(Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his compilation)

Politics: 2008 Parliamentary Election

  • After being ridiculed for his prediction that “35 million Iranians would vote in parliamentary elections,” Minister of Interior denies ever making the comment.
  • Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi urges parliamentary candidates to reconsider their candidacy in case “there are more qualified candidates present.”
  • Mousavi Lari, spokesman of the reformist camp, says the reformists are ready to participate actively in the parliamentary elections.
  • Khedmat (close to Ahmadinejad) says the reformist camp has given up the Tehran constituencies, and aims at winning seats in the provinces.
  • Council of Guardians member Kadkhoda’i says the screening process has not been partisan.
  • Ayatollah Kashani: Elect competent candidates.

Politics: General

  • The Islamic Republic commemorates the anniversary of return of Grand Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini to Iran from his exile in Paris.
  • Development projects begin the day after Ahmadinejad visits to underprivileged villages in Tangestan, southwestern Iran.
  • Ahmadinejad stresses Bushehr province is readying itself for a ”great stride.”
  • Supreme Leader visits the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini.
  • Ansar, close to the Ansar-e Hezbollah vigilante organization, publishes the names of governors who supported the sit-in and hunger strike of reformist parliamentarians in 2005.
  • Grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Hassan Khomeini says the E’temad-e Melli party’s philosophy is close to that of Khomeini’s.
  • Hassan Khomeini laments that “some have pointed their gun at ourselves.”
  • Mehdi Karrubi responds: “Our party does not demand anything else but respect for the law.”

Security and Military

  • Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Air Force: “At no one point must we surrender to the enemy.”
  • Defense Minister Mostafa Najjar: “Iran does not threaten anyone, but will answer decisively to any threat.”
  • Vows to defend Persian Gulf from all threats.

Economy and Trade

  • Iran and Brazil negotiate Caspian oil deal.

Nuclear Issue

Diplomacy

Religion, Culture, Society:

  • Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi urges the Law Enforcement Forces to administer the Societal Security Scheme with firmer resolve in order to eradicate “immorality”

Photo of the Day