MEMRI’s Iran Studies Project has been operating for five years. As a unique research project that monitors, translates and analyzes materials from the Iranian media, sermons, and websites on a day-to-day basis, this project has produced hundreds of translations and analyses, from over 40 Iranian newspapers and websites and hours of translation from more than 16 Iranian television channels. It has published over 300 reports (see http://www.memri.org/iran.html) and released over 400 MEMRI TV clips, totaling over 1,500 minutes (see http://memritv.org/content/en/country.htm?country=iran).
MEMRI'S IRAN STUDIES PROJECT IS THE LARGEST EXISTING ARCHIVE OF TRANSLATED MATERIAL FROM IRAN'S MEDIA IN THE PAST DECADE.
To enhance The Iran Studies Project (http://www.memri.org/iran.html), MEMRI is now introducing a separate Iran Media News Blog. This blog will focus on breaking news and other developments from Iran. Like The Iran Studies Project, the Iran Media News Blog will provide primary-source material translated from Iranian media and websites.
The focus of the blog will be on news items regarding:
· Iran's nuclear project
· Iran's military forces
· Iran's relations with Arab countries, especially Iraq and Syria
· Iran's relations with terror organizations such as Hizbullah and Hamas
· Iranian reformists and their fight against the Iranian theocracy and its institutions
· Repression of minorities in Iran, including Kurds, Baha'is, Arabs, women, and homosexuals
· Iran's student movement
· Iranian antisemitism, with an emphasis on Holocaust denial
· The blog will also follow major sermons and statements by political, military, and religious leaders
Visit www.memriblog.org/iran
The content of this site is available for RSS syndication, allowing you to easily stay up-to-date on Iran Blog material.
The following are news items on Iran that appeared on MEMRI's other sites. Such materials will now be found on the new Iran Media Blog:
· Ahmadinejad: NIE Report – "Bullet" and "Final Blow" To Iran's Ill-Wishers
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that the new U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programs has fired a bullet into the heads of all Iran's ill-wishers, and is a "final blow" for them.
Ahmadinejad told a large public gathering in Iran's western province of Ilam on December 4 that despite the enemies' efforts, the Iranian nation will triumph on the nuclear scene. He said "Today, Iran has become a nuclear country, and all the world countries have accepted this fact."
He added that Iran's nuclear dossier had now been sent back to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and stated, "The U.S. intended to deprive the European countries of the interests they could gain through relations with the Iranian nation, but, thank God, a bullet was shot into the head of the ill-wishers yesterday, and their malicious wishes were brought to an end by the hands of the ill-wishers themselves."
Ahmadinejad also called on the West to try the path of honesty and friendship with Iran, and warned that if Western countries repeated their mistake and adopted a hostile stance against Iran, the Iranian nation would stand against them and make them fail again.
He reiterated that Iran would not retreat along the path of nuclear progress and would not give up even an iota of its nuclear rights.
Sources: Fars and IRNA, Iran, December 5, 2007
· Iranian Gov't Spokesman: U.S. Claims About Iran's Peaceful Nuclear Activities "Lies"; U.S. Officials "Must Pay Price"
Iranian government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said on December 4 that U.S. claims about Iran's peaceful nuclear activities were "mere lies," and that the U.S. should "pay the price" for them.
Elham was commenting on the recent U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, which states that it does not "assume that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons."
He added, "U.S. officials have so far inflicted much damage on the Iranian nation by spreading lies against the country, and by disturbing public opinion. Therefore, they must pay the price for their actions."
Source: IRNA, Iran, December 5, 2007
· Fars Political News Section Recycles Month-Old "11,000 Missiles" Story
Today, December 5, the Fars news agency's English-language website featured on its political news page a story titled "IRGC Commander: Aggressions to Be Reciprocated with a Rain of Rockets."
The story, which states, "A senior Iranian military commander said that his troops would reciprocate any aggression with 11,000 rockets fired on enemy positions and bases," was reported on November 28, 2007 by MEMRI, in Inquiry and Analysis No. 407, "Iran's Response to Western Warnings: 'First Strike,' 'Preemptive Attack,' Long-Range Ballistic Missiles, 'Asymmetric [Guerilla] Warfare,'" http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA40707#_ednref.
Source: Fars, Iran, December 5, 2007, http://www.farsnews.com/English/NewsV.php?srv=1
· Iranian FM Mottaki: U.S. Has Lost Nuclear Fight To Iran
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said, in a speech to Basij forces, that the U.S. had lost to Iran in the fight over the latter's nuclear program.
Also, Iranian Expediency Council head and central Friday prayer leader Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said, "In another few moves, Iran will reach the end," but gave no further explanation.
Source: Kayhan, Iran, December 1, 2007
· Senior Iranian Official: Russia, China To Join U.S., French Sanctions
Iranian Parliamentary Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy member Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh has warned, "The third [U.N.] Security Council sanctions resolution is at the gates." He added that Russia and China were not rejecting such a move, and that France was now joining the U.S. effort to compensate them for their support for the sanctions.
Source: Aftab, Iran, December 1, 2007
· Advisor To Khamenei: If Israel Is Recognized As Jewish State, Hamas and Islamic Jihad Will Renew Intifada
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's advisor Ali Akbar Velayati has warned that if Israel's demands for recognition as a Jewish state are accepted, it will be able to expel its Arab citizens any time it wants He added that if that day comes, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad would renew the Intifada in Tel Aviv and other occupied areas.
Source: Jomhouri-ye Eslami, Iran, November 27, 2007
· Iranian DM: New Missiles "In Line With Iran's Deterrent/Defense Doctrine"
Iran's development and production of the 2,000-km-range Ashura and Qadr missiles are "in line with Iran's deterrent and defense doctrine," said Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najar at a November 27 ceremony honoring the paramilitary Basij forces. He added that the Sa'eqeh (Thunderbolt) and Azarakhsh (Thunder) fighter planes, the Ghadir submarine, and the Mowj (Wave) destroyer were other major Defense Ministry achievements, and that there were new plans in place for maximizing the power of Iran's naval force. (For more on Iran's defense doctrine, see http://www.thememriblog.org/iran/blog_personal/en/3806.htm)
Source: IRNA, Iran, November 27, 2007
· In Iran, 5,500 Sign Up For Martyrdom
The spokesman of the Iranian group Esteshhadiyoun (Volunteers for Suicide Operations), a man called Mohammadi, has said that so far some 5,500 Iranian men and women, mostly aged 18-29, have signed up to carry out suicide operations. He added that a new round of registration would be starting soon.
Source: Farda, Iran, November 25, 2007
· Shariatmadari: Palestinian Factions At "Anti-Annapolis" Conference – True Representatives Of Palestinian People
The editor of the Iranian daily Kayhan, Hossein Shariatmadari, who is close to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has said that the representatives of the 10 Palestinian factions who are participating in the counter-Annapolis conference in Tehran are the true representatives of the Palestinian people. He added that Israel had no right to exist in the Middle East.
Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, November 28, 2007
· IRGC Official: Basij Forces Ready For Martyrdom Ops
Deputy IRGC commander in charge of intelligence Majid Mir-Ahmadi has declared, "The Basij forces are ready to carry out any kind of martyrdom operation for the sake of the revolution." Eight and a half million people participated in recent maneuvers held across Iran by Basij paramilitary forces.
Source: Mehr, Iran, November 26, 2007; Fars, Iran, November 27, 2007
· Iranian Paper: Before Saying U.S. Elections "Aren't Free," Ahmadinejad Must Deal With Iran's Failed Electoral System
In response to statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that "elections in the U.S. are not free," the reformist Iranian daily Aftab-e Yazd stated that Ahmadinejad should first deal with the invalid and selective activity in the Iranian electoral system.
Source: Aftab-e Yazd, November 27, 2007
· Iranian Navy Cmdr: Iranian Submarine Joins Navy
Commander of Iran’s army navy Habibollah Sayyari has announced that the navy will add an Iranian-made submarine to its fleet on November 28. He said that Iran was also manufacturing a destroyer called the Jamaran, which could meet "the security needs of the other countries in the region, not only Iran's."
Source: IRNA, Iran, November 24, 2007; Kayhan, Iran, November 26, 2007
· Iranian Reactions To Annapolis Conference
According to the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is affiliated with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Annapolis conference was called in order to "deal with Iran's increasing influence, which poses an unprecedented danger to the historic interests of the U.S. in the Middle East." In an editorial, the Jomhouri-ye Eslami daily, which supports Expediency Council chairman Hashemi Rafsanjani, states that the attempt by the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to revive its relations with Egypt, while Egyptian President Mubarak continues his "traitorous and impudent" mediation and reconciliation efforts between the Israelis and the Palestinians, attests to a political misunderstanding, and to concessions to the Zionist enemy at the Palestinians' expense. On the other hand, the reformist daily Aftab-e Yazd calls for refraining from provocative statements about the Arab countries who will be participating in the conference, because under current circumstances such statements do not serve Iran's interests.
Source: Kayhan, Aftab-e Yazd, Jomhouri-ye Eslami, Iran, November 25, 2007
· Ahmadinejad Slams Middle East Countries For Planned Annapolis Participation
In a speech to Basij members, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticized the countries of the Middle East for participating in the Annapolis conference, and said to Arab participants: "Why do you have the right to represent the Palestinian? Israel is in a very bad position, and its existence curve is headed towards downfall. It is defeated in Lebanon... [and] now you want to make concessions. This is because you are unwise... From now on, I say that any future agreement which does not include the right of the Palestinian is worthless and will be not accepted by the Middle East countries." Ahmadinejad went on to say that the report by International Atomic Energy Agency director Mohammad ElBaradei had been a huge success, and that Iran had accomplished its aims without making any concessions.
Source: IRIB TV, Iran, November 26, 2007
· Rooz: Trial Of Jailed Iranian Students Delayed Due To Visible Signs Of Torture
The online daily Rooz has reported that the trial of the three Emir Kabir University students jailed for "insulting the sanctity of Islam" is being delayed for fear that the public will see their severe injuries from torture in prison.
Source: Rooz, Iran, November 25, 2007
· Iranian MPs: What Happened To $30 Million From Treasury?
Iranian MPs are pressuring the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to explain in detail how it spent $30 million from treasury coffers without the knowledge of parliament.
Source: Rooz, Iran, November 25, 2007
· Iranian Weekly: U.S. On Anti-Islam Crusade
In an article, the Iranian weekly Parto-e Sokhan, which is affiliated with Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, mentor of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, discussed statements by President Bush on World War III. The article, which included a photo of Bush as Hitler, stated that Bush's insane behavior was leading to the conclusion that the U.S. was on a new crusade against the Islamic world.
Source: Parto-e Sokhan, Iran, November 14, 2007
· Iran Steps Up Repressive Moves Against Kurds
The Iranian regime has recently taken a series of repressive moves against its Kurdish minority. A young Kurdish man was executed in prison, and a sweeping arrest effort was launched against Kurdish teachers for alleged political activity.
Source: Rooz, Iran, November 20, 2007
· IRGC In Internal Warning: Feminists, Sufis, Baha'is, Civil Organizations – Threat To Regime
A document titled "Damage and Threats Facing Iran" being distributed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to its political guides warns that activity by the feminist movement, supporters of religious pluralism, Baha'ism, and Sufism constitute a threat to the regime. The document also warns about NGOs, which it calls "a leading element in sparking civil rebellion."
Source: Rooz, November 20, 2007
