(Compiled with the assistance of Ali Alfoneh)
Putin’s Visit
- Supreme Leader: “A strong Iran and a strong Russia serve the good of both countries.”
- Chief nuclear negotiator Larijani: “Putin proposed an end to uranium enrichment [to defuse the nuclear crisis], but we do not agree with him.”
- “The savage diplomacy of the United States cannot be tamed with good advice.”
- Iran is studying Putin’s proposal.
- Tabnak, blog close to former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezai, warns “Putin’s proposal is his final friendly act towards Iran.”
- “Dr. Ali Larijani’s absence from the public domain up to Putin’s visit to Iran remarkable.”
- Heshmatullah Falahat-Pisheh, member of the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament: “Let us not exaggerate the importance of Putin’s visit to Iran… Today he shakes hands with us, tomorrow with the West.”
- Entekhab: “The West [was] stupefied by Russian President Putin’s demonstration of support to Iran’ nuclear efforts.”
- Hezbollah: “A bad day for the United States.” http://www.hezbollahnews.ir/titr_weo.php?userid=895
- Ahmadinejad to Izvestia: “Production of a nuclear weapon is such a waste of money.”
Human Rights and Labor
- International Transport Worker Federation representative challenges Iranian ambassador to debate on labor issues.
- Imprisoned labor leader Mansour Osanlou on verge of losing eyesight.
- Bush and Rice refuse any condemnation of Iranian crackdown.
Government Reform
- Rafsanjani: “downsize government.”
- Parliamentary majority seeks an end to gasoline, benzene subsidies.
Economy and Sanctions
- Ali Vakili, Head of Pars Oil and Gas Company: “Russians have no reservations with regard to their participation in South Pars Oil Field… GAZPROM ready to start its activities.”
- $40 billion invested in South Pars field?
- Iran-Russia trade to increase to $200 billion?
- Austrian Oil Company OMV; Turkish TPAO; and Spanish company SOCOIN fill gap left by French company Total’s departure because of sanctions.
- Ahmadinejad: Europe should move independently [from U.S.]
Foreign Policy
- Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham: “Rafsanjani and Khatami’s defensive policies towards the West were capitulations… Rafsanjani’s statements on ‘state of emergency’ when it comes to the security of Iran worsen the security of the country and only serve to prolong the public life of long forgotten figures from the history of the Islamic Republic… Some people [referring to Rafsanjani] should think more about what would happen in case their economic corruption should become public knowledge.”
- Parliamentary Speaker: Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel: “Those who eat bread with Israel can not serve as role models for Muslims.”
Military
- IRGC has “smart ammunition.”
Photo of the Day
