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

• Tehran-e Emrooz reports that Ayatollahs Jannati, Yazdi and Mesbah Yazdi did not meet with Ahmadinejad.
• Fararu reports increasing political tensions between Ahmadinejad and his elder brother Davoud. 
• Kayhan slams widows of martyred commanders Hemmat and Bakeri for their support to the "seditionists," accuses them of "selling the blood of the martyrs," and Mohammad Khatami for supporting the widows.

Diplomacy

• Mohsen Rezai, former Revolutionary Guards chief: "During the war we said 'until collapse of Saddam.' Back then we never discussed establishment of a government after Saddam, but today we see that all those who are at the helm of the Iraqi government are our close friends."
• Syria’s President Assad travels to Iran to discuss expansion of economic cooperation.
• Sadegh Zibakalam, academic, slams Ahmadinejad's performance in New York:
  • "If our standard is the national interests of our country I seriously doubt that these trips are in the national interest of the Islamic Republic of Iran. I believe that his trips and the issues he has presented at the United Nations General Assembly are absolutely not to the benefit of or in the interest of our country."
  • "The proposition that a committee should investigate 9/11... ridicules the United States and ignores facts and what is certain."

Military and Security

• Commander Hamadani, Mohammad Rasul-Allah Revolutionary Guards unit chief, says the principle of nonintervention in politics applies to "the military" but not the Basij.
• Mehr News reports Naval war game in the Caspian Sea.

Economy

• U.S. dollar reaches new heights against the rial.
• Jewelers in Tabriz continue their strike against introduction of Value Added Tax for the fourth day in a row.

Trade

• Rostam Ghasemi, Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base of the Revolutionary Guards chief, says the National Natural Gas Company of Iran and Khatam al-Anbia have finalized a contract to finish the second phase of the trans-Iranian gas pipeline which is to extend to Pakistan.
• Habibollah Sayari, Navy chief: "We will never allow such a country [United Arab Emirates] to inspect our ships... the Emirates has not the courage to do so..."
• Iranian insurance companies stress the "inefficacy of the sanctions."

Human Rights

• Hojjat al-Eslam Mohseni Ezhehi, prosecutor general: "The court has issued its ruling on dissolution of Mojahedin-e Enghelab-e Eslami and Jebhe-ye Mosharekat-e Iran-e Eslami [reformist political parties]... First Vice President [Rahimi] is not among those indicted of economic corruption... Azad University is not a religious charity... Sakineh Mohammad's stoning has been ruled, but is awaiting the act of retribution because of murder..." Here and here. Video.
• Kaleme releases the names, date of arrest, alleged crime, and sentences of 216 political prisoners.
• Children of illegal aliens are denied the right to attend schools in Iran.

Media

• Mohammad-Ali Ramin dismissed as media deputy at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.  Ramin denies.

Photos of the Day

• War Veterans who serve in parliament commemorate the war.