Iran News Round Up - March 31, 2017

Iran’s Standard Organization Nayereh Pirouzbakht and Russian Federal Service for Accreditation Alexy Khersontsev signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to broaden bilateral cooperation in the standardization field. (Fars News Agency) (E)

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi dismissed an Arab League statement claiming that Iran interferes in the affairs of Arab countries. Ghassemi mentioned Iran “does not need to interfere in the affairs of other countries,” and that its foreign policy has always been based on “good-neighborly relations and respect for sovereignty of other countries.” He further added the Arab League continues to “mistake enemies for friends” instead of “paying attention to the core problems facing the region and the Islamic world as well as the mutual threats posed against all Muslim nations.” The Arab League made the statement at the end of its meeting in Jordan on March 29. (Press TV) (E) (Tasnim News Agency)

Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan said that the U.S. needs to leave the Persian Gulf and stop harassing the countries that surround it, comparing the U.S. to an “ignorant armed robber...expecting red carpet treatment.” Dehghan’s comments were in reaction to U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Joseph Votel’s testimony before the House Armed Services Committee that Iran is the “greatest threat to long-term stability” in the region. (Tasnim News Agency) (E) (Press TV) (E) (Tasnim News Agency)

Expediency Discernment Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei called on former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to retract a March 22 speech in Ahvaz implicitly criticizing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Other senior officials have also criticized Ahmadinejad’s speech, including IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari and President Hassan Rouhani. (Radio Farda) (Gofteman News Agency)

Ayatollah Hashim Bathaei stated that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s decision to make the implementation of the Resistance Economy doctrine a focus of this year, as he did last year, indicates that not all of the doctrine’s elements were implemented last year. Bathaei reiterated Khamenei’s call to ban unnecessary imports to Iran, and stated that no “serious debate” is taking place on how to implement the doctrine. (Tasnim News Agency)

The IRGC released a statement commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 referendum establishing Iran as an Islamic republic. The statement reminded officials to carry out the Supreme Leader’s recommendations to strengthen the country and criticized Iran’s enemies’ use of “poisonous propaganda” meant to undermine the regime in light of Iran’s rise as a regional power. (Tasnim News Agency)

Former Parliamentarian Alireza Zakani said that the Rouhani administration “has shown that it doesn’t have a clear specific development program for the post-JCPOA” time period. Zakani called the Rouhani administration “the JCPOA Government” and called for it to be replaced with the “Action Government” that will strengthen Iran’s economy.

• Rostam Ghassemi, an oil minister under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stressed that the Iran’s poor economic conditions will not be improved with speeches and slogans. Ghassemi stressed that 70 percent of the people’s demands are economic-focused. Both Ghassemi and Zakani are on among the semifinalists to represent the conservative Popular Front in the May presidential elections. (Fars News Agency) (Fars News Agency)