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 Iran Intern Amir Toumaj, with contributors Chris Rawlins, Diana Timmerman, and Marie Donovan. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

 (E) = Article in English

Official Statements

  • Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi spoke about how Israeli agents control the White House and American intelligence: 
    • “The ‘Information Channels’ of American officials are controlled by the Zionist Regime.”
    • “Unfortunately due to the power and influence of the Zionists in the power structure of America, the information channel is under their control and they weave lies so that the news gets spun more in their favor.”
    • “At the same time, the transfer of accurate and realistic facts could prevent American officials from acting on distorted information, and Mr. Obama admitting that our information on ISIL has never been truer is evidence of this claim.” (Defa Press) 

 

  • Head of the Judiciary Branch Sadegh Amoli Larijani emphasized the need for regulating the internet and expressed hope that administration officials share the Judiciary's "concern" so as to not force the branch to "confront" the matter. 
    • “Our concern is not blocking or restricting social media.”
    • In describing the risk of personal information of social networks users when going abroad, Larijani said “In these round-trips there is the possibility of information being sensed and spying.”
    • “This situation is just like the flow of information in cyberspace experts say, search engines are used as a spy tool by the West, and especially America.” (Fars News) 

 

  • Basij Organization Commander Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi talked about how ISIL is an American creation and criticized British Prime Minister David Cameron:
    • “ISIL is a protégé of America and is carrying out America’s plans and orders.”
    • “The Coalition against ISIL and the attacks in Syria by the forces of the coalition led by America have four goals: to create violence among the Ummah [Muslim community], show the violent face of Islam, and to gather forces against ISIL as a false flag to justify the involvement as superpowers in the region.”
    • “The response that our President gave to the British Prime Minister’s response shows our humility, because they have an evil and criminal character and their government is illegitimate and unjust.” (Defa Press) 

 

  • Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli spoke at this year’s Sacred Defense book exhibit.
    • Fazli, said, “The National Sacred Defense Book Fair this year has introduced five thousand volumes and for the first time this exhibition released 800 new titles on the Islamic Resistance.”  (Mehr News)   

 

Military and Security

  • IRGC Ground Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour announced that plans are currently underway to develop a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the IRGC and said:
    • “The IRGC’s Research and Self-Sufficiency Organization is in the process of building a combat UAV which has undergone tests and which is slowly coming to the end”.
    • “This UAV will be equipped with RPG fire.”
    • “IRGC Ground Force UAVs are monitoring the northwest, southwest, and western borders around the clock.” (Sepah News) 

 

  • Armed Forces General Staff Headquarters Basij Affairs and Defense Culture Deputy IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri discussed US airstrike against ISIL in Syria and said:
    • “ISIL is American made and foreign sponsored; it will fail without [external] support.”
    • “Hopefully in the same way that the government and people of Syria stood alone and won against terrorists they will do the same again.” (Defa Press)
       

 

  • During Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Shamkhani's visit to the Levant, four unnamed Iranian "defenders of the holy shrine" who were killed in Syria will be buried in the Imam Reza shrine of Mashhad. (Ghatreh) 

 

  • Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi issued a warrant for the arrest of two unnamed “media violators”. A spokesman for the Armed Forces General Staff announced that additional details are forthcoming. (Jamaran) 

 

Regional Developments and Diplomacy

  • SNSC Secretary Ali Shamkhani met with Syrian President Bashar al Assad and Palestinian leaders in Damascus. Shamkhani emphasized that Iran will continue to support Islamic resistance and said:
    • “The Islamic Republic of Iran regards full support for the Islamic resistance against the Zionist regime as a religious and human duty.” 
    • “While many Sunni states are pursuing the policy of silence vis-à-vis the anti-human crimes by the Zionist regime, Shi’a Iran has provided the most amount of support for the oppressed Palestinian people.” (Tabnak News) 

 

  • President Hassan Rouhani met with Irish Parliament Speaker Sean Barrett in Tehran. Both sides discussed the ongoing nuclear talks with the P5+1 and Rouhani said:
    • “Iran’s activities in the nuclear issue are completely transparent and we seek a win-win agreement in the negotiations which will serve the two sides’ interests.”
    • “The International Atomic Energy Agency carried out numerous snap inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites over the past 12 years and verified non-diversion in the country’s nuclear energy program.”
    • “Iran seeks positive and constructive interaction with all countries in the world.”
    • “Sanctions which have recently been imposed on Iran in an illegal way had been detrimental to all.” (Mehr News) 

 

  • Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also met with Irish Parliament Speaker Barrett. Zarif criticized the US-led coalition against ISIS and its airstrikes in Syria and said “Unfortunately, instead of fundamental fight against the ISIL, Syria’s infrastructures are being attacked, and this issue will not be resolved this way.” (Nivdar) 

 

  • After a historic meeting between the British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Rouhani, newspapers Vatan-e Emrooz and Kayhan lambasted Cameron for saying Iran was “part of the problem” in the Middle East during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. (Shafaf) 

 

  • Arab and African Deputy to the Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian traveled alongside SNSC Secretary Ali Shamkhani to Lebanon and Syria. In response to recent remarks made by US State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki, regarding Iranian military aid to Lebanon, Abdollahian said:
    • “Any aid offered by the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Lebanese Armed Forces will be within the framework of the fight against terrorism and international law.”
    • “Lebanon’s armed forces must be strengthened so they can counter terrorism.”
    • "America should not prevent regional governments and armies from becoming stronger so that an effective and real fight against terrorism would take place."
    • “[American] acts of adventurism only intensify extremism.” (IRNA) 

 

  • Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al Jafari praised Iran and other states for supporting Iraq in the fight against ISIL and said “Iraq must appreciate and be thankful to Iran and all other countries that are at war with terrorism and ISIL.” (Fars News Agency) 

 

Nuclear Talks

  • Administration Spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht spoke about the nuclear negotiations and an upcoming trip of Rouhani’s to Saudi Arabia:
    • “Each one of the negotiating parties in the P5+1 has its own analysis of the negotiations and certainly the nuclear negotiating team will continue demanding all of its rights and if they do not get these right it is in no way acceptable.”
    • “The specific activities of the President’s visit to Saudi Arabia have still not been decided.” (Mehr News)