Economy
· Ridiculing the economic policies of the Ahmadinejad government, Alef News comments: “Some years ago, in every neighborhood there was a doctor who would prescribe Aspirin as a cure to all ailments and maladies… The appointment of Dr. Bahmani as director general of the Central Bank shows a similar tendency…whatever happens to the Iranian economy the government prescribes infusion of more money into the economy as the sole solution!”
o (E) Direct subsidies to begin, according to Ahmadinejad.
· Alef News describes the mechanics of train ticket racketeering in Iran.
Human Rights and Labor
· (E) 46-day hunger strike for Kurdish prisoners in Iran.
Military and Security
· Deputy chief of the Revolutionary Guards Navy commander Ali Fadavi says the Islamic Republic will launch unmanned vessels in the Persian Gulf.
o (E) More, in English.
· Salary of Iranian military servicemen to be doubled.
· Intelligence Ministry Public Relations Office claims “the famous villain Omid Aliz-Dehi known as Sardar [commander]” has been identified and arrested in Mashhad.
· Intelligence Minister Ezheh’i: “What defeats all conspiracies is belief in God and self-confidence, unity of slogans and solidarity of the elites…We expected that this year would be a very tough one and this has been the case to a degree. Let’s not forget that the United States and some of its allies claimed they would attack Iran by military means, even if limited to a few targets… This issue affected the atmosphere so much that some domestic experts considered it a serious possibility and some precautions were made. The United States and her allies even threatened more sanctions, which partially have been imposed… Sanctions, pressures and psychological instruments were used against Iran and we had predicted that the enemy thought they could create a tumultuous atmosphere in the domestic arena. After the effects [of rising prices and psychological operations had worked] the enemy would seriously enter the arena. This too was foreseeable…The enemy has activated dormant or marginalized counter-revolutionary movements by providing logistical support, training and organization in order to instigate insecurity in the Western borders of the country…the enemy is also behind counter revolutionary movements in the East of the country and by providing them with logistical support, training and propaganda in different Western media…These elements are well known to the Intelligence Ministry and we expect they stop from doing so. Otherwise we will take appropriate measures with regard to them…the enemy thought that by hard countersecurity measures and provoking some tribes they could create costly mayhem for us but the intelligence of our people and executives this did allow this to happen.”
Trade
· (E) Iranian car maker blasts France’s political approach to cooperation.
Religion, Society, and Culture
· Son of Sunni religious leader Qaradwi refutes rumors on his conversion to Shi’a Islam.
· Asr-e Iran publishes an article on Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani’s immigration to the United States.
· Hojjat al-Eslam Re’isi, a judiciary official, warns against spread of superstition.
Nuclear Issue
· (E) NATO support for Israel’s nuclear arsenal shocks Iran.
Politics
· Asr-e Iran compares editorials of Kayhan on cash handouts to the members of the sixth parliament and the current parliament.
· Asr-e Iran publishes a report on Ahmadinejad’s interview with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Channel One.
· Khatami vice president Abtahi attacks potential candidate Abdollah Nouri, Khatami’s former interior minister, as being an opponent of the Islamic Republic.
Diplomacy
· Ecuador’s president to visit Tehran.
Photo of the Day
· Ahmadinejad visits North Khorasan.
