Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review

The political tsunami created by Iran’s worst case of bank fraud finally found its victims: the president of Melli Bank resigned while his counterpart at Saderat Bank, the major center of the embezzlement, was dismissed. As the Minister of Economy is on the verge of impeachment, there are also rumors that the president of the private Saman Bank will be sooner or later be dismissed. “Resignation and dismissal of Melli and Saderat banks’ presidents”, “Stormy day in the banking system: 3 presidents fall victim to the massive embezzlement”, “Aftershock of the 3000 billion-toman embezzlement in Melli and Saderat banks: Khavari resigns, Jahromi dismissed”, “Resignation and dismissal domino of bank presidents begins”, “Banking earthquake”, “Tsunami of dismissal begins for bank presidents” and “The domino of bank presidents’ dismissal”, were all the top headlines of Tehran’s newspapers today.

The majority of the international community is in unison with Iran over changing the status quo of administration of global affairs, Iran quoted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who made a short speech as he was received by his supporters at the airport when he returned from the UN General Assembly in New York. Iran ran a sequel to its report on the role of financial agencies affiliated with Tehran Municipality in manipulating the gold market. In the newspaper’s editorial, Ali-Akbar Javanfekr asserted that the role of plaintiff and defendant has been inverted in the recent financial scandal, and it is the regulatory bodies such as the General Inspection Organization, and not the government, who should be blamed for their negligence in spotting the fraud.

Jomhouri-ye Eslami triumphantly covered the city of Sirte’s conquest by Libyan revolutionaries. The newspaper also reported that Minister of Interior has been summoned to Parliament on account of the state of hejab in society. In its editorial, “Justice for the Big Seeds” (1), Jomhouri-ye Eslami criticized government officials for shirking responsibility, and its supporting the media in whitewashing the embezzlement scandal. “No one should fear enacting justice against the big seeds. This is the only way to preserve the Islamic Republic,” the editorial concluded.

The front page of Resalat was dominated by diplomatic news. Former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called the Gulf Cooperation Council’s behavior in the region “repressive.” In an interview with the newspaper, Tehran MP Parviz Sorouri called the manner of the US hikers’ release “at odds with the Revolutionary discourse”, while Commander of the Army’s Naval Force announced plans for a strong Iranian presence in the proximity of  US maritime boundaries. In “Why Cooperation with BBC Is a Felony”, Saleh Eskandari criticized citizen journalism for its potential harm to national security and interests, and the anarchy it can bring. Eskandari defended the arrest of five Iranian film directors charged with providing the BBC Persian channel with news and reports, calling the accused “spies disguised as citizens”.

Shargh published on its front page a photo of enthusiastic supporters of the President chanting “our hero! Break your silence”, as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had promised to do so if his administration had to face what he regards as unfair accusations. The newspaper also reported of “colandered” –bowdlerized- internet for Iranian schools, planned to be implemented within a three-year span. Shargh’s editorial was authored by former president of Saderat Bank, Ahmad Hatami Yazdi, who called for de-politicization of the embezzlement case, tracking the not yet retrieved funds, and following globally accepted routines in the banking system.

Reports published during the recent days by the government’s mouthpiece against Tehran Municipality are prompted by the upcoming parliamentary election, Tehran-e Emrooz cited Khosrow Daneshjou, Speaker of Tehran City Council. The newspaper also quoted Chairman of the Council Mahdi Chamran, who voiced support for the municipality. It also covered allegations against the “Astray Current” of trafficking antiques belonging to the National Museum to foreign countries. The newspaper’s editorial called for protecting honest entrepreneurs and the private sector against attacks by supporters of socialist economic ideas, and distinguishing between effective private agencies and greedy fixers who gain their wealth through graft.

Vatan-e Emrooz quoted the new Oil Minister, Rostam Ghasemi, as saying that energy prices won’t increase in the current year. It also quoted Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani’s accusation that the CIA is supporting Pakistani terrorists.

(1)  “Big seed” (daneh dorosht in Persian) is a pejorative term mostly used by Kayhan to describe economically corrupt tycoons assumed to have accumulated wealth through graft.

* 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.

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.