“We expect the Saudi government to pursue the issue through correct channels instead of creating media hype,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s newly-appointed spokesman, Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s state media reported that the country had arrested 10 more suspects in what it claimed was a spy ring linked to Iran. The kingdom had arrested 18 others people in the same case in March 2012.

According to Saudi state media those detained include 24 Saudi nationals, one Turk, two Lebanese citizen, and allegedly one Iranian.

“It was alleged [by the Saudi Arabia] that a network of spies, who were arrested in late March last year, were connected to Iran. At the time, we stressed the fallacy of this claim,” Araqchi added.

The spokesman noted that the Foreign Ministry summoned the Saudi Arabian chargé d’affaires in Tehran and protested the allegations in March 2012, requesting a formal explanation from the Saudi side.

Araqchi said Iran had requested consular access to the Iranian national two months ago but “unfortunately there has been no response from Saudi officials.”

Saudi activists say there are more than 30,000 political prisoners, mostly prisoners of conscience, in jails across the Kingdom.

According to the activists, most of the detained political thinkers are being held by the government without trial or legitimate charges and have been arrested for merely looking suspicious. Some of the detainees have reportedly been held without trial for more than 16 years.

From top left: Saeed Jalili, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Ali-Akbar Velayati, Hassan Rohani, Mohammad Gharazi, Mohsen Rezaei and Mohammad-Reza Aref

The Council on Tuesday approved MP Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei and President of the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Council Hassan Rohani. 

The list also included former First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, former telecommunication minister, Mohammad Gharazi, and former foreign minister, Ali-Akbar Velayati.

Former president, Hashemi Rafsanjani, and head of the Secretariat of the Non-Aligned Movement Esfandiyar Rahim-Mashaei, have not been approved by the Council.

A total of 686 hopefuls registered from May 7 to 11 for the Islamic Republic’s 11th presidential election. The Guardian Council, which is tasked with vetting hopefuls for candidacy and confirming the election results, is expected to submit the list of the candidates to the Interior Ministry on Tuesday.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election.

Sayyari said on Monday that the Iranian naval forces were well capable of maintaining security in the region.

The Iranian commander also highlighted the readiness of Iran’s Navy in terms of its personnel and weaponry.

Sayyari also commented on the three Persian Gulf islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, saying that the islands were an inseparable part of the Islamic Republic.

The islands have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

Sayyari said the Iranian military would unveil a renovated destroyer to join the naval forces within weeks.

Over the past years, Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly assured other nations, especially its neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to other countries, insisting that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.

Former Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast issued a statement on Sunday saying he is no longer in the presidential race.

Davoud Ahmadinejad, the elder brother of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also wrote a letter to the Guardian Council, saying he would abandon the race.

Reports say Davoud Ahmadinejad made the decision in favor of Principlist presidential hopeful Saeed Jalili, who is the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

Earlier in the day, Guardian Council Spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei said the supervisory body might approve as many as 40 presidential hopefuls for the election.

A total of 686 individuals registered from May 7 to 11 for the Islamic Republic’s 11th presidential election, which will be held on June 14.

Guardian Council is vetting hopefuls running for the presidential election. Official campaigning will start two days after the Council releases its final list of approved candidates.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election.

“In order to realize their objectives and disappoint the enemy, the people should enthusiastically take part in the election to choose – from among the candidates that the Guardian Council introduces based on legal standards – a competent, virtuous, pious, revolutionary, resolute and steadfast person with jihadi perseverance, who can shoulder the heavy responsibility of [boosting] the country’s dignity and progress in a better manner than the other candidates,” the Leader said on Wednesday.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks addressing thousands of people from the Iranian provinces of Mazandaran, Gilan, Golestan and Kohkilouyeh Boyer-Ahmad.

Commenting on the paramount importance of the June 14 presidential vote, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Although the election is around one month away, this matter has turned into an important international issue, and global think tanks and the enemies of Iran are even carefully monitoring its preliminary stages.”

The Leader described the upcoming presidential election as another test for the Iranian nation.

In the upcoming election, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out, the enemies are pursuing objectives contrary to those of the Iranian nation’s, adding that the enemy seeks to create voter apathy and would like to see a person coming to power who “drags Iran into dependence, weakness and backwardness in various fields and puts it on the path of the foreigners’ policies.”

A total of 686 individuals signed up to participate in Iran’s presidential election due to be held on June 14. The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election; and the Guardian Council vets the hopefuls, approving or not approving them for official candidacy.

The Iranian Constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must be religious or political figures, be Iranian by origin, have Iranian citizenship, possess managerial skills, have no criminal record, be trustworthy and pious, and have firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion.

According to Iranian media outlets, the news agency was allowed to resume its operations in the Islamic Republic after it received the court’s verdict on Saturday.

Reuters offices in the Iranian capital were shut down last year after Iranian female martial artists filed a lawsuit against the agency.

The Iranian athletes sued Reuters for defamation after it branded them as “assassins” in a report published in February 2012.

Reuters also faced a lawsuit from the Iranian government over the same report.

The news agency said in a statement that the report was an error by its producer in Tehran and promised not to make such errors again.

“We acknowledge this error occurred and regard it as a very serious matter… and [we] have taken appropriate steps to prevent a recurrence,” said Reuter editor-in-chief Stephen J. Adler in March 2012.

The drone was unveiled on Thursday during a ceremony attended by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi.

“This drone has been built by defense industry experts and is simultaneously capable of surveillance, reconnaissance and missile and rocket attacks,” Vahidi said on the sidelines of the ceremony.

“This aircraft with its stealth quality can avoid detection by the enemy,” he added.

High altitude and long flight range are two other distinguishing features of the new Iranian UAV.

Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector in recent years and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

In August 2010, Iran unveiled its first indigenous long-range drone, Karrar, which is capable of carrying out bombing missions against ground targets, flying long distances at a high speed, and gathering information.

Shahed 129, characterized by a 24-hour nonstop flight capability, was another indigenously produced drone introduced in September 2012.

On December 17, 2012, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said Iran had launched the production line of the ScanEagle drones, adding that the IRGC naval and aerospace divisions were employing the UAVs.

In a Wednesday address to a gathering of teachers in Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation has made rapid progress in political and social fields as well as in national power and international prestige.

“… but the ill-wishers of the nation make no mention of this (progress made by the Iranian nation) in their propaganda campaigns,” said the Leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that given its goals and ideals, the Iranian nation needs to make leaps in different fields.

“Despite all these advancements, to achieve its goals, ideals and rightful place, the Iranian nation needs more achievements,” the Leader added.

Ayatollah Khamenei said all Iranians, including teachers and students, play an important role in realizing the country’s goal to break epic grounds in political and economic fields.

The Leader also urged the Iranian government and parliament to financially support development of the education sector.

Addressing a gathering of Iranian officials in charge of holding the June 14 presidential on Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei called for the continued condemnation of desecration of the holy shrine of the ancient Muslim figure Hujr ibn Adi, a companion of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

The foreign-backed militants in Syria have attacked the mausoleum and exhumed the grave of Hujr in suburb of Adra in Syria’s capital, Damascus, and taken his remains to an unknown location.

The Al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusrah group has claimed responsibility for the destruction of the shrine.

The leader hailed the Shia community for its response to the incident, saying they showed that they are not deceived by the enemy plots. He also praised the Sunni brothers who condemned the incident.

Ayatollah Khamenei further warned that such sacrilegious acts could spread if Muslim scholars and political figures fail to condemn them.

“Muslims, especially elites and scientific, political and religious figures in the Muslim world should fulfill their duty towards this evil mindset and prevent the spread of sedition [between Muslims].”

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Pourdastan added that the Syrian army has gained experience during years of conflict with the occupying regime of Israel, and has the ability to defend itself with no need for foreign assistance.

“As a Muslim and friendly country, we stand by Syria and if there is need for training, we will provide them with necessary training,” the senior Iranian commander asserted.

He, however, emphasized that Iran would not have “active involvement in their operations.”

Pourdastan’s remarks came as the Syrian state television reported on Sunday that Israel has carried out an airstrike against the Jamraya Research Center, located northwest of the capital, Damascus. The center had been targeted by another Israeli airstrike back in January.

The Sunday attack came shortly after Tel Aviv confirmed that its warplanes had hit another target in Syria on Friday.

The unrest in Syria began over two years ago, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel have so far lost their lives. The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad said in April that the situation in the country was improving as the army enjoys popular support in the fight against terrorism.