A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by the AEI Critical Threats Project's Iran research team.

Politics

• In an address to Fars Province Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders last week, Fars Province Governor Mohammad Ahmadi praised the IRGC, announcing that the province�s planning council will not be formed without an IRGC representative. Ahmadi added that he would �confront� any provincial official who does not cooperate with the IRGC in fulfilling the Supreme Leader�s �resistance economy� policies.


• Special Adviser to the President on Ethnic and Religious Minority Affairs Ali�Yunesi criticized the draft of the Citizen Rights Charter, calling it �very weak.� Yunesi then announced that will establish the Sunni Consultative Council and advocated for more Sunni rights in the country.


• The managing director of the Supreme Leader�s unofficial media organ�Kayhan, Hossein Shariatmadari, �criticized the West for praising��individuals who caused sedition and chaos in our country� while remaining silent towards the �martyrdom� of Ali Khalili. Khalili recently died of injuries sustained while �commanding good and prohibiting evil� [amr-e be maroof va nahy az monkar; religious duty]. Shariatmadari added, �In an Islamic society, some thugs must not dare strike a cleric to this extent because of [his carrying out the] duty of forbidding evil.�


• Tehran Province Governor Hossein Hashemi�announced the formation of the Investment Absorption Center in Tehran Province�in response to the supreme leader�s directive on the economy and culture.


• President Hassan Rouhani appointed�vice president and Head of the Foundation for Martyrs and Self-Sacrifice Affairs Hojjat al-Eslam Mohammad Ali Shahidi Mahallati as the Secretary of the Supreme Propagation and Expansion of Self-Sacrifice and Martyrdom Culture Council.

Diplomacy

• President Hassan�Rouhani reiterated his commitment to��expanding relations with all countries� in a meeting with ambassadors from Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Sudan and Kazakhstan.


• Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham expressed��serious regret� after the death of one of its border patrol guards�and urged Pakistan�s government to undertake �serious and immediate measure[s]� to help repatriate the remaining four guards.


• NSFP Parliamentary Commission Chairman MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Pakistan �is responsible for the lives of the kidnapped border guards� and�vehemently denied Pakistani claims that Iranian authorities never established contact with Islamabad, calling it �an excuse worse than sin.�
  
  
  
  • Security and Enforcement Deputy to the Interior Minister Ali Abdollahi addressed the latest reports about the execution of an Iranian border guard.�Abdollahi said �There are no doubts that the five guards are in Pakistan; Pakistani experts have also confirmed this.� Regarding Pakistan�s cooperation, Abdollahi said �Statements made by Pakistan about the lack of follow through by Iranian officials pertaining to this matter are unacceptable.�
  
  
  
  

Military and Security

• Head of IRGC Public Affairs Brig. Gen. 2C Ramezan�Sharif praised the��planning and implementation of cultural-values program of�rahian-e noor�[�Companions of the Light� cultural program] in the Persian Gulf that has been established for familiarizing our young generation [with Iran-Iraq War era values].�


• Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Ahmad Reza�Radan announced that the LEF will play��a determining role in�confronting smuggling, economic corruption� and� �disruptors of the economic system.�


• Companions of the Light Central Base Secretary IRGC Brig. Gen. Yaqub Soleimani claimed that during the past eleven months,�more than 2.4 million people have participated�in the cultural tour program that takes �caravans of students, university students and various sectors of the population� to Iran-Iraq War era battlefields in the south, west and the northwest. Soleimani then stated �We must return to the jihadi management of the Sacred Defense era if we want to� implement the Supreme Leader�s directives.


• Sistan va Baluchestan Province Security and Enforcement Deputy Ali Asqar Mir�Shekari confirmed the death of border guard Jamshid Danaeifar�at the hands of Jaish al-Adl.

Economy

• Senior Advisor to the President and Special Economic Areas Cooperation Council Secretary Akbar Torkan announced the ratification of a provision in the council to transform the city of Jask, Hormozgan province, into a �special economic area� and that the council will submit a proposal to the parliament soon. Torkan said that�President Hassan Rouhani has ordered Jask �to become the second area in Iran�s oil export��due to �capacities that exist in the petrochemical, energy and refinery industries.� He also added that oil storage and �other facilities related to crude oil exports� will be constructed in Jask.


• Parliament Energy Commission Chairman MP Ebrahim�Karkhanei called �resistance economy� policies��a prescription for confronting the enemy�s imposed economic war� and also the strategy of �a strong and flexible economic system against economic crises.�

By AEI Critical Threat

 

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