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

• Eighteen minister candidates receive parliamentary vote of confidence:
  • Reza Taghipour, Communications and Information Technology
  • Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi, Intelligence
  • Shams al-Din Hosseini, Economy and Finance
  • Manouchehr Mottaki, Foreign Affairs
  • Mehdi Ghazanfari, Commerce
  • Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi, Health
  • Mohammad Abbasi, Cooperatives
  • Sadegh Khalilian, Agriculture
  • Morteza Bakhtiari, Justice
  • Ahmad Vahidi, Defense
  • Hamid Behbahani, Roads and Transportation
  • Ali-Akbar Mehrabian, Industry and Mines
  • Kamran Daneshjou, Higher Education, Research and Technology
  • Mohammad Hosseini, Culture and Islamic Guidance
  • Abd al-Reza Sheikh-al-Eslami, Labor and Social Affairs
  • Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, Interior
  • Ali Nikzad, Housing
  • Masoud Mir-Kazemi, Oil.
    • Three candidates to cabinet positions did not receive a vote of confidence: Ali-Abadi, Energy Ministry, Keshavarz, Education Ministry, and Ajorlou, Welfare.
    • Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi receives the highest degree of support in parliament, with 227 votes.
    • Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi, Health Minister, becomes the first female cabinet member in the history of the Islamic Republic.
    • Information on the vote of the parliament for each candidate.
    • At the parliamentary debate on vote of confidence for Ahmadinejad's second cabinet, a number of candidates, including Intelligence Minister Moslehi, Cooperatives Minister Abbasi and Education Minister Keshavarz claim their candidacy has been sanctioned by the Supreme Leader. This in turn provokes criticism (and here).
    • Sunni members of the parliament demand to know why Ahmadinejad has not appointed any Sunnis to be minister.
• Karrubi meeting representatives of the Teachers' Association:
  • "Unfortunately a reactionary mentality exists in the country which was not dominant before, but has been propagated lately, has grown and become dominant. This is the very retrograde mentality against which his late Holiness the Imam [Khomeini] warned."
  • We can't solve any problem by shutting down the media, banning newspapers, censuring the internet, by arresting people or by repressing and attacking the people in the streets. We must try to satisfy the public and we should not distance ourselves from the original ideals of the Islamic revolution."

Religion, Culture, and Society

• Reformist preachers announce ten nights worth of sermons for Ramadan at the Dar Al-Zahra. Ali-Akbar Mohtashami-Pour will be present during all the ceremonies and the list of the preachers includes: Mohammad Razavi Yazdi, Mostafa Foumani, Mohammad-Sadegh Kamelan, Khalaji, Naser Mahdavi, and Majid Ansari.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad to address the United Nations General Assembly.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qashqavi says replacement of ambassadors and head of missions and councils of the Islamic Republic abroad takes place every third year and is quite natural: "With more than 130 representations abroad and by taking a third of natural annual change - which means circa 45 ambassadors, heads of mission and councils of the Islamic Republic on annual basis there is no surprise..."
• [E] A senior Iranian official says Tehran is trying to defuse the recent tensions created between Iraq and Syria after the bombings in Baghdad.
• [E] Ahmadinejad reiterates support for Palestinians and condemns Israeli actions in a phone discussion with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. According to a statement released by Hamas: "In this discussion, Haniyeh and Ahmadinejad reviewed political developments and recent conspiracies against the al-Aqsa Mosque and exchanged ideas about the dangers for Jewishification of Jerusalem (al-Quds) and the occupation of Palestinians' lands."

Economy

• According to E'temad an "American style recession" will emerge in the Iranian housing sector because of increasing debt to the banking sector.
• Average cost of living in urban areas is around 881,000 rials per month.
• National Iranian Oil Company is about to release $1 billion worth of "participation stocks."
• [E] Indian Oil Corp (IOC) may step out of Iran’s Faris block for financial reasons.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh, has asked the U.N. Security Council to legally disengage from the country’s nuclear issue.
• [E] E.U. foreign policy Chief Javier Solana denies receiving any nuclear proposals from Iran. Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili had earlier said that “the Islamic Republic's package of proposals is updated and ready and will be presented [to world powers]."
• [E] Member states of Non-Aligned Movement at IAEA Board of Governors adopts a statement in support of Iran's peaceful nuclear program.

Photos of the Day

• Vote of confidence to Ahmadinejad's cabinet. Video.