A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Mehrdad Moarefian and Marie Donovan, with contributors Farzin Farzad and Diana Timmerman. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

Key takeaway: IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said Israel is the main opponent of the Iran-Iraq-Syria-Lebanon alliance against ISIS. Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that focusing on entrepreneurship and economic production “…is the greatest service to the [Islamic] Revolution.”

Commander of the IRGC Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari stated that the primary opponent of Iran’s alliance with Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon and against ISIS is Israel. He also reiterated his claims from last year that the “entire occupied Palestinian territories” are “in the range of Hezbollah rockets,” following the Supreme Leader’s call in the summer to “arm the West Bank like Gaza.”

Ali Larijani emphasized the importance of economic independence and improvement to the resilience of Islamic Revolutionary values, stating: “…today, the greatest service to the [Islamic] Revolution is to work in the field of entrepreneurship and to pay attention to production.” The Parliament Speaker reiterated sentiments from his February 17 speech on the need for public participation in economic improvements, claiming “Economic independence is not a directive, it should become a public culture; governmental employment does not cure pain, we must invest the work in the people, and this issue has not happened yet in the governments…”

Larijani also stated, “The government’s work and the clergy’s work is separate…the government also has a duty to support these important institutions, the mosques should be independent and not become of the government.”

IRGC Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani announced interfaith groups named ‘Keshab’ have been formed in Syria to strengthen unity and spirituality among Alawites, Christians, and Sunnis, as well as to promote the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary values. 


 

Official Statements

  • Jafari: Zionists fear Islamic unity. IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari discussed ISIS’ aims to prevent an alliance between Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon:  “By the grace of God, the alliance is stronger and the primary country that fears this unity and integration is ‘Israel the oppressor’” during an Iran-Iraq War memorial.
    • On ISIS: “One of the goals of the terrorist group, which was shaped 15 years ago by the enemies of the Islamic Republic, was confronting the development of the Islamic Awakening and the export of the Iranian Islamic Revolution to other countries.”
    • Commenting on Israel’s inability to enter Gaza and Lebanon, Jafari said, “Nowadays the entire Occupied Palestinian Territories are within the range of the missiles of Hezbollah and the people of Gaza, which means that the Zionist regime’s collapse is inevitable, and the regime itself knows this better than anyone.” (Sepah News) 
  • Ali Larijani stresses importance of entrepreneurship and manufacturing production. The Parliament Speaker said, “…Today, the greatest service to the revolution is to work in the field of entrepreneurship and to pay attention to production.” Larijani added: “Economic independence is not a directive, it should become a public culture; governmental employment does not cure pain, we must invest the work in the people, and this issue has not happened yet in the governments; I don’t think that tying the work to the [government’s] departments will resolve things…” Larijani also highlighted the need for “cultural development” to be “consistent with our indigenous characteristics.”
    • Larijani also stated, “The government’s work and the clergy’s work is separate…the government also has a duty to support these important institutions, the mosques should be independent and not become of the government.” (Rasa News)
       
  • Nobakht: “not even a penny” of next year’s budget is based on the outcome of nuclear talks. Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said that the budget for the next fiscal year was based on “available resources” and that Parliament had not considered the outcome of the P5+1 negotiations in drafting the bill. The Planning and Strategic Supervision Deputy to the President, who claimed that the bill was submitted on December 16 and “ratified after three months of discussion and study,” discussed a range of issues in the budget including healthcare, combatting inflation, subsidies for state-owned businesses, and affordable housing. Regarding the nuclear talks, Nobakht said, “Our nation can rest assured that the nuclear negations will not come short one iota of Iran’s international rights.” He continued, “In no circumstance will we allow the bullying of arrogant governments and the imposition of inhumane sanctions” to affect Iran. (Tasnim News Agency)
     
  • Kashani: no nuclear deal would be a loss for the world. Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Emami Kashani stated, “We say that if Iran and the P5+1 countries reach an agreement, both sides have won; and indeed this would form a 'win-win' negotiation; But if the negotiations don’t reach an agreement…this will create a win for Iran and a loss for the P5+1, because it proves that Iran negotiated with logic.” Kashani also stated, “It is a positive step that the budget is not relevant to the outcome of the negotiations.” Indicating that Israelis would not be able to “pressure” Iran in the event a nuclear deal is not reached, Kashani stated that even if the negotiations fail, “…Iran has won, because it demonstrates that the people are rational.” (Fars News Agency)
     
  • Alamolhoda: Iran’s problems cannot be oriented towards success in the negotiations. Mashhad Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Alamolhoda stated, “Since the beginning of the year, the Supreme Leader pointed to the ‘resistance economy’ 21 times, and said that [Iran] losing hope is essential to foreigners…but it is not true that each problem in the country is tied to the negotiations and the consent of America; they must be oriented towards the consent of the [Supreme] Leader…” (Mehr News) 

 

Military and Security

  • IRGC forms interfaith youth initiative in Syria. IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Hamedani announced the successful formation of youth groups in Syria, named “Keshab,” to strengthen unity and spirituality among Alawites, Christians, and Sunnis, as well as promoting the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary values. The IRGC Commander’s Advisor and Basij Imam Hossein Headquarters Commander said, “These measures have reached a point, where fortunately today our young seminary students in Aleppo have become the centerpiece of cultural activities in Syria.” Hamedani added that, the export of Sacred Defense (Iran-Iraq War) values and the establishment of the Basij model were among the most important achievements of the IRGC in Syria. (Defa Press)

     

Nuclear Talks

  • Araghchi says for a nuclear agreement to be reached, “all sanctions must be lifted.” Abbas Araghchi noted that both sides are now closer to an “understanding.” The International and Legal Affairs Deputy to the Foreign Minister stressed that a political decision would come after discussing the technical issues, as “sometimes technical discussions offer technical solutions that lead to better political decision-making.” Araghchi emphasized that a political decision would be made after technical discussions, and that the other side must decide between reaching a deal or further imposing sanctions and pressure on Iran. He noted that an important part of the discussion is the removal of all sanctions. He concluded, “At least some sort of understanding about the general framework of a common agreement will be made by the end of March,” and he hoped a final agreement would be made before the deadline in June. (IRNA)

 

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

  • Afghan Fatimiyoun Brigade members buried in Qom. Four members of the Afghan Shi’a Fatimiyoun Brigade killed in Syria were buried in Qom today. Afghan residents of Qom, the members’ families, and members of the military and police forces were in attendance. (ABNA)
  • Jordanian Foreign Minister to travel to Tehran. Nasser Judeh and his delegation will arrive in Tehran tomorrow to meet with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other senior officials. (Mehr News)