Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review

Etemaad interviewed the chief nuclear negotiator during Khatami’s presidency, Hassan Rowhani, the Conservative ex-secretary of the National Security Council, with the headline: “I had extracted a promise from the Europeans to veto US plans” concerning Iran’s nuclear program. In “Majles lines up against Motahhari, withdraws vis-à-vis Ahmadinejad”, the newspaper reported that the presiding board of the Iranian parliament has decided to consider the resignation of Ali Motahhari, Principlist MP and a critic of Ahmadinejad, who submitted his resignation letter to the board after his call for summoning the president to the parliament was constantly ignored. Etemaad also reported that the 7.6 [sic] Richter earthquake in Eastern Turkey has also rocked Iran’s western region.

Iran continued its line of rosy financial news, reporting that Iranian share holders in the SE market will enjoy a nearly 16 billion-dollar dividend. The decennial census begins from today, Iran also reported. The newspaper also reported of the exuberant voting procession in Tunisia.

The parliament’s decision to impeach Minister of Finance Shamsoddin Hosseini was described as the “second wave of great bank fraud aftershock” by Jomhouri-ye Eslami. The powerful earthquake in Eastern Turkey, Ali Abdullah Saleh’s order for the army –in defiance of a recent UN resolution- to bombard opposition-controlled cities, and the mounting anger against the capitalist system in Europe also appeared on the newspaper’s front page. In its editorial, Jomhouri-ye Eslami questioned the US’ real intentions in announcing its withdrawal from Iraq by the end of the year 2011. The claims intend to regain the votes of disillusioned Democrats, according to the newspaper, and it is unlikely that Washington will leave Iraq to its own after billions of dollars of war budget spent, 4 thousand KIAs, and the construction of an embassy—the world’s largest, anywhere-- which is much more like a city in itself.

Kayhan also focused on the snowballing demonstrations of European citizens against their economic status, reporting hundreds of arrest cases. The newspaper also published a statement released by 248 lawmakers of the parliament who thanked the denizens of Kermanshah Province for their warm reception for the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, calling it a powerful response to the ‘enemy’ campaign of lies. The newspaper’s editorial described the terror allegations cast against Iran by the US’ government a new ruse for Obama to secure his reelection in the 2012 presidential poll and a measure aimed at guaranteeing the security of the US’ major Middle East friend, i.e. Israel.

Resalat also focused on the unrest in European countries, and particularly on the ‘occupation’ of London’s second important financial center, that is, in vicinity of the St. Paul’s Cathedral. Resalat also interviewed Esmaeil Kowsari, former IRGC commander and currently a lawmaker, who argued that the West’s withdrawal vis-à-vis Iran is the outcome of the Islamic Awakening -or what the Western media call the Arab Spring. The newspaper’s editorial warned of the threat of depression and mania among politicians, which renders them prone to the temptations of the enemy’s conspiracies. This bipolar depression, differing in nature from its technical psychological usage, refers to those politicians who only want to hear applause and will become depressed by the most insignificant criticisms. The enemy invests in these figures to gain its own interests, the newspaper argued, referring to the “narcissist, depressed political statesmen of the ’88 Fetneh”, i.e. Mousavi and Karroubi, as instances of this flaw.

Shargh focused on the finance minister’s upcoming impeachment in parliament and the first democratic elections in Tunisia. “The crisis between Iran and Saudi Arabia is solvable,” stated former deputy foreign minister Mohammad Sadr in an interview with Shargh. “Do not steal votes, do not buy votes and do not rig votes”; a quote from the electoral triad of Morteza Agha-Tehrani, Secretary General of the Resistance Front –alliance of pro-Ahmadinejad Principlists- appeared on Shargh’s front page. In the paper’s editorial, Dariush Ghanbari, speaker of the Reformist bloc of the parliament, stated that the impeachment of the finance minister for the 2.6 billion dollar embezzlement case is an adequate measure and there are several other officials who need to be questioned about the scam.

Vatan-e Emrooz covered its front page with a large photo of demonstrations in northern Spain, with a screaming headline which read: “the loud cry of independence in the Basque.” The powerful earthquake in Turkey, MPs’ letter of gratitude to Kermanshah Province denizens, and an interview with Parviz Fattah, former energy minister in Ahmadinejad’s first cabinet, also appeared on the newspaper’s front page.

* Notes:

The editorial section of Iranian newspapers is not the work of the editor-in-chief or the senior editorial staff of the newspaper by default, but can be a contribution by experts and politicians (typically agreeing with the newspaper’s political stance.) The newspapers may also occasionally publish without an editorial.

Vatan-e Emrooz daily does not publish on Thursdays.

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

Briefing

Etemaad is a Reformist newspaper owned by former MP Elias Hazrati. The newspaper supported Mehdi Karroubi in the 2005 and 2009 elections. In 2010, it was temporarily banned from publishing (for a three-month period) by the Judiciary.

Iran is the official organ of the administration. Its current editor-in-chief is Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, former media advisor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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 directly 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, Tehran Mayor and a likely candidate of the 2013 presidential election.