Thursday, July 31, 2008

Iran News Round Up   [Michael Rubin]

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

History

• Asr-e Iran releases the content of the letter of Fath Ali Shah, the second king of the Qajar dynasty, to his ambassador to Constantinople concerning outreach to France and England: "First: You must investigate thoroughly and find out how expansive the realm of the Franks is, and if there is a person called the king of the Franks, and in case there is such a person where the capital of his realm is located. Second: How many clans is the realm of the Franks composed of? Are they city dwellers or do they have Bedouins living in tents? And who are their chieftains and grandees? Third: Do your research well and find out if France is one of the Frankish tribes or belongs to a different tribe. Also, the infidel named Bonaparte who calls himself the King of France. Who is he? Fourth: With regard to England do separate research and find out how come they have earned their fame? What tribe do they belong to? Is it true that their isles do not necessitate pastoral migration? And is it true that they mainly feed on fish? If it is so, how come they can come from an island and conquer India? Do also investigation this matter which has troubled our mind and let me rightly comprehend what the relationship between England and London is. Is London a part of England, or is England a part of London? Fifth: See with your eyes what relationship there is between East India Trade Company of which there is much talk and England. Sixth: Do your utmost in investigating all matters related to the New World...."
  

Diplomacy

• Turkish foreign minister visiting parliamentary speaker Larijani says the U.S. lacks the intention and will of solving the problem of Palestinians.
• Supreme Leader Khamenei celebrating the ascension of Prophet Muhammad: "In opposition to the wishes of the bullying powers of the world, the great Iranian nation still supports the wronged people of Palestine and condemns the shameful silence of claimants of freedom and human rights in the face of everyday injustice and crimes of Zionists."
• Khamenei continued: "[T]here are those brainless hooligans who only look at the power of their muscles and scream. They know the people of Iran are only looking for using nuclear energy for electricity production, but they say because this matter gives you capabilities, we will not allow it..."
• Video.
• The Supreme Leader also added that in case the people of Iran take a single step back the enemy will advance a step.
• Ansar News, close to Ansar-e Hezbollah vigilante organization, praises the Supreme Leader's speech as a manifesto of resistance in the nuclear issue.
• Lebanese Hezbollah General Secretary's deputy Hojjat al-Eslam Hassan al-Baghadi: "Our relationship with the Islamic Republic is like that of a father and child and in case of attack we will defend Iran, even in case we should sacrifice ourselves for the sake of survival of the Islamic Republic. We will do it not out of fanaticism, but because of the true interests of the world of Islam..."
• Iran reopens the Shalamcheh border with Iraq.
• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to visit Tehran soon.
• Algerian president to visit Tehran soon.
• Ugandan foreign minister says Iran's opponents have colonial thoughts.
• Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi, minister of culture and Islamic guidance, says the movie "Execution of the Pharaoh," which praises assassins of Sadat, is produced by Al-Jazeera, but has also enjoyed some "non-governmental support.

Politics

• Alef News publishes the complete list of public offices to which the population can deliver house hold information.
• Following deficient parliamentary support for acting Minister of Economy and Finance Semsam, Ahmadinjad presents Seyyed Shams al-Din Hosseini as his candidate to the portfolio.
• Ahmadinejad presents former Revolutionary Guards commander Ali Kordan as his candidate to be minister of interior.
• Acting Minister of Interior Seyyed Mehdi Hashemi says he has voluntarily asked the president not to nominate him to be minister of interior.
• Raja News, which usually supports the Iranian president, asks if it truly was a correct decision to dismiss Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi as minister of interior.
• Ahmadinejad presents Hamid Behbahani as his candidate to minister of roads and transportation.
• Biographical information on the three ministerial nominees.
• Baran Foundation, supporting Mohammad Khatami's candidacy to presidential elections, reacts angrily to Kayhan's attacks against the former president and accuses the daily of suffering from "Khatamiphobia".
• Kayhan's speculations that Khatami's candidacy will be rejected, here.
• A source close to Khatami supporters claims in case the former president's candidacy for presidential elections is rejected by Council of Guardian, Mehr-Alizadeh will announce his candidacy.
• Khatami interior minister Abdollah Nouri says he has absolutely no intention of running for presidency.

Economy

• Iran Statistics assures the public that the information gathered for the purpose of cash transfers to the citizens will not be used for taxation purposes.
• Former Minister of Agriculture Isa Kalantari says whenever Iran's petroleum income rises, agriculture is sacrificed.
• Tabnak News says the Iranian government's economic reform schemes will raise a "tsunami of inflation."
• Iran is the sixteenth largest automobile manufacturer in the world.

Religion, Culture, and Society

• Techno music, skate boarding and graffiti become tolerated as the authorities attempt to mobilize support among the Iranian youth.
• Ayatollah Javadi publishes a new book on the Mahdi.

Public Health

• Seven registered cases of typhus in Qom.

Photo of the Day

• Symphony.

07/31 02:14 PM