[Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his compilation; (E) signifies English link]
Military and Security
- Contrary to his earlier remarks, chief of the Revolutionary Guards says he does not think the enemy is contemplating an attack against Iran.
- Former minister of defense Admiral Shamkhani says the West wants the world to believe that an attack against Iran is imminent.
- Petroleum minister says attack against Iran will result in Iran’s taking control of the Strait of Hormuz. In English (E), here.
- (E) Oil prices would reach unpredictable highs.
- Chief of the Revolutionary Guards says Iran’s responses to military strikes will not be limited to “military means.”
- Revolutionary Guards chief Ja’fari says Iran’s response to military strikes would “surprise” the enemy.
- (E) Iran’s enemies would regret any strike.
- Rooz analyses structural changes in the Revolutionary Guards.
- Asr-e Iran publishes a Persian translation of Financial Times’ analysis of restructuring of the Revolutionary Guards.
- Commander Mohammad-Ja’far Assadi, army chief of the Revolutionary Guards, says that within a week, all the 31 provincial chiefs of the Revolutionary Guards will be appointed.
- Revolutionary Guards deputy chief Hejazi visits the Saheb al-Zaman Army in Isfahan province.
- By the decree of Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, representative of the Supreme Leader in the Revolutionary Guards, Hojjat al-Eslam Ja’far Ro’a-yati is appointed the Supreme Leader’s representative in the Hazrat-e Gha’em al-Mohammad Revolutionary Guards Army of Semnan Province.
- Commander Mohammad-Hossein Babayee is appointed chief of the Hazrat-e Gha’em Revolutionary Guards Army of Semnan Province.
- Commander Ali Razm-Jou, head of the second maritime zone of the Revolutionary Guards Navy of Bushehr, visits Ansar al-Hossein Basij Resistance Base of Borazjan.
- Mohammad-Taqi Shah-Cheraqi is appointed chief of the Rouhollah Army of the Markazi province.
- Commander Gholam-Reza Ahmadi is appointed chief of the Revolutionary Guards in Southern Khorasan province. Hojjat al-Eslam Gholam-Hossein Nowferasti is appointed representative of the Supreme Leader in the Ansar al-Reza Army of the province. The appointment ceremony was overseen by Commander Shoushtari, deputy chief of the Ground Forces of the Revolutionary Guards.
- By the decree of Hojjat al-Eslam Alizadeh, representative of the Supreme Leader in Kerman province, Colonel Ahmad Ehsalni appointed as public relations chief of the Revolutionary Guards in Kerman.
- Hejazi, deputy chief of the Revolutionary Guards, says the Basij should maintain its preparedness and be present in different “scenes of societal life.”
- Shahrvand weekly analyses the organizational development of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization.
- Shahrvand discusses the assassination attempt against Ali Khamenei in mid-1980′s.
- Islamic Republic of Iran Coast Guard arrests Indian crew of four Saudi registered boats in the Persian Gulf, accuses them of smuggling.
- Commander Chaharbaghi, chief of the Revolutionary Guards Artillery, thanks the 61st Moharram Group.
Politics
- Tabnak News Agency presents a historical overview of representatives of and advisors to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Khatami vice president Abtahi ridicules the Iraqi-born parliamentary speaker Larijani’s excessive use of Arabic words.
- Tehran mayor Qalibaf shifts personnel in Tehran Municipality.
- Tajer-Nia says Khatami interior minister Abdollah Nouri could change the fortunes of the reform movement if he runs for presidency.
- Ebtekar discusses different factions in the Iranian parliament.
- Seyyed Mohammad Karimi appointed governor of Mazandaran.
- Ahmadinejad thanks the provincial governor of Hamadan for swift implementation of the policies of the government.
- Ansar News Agency analyses the achievements of the Seventh Parliament.
- Taqi Dezhakam “discloses” a “secret” plot of Khatami supporters to slander Ahmadinejad.
- Larijani declares time out in the Palizdar affair after widespread parliamentary protests against the arrest of parliamentarians who cooperated with Palizdar to investigate economic corruption in the Islamic Republic.
- In an escalation in the Palizdar affair, Elias Naderan attacks the judiciary.
- Former intelligence minister Ali Younesi evaluates governments of Rafsanjani, Khatami and Ahmadinejad, and comments on the role of the Haqqani theological school in the revolutionary and post-revolutionary security structure of the Islamic Republic, along with some comments on Beheshti’s political thought.
- Raja News Agency discusses the “Evil Triangle” of Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, Abol-Hassan Bani-Sadr and Iran Freedom Movement. More.
Human Rights and Labor
- (E) Lengthy report on ongoing Iranian labor issues (.pdf) from the International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran.
- Student activist Ahmad Ghassaban transferred to Section 8 of Evin prison.
- Donya-ye Eqtesad analyzes announced proposal of capital punishment for “disturbing the psychological security of the society.”
- Kayhan ridicules Voice of America Persian’s interview with tortured Iranian student activist Ahmad Batebi.
- Seven criminals hanged.
Religion, Culture, and Society
- Question to Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad-Sadeq Rowhani: “Distribution of pornographic journals smuggled into the country cause corruption and prostitution. In case the sole way of [dealing with such problem] is through purchase of those journals with sahm-e Emam [religious taxes paid to the clergy claiming the money for the Lord of Era], should it be allowed?”
- Answer: “In the name of God. No problem.”
- Government spokesman Elham says “some people want to forget Mahdi-hood.”
- Elham defends Ahmadinejad’s beliefs in the Mahdi.
- Khedmat News Agency and Raja News Agency condemn Montajab-Nia’s criticism of Ahmadinejad’s belief in the Lord of the Era.
- Seyyed Hassan Khomeini says cultural activities should result in more religiosity in the society.
- Sand storm nears Tehran.
- According to a new study of suicide patterns in the Islamic Republic, married individuals more prone to suicide than singles.
- Shi’a News now exempt from filtering, operates freely again. More.
- Authors Ebrahim Hassan-Beygi and Reza Rai’si who specialize in the Iran-Iraq war, discuss the role of censorship.
Nuclear Issue
- Mottaki delivers Iran’s answer to the 5+1 Group.
- (E) Iran responds.
- (E) Iran’s nuclear stance is unchanged.
- EU’s Solana and Jalili, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic, to resume nuclear negotiations.
- Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, Mottaki says the U.S. position [in the nuclear issue] is improving.
- Adds any adventurism against Iran is stupid.
- Chinese minister thanks secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Jalili for “smiling” at the “incentive package” of the 5+1.
- Deutsche Welle Persian says there is a change of behavior in Tehran with regard to the nuclear issue.
- (E) Japan says Iran’s package can be path to world peace.
- (E) Netherlands bans Iranian students from nuclear studies.
Economy
- According to Mardomsalari, unemployment rate is 9.6 percent of the labor force.
- Central Bank of the Islamic Republic claims inflation is close to 21 percent.
- Ansar News Agency publishes vice president Davoodi’s elaborations on the schemes of the government to solve inflation and the housing crisis.
- Foreign exchange rates in Tehran.
- Asr-e Iran presents a list of automobile prices in the Iranian market.
- Ahmadinejad meets 100 economists to discuss the economy. More.
- Donya-ye Eqtesad analyzes privatization of steel plant of Khuzestan.
- Donya-ye Eqtesad analyses schemes to privatize the communications sector in Iran.
- Ahmadinejad urges the media to assist the government in its attempts to reform the economy.
- Sarmayeh analyzes the Iranian president’s latest press conference on economic reforms in Iran.
- Tehran Friday prayer leader Ahmad Jannati supports Ahmadinejad’s economic reform schemes involving an end to subsidies in return for direct transfer of money into the accounts of Iranian citizens.
- Deputy statistics chief urges all Iranian citizens to get a “National Card” to be included in the government’s distribution of oil money from subsidies into cash transfers to the bank accounts of the citizens.
- Friday prayer leader of Mashhad Ayatollah Alam al-Hoda says any scheme which does not have the blessings of the representative of the Supreme Leader lacks legitimacy.
- Families with children to receive a plastic card for milk rations.
- For the third consecutive week, Tehran experiences power shortages, and the authorities publish a time table for rolling blackouts.
Trade
- Ministries of Trade and Industries & Mining to merge.
- India’s petroleum minister says his country will sign the agreement on the oil pipeline with Iran in a month.
Diplomacy
- According to Berliner Morgen Post, Ahmadinejad’s white coat has become fashionable in Berlin; Asr-e Iran speculates this is due to admiration of Ahmadinejad’s anti-Zionist rhetoric.
- The Islamic Republic demands membership of the U.N. Security Council.
- (E) Larijani: Israel faces legitimacy crisis.
- 26 years of the disappearance of 4 Iranian diplomats in Beirut, the Iranian embassy claims they are alive and in Israeli captivity.
Media
- Zarghami, head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, says Press TV is the fruit of Ali Larijani, current speaker of the parliament and former head of the IRIB.
- Photo essay of the first anniversary of Press TV.
Photo of the Day
- Girls playing chess in Tabriz.
