Iran News Round Up

Politics

• As Ahmadinejad appoints new foreign policy deputies, Asr-e Iran warns of new parallel structures in the diplomacy of the Islamic Republic.

Diplomacy

• Ahmadinejad addresses the crowds at Tehran Friday prayer:
  • "In the past, the imperialists were engaged in imperialism and alongside their borders they engaged in rivalry and murder of each other. But their historical aspiration is world domination and through establishment of the Zionist regime they all agreed upon the regime so they could plunder the world through this false regime. So, they forgot their conflicts and became united."
  • "Today the situation is so in European, American or North American countries that anyone who wants to become resident, a cabinet minister or the speaker of the parliament, he must be approved of by the Zionists... Today the Zionists partially own most European companies and demand taxation and protection money from them... Lately, they made the claim against a relatively independent country in Northern Europe that when the Zionists died in the war and had money in the banks of this country, this country had to return the money. The Zionists made pressure and usurped several billion dollars from the money of a nation."
• [E] Iranian and Bahraini officials in a meeting in Manama conferred on ways to reinvigorate the bilateral relations and mutual cooperation.
• [E] Iran's Ambassador to Bolivia Ali Reza Qezili met with Bolivian President Evo Morales and discussed ways to boost relations between the two countries.

• [E] A senior Thai official in a meeting with a number of Iranian authorities called for the expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries, and invited Iranian companies to invest in Thailand.

• [E] Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian is due to visit Iran in the next few days to meet with Iranian officials and discuss bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues.

Military and Security

• The Revolutionary Guards says it was not responsible for the mobs attacking Karrubi’s home.
  • Asr-e Iran condemns attack.
  • Karrubi's reaction.
• IRGC chief Mohammad-Ali Jafari, breaking the fast with a group of war veterans: "The discord which aimed at challenging the structure of the Islamic Republic last year was much more dangerous than the eight years of sacred defense [Iran/Iraq war]. The eight years long war led to export of the revolution, but the discord of the last year dealt big blows to the dignity of the revolution."

Economy

• Ahmadinejad addressing the assembly of cooperatives in Iran:
  • "Based upon the predictions of the law during the fifth economic development plan, 25% of the society must be handed over to the cooperative sector..."
  • "One can't take the public sector out of the economy fast because the people do not have enough financial means to administer the economic sector..."
• Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani in Qom:
  • "Now, the West is pursuing conditions where it is possible for it to pressure Iran so it can impact the domestic situation and also decrease Iran's regional influence. Therefore, Iran's capacities in the region are targeted by them..."
• "Their think tanks present their plans in this regard aiming at weakening the pillars of the revolution."

Nuclear Issue

• [E] Head of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi called on the UN nuclear watchdog chief to act independently in his reports on Iran's nuclear program and avoid US influence.
• [E] Iran's Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asqar Soltaniyeh questioned the impartiality of IAEA Chief Yokia Amano's latest report on Iran, saying that the report impaired the UN watchdog's independent and professional status.
• [E] Iran's decision to bar entry of certain inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was made in line with the rights enshrined in the IAEA rules and regulations for all member states, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast stressed here on Tuesday.

Iran in the Afghan Media

• Iranian border guards have killed three Afghan citizens trying to enter Iran through Nimroz Province

Photo of the Day

• Transporting bread.