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, please visit this page, fill out the "New Subscribers" section, and check "Iran News Round Up" listed under "Projects." 
 
 (E) = Article in English

 

Politics

  • Supreme Leader Khamenei appoints Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Hosseini Shahroudi as his representative to the Kurdistan province.
  • Ahmadinejad says he will solve the unemployment problem in Iran within his second tenure.
  • Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani attacks Ahmadinejad and Mashaei: “Some of the cultural policies are like lip rouge used to attract the audience, but sabotages the foundation... What is said about the clergy is unjust."
  • Guardian Council Secretary Ayatollah Jannati comments on Mohammad Khatami's conditions for returning to politics: "There is absolutely no need to have this group present at elections. Their dreams are futile."
  • Rafsanjani addresses the boards of governors of the Ilam, Kermanshah and Kurdistan branches of the Azad University:
    • "For the time being, the great complex of the Azad University has 1.6 million students and almost 3 million alumni. It is capable of great deeds in the country and is prepared for realizing development and progress of the country alongside other institutions."
    • "The state alone is not able to carry the weight of higher education anywhere in the world."

Diplomacy

  • The government celebrates another diplomatic victory as Malawi and Cambodia no longer demand visas from Iranians.
  • Ahmadinejad addressing the people of Semnan says the world will "soon be ready to receive the Imam of the Era."
  • Ala al-Din Boroujerdi, parliamentary Foreign Policy and National Security Committee chairman, comments on the President of Azerbaijan's statements to the effect that he is the leader of the Azeri speakers of the world: "Such fantasy is not a new phenomenon among Azerbaijani leaders. This is because of their inferiority complex."
  • Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani:
    • "We do not hide the fact that we support Hezbollah and consider it an honor for ourselves. Of course, we also support Hamas because they are defending their own soil. We have also supported the Iraqi nation which was alone."
  • Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad's foreign policy adviser, on Al-Alam TV:
    • "The Islamic Republic of Iran, maybe the very person of Ahmadinejad, is one of the most important leaders of the countries united in the struggle against the bullying behavior of certain Western countries."
    • "The Zionist regime is the primary envious enemy and opponent of Iran/Egypt relations. Only a few hours after the signing of this memorandum of cooperation, the first official position in this regard was taken by the Zionist regime which demanded declaration of the memorandum null and void."
    • "[In Yemen] we reached the conclusion that we must open a new chapter in the relations between the two countries... We are awaiting to host a Yemeni delegation in Iran..."
  • [E] Iranian Foreign Ministry Caretaker Ali Akbar Salehi renewed Tehran's call for an immediate withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, and hoped that all the country's security affairs would soon be controlled by the Iraqis.
  • [E] Sources privy to Iraq's al-Iraqiya alliance unveiled that the alliance's head, Ayad Allawi, had unsuccessfully tried in October to persuade Tehran to support his bid for Iraq's premiership, but his offer for cutting a deal with Tehran was strongly rejected by the Iranian officials.
  • [E] The Iranian parliament will definitely approve the bill of the law on cutting ties with Britain, a senior Iranian lawmaker reiterated on Wednesday.

Economy

Trade

Iran in the Afghan Media

  • Afghanistan’s media attacks the Iranian government for banning oil shipments into Afghanistan and persecuting Afghan citizens living in Iran:
    • Hasht-e Sobh says Iran’s decision to stop fuel trucks at its border with Afghanistan is aimed at getting more concessions from the Afghan government. It adds that Iran every year creates a new problem for the Afghan government and international community in Afghanistan in order to exert pressure and influence and impose its policies.
    • Afghan analyst Shaker Mehryar writes: “By stopping oil tankers, Iran is practically imposing sanctions on Afghanistan, and this is part of its hegemonic policies… Iran wants to have influence over Afghanistan’s politics and economy.” The writer adds that as a result of the Afghan government’s unresponsiveness, Iran “continues to support the Taliban terrorists, confiscates trade shipments, promotes religious radicalism, and breaches its promises to Afghanistan…”
    • Hasht-e Sobh publishes a detailed account of Iran’s ban on fuel shipments to Afghanistan.
    • Afghanistan’s human rights organizations urge the government to probe the recent publication of photos by Tolo News showing Afghan refugees being tortured in Iran.
    • Hasht-e Sobh reports that Iran is training terrorists and use Afghan refugees as a tool to destabilize western Afghanistan, especially Farah Province.
    • Afghanistan’s Ministry of Justice says Iran refuses to provide the exact number of Afghan citizens executed by the Iranian authorities.
    • Cheragh Daily calls on the Afghan government to take measures to stop Iran’s destabilizing activities in Afghanistan. The paper calls for closure of “mysterious” Iranian companies in Afghanistan until Tehran reopens its borders to oil trucks into Afghanistan.
    • Another article in Cheragh Daily, entitled “Iran calls Afghan refugees brothers, but terrorizes them,” accuses Iran of persecuting Afghan refugees.

Photos of the Day