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

  • Rafsanjani in an interview with Modiriyat-e Ertebatat monthly:
    • "I would very much like to [resign.] My age is such that I would like this to happen. But I am still afraid that it would have bad political implications and that it should be interpreted as alienation... Whenever I traveled abroad on state business, I noted several places that I would like to later go as a tourist...."
    • Commenting his letter to Supreme Leader Khamenei prior to the presidential election Rafsanjani says: "Everyone knew that I was impartial with regard to the candidates and I did not care for whom the people voted. But everyone knew that my spirit of work is not compatible with this way of administering the country. Unfortunately Mr. Ahmadinejad had said unrealistic things in the [televised] debate. My own and everyone's expectation of the true lovers of the regime was that the Leader would react. I was not alone. In that debate you witnessed the battle against the clergy. Opposition against me, Mr. Khatami, Mr. Nateq Nouri and Mr. Karroubi, former presidents and speakers of the parliament was an excuse. It sold out of all the achievements of the revolution and left the impression that the clergy is incapable of administering the society."
    • According to Rafsanjani, Khamenei reacted in a measured way to his letter: "I asked him [Khamenei] what is your opinion? He said: 'With regard to substance, I have no issue. I have only one point, which is that Mr. Ahmadinejad has not accused your person of corruption and spoke about your children.' I said: 'The atmosphere was such that despite my name not being mentioned everything was directed against me.' He said: 'I have really no issue with the letter but if I was in your place I would have published it after the election.'"
  • Rafsanjani, Khatami, Mousavi, Karrubi and Hassan Khomeini deplore the attack against the office of Grand Ayatollah Sanei, say the attack was not conducted by rogue elements.
  • Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad's chief of staff:
    • "Artistic activity in all fields, including music is free within the frameworks of the law for all artists inside and outside Iran."
    • "As far as we know the Judiciary has not yet pursued complains of the government against [Tehran mayor Qalibaf.]"
  • Kadkhodaei, former Guardian Council spokesman, recalls the meeting where representatives of presidential candidates discussed the presidential election following accusations of fraud.
  • TV debate between academic Sadegh Zibakalam and parliamentarian Hojjat al-Eslam Rasayi in which Zibakalam compares the political mechanisms of the Islamic Republic with the Soviet Union under Stalin. Audio, parts 1 and 2:

Diplomacy

  • Ali Abbas-Pour Tehrani Fard, parliamentarian:
  • Sobh-e Sadegh editorializes:
    • "With regard to relations with Russia two issues must be taken into consideration: First, public opinion... in Russia, which is based upon a history of rivalry between Russia and the United States... and which has been ignored by the very person of Medvedev who is moving against the historical wishes of the Russian people... Second, viewpoints and behavior of the authorities: As opposed to the people around Medvedev who are mostly young and inexperienced, those who accept Putin's viewpoints are among Russian traditionalists who have a very negative opinion about the United States. This group, led by Putin, does not consider distancing Russia from Iran as Russian interest because they think of new challenges with the United States in the region."
  • [E] "Obama received a negative grade in this diplomacy," said Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki, alluding to the White House diplomacy vis-à-vis Tehran's tripartite agreement on nuclear fuel swap.
  • [E] Ahmadinejad, at a meeting with the new Uruguayan ambassador: "Today you, the envoys, are sent on your missions by a government about which all the world is speaking because Iran is being turned into the biggest world power."
  • [E] Ahmadinejad claimed that Tehran views relations with Nicaragua as highly important and intends to further expand ties with Managua.
  • [E] Ahmadinejad: “Today, Iran supports the people of Lebanon and also the resistance as the policies of both countries are built on resisting bullying powers.”
  • [E] Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani is due to pay a two-day visit to Damascus on June 30.
  • [E] Tehran’s ambassador to Islamabad: “In addition to the added economic value of billions of dollars, the Iran gas pipeline agreement has boosted the strategic value of Pakistan in the region.”
  • [E] Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki is slated to pay an official visit to Pakistan in August to take part in the two countries' 18th joint economic commission meeting.
  • [E] Senior Iranian and UAE parliamentary officials underlined the necessity for the further development of ties between the two Muslim countries' legislative bodies.

Military and Security

Economy

  • Oil Minister Masoud Mir-Kazemi says Iran is in need of "$65 [per barrel] oil in order to administer the country."
  • Iran Khodro and SAIPA car manufacturers will be privatized later today.
    • [E] Iran's largest auto-manufacturer, Iran-Khodro Company (IKCO), announced that it has set a new sales record in the first quarter of the current Iranian year (March 21 to June 20, 2010), increasing its sales by an unprecedented 55%.

Trade

    • [E] "Not only the CNOOC (China's National Offshore Oil Corp) company but also the Chinese embassy and government support implementation of the North Pars project in Iran and in Bushehr province.”

Religion, Society and Culture

Nuclear Issue

Human Rights

Photos of the Day