0720 GMT: In a Tuesday pep talk to naval commanders, the Supreme Leader summarised Iran's clear victory in the Middle East and beyond:
“A look at the circumstances of the region and the world obviously indicates the upper hand of the Islamic Republic in these developments.
By comparing the Western [governments’] Middle East policy and the Islamic Republic’s Middle East policy, it can be clearly observed that the regional policy of the Islamic Republic has gotten close to its objectives
Ayatollah Khamenei's pronouncement was far from surprising, of course, as the regime --- keen to divert attention from problems closer to home --- continues its attempt to play up its supposed triumph in the Gaza conflict and to find some way of turning the Syrian crisis to its advantage.
Inside Iran, however, others seem to be more concerned not with victory, but with the threat of opposition. State broadcaster IRIB, in the guise of "documentary", tried to shut off thoughts of "unreformed" reformists participating in the June 2013 Presidential election by looking back at the disputed 2009 version. Included pixilated photos of former President Mohammad Khatami and other reformist leaders such as Abdollah Nouri and Mousavi Khoeiniha, it urged the reformist camp to "repent" for their role in the "sedition". The documentary concluded, "Of course, the people will not give such individuals permanent opportunities."
Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of Kayhan, neatly achieved the feat of linking both victory abroad with the challenge at home: he heralded "Israel's recent eight-day defeat in the Gaza war," to chide the Green Movement for not supporting "the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine".
Posted via email from lissping
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