A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by AEI Critical Threats Project Iran Analyst Will Fulton with contributor John Lesnewich.


 


Politics

• National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi gave reasons for the Iranian delegation leaving the Vienna negotiations early: “This action by the Foreign Ministry was a logical and revolutionary decision. However, this ministry must know that the nation of Iran and MPs will not retreat in regards to national benefits, the rights of Iran in the nuclear field, and the blood of the martyrs. It expects the nuclear negotiations team to strictly defend the interests of the country.”
  
  
  
  • “Surely, the recent actions by the US in deciding to add a number of names of Iranian companies and institutions to the sanctions list is a clear violation of the Geneva nuclear agreement. [American] officials showed that they are not trustworthy.”
  
  
  • Boroujerdi then said that the future of negotiations depends on Western actions: “Given [America’s] hostile approach and its violation of the Geneva agreement, it is not possible to have an optimistic view of the negotiations process. We must make our own necessary decisions to accelerate the nation.”
  
  
  
  

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham claimed that the US was trying to destroy the Geneva agreement, saying “With faulty understanding, these individuals imagine that sanctions, not reaching an agreement, is the road to a final solution…. This type of action is not constructive and is outside the path of understanding. “
  
  
  
  • “Unfortunately, we witnessed the serious confusion in the approach, decisions, and statements of American officials. US Administration officials are clearly trying to justify US legislation to avoid the approval of new sanctions against Iran and are advancing a framework of joint action with Iran and the P5+1. On the other hand, however, the controversial actions of the Treasury and State Departments … have renewed unbeneficial ventures in placing some Iranian groups and companies on the sanctions list.”
  
  
  
  

• NSFP Parliamentary Commission Spokesman Hassan Naghavi called for Iran to take a new look at the negotiations given the sanctions: “In reality, the current conditions are a test for the two sides. [Iranian] officials must evaluate the new conditions and take a decisive stance about these sanctions.”
  
  
  
  • “From the beginning, we have not trusted the Americans. The Supreme Leader has even clearly announced that the Americans are ‘promise breakers’ and ‘untrustworthy.’ That is why America has the responsibility for breaking the promise of the Geneva agreement. The responsibility for this promise breaking is absolutely with the Americans’.”
  
  
  • “If another side violates the Geneva agreement, Iran will certainly also put this agreement underfoot. We are not afraid in any way of sanctions or threats.”
  
  
  
  

• Expediency Discernment Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei warned that US sanctions could end negotiations: “If some actions take place, this certainly could ruin the negotiations and make it clear that the [US] does not intend to work or cooperate with Iran… . The potential new sanctions against Iran are a sign of American sabotage of the negotiations and represent that they have other intentions besides the sanctions and will consider actions against the nation of Iran.”

• Former President Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Khatami criticized the political misuse of martyrs and veterans, saying that they should not be treated as something disposable to be benefited from by political parties:
  
  
  
  • “We must always remember our martyrs in our universities…. Of course, there is also the other case in which God forbids abusing this great wealth of our country, nation, and Revolution and using the names of martyrs and veterans in a political way. People who are in opposition to some policies and methods label others as people who have problems with the martyrs and Sacred Defense [Iran-Iraq War] as a way to exert pressure. I am also worried about this.”
  
  
  • “In the same way that we must give life to the memories of the martyrs, fronts, and children of the war, we must also move against the abuse of this great capital.”
  
  
  
  

• Tehran MP Mohammad Esmail Kowsari criticized a letter written by nine Reformists to President Rouhani, asking him to lift the sentences of the leaders of the 2009 protests: “The subject of lifting the sentences of and freeing prisoners belongs to the judiciary and the Supreme National Security Council.”
  
  
  
  • “These Reformists want to use Mr. Rouhani to be able to achieve their own desires. However, Mr. Rouhani knows his place and responsibilities, and if he gives a response, it will be within a legal framework.”
  
  
  
  

• Tehran MP Hojjat al-Eslam Hamid Resaei also criticized the letter to President Rouhani, “The nine reformists of this letter did not reflect much between themselves, only one newspaper whose editor was a signatory would publish it, and the rest of the Reformists did not welcome the letter. This shows that the body of the Reformist political current knows that this subject is not under the control of the President.”

• Tehran Temporary Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani  praised the negotiations team while criticizing the US and equating sanctions to theft: “This is a good opportunity for the men to show the Western world the greatness of the Revolution, and not just be content with the nuclear issue, but to also explain to them the beautiful Islamic Revolution and make them understand that Iran is not afraid of anything.”
  
  
  
  • “Know that the fundamental cause of America’s hostility towards us is our Islamic identity. They are the enemies of Islam.”
  
  
  • “However much the negotiations team gives, the American and P5+1 thirst increases. They are insatiable. Anywhere they see a positive response, they take it but create new expectations and excuses for themselves.”
  
  
  
  

• International Affairs Advisor to the Speaker of Parliament Hossein Sheikholeslam announced that “A French Parliamentary delegation will arrive in Tehran Saturday morning to undertake three days of travel hosted by European Relations Parliamentary Commission Chairman Kazem Jalali.” While in Iran, the delegation will “meet with Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and NSFP Parliamentary Commission Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi, in addition to other officials of the Foreign Ministry.”
  
  
  
  • Jalali will also be hosting a European Parliamentary delegation consisting of ten individuals from December 12-17.
  
  
  
  

• A source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that Iran has been invited to participate in the Geneva 2 negotiations in order to find a solution to the Syrian crisis. The news comes after Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javid Zarif met with his counterpart Sergei Lavarov. However, another source in the ministry says that an official invitation has not yet been issued.

• Following IRGC Commander Jafari’s criticism of Foreign Minister Zarif’s statements that Iran could not defend itself from an American attack, Senior Political Advisor to the Supreme Leader’s Representative to the IRGC Brig. Gen. 2nd Class Yadollah Javani also commented on these remarks:
  
  
  
  • “These are the words of a non-specialist, perhaps due to the lack of familiarity with military and defense topics.”
  
  
  • “The reality is that Americans have not militarily threatened any country the size of Iran in the past 34 years. If we refer to the literature of American officials, we see that during the last ten years, Americans have used military literature against Iran at every opportunity, and the principles of this literature have relied on military threats.”
  
  
  • “Over the last ten years, American threats against Iran have been defined with the cause of stopping Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities. Sometimes we have even seen the Arrogance-based [Western] media define the time and place of an American and Zionist regime attack against Iran, but they have neither acted on these military threats, nor stopped our peaceful nuclear program.”
  
  
  • “Iran is able to strike reciprocally under any conditions, meaning that if Americans make an error, Iran will have both the motivation and will necessary to respond in the shortest amount of time. Our defense and missile capabilities are to the extent that a significant radius of US and Zionist interests in the region will be seriously attacked.”
  
  
  
  

• The Ministry of Defense announced that tomorrow it will present twelve technological products of its cyber program that have been created domestically, and that Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan will be attending, along with Head of the Passive Defense Organization Brig. Gen. Gholam Reza Jalali.

• Senior nuclear negotiator and Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Eraghchi spoke about the conclusion of the Vienna Experts negotiations, which ended yesterday after four days of talks when Iran’s negotiations team left after hearing new names had been added to the US sanctions list: “In the past few days following the Geneva negotiations, we have faced confusion, a lack of decision-making, and undefined policies by the American government. On one side, Congress is trying to advance new sanctions, and on the other side new companies have been added to the sanctions list.”
  
  
  
  • “This double game and confusion is not beneficial to a negotiations atmosphere, and is contrary to the spirit of the Geneva agreement.”
  
  
  • “Of course America thinks that these sanctions on companies are connected to old sanctions due to a lack of their observation of sanctions. However, in any case, in present conditions in which we have an atmosphere of cooperation, this is not constructive.”
  
  
  • “This approach is not constructive and we consider it against good will. Presently, we are in a state of investigation of [America’s] recent conduct and are taking the necessary action.”