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

• Ahmadinejad thanks parliament for the vote of confidence for his cabinet, but adds: "I have two small requests. First, I and you are responsible for administration of the country. We should not leave the burden of administration of the country on the shoulders of the Leader, the religious scholars and others. We must administer the country according to Islamic, revolutionary and ideal values...The second point is about the international situation. The enemies attempted to weaken the national strength of Iran. In my opinion the representatives of the people should give them a decisive answer so they lose hope..."
• Speculation about new positions for Ahmadinejad's cabinet nominees who failed to get a vote of confidence: Sousan Keshavarz as Deputy Vice President and Head of the Organization of Women Affairs, Fatemeh Ajorlou as Head of the Life Improvement Organization, Mohammad Ali-Abadi as Khorasan-e Razavi Governor General.
• Speculations about nominees for vacant ministries: Ali Yousef-Pour as Energy Minister, Assadollah Abbasi, Mrs. Fereshteh Heshmatian Gha'em-Maghami, Amir-Mohammad Kharazani, or Abbas Rahi as candidates for the Education Ministry, no names yet for the next welfare minister.
• [E] Iran's vice speaker, Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, has hailed Supreme Leader Khamenei for providing Parliament with "friendly" guidance on approving Ahmadinejad’s cabinet nominees. Khamenei "recommended that the government should start working at the earliest and with fullest capacity at the time when the country is faced with domestic and international crises and issues," Bahonar was quoted as saying on Thursday. "This was not an order at all but a consultative and friendly view which compelled the lawmakers to work more tolerantly with the government."
• Combatant Clergy Association slams IRGC Ja'fari's accusations against various reformist personalities: "These days we witness many baseless statements and many accusations raised by the propaganda machine and from certain quarters against the personalities and groups in order to excuse wrong policies and in an attempt to legitimize irreligious and illegal acts...The Guards Chief has spread a great lie and unbecoming accusations against Hojjat al-Eslam Khatami and Ayatollah Mousavi Khoeini. Such accusations are yet another proof of untruth of the so called confessions of imprisoned individuals. It also was a betrayal of the honorable institution of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which has become an instrument in justification of wrong policies..."
• Mosharekat [Participation] Front releases a five year plan as it faces threats of being banned in the wake of the Tehran show trials.
• The transitional government's Foreign Minister Ebrahim Yazdi says "they can't exclude the reformists from the political arena without losing social support base."
• Following Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani escape to London, Alef News Agency criticizes the Ahmadinejad government's style of alleging economic corruption which, according to Alef, is more directed by politics and political expediency than justice.
• Friday Prayer sermons:
  • Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani, Temporary Tehran Friday Prayer Leader, warns against a "Western style" of teaching the humanities at the universities in Iran.
  • Ayatollah Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, Tabriz Friday Prayer Leader, demands punishment of the "real" instigators of the post-election unrest in Iran.
  • Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini, Qom Friday Prayer Leader, says the Judicial system should not differentiate between the elites and the commoners when it comes to punishment of those responsible for the post election unrest.
  • Ayatollah Alam al-Hoda, Mashhad Friday Prayer Leader: "Those who take a conflicting angle towards the Supreme Leader became loathed by the people."

Religion, Society and Culture

• Hassan Rahim Azghadipour, member of the Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution in Iran, speaking at the Engineers' Association at Imam Sadegh University, warned against a societal phenomenon which he called "devout secularism" and added:
  • "There are people who were in commanding positions under this constitution who are saying things which they opposed in the 1980's... In the 1980's, they wanted to nationalize everything in the name of nationalization but today they not only demand market economy, but also claim religion and ethics of the people should be a private and individual issue... In the 1990's a secular but devout current came to power. As individuals they were devout, but in their policy making there was no difference between them and the secularists..." 
  • "Today we have a devout government, but we have distanced ourselves from a religious government. Today most of the books we teach at the humanities faculties at our universities are translations of the works of the Westerners. This means that we deliver secularist to the society from our own pocket!"
  • "During the past thirty years the Islamic Republic has despite having a clear constitution made a zigzag movement. During the past thirty years governments such as the Bazargan government, Bani-Sadr government, Martyr Rajai's government, Martyr Bahonar's government, war time governments, Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, the government of Khatami and the Ahmadinejad government have each proposed experiences from super capitalist to ultra socialist economic policies... In the 1990's some primary authorities in the country said things which was written by others and some imes they did not even know what they said. It is not enough that the country is run by individuals who are devout if they believe in a secular method of governance..."

Diplomacy

• Venezuela's President Chavez heads to Tehran.
  • Venezuela's Ambassador to Tehran claims Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is a deeply religious and devout man.

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Sweden, which holds the rotating E.U. presidency, says the bloc is ready for either talks or confrontation over Iran's nuclear program.

Military and Security

• Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says he prioritizes improvement in defense capabilities of the Islamic Republic, stresses that his record parliamentary support is a "strong blow in the mouth of those who are constantly engaged in activities against the interest of the Islamic Republic."
  • [E] Downplaying threats posed by Israel, Vahidi said the ‘Zionist regime’ had gotten its answer during the 33-day and 22-day wars with Lebanon and the Palestinians respectively. Iran’s might belongs to all the Muslims across the world, he added.
• [E] Iranian official says, "Iran signed a deal with Poltava Helicopter Company of Ukraine for the transfer of helicopter production technology to Iran."

Photos of the Day

• Counting the vote of confidence of Ahmadinejad's second cabinet.
• Ahmadinejad welcomed by the parliament.