A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Katherine Faley, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin.  To subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].

(E) = Article in English

 

Guardian Council strengthens ‘foundations of republicanism, Islamism’; Rafsanjani warns national security in danger; opposition leaders to attend Friday prayers; Kayhan predicts chaos this Friday; Iranian diplomat accuses West of trying to destabilize Islamic Republic; Obama expresses doubt over nuclear talks with Iran; senior cleric condemns China’s ‘suppression’ of Muslims

 

 

Politics

  • According to Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ahmadinejad will be sworn in as president and officially take office sometime between August 2, 2009 and August 6, 2009.
  • Ahmadinejad to deliver a speech at the mausoleum of Imam Reza in Mashhad during his visit to the Khorasan.
  • The Guardian Council claims to have "strengthened the foundations of republicanism and Islamism" with its actions during the latest presidential election.
  • Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of the political office of the Kargozaran technocratic party:
    • "The national security is in danger and the wise men of the tribe should find a path out of the current conditions... One can't engage in party political activity. If the party is totally obedient to the rulers and abide by their commands, well, such a party will have no popular attraction... If a party wants to be active in its real sense of the word, such activity is unimaginable. Therefore, the activity of the Kargozaran party is also shrouded in doubt under current circumstances. But despite the circumstances, I believe that the current circumstances will not continue in this way and history has shown that this is a passing phase which will end...
    • It seems that the social and political conditions are ripe for formation such a front [political party led by Mousavi] in the country since the number of people who have voted for Mr. Mousavi is vast and most of them are elite members and academics. They can come to Mousavi's aid in formation of such a front, but it is doubtful how the government and the regime will deal with such a phenomenon...
    • Should this political front urge the people to participate in a demonstration it is unknown how the authorities will react towards it...We believe that under present conditions, national security is endangered and in our communiqué, we also demanded that all personalities [of the Islamic Republic] make  national security priority number one. Even the Expediency Council said in its communiqué that with reason and by prioritizing national security, the crises decreases, but no attention was paid to this demand...
    • After the election and the wave of arrests which has taken place a number of the clergy and authorities demanded them to be freed but unfortunately no attention was paid to the demand of the clergy."
  • An unnamed member of the Assembly of Experts says Rafsanjani's presence as the leader of the Friday Prayer in Tehran signifies revitalization of the Assembly.
    • Mousavi officially announces his participation in this Friday's prayers at Tehran University. 
    • Hojjat al-Eslam Moradi, Friday Prayers Headquarters Chief, says "this Friday's prayers...will be a demonstration of unity of the Islamic community of believers."
    • Kayhan "predicts" this Friday's events:
      • "1. One totally reliable source claims that tomorrow there are some who have decided to make provocations, want to instigate fights during the Friday prayer, even should this be verbal fight, and it is even heard that some are expected to enter the scene dressed as Hezbollahi'sand make those provocations. Therefore, the prayers of this Friday's prayers should pay attention not to become victims of such schemes and repel those people who chant slogans of discord.
      • 2. Tomorrow's presence must have a very clear message and it should be known what their purpose is so that others can't use it for their counter revolutionary purposes, but how? The people must frankly express and stress their pro-Guardianship of the Jurist and revolutionary. The best way of doing so is chanting clear, loud and decisive slogans to the effect of total obedience of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution…
      • Despite the fact that Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani does not have the best sentiments towards Mr. Ahmadinejad's government - be it for whatever reason, this is not the place to discuss that - but an identified group with a poor record have taken part in the adventurous events in the wake of the recent elections. They use their opposition to Ahmadinejad as an excuse to revolt against the well known foundations of Islam and the Islamic regime. It is manifest that this notorious assembly which also enjoys visible support of the foreigners is absolutely not among the 13 million people who did not vote for Mr. Ahmadinejad. That 13 million are to be counted among the 40 million honorable people of Iran. They may have a different taste than the rest of the 25 million. If Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has demonstrated that he is not infirm in political affairs, one expects that he takes a clear position against the rioters and instigators of mayhem and condemns their illegal acts planting discord - acts which have nothing to do with their opposition to this government. Condemning this group would be a clear sign of respect for law and praise for the epic 85 percent participation of the people, the 40 million large participation of the people in June 12th election which demonstrated the bond between republicanism and Islamism with the highest imaginable rate and forced the well known enemies of Islam, the revolution and the Imam [Khomeini].
      • Now, the people expect of Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, as a capable speaker, at tomorrow's prayers to cleanse the hearts and minds of the people from complaints with his words and disappoint the speculations of the enemy about him, which are certainly immature."
  • Mousavi and his wife participate at funeral of Sohrab A'rabi, young man killed by the security forces. 
  • Former parliamentarian Ahmadi expresses the need to reform elections in the Islamic Republic.
  • (E) MP Hossein Sobhani-Nia discussed Ahmadinejad’s cabinet nominees and stated, “the people have higher expectations from the next government,” warning that “if they are inept, Parliament might give them a vote of no confidence which will increase tensions.”
  • (E) President Ahmadinejad submitted two tax bills to parliament in order to promote bilateral trade between Iran and Azerbaijan.

Military and Security

  • 168 passengers die as Tehran/Yerevan flight crashes near Qazvin.  Video.
  • Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Ezheh-i: "Investigations of imprisoned political activists still continue. The Intelligence Ministry and the Judiciary are investigating it...One can't make a general statement about the time of their release, since it depends on the indicted individuals and announcement made about them...the role of these political activists in the recent unrests is clear and their files are being completed...[ed. the issue of televised confessions] depends on the judge who takes decisions about the Islamic Republic of Iran Voice and Vision and other media broadcasting the confessions or not...During the recent unrests some well known counter revolutionary movements dependent on the terrorist Monafeghin [Mojahedin-e Khalq] group have been arrested...The Intelligence Ministry has not made any petitions to suspend execution of brother of Rigi and the ruling depends on the judge..."
  • Presidential advisor Hojjat al-Eslam Saqa-ye Biriya says revolutionary student movements and revolutionary theological students need no authorization for demonstrations, but Mousavi supporters do.
  • Academic Sadeq Zibakalam in a letter to Judiciary Chief Shahroudi protests against arrest of his colleagues from Tehran University Ramezanzadeh and Mirdamadi.
  • Javan claims imprisoned reformist theoretician and Intelligence Ministry co-founder Said Hajjarian prefers prison to his home. 
  • Vatan-e Emrouz claims Hossein Rasam, imprisoned employee of the British Embassy in Tehran, is the British master spy in Tehran and the instigator of the unrests and riots. 

Diplomacy

  • Jahan condemns Venezuela's announcement that it will become OPEC's second largest oil producer reducing Iran to the cartel's third largest producer as "back stabbing." 
  • (E) Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Behrouz stated that “honesty” in Western policies is hard to find, adding that the West is trying to destabilize the Islamic Republic of Iran.
  • (E) President Obama raised doubts about nuclear talks with Iran, “given the outrageous violence that we've seen directed against peaceful demonstrators post-election, the crackdown by hardliners against journalists, [and] the raiding of foreign embassies.”
  • (E) Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani reacted to the violence in China, stating: “We just thought that only the bullying West violates Muslims’ rights and deprive[s] them of their basic rights but reports from China indicate that in that part of the world the unprotected Muslims are being mercilessly suppressed by yesterday’s communist China and today’s capitalist China.”

Economy

Trade

  • No news of which mobile phone operator will take over the network.
  • Alef News Agency's analyst claims NABUCCO in the longer term needs to cooperate with the Islamic Republic. 

Religion, Society, and Culture

Photo of the Day

  • Crash site of Iranian airliner.