(Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his assistance in compiling)

Nuclear Issue

  • Iranian government spokesman: “The [NIE] report cleanses of earlier allegations of the U.S. against Iran.”
  • Member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament), Heshmat-allah Falahat Pisheh, warns of a U.S. conspiracy and a “strategic trap”: “If Iran welcomes the report we have recognized the false claim that Iran has been engaged in pursuing nuclear weapons prior to 2003.”
  • TABNAK (close to former IRGC head Mohsen Rezai) chooses the same line, and stresses that the report can be used against Iran.
  • TABNAK also takes comfort in what the news agency calls “Support from China and from the Democratic Party [in the United States].”
  • U.S. should compensate Iran for U.S. “lies about Iran.”
  • For more, in English, see: here and here.
  • Commentary, in English, ridicules Bush’s lies.
  • ElBaradei pleased.
  • Ahmadinejad,while accepting the credentials of the new Swedish ambassador: “The entire world must recognize and respect our nuclear rights.”
  • Secretary of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Said Jalili holds a closed meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
  • Putin assures Iran that it will finish the Bushehr nuclear plant on time.

Economy and Trade

Diplomacy

  • Fourth round of U.S.-Iran talks in Baghdad to commence within days.
  • Raja News Agency: “The United States utilizes [the Kurdish terrorist organization] PEJAK to create a new Israel in the region.”
  • Iran and Canada no longer enjoy diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level.
  • Canada acted contrary to international norms, claims spokesman of Iranian foreign ministry.
  • More, in English.
  • For background, see Dec. 4 Iran News Round Up.
  • Gulf Cooperation Council Summit’s communiqué supports United Arab Emirates’ claims in the island dispute with Iran.
  • SCIRI leader Abdulaziz Hakim opposes the idea of “permanent U.S. army bases in Iraq.”

Education

Human Rights and Labor

  • Wife of imprisoned Iranian human rights and civil society activist Emad al-Din Baghi says that Baghi is no longer allowed to receive visitors.

Military

  • Deputy representative of the Supreme Leader in Basij Resistance Force: “We must concentrate our efforts on developing resistance cells.”
  • At GCC, Iran proposes joint Persian Gulf army.

Religion, Culture, and Society

  • Hojjat al-Eslami Mohammad-Mehdi Karimi-Nia presents his Ph.D. research project on the theological and legal dimensions of sex change operations at Imam Khomeini Research Center in the holy Shi’ite city of Qom.

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