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

  • News stories related to Ahmadinejad's attempt to dismiss Intelligence Minister Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi:
    • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the people of Fars province:
      • "Take a look at the propaganda of the foreign media about these issues which are not so important. See what mayhem they have created. In their analysis, they say there is a duality of authority in the Islamic Republic and that the president has not obeyed the Leader... The enemy propaganda has shown that they are waiting for an excuse..."
      • "The Leader has never desired to intervene in the decision making and works of the government unless he feels something important has been ignored... In the recent affair, which is not so important, it was felt that a great expediency was ignored."
      • "The regime of the Islamic Republic is a powerful machine and the Leader is firmly standing by its correct positions... As long as I am alive, I will not allow the great movement of the Iranian nation towards the ideals to deviate [from its course]."
      • The Office of the Supreme Leader issues a warning to IRNA because the news agency only published those parts of the Supreme Leader's speech in which he had praised the efforts of the Ahmadinejad government and not his statements about Ahmadinejad's attempt at sacking the intelligence minister.
    • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses military and police commanders:
      • "Unfortunately, the behavior of some newspapers with these issues rather than calming the country down instigated dualism and struggle... One should not speak or write to instigate tension and fight in society. This would be contrary to the [expediency] of the current circumstances of the country... The great Imam would say back then: 'Say whatever you want at the meetings, but don't say it in society.' One should not interpret our sayings and writings as signs of conflict. Even if there is difference of opinion, one should not look sour in the public thereby giving excuses to the foreign media..."
    • According to Alef News, Ahmadinejad has still not allowed Intelligence Minister Moslehi to participate in cabinet meetings.
    • According to a Rooz analyst, Khamenei is trying to solve the crisis, but Ahmadinejad is ignoring him.
  • [E] The burning of several Qurans at a church in Florida leave negative impacts on Washington's relations with the Muslim world, says a senior Iranian military commander.
  • [E] Supreme Leader Khameini announces that political and cultural officials, as well as journalists and online media should not publish news articles which would “induce a lack of tranquility in society.”

 Diplomacy

  • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the masses in Fars:
    • "In current regional affairs, the people of Bahrain have been subjected to the greatest injustice."
    • "The Islamic Republic of Iran is being attacked by the propaganda of the Western powers because it has chosen a truthful position."
    • "Contrary to the wishes of the imperialist powers, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not a spectator in the face of the regional events and the nation, government and political elites of Iran will not remain spectators in the face of these unjust deeds of the imperialists... What intervention in Bahrain, Yemen and Libya has the Islamic Republic of Iran engaged in other than clearly declaring its position?
    • "The protest of the people of Bahrain is just...Those who have employed forces to Bahrain have committed a mistake."
    • "The Westerners do not want a popular and Muslim regime to come to power in Libya which is close to Europe and has oil. Therefore, they have chosen a policy of playing with the Libyan nation, but the people have understood this policy of the Westerners."
  • [E] Iran and Iraq sign agreements on the extradition of criminals, including provisions for the repatriation of convicts to their country of origin.
  • [E] Iran rejects Obama’s call for Tehran's assistance in dealing with recent protests, saying that Syrian officials are able to manage their own country.

 Military and Security

  • Fars News Agency releases the second part of its Guards Day interview with Revolutionary Guards Chief Jafari:
    • "His Lordship declared that no country will easily dare militarily attack Iran... but the Americans thought they could - by coming around Iran and threatening and occupying the two countries Iraq and Afghanistan toward the west and east of Iran - achieve their goal, but in practice they found out that they couldn't... There are always political threats, but the military threat - which peaked these last couple of years - is over."
    • "The sanctions against our country aim at increasing the pressure against the Islamic Republic."
    • "Sanctions against individuals are ridiculous... They should know that the general sanctions have not had any impact, let alone these ridiculous acts."
    • "The regional revolutions are totally popular and Islamic with anti-American and anti-Zionist goals."
    • "Since the majority of the people of Bahrain are Shi’a, the enemy thinks the Islamic revolution is a Shi’i revolution. They don't comprehend that the Islamic revolution from its very beginning was for the entire world of Islam and not Shi’a and Sunni."
    • "Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Bahrain was a strategic mistake... and they should await divine revenge in the near future... One should have revolutionary patience. It is no problem for Iran to act like Arabia since the military power of Saudi Arabia is not comparable to Iran's, but Iran does not need to do so. One should await divine revenge, God willing, in the near future."
    • Commenting on the Ahmadinejad government Jafari added: "From the viewpoint of the people, previous currents [the Green Movement] are over and they have been unmasked for the nation, but a new deviant current which chants slogans and uses new tricks to face the revolution… still exists...There are people who are trying to hide their opposition against the foundation of the regime and the guardianship... Should these people come and express their beliefs clearly, the people would easily remove them... This current has its own complexities... but will most certainly be defeated in the future, but it is not clear how and in what circumstances."  
  • Revolutionary Guards Chief Mohammad-Ali Jafari announces establishment of the Emam Hassan Mojtaba Guards unit which will serve the newly established Alborz province.
  • Hossein Allah-Karam, former vigilante leader and former Quds Force member, says the aim of Ahmadinejad and his team is to "marginalize the clergy." 
  • Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanese Hezbollah: "The guardian jurist [Khamenei] is the deputy of the prophet and the infallible imam." 
  • Muqtada Sadr leaves Qom for Najaf.

Trade

  • Oil Minister Masoud Mir-Kazemi comments on the International Oil, Gas, Petrochemicals and Refinery Fair in Tehran: "1,550 companies participated, 610 of which were foreign. 499 participated directly while 111 companies represented other companies... This ridicules the sanctions regime."
  • [E] Foreign Minister on Iran’s role as a regional trade facilitator: 10 million tons of commodities transported through the country during the last Iranian year ending March 20, 2011.

 Photos of the Day