Iran News Round Up

(Today’s Iran News Round Up entirely compiled by Ali Alfoneh)

Politics

· Ahmadinejad had presented “the highest echelons of the Islamic Republic” with a list of nominees to succeed Larijani: Mojtaba Hashemi Samareh, Esfandiyar Rahim Mashayi and Said Jalili. The unnamed authority (presumably the Supreme Leader) chose Jalili.

· Mohammad Atrianfar, member ally of Rafsanjani: “Dr. Larijani’s resignation no surprise… but his presence in Rome at the EU/Iran negotiations a sign of weakness on the part of newly appointed Said Jalili.

· Semi official news agency’s biography of Said Jalili claims he was Ahmadinejad’s choice for minister of foreign affairs, but “Manouchehr Mottaki was chosen because of some other considerations.”

o Rumors about Manouchehr Mottaki headline E’temad.

· Ahmad Sobhani replaces Said Jalili in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

· Rafsanjani: “My effort aims at widening the executive power of the Assembly of Experts.”

Diplomacy

• French President Sarkozy: “Nuclear cooperation with Iran is possible, confrontation with Iran not predestined.”
• Ali-Akbar Velayati, Supreme Leader’s foreign affairs advisor: “I am not aware of the warning of Putin to Iran.”
• Larijani: “Change of personnel will not affect Iran’s nuclear policy.”
• Ahmadinejad: “The nuclear issue safely back in the IAEA… bullies of international politics failed in intimidating us.”
• Is ElBaradei on the take?
• Ahmadinejad’s visit to Armenia abruptly ended; speculation he did not want to anger Turkey by paying tribute to memorial erected in honor of Armenian victims in the wake of WWI.
• Answering a question on ’Armenian Genocide’: “We condemn all injustice done in world history.”

Economics and Trade

• Ahmadinejad: “Export of Iranian natural gas through Armenia a good idea.”
• Aftab claims LUKOIL stops its engagement in Iran.
• Kayhan writes Russian LUKOIL continues its engagement in Iran “despite U.S. harassment.”
• Finance Minister: “Economic terrorism of the West against our country has been defeated.”

Military

• Turkish army helicopter wounds three Iranians while chasing PKK terrorists along the Turkey-Iran border.
• Ahmadinejad in Armenia: “Good news on air and space to be announced soon.”
• Deputy Science minister clarifies that the “good news on air and space” is related to Iran’s satellite technology.

Human Rights and Labor

• Jailed human rights and civil society activist Emad al-Din Baghi writes an open letter to the head of Iranian judiciary detailing violations of Iranian law while arresting him.
• Hundreds of Iranian students demonstrate at Amir Kabir Technical University protesting against imprisonment of student activists.

Media

• Rafsanjani censored from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, which titles him by the inferior religious title of Hojjat al-Islam.

Social

• Tehran book stores with a coffee shops to be closed in 48 hours.
• “Free health care is the forgotten principle of the Constitution” headlines reformist daily Khorasan.
• Parliamentary Deputy from Tabriz: “Islamic Republic’s foreign aid hardly honorable when seen in the context of shortcomings in the educational system in our own country.”