Iran News Round Up- Dec. 2

[The previous Iran News Round Up was from yesterday; my apologies as I was stuck on planes most of he day]

(Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his indispensable help in compiling)

Economics

• Privatization of the Islamic Republic’s largest aluminum producer unsuccessful as no one bids on Tehran Stock Exchange.
• Seyyed Hossein Hashemi, head of the Industry and Mining Committee of the Iranian parliament, complains about contradictory reports on Iran’s foreign exchange income: “The government should demystify the country’s foreign exchange income.”
• Iran to connect its railroad from Turkmenistan into Kazakhstan.
• Deputy minister of oil, Mohammad-Reza Ne’mat-Zadeh: “In five years time, Iran’s oil export will decline to zero due to lack of investments in the oil sector… and increasing domestic energy demand.”

Diplomacy

• Former president Mohammad Khatami proposes direct and unconditional negotiations with the United States.
• United Arab Emirates reiterates its claims on the three disputed islands in the Persian Gulf.
• Syria’s deputy foreign minister talks of consolidated Iran-Syria ties.
• Dispute over removal of MKO from terrorist list in Britain.

Nuclear Issue

• EU Concession? Secretary of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme National Security Council, Said Jalili: “Solana did not propose suspension of nuclear enrichment.”
• Jalili: “The negotiations with Solana were good.”
• Solana: “The negotiations were hopeless.”
• Mottaki to UN: Stop illegal consideration of Iran’s nuclear enrichment.
• Italian Prime Minister opposes new EU sanctions.

Politics

• General Secreatary of the Mojahedin-e Enghelab faction, Mohammad Salamati supports Rafsanjani’s call for non-intervention of the Basij Resistance Force in politics.
• Education minister delivers resignation to Ahmadinejad?

Public Health

• Health Minister: “70,000 HIV patients receive retroviral treatment in Iran.”

Military

• Iranian-made destroyer to enter service.

Religion, Culture, and Society

• Iranian police to step up the fight against “immoral winter clothing,” in a special warning issued to Iranian women.
• Former editor of Iran Student News Agency complains against “undue interventions of the Kayhan newpaper [mouthpiece of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] in the daily work of ISNA.”
• Kayhan “unveils” the Iranian news site Gooya as a CIA-run operation.
• Tehran Metro starts digging in the middle of the night in the immediate proximity of Tehran Theater, one of the Iranian capital’s most beautiful architectural achievements (neglected by the Islamic Republic). Head of the Metro says the building will suffer no harm.
• More, in English.
• Commander Kowsari: “The Revolutionary Guards is not able to institutionalize Basiji thought without the help of the Basij Resistance Force.”

Human Rights and Labor

• Jelveh Javaheri, women’s rights activist and blogger arrested Iranian Intelligence.
• Arrest of painters’ union activist in Iran as labor crackdown continues.

Photo of the Day

• Snow in Zanjan.