Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review

Iran daily chose an energizing banner headline for its front page. In an exclusive interview with the newspaper, chairman of the investment arm of the Justice Shares, Houshang Omrani, promised that the value of justice shares owned by 35 million Iranians has doubled. The news was juxtaposed with news reflecting economic ‘experts’’ prognostication that the “US economy is on the verge of collapse.” According to the experts, budget deficits and debts have exceeded the standard level and if no proper action is taken, the US economy will go bankrupt. Another piece of promising economic news: in the opening ceremony of two industrial projects in southwestern Khuzestan Province, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated that the situation is ready for Iran’s economy to rise to the level of top tier economies. A senior level Sepah navy force commander, Admiral Ali-Reza Tangsiri, also boasted, “extra-regional forces won’t dare enter Iran’s territorial waters.” The editor-in-chief, whose newspaper is facing multiple charges by Rafsanjani’s family, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and Mahdi Karroubi among several others, elaborated in his editorial on the newspaper’s mission and its adherence to ethics. “In any instance of violation of enshrined rights, we will inquisitively probe the case,” Ali-Akbar Javanfekr said in his piece.

Jomhouri-ye Eslami published a large photo of Egyptian protestors gathering in Tahrir Square, collated with the headline “Massive crowd of protestors in Cairo’s Tahrir Square underline Egypt’s Islamic identity.” The holy month of Ramadan, arriving in a few days, also received the partial attention of the newspaper, most significantly with the headline that reported Friday Prayers leaders’ call to use Ramadan as an opportunity to resolve disputes and solidify national unity. “Increasing Agricultural Imports, A Serious Threat” was the title of Jomhouri-ye Eslami’s editorial, which warned of the current trend of imports that have weakened the national agriculture economy and called for a re-shift towards agricultural self-reliance.

Kayhan reported of “electoral unity in the Principlist camp” in its main front page headline. According to the newspaper, the electoral alliance process is in the final stage, vis-à-vis the “Fetneh” and “Astray” currents, and will move into the operational phase in the near future. Kayhan also reported of the million-strong demonstrations in Cairo and other Egyptian cities, where citizens chanted, “We want an Islamic state” according to the newspaper. Kayhan’s editorial concerned the legal and political standing of the Supreme Council for Resolution of Disputes, established by Ayatollah Khamenei. A permanent dispute settlement institution, the council is not intended to be delegated with the Leader’s responsibilities, “despite the doubts cast by the Nezam’s opposition” and the final say is still with Ayatollah Khamenei.

Resalat’s top headline related to the first congregation of “The Islamic Revolution’s Resistance Front”, an alliance mainly consisting of former Ahmadinejad cabinet members. Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, keynote speaker of the convention, stated that formation of the new front does not imply a split among the Principlist camp, perhaps to reassure Conservative strongman Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani who had angry and contrary remarks a few days ago. Resalat also quoted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who atypically chose Ayatollah Khamenei’s key term to describe the Arab World uprising, namely “Islamic Awakening”, instead of his own favorite “Human Awakening.” Whatever the type of awakening, the president maintained that the enemy lacks the ability to resist it. Minister of Intelligence Heydar Moslehi spoke of the enemy’s contrivance in social networks to perpetuate challenging Iran. Resalat’s editorial “Principlists Introduce New Discourse in the ’90 [Parliamentary] Election” was a semiotic analysis of the re-promotion of Islamic Revolution discourse in Iranian society after its marginalization for two decades under the Reconstruction and Reform discourses of Rafsanjani’s and Khatami’s era.

Shargh reported of the launch of the second stage of certification of bank administrators, this time the presiding boards’ members, after the bank chairmen were checked for qualifications. “They wanted to elect Mashaei Majles’ Speaker” Shargh quoted Speaker of the Combatant Clergy Association Ahmad Salek. The cleric, whom Shargh dubs as “one of the most media-savvy clerics in Iran, criticized Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his confidante Esfandiar Mashaei in his interview, speaking of the Astray Current’s plan to dominate parliamentary seats.

Tehran-e Emrooz quoted head of the Purposeful Subsidies’ Bureau Mohammad-Reza Farzin that implementation of the subsidies’ plan has contributed only 3.88 percent to the inflation. Tehran-e Emrooz also covered the first convention of the Resistance Front, called the supporters of the Tir 3 Discourse (Tir 3, 1384 –June 24, 2005- is the day when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected as Iran’s sixth president) supporters who do not defend the symbol of the Tir 3 movement, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. “Unity Is the Key to Principlists’ Victory,” argued Hessam-od-Din Kaveh in the daily’s editorial. Kaveh warned the Principlist camp of presenting their discourse with different keywords and reminded the existing threat of the Fetneh-perpetrators and the Astray Current.

* Note: Vatan-e Emrooz does not publish on Thursdays.

Trouble with understanding some terms? Check our Glossary of Iranian Political Terms.

Briefing

Hamshahri (Citizen) is the official daily newspaper of Tehran's Municipality. Its general directions in politics, culture and economy are determined by the mayor of Tehran, currently Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

Iran is the official organ of the administration.

Jomhouri-ye Eslami (The Islamic Republic) was known as the official organ of the Party of the Islamic Republic, founded in 1979 and disbanded in 1987. Currently, it is an open critique of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's policies and is known to be a mouthpiece of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Kayhan (Universe) is a hard-line conservative newspaper. Its editor-in-chief –currently Hossein Shari’atmadari- is appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader. Shari’atmadari’s editorials often spark off controversy and debate inside Iranian political circles.

Resalat (Mission) belongs to the moderate wing of the principlist camp. Resalat’s best known analyst is Amir Mohebbian, its political editor.

Shargh (East) is a moderate reformist newspaper. It was the most popular and influential reformist newspaper in its first period of publication which lasted from August 2003 until September 2006.

Tehran-e Emrooz (Tehran Today) is a ‘principlist reformist’ newspaper, connected to Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.