Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review

Allegations of financial corruption against the “Astray Current”—how Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei’s clique is referred to-- from involvement in the 3 billion dollar embezzlement case to Mashaei’s letter to ministers of transportation and finance to facilitate the purchase of valuable shares of Khuzestan Steel Company by the same key figure behind the embezzlement, have dominated the Iranian newspapers these days, a powerful enough issue to embolden the Reformist newspapers to have their own say on the issue.

Nonetheless, Iran, the government’s mouthpiece, tried to fight back for an administration once famed for its corruption-free record. The newspaper poeticized about “a new chapter in the nation-state bond,” as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scheduled to visit the northwestern city of Ardebil in the fourth round of his “provincial visits”-- a hallmark of his presidential tenure. Iran confronted the negative campaign against corruption, quoting head of Iranian Privatization Organization who said that state-run companies have been sold to the private sector in law-bound, competitive settings, and that rumors circulating about Khuzestan Steel Company are absolutely incorrect. Iran’s editorial began with a quote from Ayatollah Khamenei in praise of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s initiative of provincial visits, and enumerated the advantages of the tours as reinforcement of national security, neutralization of enemy’s plots, and reversing the Tehran-bound wave of immigration.

Jomhouri-ye Eslami’s banner headline concerned the attacks on US embassies in Libya and Afghanistan. Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech in Cairo, the nuclear incident in France, and the Iranian Air Force’s largest post-Revolution military drill also appeared on the newspaper’s front page. Jomhouri-ye Eslami interestingly quoted Head of the Customs Administration that “illegal ports do exist, but ask others about their location,” reminding readers of Ahmadinejad’s claim made in early July which irritated the Revolutionary Guards. The editorial, “The Walking Dead”, slammed former British PM Tony Blair for his recent anti-Iranian remarks, dubbing him the epitome of atrocity and wickedness and blaming him for being a cause of shame for British citizens.

Kayhan’s front page was hogged by pictures of five French presidents, from Georges Pompidou to Nicolas Sarkozy, which came with the headline “Successive scandals for French presidents: These muggers teach democracy.” Kayhan also ran a report on Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei’s letter to ministers of finance and transportation to facilitate the process of selling 50.5 percent of Khuzestan Steel Company’s shares to Aria Group, chaired by Amir-Mansour Aria, the key suspect in the 3 billion dollar embezzlement case. “The Steep Slope of Downfall”, Kayhan’s editorial, presented an account of West’s miscalculation and failure to appropriate the Arab Spring, as the seizure of Israel’s Embassy in Cairo proved the real demand of the Egyptians and other Arab nations.

Resalat’s top headline had a different focus, that is, the remarks of Gen. Ja’fari, Head of the IRGC, in a memorial held for KIAs in Sepah’s battle with the Kurdish separatist group PJAK. According to Mohammad-Ali Ja’fari, IRGC’s battle against Washington-backed PJAK was a preemptive offensive to foil enemy’s conspiracies against the Islamic Republic. Resalat chose the headline “Black Day for White House” to describe the attacks on US embassies in Tripoli and Kabul. The newspaper’s editorial was an effort to see the glass half full in the 3 billion dollar embezzlement case. The author, Saleh Eskandari, drew attention to political and media freedom which allows for disclosure of such cases, the determination of judicial and security apparatuses to resolve the case and the entry of justice into the public discourse as a key demand.

Shargh’s two top headlines were US-oriented: an interview with Iraq’s ambassador to Tehran on the details of Iran’s agreement to release Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal-- a result of Jalal Talebani’s mediation according to Muhammad Majid al-Sheikh. Shargh also interviewed former secretary of state James Baker, who called for dialogue between Tehran and Washington. The editorial analyzed news of Qatar hosting a Taliban office and the complex interplay of the Karzai-Taliban-Washington triangle.

Tehran-e Emrooz reported of “a sudden blow to the insurance industry,” as Head of the Central Insurance of Iran received the news of his dismissal by the government in a night call. According to the newspaper, Farshbaf’s strong opposition to the Judiciary-set 90 thousand-dollar blood money convinced the government to make the decision, following negotiations between Ahmadinejad and Chief Magistrate Sadeq Larijani. Tehran-e Emrooz also covered Foreign Ministry Speaker Ramin Mehmanparast’s press conference, in which he assured the media that the fate of Imam Musa Sadr -Iran-born cleric and leader of Lebanon’s Shi’a community in the 1970s, kidnapped by Qaddafi- is on top of the ministry’s agenda. Hesameddin Kaveh wrote the newspaper’s editorial, “A Beginning to the United States’ End!” in which he argued that the “Islamic Awakening” spreading across the region bears as its ultimate goal confrontation with the West’s imperialism. spearheaded by Washington.

Vatan-e Emrooz displayed “Nuclear Scandal of the Reform Government”, quoting from Colin Powell’s memoirs about his meeting with Khatami’s FM Kamal Kharrazi, where-- according to Powell-- Kharrazi had named employment, and not the nuclear issue, as the top priority of the Reform Government. The power struggle among the Qatari royal family and former FM Ali-Akbar Velayati’s comments about seizure of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo also appeared on the front page.

* Notes:

The editorial section of Iranian newspapers is not always the work of the editor-in-chief or the senior editorial staff of the newspaper, but can be a contribution by experts and politicians (typically agreeing with the newspaper’s political stance.)

Vatan-e Emrooz daily 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.