[Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his compilation; (E) signified English link]
Economy
Diplomacy
- In an indirect reference to the negotiation between the U.S. and Iran on the nuclear issue, Rafsanjani alludes to the end of the Iran-Iraq war in an interview with Iranian television: “We accepted the [U.N. Security Council] Resolution 598 in the best circumstances, benefitted from it and this saved our country from some threats.” More here and here.
- Entekhab News Agency republishes Ayatollah Khomeini’s speech on the occasion of his recognition of the armistice of 1988.
- Sobh-e Sadegh explains why the Islamic Republic accepted U.N. Security Council Resolution 598 ending the war with Iraq in 1988.
- According to BBC Persian, the Islamic Republic’s potential acceptance of 5+1 Group’s incentive package is similar to the Islamic Republic’s accept of U.N. Security Council Resolution 598 ending the war with Iraq.
- Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic Jalili says he will present Iran’s proposals at negotiations with Javier Solana.
- Pleased to see a U.S. representative at the negotiations.
- (E) U.S. participation only productive if U.S. does not repeat its past mistakes.
- According to Alef News Agency, U.S. participation in Solana and Jalili negotiations is a sign of U.S. withdrawal from its earlier position.
- The British newspaper The Guardian reports details on opening a U.S. interest section in Tehran which it says will be announced next month.
- (E) Fars News Agency on U.S. interest section.
- Iranian academic Houshang Amirahmadi discloses systematic contacts between the United States and Iranian authorities during the past couple of years.
- (E) Iran appoints new ambassador to Turkey.
- According to a Russian newspaper, Saudi Arabia has promised to diversify its defense procurement policies in case Russia reduces diplomatic relations with Iran.
- Jehan Sadat, widow of Anwar Sadat, says she is hurt by the Islamic Republic’ movie “Execution of the Pharaoh” depicting her late husband as traitor, but that she will not file a complaint against the Islamic Republic.
- As a response to the Islamic Republic’s film on Sadat, an Egyptian company is making the movie “Khomeini, Imam of Blood.”
- Foreign minister Mottaki begins his trips to Oman, Syria and Turkey.
- Syrian president Assad says there is no change in Iran-Syria relations.
- Sobh-e Sadegh weekly condemns Iraq’s Al-Dastur’s attacks against the Revolutionary Guards and the Islamic Republic.
Religion, Culture, and Society
- Sobh-e Sadegh discusses new threats to security in the Islamic Republic: SMS and Bluetooth.
- Central Bureau of Religious Associations and Cultural Centers of the Islamic Propagation Organization issues a book of instructions for praise singers to standardize praise singing of Shi’a saints.
- Tehran traffic police to use camera surveillance.
- Iranian master singer Shajarian to perform in Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan.
- The first Arabic language Friday prayer speech slated for Khuzestan this Friday.
- Student Basij camps to increase 100 percent.
- The Law Enforcement Forces arrest 75 young boys and girls at a house party in Shiraz for “propagating moral corruption.”
Terrorism
- Alef News Agency releases video footage from Press TV showing Imad Mughniyah.
- Sobh-e Sadegh stresses importance of “export of the revolution.”
Military and Security
- Basij chief Ta’eb says budget of the resistance force bases have been increased 200 percent.
- Mohammad-Ja’far Assadi appointed chief of Revolutionary Guards Ground Forces
- Hojjat al-Eslam Hossein Ta’eb appointed chief of Basij Resistance Force
- Commander Seyyed Mohamad Hejazi, deputy commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards, appointed chief of Sarallah Base.
- Commander Mohammad-Ja’far Assadi, chief of the IRGC Ground Forces, says the ”latest threat of the West is very serious and differs from threats of the past 30 years…”
- At the presentation ceremony of the new chief of the Hazrat-e Abbas Army of Ardebil province Commander Assadi added: “America created Israel in order to counter Islam, and in order to massacre Muslims. Ever since the advent of Islam, the Jews have dealt the most blows to the Muslims and Islamic states…America has no other choice but to leave the Middle East region beaten and humiliated…”
- Sobh-e Sadegh discusses the structural changes in the Revolutionary Guards which divide the organization into 31 provincial command centers.
- Assadi says structural changes in the Revolutionary Guards are parts of a 20-year scheme to change the management of the force.
- Col. Jalil Babazadeh appointed chief of the Hazrat-e Abbas Revolutionary Guards Army of Ardebil province; his deputy will be Colonel Ghanbar Karimnezhad, former Basij chief of the province his deputy.
- Commander Abnoush appointed chief of Saheb al-Amr Revolutionary Guards Army of Qazvin.
Politics
- Abou-Taleb Shaffeghat to appointed provincial governor of Bushehr.
- Current Kerman provincial governor Habibollah Dehmardeh also appointed governor of Sistan va Baluchestan province.
- Asr-e Iran challenges the Iranian president to name the political opponents he calls enemies of the Imam of the Era.
- Tehran parliamentarian Dehghan criticizes the Judiciary’s neglect of duty in the fight against economic corruption.
- Head of the Culture and Islamic Propagation bureau of Lorestan attacks the local press for criticizing the Ahmadinejad government and calls them “sick” and “envious.”
- Ahmad Ghadami, son-in-law of Ahmadinejad’s sister, removed from his post as head of Security Organization of Municipalities because of some irregularities. Prior to his appointment Ghadami was a professional maddah [praise singer of Shi’a saints].
Human Rights and Labor
- Asr-e Iran reports on hardships of Iranian laborers in Dubai.
- Office of Strengthening of Unity student organization releases the names of latest student activists arrested in Iran: Mohammad Hashemi, Bahareh Hedayat, Ali Saberi, Ali Gholizadeh, Mohammad Ehsani, Ashkan Arshian, Salman Sima, Mehdi Khodayi, Majid Assadi, Mohammad Mizban, Reza Arab, Mojtaba Emadpour, Mohammad Zera’ati, Farzad Hassanzadeh.
- Workers at Alborz Tire Company strike for the third consecutive day.
- (E) Iran upholds death sentence against teacher trade unionist.
Trade
- Petroleum minister Nowzari says National Iranian Oil Company and Russian GAZPROM will meet to negotiate future cooperation.
- (E) Gazprom signs major deal
- (E) Gazprom wants to replace Total.
- (E) Iran wants Tehran-Berlin joint economic commission
Photos of the Day
- Just in case he died at the Iran-Iraq War front, poster of the “Martyr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”
- Power outages strike Tehran.