Iran News Round Up

Politics

• Supreme Leader Khamenei addresses "hundreds of scientific and cultural elites:"

• "The truth is that the Islamic regime in the course of the events of the past thirty years, including the latest political events, has - because of the constant and all out assault of military, security, media and propaganda giants of the world - developed a certain immunity and has become a shock proof mass..."

• "The conspiracies of the enemies of the Iranian nation are an undeniable reality. It is possible that there are some people in Iran who have been subjected to such conspiracies but are unaware of it, but this does not change the reality..."

• "Had the Voice and Vision [of the Islamic Republic] managed to show the realities about the progress of the country more fully, more correctly and in an artful manner, the hopes of the youth generation and happiness and pride of the people would have been much greater than the case is today, but under any circumstance, while criticizing a certain issue or an institution one must be just..."

• "Questioning the principle of the election is the greatest of all crimes..."

• "The very day after the election there were some who without any reason or argument called that great election a lie. Is this a small crime…?"

• "The enemy used this injustice to the maximum and inside the country there were some people who from the very beginning were not approving of the Islamic regime, and because of the manipulations and directorship of some of the elements of the regime they took advantage of the circumstances and those events took place..."

• "During the very first hours I sent them a personal message that you are starting some issues but others will take advantage of it and you will not be able to control the affairs. That was what happened. When one enters the realm of politics, one must, like a master chess player, predict the next moves and changes of the arena..."

• Pointing at the opposition of some to shouting the slogans of "Death to Israel" and "Death to the United States" Supreme Leader Khamenei asked: "What is the true meaning these issues?"

• Supreme Prosecutor General Hojjat al-Eslam Mohseni Ezheh-i says he has received a complaint against Mir-Hossein Mousavi signed by one hundred members of the parliament.

• Alef News Agency documents that the "Belford University" allegedly based in Canada from where First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi has his Ph.D. degree does not exist.

Diplomacy

• A group called "Muslim Iranian Students" in a widely publicized open letter to Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey quotes Grand Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic: "It would be better if the governments of the region would mobilize all their energy to make Israel disappear from Geography" and calls for severing of Turkey's diplomatic relations with Israel.

• Javan reports that members of the Office of the Consolidation of Unity student organization is planning to seize the Russian Embassy in Tehran on the occasion of the anniversary of the seizure of the American Embassy.

•  (E) A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry was appalled when the United Arab Emirates refused to extend the residences of a number of Iranian national living in the UAE long-term. The spokesman expected the UAE to provide welfare facilities for these citizens given the extensive role that Iran plays in the UAE economy.

• (E) A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Iran condemned Israel for its desecration of the al Aqsa Mosque. The spokesman extended his comments to rally the Muslim world in protest of Israel’s inhumane behavior.

• (E) Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said that Iran is ready to help end the ongoing conflict in Yemen. However, Vahidi denied allegations of Iran’s interference into domestic affairs in Yemen and any form of military involvement.

Military and Security

• Defense Minister Vahidi refutes earlier reports on an Iranian ship transporting arms to the Zaydi Shi'a of Yemen, expresses the Islamic Republic's readiness to "solve the issues of Yemen."

• Brigadier General Mostafa Izadi, General Staff Deputy:

  • "In administration of the Sistan area, the Revolutionary Guards has a strong resolve to create security...[Pointing at the performance of the Guards in Kordestan and West Azerbaijan province, Izadi continues]: The Guards did their utmost to have the fewest number of martyrs and let the people be harmed in the least way..."

  • "It is beyond discussion that the people of the region are not the same as the villains and the method of the revolution and the Guards is to prepare the ground for development and security for the people and conditions are created so those people who are misled by the villains return to the bosom of Islam and the Iranian nation…but the Guards have no problem fighting those abusing such opportunities..."

• (E) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (ICRG), declared Iran’s deterrence to be a success. Referring to Iran’s recent military expansion, Jafari noted that Iran has become too formidable an enemy for potential aggressors.

Nuclear Issue

• During Mehdi Karrubi's visit to Mir-Hossein Mousavi's office, Mousavi criticizes the nuclear negotiations in Geneva: "Take a look at the amazing nuclear negotiation which took place in Geneva...It is interesting that they accuse the children of the revolution and the servants of the country of being connected with and prone towards the West and East, but they themselves act in such a way. This issue and the likes of it should be disclosed to the people so they know how the country is being administered..."

• An "informed sources" urges the French Foreign Minister to stop creating "obstacles" at Iran's nuclear negotiations and adds: "Statements of the French Foreign Minister once again demonstrate that France has no positive drive to cooperate with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the issue of enrichment and our distrust towards this country has been fully justified and based upon realities."

  • (E) In response to French Foreign Minster Bernard Kouchner's negative remarks on the Vienna agreements, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry warned that France would lose financial interests because of its anti- Iran stance. The spokesman claimed that Kouchner’s attitude confirmed that Paris has no desire to cooperate with Iran on enrichment agreements and reinforced Iran’s distrust.

• (E) Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to see the issue of Iran’s nuclear program solved diplomatically. Erdogan expects a solution that will allow Iran to develop a peaceful nuclear energy program while addressing global proliferation concerns. An Iranian delegation is scheduled to visit Turkey next month to discuss establishing an Iranian bank in Turkey and a Turkish bank in Iran.

• (E) Ali Asghar Soltanieh, the Iranian representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, responded to the IAEA-brokered draft addressing Tehran’s nuclear reactor, saying “Islamic Republic of Iran pursues Vienna talks with a positive view”. However, Soltanieh explained that while Iran will accept the majority of the IAEA draft, there must be certain economic revisions.

• (E) Speaking in the northeastern city of Mashhad, President Ahmadinejad asserted that the issue of providing fuel for Iran’s research reactor is an opportunity to test IAEA member states’ willingness to cooperate honestly. Ahmadinejad noted that Iran has had nuclear fuel agreements before, but partner countries did follow through on their obligations.

Trade

• First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi says Iran/Turkey trade will soon reach $30 billion.

  • (E) Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on gas and energy cooperation.

Religion, Culture, and Society

• (E) An earthquake measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale shook the outskirts of the city of Jiroft in Kerman province, southeastern Iran. Damage reports have not yet been released. Destructive earthquake activity is not uncommon in Iran as the country lies on some of the most active seismic fault lines.

• (E)The Iranian soccer team remains at the top of Group C after a goalless game with Columbia at the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Nigeria. The team will be guaranteed a place in the next round if it wins a game with the Netherlands this Saturday.

Photo of the Day

• Supreme Leader meets Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan.