A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Will Fulton and Iran Intern Amir Toumaj, with contributors John Lesnewich and Mehrdad Moarefian. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Excerpts of these translations may only be used with the expressed consent of the authors.

Politics

  • In an address to a large gathering of Basij commanders, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei clarified the meaning of “heroic flexibility,” criticized the United States and Israel and discussed nuclear negotiations:
    • “Some interpreted ‘heroic flexibility’ as letting go of the system’s principles and ideals. Some enemies on this basis claimed the retreat of the Islamic system from principles while these claims are contrary to reality and are an incorrect understanding.”
    • “Heroic flexibility means an artful maneuver and utilizing various methods to achieve the various goals and ideals of the Islamic system.”
    • “These goals are in the form of stage-to-stage and piece-by-piece [advancement] and  the guides, intellectuals and officials divide these stages into pieces and then group movement begins.”
    • “Does the emphasis of the Islamic system on progress mean warmongering by the Islamic system? Does the Islamic system seek tension with all the world’s nations and governments? This is heard sometimes from the mouths of some of the Iranian nation’s enemies, including from the foul unclean mouth of the wild dog of the region, meaning the Zionist regime.... The Islamic system continuously seeks kindness and service to all humans and friendly relations with nations.”
    • “The Islamic system does not even have any hostility with the American nation, even though the American government is arrogant, hostile, malevolent and hateful toward the Iranian nation and the Islamic system.”
    • “What is at the opposing side of the Islamic system and what the Islamic system opposes is Arrogance.”
    • “The revolution of the great Iranian nation and the chosen system of this nation fundamentally took shape and grew in protest to Arrogance and its causes. Therefore, with attention to the aforementioned characteristics, Arrogance is fundamentally unable to tolerate this system, other than becoming hopeless of defeating it.”
    • “Instead of militarily threatening the Iranian nation, the American President and this country’s other officials should think about their ruined economy and their own debts. They should go and think of something so the American government is not closed for more than two weeks.”
    • “The Zionist regime is doomed to demise because this miserable regime emerged based on oppression and imposing and no imposed phenomenon is sustainable.” 
    •  “I have emphasized the rights of the Iranian nation, including its nuclear right, and I insist that there must not be even one step of retreat from the national rights of Iran. I will not enter into the details of negotiations, but there are red lines that must be observed. Officials also have the task of observing these red lines, and must not be afraid of the threats of the enemy.”
  • National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary (NSFP) Commission member MP Javad Jahangirzadeh blamed Israel for yesterday’s bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut and said, “The Zionist regime and its supporters are concerned about the created changes in the region to the benefit of Islamic resistance. They also are facing certain defeat in reaching their goals in Syria, and the negotiations of the Islamic Republic of Iran with P5+1 has made the regional situation more difficult for the Zionist regime.... They seek to demonstrate their influence on the sideline of nuclear negotiations in any way possible and place these negotiations under their radii of influence…”

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

Military and Security

Nuclear Issue

  • The latest round of Iran and P5+1 negotiations have ended in Geneva. Some of the statements emerging from both sides expressed optimism that a deal is possible. US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the NPT does not guarantee the right to enrichment while Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif cautioned the P5+1 to not be greedy.
    • In a press conference after the meetings, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that Iran will continue to hold separate bilateral meetings with P5+1 members and that he will hold a meeting tomorrow morning with EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton "that this meeting is, in reality, the beginning of negotiations in which we will review how we can finalize a text." He added that results of these talks depend upon the extent to which "we can reach understanding about the various issues" at large.
    • Senior negotiator Abbas Ali Eraghchi stated earlier, "It is planned to discuss the trend of negotiations in bilateral negotiations and dialogues. If we reach a good result, negotiations will begin tomorrow regarding contentl... The trust that was lost int he previous meeting to a great extent must be revived..." 
  • President Hassan Rouhani held separate telephone conversations with leaders of P5+1 countries and emphasized “perseverance on the nation’s nuclear rights” and urged avoiding “excessive demands” that can derail the “path of win-win agreement.” 
  • MPs issued statements supporting the nuclear negotiations team and warning it of Israeli disruptions. They said that “Iran knows the best path for resolving the nuclear issue” and has “cooperated with the NPT and IAEA.” They also cautioned that “each time negotiations have been close to succeeding,  Israel and other powers have suddenly disrupted negotiations and the negotiations have failed.”
    • They added that if current negotiations reach “a process of attrition or time-wasting, Parliament will make a decision based on the requirements of the nation of Iran and review any type of cooperation with the agency.”
    • “With trust in our nuclear negotiators, especially the Foreign Minister, Parliament is observing the negotiations process and emphasizing it will stand strongly upon the complete nuclear rights of the nation of Iran.” 

Economy

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