Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review

23 August 2010 | 15:36 Code : 8454 Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review

Tehran’s newspapers on Sunday 31st of Mordad, August 22, 2010.

Years of doubts and delays finally ended yesterday as Russia kept its promise and inaugurated the Bushehr nuclear power plant by injecting fuel into into it for the first time. Head of the Iranian Organization of Atomic Energy called the power plant the icon of Iranians’ resistance, while one columnist stated that the 30^th of Mordad (21^st of August) will be recorded in the Iranian calendar as a day as historic as the 22^nd of Bahman (the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution) and the 12^th of Farvardin (the day of the official establishment of the Islamic Republic).

Hamshahri

Yesterday on the Coast of the Persian Gulf: Iran’s first nuclear reactor fueled

6 to 10 Degree Decrease in Temperatures Across the Country

Joint Meeting of the Government and Majles, tonight in Baharestan [Site of the Parliament]

Iran

Iran joined the Club of Nuclear Electricity Generators: Bushehr’s historic day—The world praises Iran

Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs: Establishment of the Zionist Regime a plot against the Jews

New Facilities for Discarding Old Vehicles

Jomhouri-ye Eslami

Global Reflections on Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Fueling Operation

Joint Meeting of the Government and Majles to Be Held Today

Defense Minister: A Key Defense Plan to Be Introduced Today

Kayhan

Middle East’s Single Nuclear Reactor on the Threshold of Electricity Generation: Fuel injection to Bushehr power plant the top news of global media

False Witnesses of Rafik Hariri Tribunal Pursued

Iran, Top of the Chart of Aid Donors to Pakistan’s Flood Victims

Khabar

Despite the Pressures and Sanctions of Western Powers: Iran’s oil trade with 17 countries

Analysts States in Interview with Khabar: Maximal Attraction and minimal repulsion (1) call for ‘moderate mediators’

Head of the Political Bureau of Interior Ministry: The President is party-oriented and believes in parties (2)

Resalat

Reflections on the Bushehr Power Plant Inauguration in the Global Media: Iran joined the world’s nuclear club

[Ali Akbar] Salehi, Head of the Organization of Atomic Energy: Bushehr power plant is an icon of the Iranian nation’s resistance

Deputy Trade Minister: Half a million tons of wheat exported

Shargh

Bushehr, Middle East’s First Nuclear Power Plant

Shargh’s Interview with Majid Ansari [Reformist Cleric]: Ahmadinejad’s absence undermines the Council [of Expediency Discernment]

Head of the National Tax Affairs Organization: We did not retreat before the guilds [over protests against tax increase]

Tehran-e Emrooz

Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, At the Top of Global News

All the Approaches towards Maximal Attraction, A Review of Political Figures’ Reaction to a Estefta’ (3)

Reformism Only Inside the Nezam’s Framework, Interview with Mostafa Kavakebian, Secretary General of [Reformist] Mardomsalary [Democracy] Party

Vatan-e Emrooz

National Pride with Uranium Injection to the Heart of the World’s Most Famous Reactor: Bushehr Becomes Nuclear

Hezbollah: Lebanon’s Former Cabinet Used False Witnesses

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.

Jomhuri-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.

Khabar (News) is a principlist daily newspaper which adopts a critical stance towards Ahmadinejad’s policies.

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

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

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.

Vatan-e Emrooz (Motherland Today) -which started its publication in November 2008-, belongs to Mehrdad Bazrpash, the thirty-old pro-Ahmadinejad politician who is also head of Iran’s second largest auto manufacturer company, Saipa. Vatan-e Emrooz is a supporter of the president’s policies.

(1) “Maximal Attraction and Minimal Repulsion” is the strategy introduced by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in treating post-2009 election protestors.

(2) Ahmadinejad has frequently slammed Iranian political parties and accused them of asking for an unfair share of power. According to many Iranian political analysts, the president believes that he is not indebted to any political group for his catapult into the Iranian presidency.

Estefta’, coming from the same root as fatwa, is an Arabic term to refer to a question asked of a prime religious leader [Marja’] to resolve a religious problem. Ayatollah Khamenei’s latest response to an estefta’ on the level of compliance to Velayat-e-Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurisprudent), which implies a lax attitude towards the issue, has sparked debates among the loyal forces of the Islamic Republic.