Iran News Round Up

(Compiled with assistance of Ali Alfoneh)

Was Ahmadinejad a Hostage-taker?

Weekly Shahrvand publishes another picture of Ahmadinejad in the company of “Students of the Line of Imam,” the group which seized the U.S. Embassy. In the photo, he is meeting Ayatollah Khomeini. (Permanent picture link here; standing, third from left).

Diplomacy

Ryan Crocker to meet Iranian counterpart, an IRGC operative, after U.S. sweetens the atmosphere by releasing Iranian detainees in Iraq.
Iran to expand ties with Malawi, Kenya.
Japan seeks student hostage’s release.

Nuclear Diplomacy

EU Foreign Policy director Javier Solana suggests an international center for enrichment of uranium for peaceful use.
Iranian parliamentarians condemn third-country enrichment proposals.
Applauding appointment of Said Jalili as chief nuclear negotiator, hard line Raja talks of “return of self-confidence to the ranks of Iranian diplomacy.”
Seyyed Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, spokesman of the Iranian ministry of foreign affairs: “Queen Elizabeth II’s comments against our nuclear program aim at debilitating Iran’s scientific development… Will not affect our policies.”
China urges more diplomacy, less pressure.

Terrorism

Dorri Najaf-Abadi, Iranian chief prosecutor: “Ruling of Interpol influenced by the Zionist lobby.”
Hezbollah’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Fadhlallah, warns that any U.S. attack on Iran would lead U.S. forces in Iraq to become hostages in Iran’s hands.
U.S. releases nine captured Revolutionary Guards operatives in Iraq.
Tehran calls for the release of three other Iranian detainees.

Economy and Trade

Iranian government to allocate two trillion tomans ($2.1 billion) to rural development and rural housing schemes.
Ahmadinejad: “Budget of southern Khorasan province to be doubled in the next year’s national budget.”
China in talk to buy more gas from Iran.

Military

“The spirit of martyrdom-seeking deters the enemy.” says former IRGC chief, Yahya Rahim Safavi.

Religion and Society

Kuwaiti newspaper As-Siyasat calls the Islamic Republic a “Safavid entity,” referring to the dynasty, known for its radical ideology and purges, which converted Iran to Shi‘ism in the 16th century.
Baqer al-Oloum University in Qom celebrates graduation of the first students from its School of Foreign Languages. “The aim is to propagate Shi’ism abroad,” says the Dean.
Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani condemns the “behavior of the Wahabis towards Iranian pilgrims.”

Human Rights and Labor