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.

Military and Security

• Defense Minister Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan announced “Iran’s missile capability is our business. We are responsible for it and will not accept any meddling from anyone… I emphasize one more time that Iran’s defensive equipment were and will never be the subject of negotiations.”


• IRGC Ali ibn Abi Taleb Unit (Qom Province) Commander Brig. Gen. Mehdi Mahdavinejad said “Nuclear martyrs have sacrificed their lives so nuclear progress continues, and we must not so easily forego this matter.”


• Artesh Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced “very widespread” Velayat 3 joint armed forces drill near the southeastern shore in the next few months.


• Artesh Commander Maj. Gen. Ataollah Salehi emphasized the forces’ “spiritual and combat readiness in expanding the qualitative and quantitative level of defensive systems based on the resistance economy.” He then promised “a widespread and effective presence in the arenas of soft war and cultural activities.”

• The next round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 at the expert level will be held between May 5-9 in New York City.


• President Hassan Rouhani announced that a comprehensive nuclear deal can be reached within six months “should the current trend continue.”


• International and Legal Deputy to the Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated “Just as the President pointed out in his letter to the Supreme Leader, the Geneva Accord has clearly recognized our country’s nuclear rights.  By accepting the continuation of enrichment in Iran, it has strengthened the Islamic Republic of Iran’s right to enrichment.”

• Expediency Discernment Council Secretary and former IRGC Commander Mohsen Rezaei discussed the Supreme Leader’s “resistance economy” policies and nuclear negotiations:
  
  
  
  • “In my opinion, we have so far been successful in the Geneva negotiations, but these negotiations could have been done better. The wall of sanctions was not successful because we have been able to increase our oil exports. America cannot revert to the past because a lack of confidence has been created in it. Fortunately, the Ukrainian matter became a divine blessing for us, because America can no longer convince China and Russia.”
  
  
  • “Resistance economy means the people’s jihad and that the economy must be made resistant against the enemies’ shocks and pressures.”
  
  
  • “Resistance economy seeks to bring the Westerners and the Americans to their knees against sanctions, to the extent that they admit that sanctions were mistake.”
  
  
  
  

• Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon Qazanfar Roknabadi said “The plans of the enemies of the Resistance to topple the Syrian government, one of the main pillars of the Resistance Front, have failed. We witness the increasing victories of Syrian against terrorists every day.”