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

Diplomacy

  • Rafsanjani to Sweden's Ambassador to Tehran: "The recent behavior of the United States governments such as the attempt to confiscate assets of the Alavi Foundation and passing of the $55 million budget to support opponents of the Islamic Republic is continuity of past behavior, and even worse than before."

  • Resalat editorializes: "Both positions, 'Russia as an strategic partner' and 'Death to Russia' reflect the fluctuations of the political behavior of the Russians which in turn has shaped different viewpoints among the political class of Iran... But Russia is in need of serious criticism. In their dealings with the United States, they consider Iran as a trench and who masters the trench may be a tactical game with strategic motives. This policy is a reminder of Tsarist Russia whose severing of great parts of Iran and conspiracies with Western of the days are in the black pages of Iran's history."

    • Mohsen Rezai criticizes Russia: "In foreign policy one must not rely upon a specific state... Russia has never had a fixed policy towards Iran. For example, our country has made purchases from Russia - both military and non-military - without the paid goods ever being shipped to us... Also in the nuclear issue the Russians have not lived up to their promises, but it does not mean obstruction from Russia. Both Russia and China have in 5+1 and the Security Council prevented serious sanctions against Iran..."
    • Qods'editorial condemns Russia's behavior with regard to the Bushehr power plant.
    • The spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry says Russia respects its obligations with regard to cooperation in technical and military fields with Iran.
    • Russian President and Sweden’s Prime Minister discuss Iran.

  • Hamidreza Taraghi, Motalefeh faction head of international affairs, meeting the secretary of the Communist Party of China says "the government of China has the right to deal with rioters, but its behavior towards the Muslims of China has been reported abroad in such a way as if injustice has been done to the Muslims of this country. This is why some political movements inside this country, called the reformists, take a position against Iran's relations with China in their slogans."

Military and Security

  • IRGC Chief Mohammadali Jaafari addressing IRGC members in Zanjan: "During the past four to five months, the revolution and the Islamic regime faced grave threats which apparently had to do with the election, but behind the veil of the events there was a great discord and deviation from the goals and the path of the revolution being directed in the name of the revolution and the path of the Imam [Khomeini] and directed by the claimants of the path of the Imam."

  • Hossein Hamedani, Greater Tehran Revolutionary Guards Chief, says the Basij has 7.5 million members in Greater Tehran area and that 1.5 million of them are organized within the ranks of the Basij.

    • Hamedani adds that the Revolutionary Guards aim to organize 20 million students in the Basij, including members of religious minorities. 

  • According to Iran, during the tenure of Ali Fallahian as Intelligence Minister, Hassan Taeb, one of the executives of the Intelligence Ministry of the time, started a process against one of the children of Rafsanjani. But as soon as Fallahian got hold of the news and dismissed Hassan Taeb and forced him to resign. Iran also reports those files on the Rafsanjani family are being "reopened."

Trade

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