Iran News Round Up December 1, 2011

 A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin (E) = Article in English

Diplomacy

• Aftermath of attacks against the two British compounds in Tehran:
  • Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast: “Tehran will retaliate in kind to the steps taken by London.”
  • SNN, mouthpiece of the Student Basij: “The students who entered the embassy had no part in vandalizing the properties of the British embassy apart from smashing a few windows and bottles of liquor. The destruction began as the masses entered… On the one hand, the students were trying to secure the embassy ground, and on the other hand there were some who were inclined to destroy the embassy property and insisted upon vandalism… It is not clear which party those who were inclined to vandalism belonged to, but it was totally clear that they were not students. Some had only come for vandalism and it is not unthinkable that the Old Imperialism itself had designed it to achieve its media goals through them… “
  • Hossein Naqavi, parliamentary National Security Committee member: “Expulsion of Western diplomats from Tehran was the old age wish of the Iranians… They will soon return begging!”
  • Sweden and the Netherlands summon their ambassadors to Tehran for consultations.
  • Alef News proposes new “and more effective measures to punish the vile British government.”

Military and Security

• The parliament passes a bill dedicating half a percent of the oil revenue to the Basij on annual basis.

Religion, Society and Culture

• Tehran Metro stations become AIDS awareness center for a week.

Iran in the Afghan media

• [E] More than a hundred people on Thursday rallied in Kabul against the execution of death-row Afghans in Iranian jails:
  • Most of the protestors, hailing from 15 provinces, were relatives of the victims. Carrying pictures of their dead kin, the demonstrators urged the government to step up efforts at transferring the corpses of their relatives from Iran.The protestor said Iranian authorities were demanding 500,000 tumans for the delivery of each body.
  • One protester said more than 5,000 Afghans were languishing in Iranian jails, 1,200 had been sentenced to death. “Iran daily executes 20 Afghan inmates,” he said, adding 70 Afghans had been buried alive after being sentenced to death in Iran.
  • But the Iranian embassy spokesman in Kabul rejected the claims as baseless.

Photo of the Day

• Alef News’ readers ridicule the news agency’s display of a photo of a shredder from the British Embassy:
  •  “So what? They had a shredder, therefore they surely were spying?”
  • “This is hardly strange. Shredders are in use in most our government buildings.”
  • “So what? There is also a shredder at our university.”

via irantracker.org

Related articles

• Iran calls on West to leave British embassy issue to Tehran and London – The Vancouver Sun (vancouversun.com)
• Expelled Iran diplomats arrive home in Tehran – BBC News (bbc.co.uk)
• Iran calls for calm in crisis with Britain (abs-cbnnews.com)
• Iran diplomats return home to hero’s welcome (msnbc.msn.com)
• France reduces Iran embassy staff (bbc.co.uk)
• Expelled Iran envoys return home (bbc.co.uk)
• Iran calls for calm in crisis with Britain (Reuters): Reuters – Iran called on the Wes… (old.news.yahoo.com)
• France withdraws embassy staff from Iran – BBC News (bbc.co.uk)