement, asks every Iranian to help the movement with whatever means he or she has.

• Mousavi and his wife meet the families of imprisoned 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage takers Aminzadeh and Mrs. Asgharzadeh and ask why the Islamic Republic can "claim to fight the United States and at the same time imprison the heads of the Muslims Students Following the Line of the Imam like Mir-Damadi and Aminzadeh. What does it mean?"

• Karrubi, responding to Prosecutor General Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ezheh-i's announcement that a trial of Mousavi and Karrubi is getting closer, says he welcomes the trial "so that I can disclose some issues which I have not talked about for years because of certain considerations..."

• Final candidates for cabinet positions: Mohammad-Reza Haji-Babayi as Education Minister, Sadegh Mahsouli as Welfare and Social Security Minister and Hassan Zabihi as Energy Minister.

• Former Parliamentarian Akbar Alami in a panel debate at Amir Kabir University urges Ayatollah Jannati not to guide the general public in political affairs before he has established order in his own family: "In 1983 the son of Jannati who was a member of the Mojahedin-e Khalq was killed by the Guards and his daughter in law is today a fugitive and serves as one of the heads of this organization. Therefore, Jannati must begin propagation of devotion to the revolution and to the Imam [Khomeini] from his own family and afterwards become the guardian of the people..."

• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei meets "several thousand female scholars of the Quran."

Military and Security

• Kayhan accuses the United States, Great Britain and Israel of supporting Jundallah, which took responsibility for the terror attack in Zahedan.

  • IRGC head Ja'fari accuses United States, Britain and Pakistan of supporting and directing attacks by Abd al-Malek Rigi's Jundallah against Iran.
  • Updated list of those killed in bombing.
  • (E) A senior Iran judiciary official announced that three suspects have been arrested in connection with the recent suicide bombing in the southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan. While the suicide bomber was an Iranian national, Zahedan's Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor Mohammad Marzieh has not released information regarding the identity of the suspects. The Pakistani terrorist organization Jundallah has claimed responsibility for the violence.
  • (E) In a message to Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and tribal leader, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned that those responsible for the recent terrorist attacks will be severely punished. A delegation from Iran is scheduled to visit Pakistan to present relevant evidence and information about the attack.
  • An "informed source" discloses that prior to his "martyrdom" at the hands of Jundallah, the Revolutionary Guards Ground Forces Deputy was engaged in development of a railroad from Chabahar to Mashhad, establishment of cotton plantations in Sistan Va Balouchestan province and other schemes improving the conditions of life for the region.
  • Zahedan General and Revolutionary Tribunal Public Prosecutor three individuals who are believed to have cooperated with the suicide bomber are arrested in Zahedan.
  • Qalibaf, Tehran Mayor and war veteran of the Revolutionary Guards speaks at the funeral of Mohammadzadeh, Revolutionary Guards' Salman Unit in Sistan Va Baluchistan Province Chief who was killed in the Zahedan terrorist attack.

• Fars News Agency, discussing the public outrage in the wake of the Revolutionary Guards takeover of Iran Telecommunications, writes that criticism of privatization of state-owned businesses has reached an "irrational level" which could "harm the privatization" in Iran and claims privatization does not mean "handover of public owned enterprises to semi-public organizations." Fars also quotes Mohammad Karami-Rad, parliamentarian: "The transfer of ownership committee has studied the issue of privatization of the Telecommunications company very closely and it was agreed that the Point 44 of the law [privatization of state owned enterprises] has been respected."

• "Ashianeh" [The Nest] hackers of Iran who attack Israeli websites are - according to Alef News Agency - considered some of the best hackers in the world.

Nuclear Issue

• IRNA analyzes the Vienna negotiations:

  • "The nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor [purchased in Argentina] is finished next year and it is natural that Iran is thinking about securing fuel for this reactor...Prior to 2008 the Westerners were focusing on Iran's intent..."
  • "When asked what solution they would recommend they would say suspension..."
  • "After December 2008 Western concern increased...as the IAEA reported that the enriched uranium reserve in Iran had passed 1200 kilograms..."
  • "But building a nuclear bomb has never been a part of Iran's defense doctrine, and has no benefit to Iran...but the paranoia of the Westerners remains..."
  • "The Americans had chosen a strategy of negotiation and pressure at the same time in order to force Iran first to suspend [its activities] and later totally abandon its nuclear program...but after the coming to power of the Principalist government, the Americans chose IAEA inspection their first priority, and suspension their second priority..."
  • "The Westerners hoped that if Iran did not accept suspension, at the very least they would preserve IAEA access to Iran's nuclear installations and a situation where the West has no idea of what happens inside Iran is avoided..."
  • "The analysis of the Americans and their partners was that Iran's need of securing nuclear fuel for the Tehran reactor was the best opportunity to deplete Iran's [enriched uranium] reserves and remove Iran from the threshold situation..."
  • "From the Western point of view this strategy [of sending the material to Russia for 20 percent enrichment and to France to remake it into fuel] had several advantages..."
  • "Iran loses its reserve of enriched uranium and will no longer be a threshold state..."
  • "Second, this option provides Iran with nuclear fuel which can't be used for weapon purposes..."
  • "Third, from the Western point of view, Iran will not gain experience in the field of high level enrichment..."
  • "One can expect that the Iranian delegation, in the course of its negotiations,...will not even listen to Western demands [of production and guarding of the nuclear materials]..."
  • "Iran considers securing of the nuclear fuel for the Tehran reactor a lucrative economic deal and will study the background and past behavior of those countries who will be the vendors of nuclear fuel..."
  • "No country has as poor past as France when it comes to securing Iran's nuclear fuel needs...In 1974 Iran purchased 10 percent of the international EURODIF shares which is a consortium producing nuclear materials...but the French government has not allowed Iran to purchase a single gram of the products of this company to be purchased by Iran...Interestingly, the French government has even frozen the economic interests of Iran in EURODIF since 2006..."
  • "If they want to make a deal with Iran, France must be removed, and if France is excluded, the internal Group 6 dynamics will experience deep crisis..."
  • "Finally, it seems as if Iran is in a good position not to export any part of its nuclear material abroad..." 

• The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States engage in a "technical discussion" of the Tehran research reactor.

• Fars News Agency quoting Agence France Press says the negotiations were suspended due to "exclusion of France in the IAEA Director General's proposal."

• A certain Ayatollah Moradi in an article released by Alef News Agency says the United States' abandoning of the missile defense was partly a "green light to Iran," but mostly an attempt to mobilize Russia against the Islamic Republic.

• Rumors on appointment of Kowkab Mousavi, the daughter of Mir-Hossein Mousavi, as director of a nuclear enrichment site.

• The authorities refute rumors on the latest earthquake in Tehran was "unnatural" and the result of subterranean explosions.

• (E) As first round talks focusing on providing fuel for Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor ended in Vienna, no comments were made about the results of the extensive negotiations. Iran's Ambassador to the agency Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh said that commenting would have to be left up to Agency members

• (E)Nuclear talks between Iran and world powers have been rescheduled after France was removed from a list of potential suppliers of enriched uranium. While Iran requires 20 percent enriched uranium for its research reactor, Iranian officials say that France has failed to deliver its supplies in the past. The US has advised Iran to trade in its low-level uranium for high-level uranium, but the country prefers to purchase the materials. The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Shirzadian, warned that if negotiations in Vienna fail, Iran will enrich uranium to the required level.

Human Rights

• The mother of Neda Agha-Soltan, the teenage girl shot by a Basij member, refuses Zaribafan, Tehran Martyr Foundation's offer that should the Agha-Soltan family recognize that "their daughter had been killed as a result of the conspiracies of the enemies they will be covered by the support of the Martyr Foundation." Agha-Soltan's daughter in an interview with Voice of America says: "My daughter was not killed so that I could get hold of wealth and receive a monthly check. I don't care if they register the name of my daughter as a martyr anywhere. What is important to me is that Neda has a proud name in her country and in the world." Video.

Trade

• (E) "Honor Bank", the second bank registered by the National Bank of Belarus (NBB) will provide financial services for foreign trade between Iran and Belarus. The bank is expected to facilitate greater dependencies between Belarus and the Arab market.

Economics

•  (E) Despite critics’ fears of inflation and price increases, Iran's Parliament has approved a proposal to gradually cut subsidies for food and transportation services. While the government claims that the bill will reform Iran’s economy, it still requires approval by the Guardian Council.

Diplomacy

• Javad Moghimi and Hossein Salmanzadeh, Fars News Agency's photographers, have asked for asylum in the United States and have allegedly begun their cooperation with Voice of America.

• Two members of the National Security Committee of the Parliament visit Pakistan to discuss the suicide bombing in Zahedan and Jundallah’s presence on Pakistani soil.

• Meeting the Ambassador of Oman to the Islamic Republic, Rafsanjani expresses concern about the internal situation in Pakistan.

• Foreign Ministry Mottaki appoints Hadi Soleymanpour as Africa Deputy at the Foreign Ministry.

•  (E) In light of the recent terrorist attack in southeaster Iran,Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmad Al Khalifa offered his condolences to the Iranian government, the country, and the families of the victims. He emphasized the need to support the Islamic Republic to counter terrorism and other sources of regional insecurity.

• (E) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki emphasized the growing significance of Iran-Algeria relations in unifying the Islamic Ummah, or the Islamic community. Mottaki also explained that Algeria has gained priority in Iranian foreign relations and that economic cooperation will serce to further identify common interests.

•  (E) Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Khazaee, circulated a letter calling for the UN Security Council to condemn the recent terrorist attacks in Iran’s southeastern province. While the UN Secretary General has already publicly criticized those responsible, Khazaee believed that remarks from the Security Council would send a stronger message to Jundollah that engaging in terrorism is unacceptable.

• (E) Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani claimed that some countries present at the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva attempted to overshadow the discussion as to avoid discussing the Palestinian issue. Despite his disappointment regarding the issue of Palestine, Larijani advanced Iranian diplomacy and met with representatives from Pakistan to discuss an expansion of ties and the need to coordinate to prevent regional insecurity and address terrorism.

Religion, Society, and Culture

• Film director Kaveh Afzali to make the television series "Dayereh-ye Mamnou'e" [Prohibited Circle] depicting the Islamic Republic's nuclear achievements and its use in medical, electricity, agriculture, industry and nuclear energy fields.

• (E) Ali Karimi and Mahdi Mahdavikia, two Iranian soccer players were chosen to represent the Islamic Republic in a 115-member list of the most popular football players from 68 countries. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) announced that voters can select their choices until January 2, 2010.

• (E) Loneliness, a film created by Mehrdad Sheikhan, is scheduled to be screened at the Tindirindis Film Festival, an animation festival in Lithuania. Loneliness is part of the Surrealism World section of the festival.

Photos of the Day

• Supreme Leader, very much alive.

• Former Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Saffar Harandi catches a shoe thrown at him.