[Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his compilation; (E) signifies English link]

Diplomacy

Politics

  • Rowhani, former secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and current head of the Strategic Studies Center of the Expediency Council, criticizes the Ahmadinejad government’s performance on all fronts:
  • “When a statesman says Israel must be annihilated, people deduce that there is a plan for annihilation of Israel. Since one of the ways of doing so is a military strike, which they deduce is being prepared…Therefore they get engaged in machinations against us…
  • [In domestic affairs], if people think there is no stability in political decision-making, it will ultimately lead to instability…It is important for the members of the public to experience economic stability…
  • [Discussing blackouts and natural gas shortages]: When the public gets the impression that there is no preparedness for cold months of the year, they conclude there is no planning at all in this country…How come we exported electricity a couple of years ago, but are experiencing energy blackouts now? This is all due to poor planning…This is the result of slogans of distributing the money among the people rather than making clever long term investments…
  • A government must not think of how to perform in the four years of its terms, but must think strategically…The mentality that Security Council Resolutions are nothing more than scraps of paper is such a dangerous mentality…Why don’t we listen to our own experts?”
  • Seyyed Kamal Sajjadi, spokesman of the Front of the Followers of the Line of the Imam faction, attacks deputy representative of the Supreme Leader in the Revolutionary Guards, Mojtaba Zolnour’s words that “continuity of the presidency of Mr. Ahmadinejad is expedient for the regime.”
  • In the wake of the cold war between the Labor minister and the Director-General of the Central Bank, Labor Minister Jahromi publishes an open letter to Ahmadinejad demanding both his and Central Bank Director-General Mazaheri’s dismissal.
  • Agah-Sazi publishes an article on the competing centers of economic decision- making in Iran exemplified by the fight between Jahromi and Mazaheri. More here.
  • Azad University dean Jasbi, who has earlier claimed interior minister Ali Kordan, had not earned any degree from his university, avoids answering more questions on Kordan’s B.A. and Master’s degrees.
  • Assembly of Experts, chaired by Rafsanjani, demands the president to attend to the Mashayee affair.
  • Former parliamentary speaker Haddad Adel whitewashes the Iran Freedom Movement and, contrary to official historiography of the Islamic Republic, stresses the religious foundations of the moderate Islamic movement.
  • Commenting the Palizdar affair, Rafsanjani says there are some people “who want to exclude the clergy” from power, and adds that such a thing is impossible in Iran.
  • Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi says “those who want to make the clergy stay at home will take such hopes to the grave.”
  • Agah-Sazi reports split among radical supporters of Ahmadinejad. According to Agah-Sazi, Ansar Hezbollah vigilante organization’s weekly, Hemmat [Hasteh-ha-ye Moghavemat-e Taktiki (Tactical Resistance Cells)], has criticized the Student Basij Organization for “total obedience to the Revolutionary Guards” and “abandoning thought by establishing a military, security and intelligence agency-controlled atmosphere.”
  • According to Agah-Sazi’s report, Hemmat weekly has gone through radical ideological metamorphoses during the seven issues it has published. The first issue declared support for the controversial vice president Esfandiar Rahim-Mashayee, whose background in intelligence was presented as proof of his loyalty to the regime and ideals of the Islamic Republic. The third issue of Hemmat departs from the original line, and accuses several centers of power formerly supporting Ahmadinejad of belonging to the Hojjatiyyeh secretive society – a religious group repressed by Grand Ayatollah Khomeini. According to Agah-Sazi, erratic ideological changes in Hemmat reflect a change of loyalty among radical student groups who used to support president Ahmadinejad.
  • In the same article, secretary of Justice-Seeking University Students, which has supported Abbas Palizdar’s disclosure of economic corruption among high ranking clergy, attacked Ahmadinejad and accused the president of “instigating tensions at the Science and Technology University by supporting radical elements at the university.”

Nuclear Issue

Religion, Culture, and Society

  • The Islamic Republic launches Imam Mahdi Television which “propagates Mahdaviat” [Mahdism, belief in the Mahdi as savior].
  • In a secret letter to Supreme Leader Khamenei, 44 high-ranking clergymen protest against Vice President Mashayee’s expression of friendship with the people of Israel.
  • Ayatollah Alavi Gorgani slams the Ahmadinejad government’s corrections to the suggested family reform legislation and claims that, according to Islamic jurisprudence, there is no need for permission from the first wife for a husband to get engaged in plural marriages.
  • Ayatollah Sobhani attacks birth control policies in the Islamic Republic and says it is contrary to the Quran to limit the number of believers.
  • Sobhani, in a separate speech, attacks the Pope.
  • Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi warns against spread of superstition propagated by foreigners. The Grand Ayatollah especially condemned self-mutilation in Shi’a passion displays.
  • In the longer version of the interview reported by Shi’a News, Makarem Shirazi says he knows from reliable sources that foreign embassies distribute machetes to Muslims in Mashhad to propagate self mutilation during the passion processions of the believers.
  • Flooding in Khuzestan, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, and Ilam kills 20.
  • Earthquake (6.1 on the Richter scale) shakes Hormozgan province, hits Qeshm island.

Trade

  • The Islamic Republic Shipping Organization holds an emergency meeting to solve the crisis sparked by the hijacking of an Iranian ship, Iran Diyanat, off the coast of Somalia. Stories here and here.
  • Abdol-Qader Mousa Yousouf, Puntland Minister of Shipping, says that Iranian authorities have agreed to pay $2 million ransom to free the crew.
  • Abdol-Qader Mousa says the ship was carrying arms to Eritrea.
  • Iranian authorities deny.
  • Possibility that U.S. navy will rescue the hijacked ship.
  • Early Iranian reaction to crisis.
  • (E) Persian Gulf states start free-trade talks with Iran.
  • (E) Iran-Turkey continue energy talks.

Photo of the Day

  • Fire on Tehran-Qom road.