(Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his compilation)
Diplomacy
- Bozorgmehr Ziyaran, Iran’s ambassador to the Netherlands, warns the Dutch government against broadcasting “an anti-Islamic film”: “The Dutch troops in Afghanistan will be targeted as representatives of those who have blasphemed the Qur’an.”
- Mojtaba Hashemi Samareh, senior presidential advisor, denied having had any contacts with the U.S. authorities at Davos. He also added: “There has not been any meeting between [the Islamic Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs] Manouchehr Mottaki and Zalmay Khalilzad.”
- Text of Samareh’s speech at Davos.
- Diplomasi-ye Iran expects more difficulties for the U.S. in Afghanistan.
Politics: General
- Former Foreign Minister Ibrahim Yazdi defends his appearance in the show trial against General Rahimi, who was executed by the revolutionary authorities.
- Deputy Secretary of the Isargaran faction of the Iranian parliament: “During the presidency of Khatami we feared assaults against the worldview of the Imam [Khomeini]. Such worries are not warranted today.”
- Tehran mayor Qalibaf: “We can’t speak of revolution and tolerate poverty.”
- Ahmadinejad remembers Khomeini: “When the scent of the Imam spread in the Behesht-e Zahra [Tehran’s main military cemetery], there was a commotion and everyone ran to welcome him.” He also recalled a personal meeting: “I was in the company of the Imam [Khomeini] for about 15 minutes, but I was so dazzled by the radiating face of the Imam, that I did not comprehend his words.”
Politics: March 2008 Parliamentary Elections
- Supreme Leader Khamenei defends the screening process of parliamentary candidates: “The parliament is not a place for those opposed to the regime.”
- Asr-e Iran reports of several attempts at forging documents from higher educational institutions in order to qualify for the Iranian parliament.
- The Reformist Alliance says they will publish the biographies of those disqualified to run for the parliamentary elections to demonstrate “the injustice we have suffered.”
- Brigadier General Firouz-Abadi: “We must prevent those staging sit-ins to run for the parliament,” referring to the members of the 6th parliament who, upon disqualification in the hands of the Council of Guardians, staged sit-ins and hunger strikes.
Economy and Trade
- Maraje’ Taqlid [Sources of emulation] criticize transfer of control of Qarz al-Hassaneh [Non-interest loans] to the state.
- Tehran mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf says his participation in World Economic Summit in Davos has already resulted in “$4 billion direct investment in Tehran.”
- Fars News Agency reports of $8 bullion oil income during the last eight months.
- Fan-Avaran Petrochemical plant to be privatized tomorrow.
- The Islamic Republic begins investing in Zimbabwe.
- $4 billion tractor assembly plant?
- The Islamic Republic is importing natural gas from Azerbaijan.
Culture, Religion, and Society
- Mohammad-Taqi Rahbar, member of the Cultural Affairs Committee of the Iranian parliament, slams Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting: “I, and many members of the Cultural Affairs Committee of the parliament believe that a contra-revolutionary movement has infiltrated in the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, which aims at showing Zionist, Feminist, and anti-value programs.” Rahbar also informed of a “creeping movements which can be abused by Zionists” and demanded establishment of supervisory committees to monitor the programs.
- In a heated debate with the head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the son of Ayatollah Kashani protests against a television series on the role of his father during the 1953 coup against Iranian premier Mohammad Mossadeq.
- Abdol-Karim Soroush, Iranian religious reformer: “The Quran was not revealed to the Prophet Muhammed through the Archangel Gabriel…The Prophet himself had an active part in creation of the Quran.”
- A new novel published in the Islamic Republic, ’Aqrab rou-ye pelleh-ha-ye rah-agan-e Andimeshk, ya az in qatar khoun micheke ghorban [Scorpion on the stairs of Andimeshk Railroad, or Sir, blood is dripping from this train!] with the Iran/Iraq war (1980-1988) describes drug abuse and homosexuality among Iranian soldiers.
- Jamal Shourjeh, member of the nomination of the Fajr Film Festival explains, censorship:
1. Films which are in conflict with Iranian and Islamic culture, as well as ethical values.
2. Films which propagate schools of thought such as secularism, liberalism, nihilism, feminism… and destroy and humiliate Eastern culture.
3. Films which directly, or indirectly oppose religious authority over worldly life, which consider non-religious rule superior, or consider monarchical or dictatorial regimes as popular
4. Films which propagate racial discrimination, or consider Westerners superior to other races, nations or clans.
5. Films which propagate any kind of unethical behavior and propagate violence, drug abuse.
6. Films which are lacking artistic qualities, and whose propagation lowers the standards of the viewers.
7. Films which propagate rootless spirituality, both ancient and new.
8. Films which insult divine prophets, the Supreme Leader, or the Leadership Council.
9. Films which propagate filthy deeds, corruption and prostitution.
10. Films which present matters not in the national interests of the country and usable for foreign abuse.
11. Films showing detailed scenes of murder, crime and torture to the degree that it repulses the audience, or inspires the public to [commit such crimes].
Human Rights and Labor
- Iran Emrooz starts a campaign against stoning of two young women in Iran.
Photo of the Day
- More snow in Tehran.
