Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review
Conservative newspapers designated jubilantly their headline to Husni Mubarak’s trial and his ‘cage’. Jomhouri-e Eslami spoke of “Pharaoh’s trial, today in Egypt” while Kayhan published a photo of the court with the headline “Egypt’s Pharaoh will be tried in this cage today.” Resalat reported of “Mubarak kneeling today” inside his “iron cage” and Vatan-e Emrooz spoke of “Countdown for Mubarak’s trial”.
Iran had good news for the farmers: 340 million dollars of financial aid in form of interest-free loans and grants. In a meeting with Quran reciters on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that by the grace of Quran, the Iranian nation is now among the most powerful in the world. In his weekly conference, Foreign Ministry Speaker Ramin Mehmanparast said that Syria will calm down if foreign powers stop intervention. In his piece, Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, Editor-in-Chief of Iran, started with a praise of Iran's rich literary and intellectual heritage and continued with a criticism of the current atmosphere dominating Iranian politics, replete with mischief.
Jomhouri-e Eslami covered the developments in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Israel while reflecting reaction by a senior cleric in Qom, Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani, against setting “anti-Islamic laws” in Tajikistan. In Majles, Deputy Speaker Mohammad-Reza Bahonar claimed that the government has failed to fulfill its promise about proportionate allocation of subsidy removal revenues to industries and the agricultural sector. Jomhouri-e Eslami’s editorial criticized Washington for continuing occupation of Iraq.
Kayhan’s banner headline reported of a “Moving report by a human rights agency” about the assassination of 500 Iraqi scientists by CIA and Mossad during the 8-year occupation of the country. Kayhan also reported of India paying 100 million dollars of its oil debt to Iran and Al-Khalifa and Saudi troops attack on Bahrain protestors. The newspaper’s editorial, “How are they bypassed?” recounted the circumvention of nuclear sanctions by companies doing business with Iran. “There is only one logic in economy: profit” the author stated, adding that “even if a company is located at the heart of Washington, it won’t give up its real profit in dealing with Iran by US Treasury’s frowns.”
Resalat published the statement released by 190 Principlist MPs in support for Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani and his proposed mechanism for a joint slate. A Principlist MP, Kazem Jalali, also supported the mechanism in person, adding that despite criticisms, Ali Larijani and Baqer Qalibaf, have agreed to cooperate with the 7+8 committee in charge of drawing the slate, without asking for partisan shares. The editorial of the newspaper, titled “Unrest in Occupied Palestine, Cracks in a Made-Up Society”, was authored by Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, another conservative legislator and concerned the recent protests in Israel.
Shargh covered the “meaningful dismissals in the Monetary and Credit Council”, namely former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Mohammad Jahromi and low profile economic theoretician Naser Sherafat Jahromi, known as high-ranking economic advisors of the government. The newspaper also reported of Tehran City Council Reformist members’ bill to curb of insecurity and drug trade in Tehran. This also the subject of the newspaper’s editorial, written by Reformist member of the Tehran City Council Ma’soumeh Ebtekar.
“Iran has the only Islamic rule in the world” Vatan-e Emrooz quoted Iraq strongman Ayatollah Sistani. According the newspaper, in his meeting with an Iranian cleric, the grand ayatollah had said that despite his criticism of some issues, he will utter no word which undermines the Islamic Republic. The pro-Ahmadinejad daily also quoted Vladimir Putin that “US is the parasite of the global economy”, a slight mistranslation of the original words.
* 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.
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 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.