Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review
The brawl between head of the Purposeful Subsidies bureau Fariborz Moradi and MP Behrouz Moradi and Seyyed Hossein Hosseini took upon a macho flavor as Moradi slapped Hosseini in the face and uttered a curse, strong enough to be replaced with the frequently-used “[…]” symbol by Iranian websites. According to the media, the two engaged in the unfriendly tete-a-tete after each claimed inaccuracy in subsidies-related facts and figures provided by the other party on the first anniversary of enforcement of the consequential bill.
Iran naturally took side with Fariborz Moradi, hence the sensational headline “Slap and Dismissal, Gift for the [Purposeful] Subsidies Birthday.” Iran attributed the initiation of the fight to MP Farimani, and criticized the Majles for its repeated “insolence” against government’s representatives. During his speech in a conference, Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi shifted on a strong language to warn that “not even one droplet of oil will pass the Strait of Hormuz should they [the Western countries] set embargo on Iran's oil exports.” In a meeting with overseas representatives (ambassadors and attaches) of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated that “the sublime ideals and values of the Islamic Revolution should be materialized through rationality, self-confidence and persistence of the ideals of the Revolution.”
Jomhouri-ye Eslami’s front page was dominated by economic news, some of them not quite promising. The newspaper interviewed former MP Hassan Sobhani on the recent worrisome fluctuation of foreign exchange rates (especially the US Dollar). Sobhani downgraded the impact of the Central Bank’s fiscal policies on the recent foreign exchange problem, calling the unreliable situation in the investment market which directs capital towards gold and foreign exchange market as the main cause of the recent ups and downs in US Dollar exchange rate. “The country suffers stagflation” Jomhouri-ye Eslami quoted former Finance Minister in Ahmadinejad's first administration Davoud Danesh-Ja’fari. “What one concludes from the one-year record of Purposeful Subsidies Bill is that its [real] goal was not a reform in the distribution mechanism.” The newspaper also quoted Deputy Finance Minister Mohammad-Reza Farzin who announced that “10 million will be cut off of cash subsidies”. These citizens are “those for whom the cash subsidies is only five to ten percent of their monthly income.” Jomhouri-ye Eslami’s editorial criticized the government for another delay in submitting the next Persian year’s budget bill to the parliament which will result which will increase entropy in the country’s fiscal policies. The government is following a policy different from the one prevalent during the past three decades in the Islamic Republic the newspaper argued, one which defies both the theoretical teachings and universal experiences.
“The Judiciary is responsible for dealing with electoral delinquencies, not monitoring the elections” Kayhan quoted Chief Magistrate Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani. Maliki’s submission of documents on Tariq al-Hashemi’s complicity in terrorist activities to the Iraqi Judiciary and warm reception of Hamas top politician Ismail Haniyeh by the Egyptian Islamists were also covered by Kayhan. The newspaper also featured a report on the Reformists’ parliamentary election campaign, with the sarcastic headline: “The Reformist Front boycotts the election, its members line up to register” for the upcoming parliamentary election in late winter. Guising as independent candidates, the Reformists are counting on ethnic votes in Iran's border provinces Kayhan claimed. The newspaper’s editorial was a praise of the 9th of December 2009 massive rallies in Tehran in condemnation of the Green Movement’s demonstrations on the Day of Ashoura -which took place three days earlier- that tipped the scale decisively in favor of the Nezam.
Resalat’s top headline was the news of removing the well-off from the cash subsidies payroll in the second phase of the Purposeful Subsidies plan. The newspaper also reported that quota for each citizen will increase in the second phase. “The enemy has mobilized its resources to create unrest inside Iran” Resalat quoted FM Ali-Akbar Salehi, who was talking for Iranian overseas representatives in a congregation held in Tehran on Tuesday. The newspaper’s top headline was a quote from religious leader (marja’) Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani, who called the 9th of Dey (December 30) a day in which the nation renewed their allegiance with velayat, the Supreme Leadership of Iran. The newspaper also published a statement released by the Association of Muslim Journalists, which called 9th of Dey the day in which “the futile velvet coup of the political aristocrats was defeated”, ‘political aristocrats’ a veiled reference to Hashemi Rafsanjani and many other high-profile senior politicians of the establishment who tried to oust Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from power. Resalat’s editorial penned by senior Conservative politician Habibollah Asgarowladi slammed the those who entered “an alliance with the Christians and the Jews”, i.e. the Western countries and Israel, in 2009; thus moving out of the aegis of velayat and resorting to the enemy.
“Economic corruption indictees have been trained not to utter a word” Shargh quoted Head of the Judiciary Sadegh Larijani, although the Chief Magistrate added that despite their refusal to confess, new evidence on their complicity have been acquired. “Reports say that bank CEOs held meetings with Mashaei every fortnight. It should be clarified why these sessions were held?” Shargh quoted Ahmad Tavakkoli who had attended a panel in Imam Sadegh University, academic institute managed by Conservative chieftain Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani and a breeding ground for future Conservative officials of the Islamic Republic. Shargh also reported of IAEA inspectors visiting Iran, not to visit Qom’s nuclear facilities, but to attend the Nuclear Achievements Exhibit held by the government.
Besides the news of a stop on delivering cash subsidies to the higher class, Tehran-e Emrooz covered another controversial “90” program hosted by Adel Ferdowsipour, arguably the most popular show host in the state-run TV, on fixing scandals of the Iranian soccer. Accusations were leveled at Ali Parvin, legendary Iranian soccer player and now the technical manager of Asia’s most popular soccer team, Persepolis of Tehran, and Aziz-Mohammadi, a senior manager in the Iranian Football Federation. Yesterday’s brawl in the parliament, Turkey’s heads-on with France over the Armenian Genocide Bill and Qalibaf’s speech among religious congregations in southern Tehran, where he warned about vices such as hypocrisy and slander replacing Islamic virtues.
* 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
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 critic 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.