Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review

Newspapers hit the boiling point as another Iranian nuclear scientist was assassinated in Tehran on Wednesday morning. Abdullah Jasbi’s leave of chancellorship seat of the Islamic Azad University after three decades was also covered by the media.

Iran interviewed Minister of Interior Brig. Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar who viewed the 17% rate of disqualification of parliamentary hopefuls a step forward, in comparison to the staggering 40% that were banned by Ahmadinejad's first administration from running for the elections four years ago. Sowlat Mortazavi, head of the ministry’s election headquarters denied the government’s involvement in disqualification of any candidates, calling it “an extreme joke” that the government has blocked its’ critics’ participation in the polls. “The end of Jasbi” the newspaper published, reporting of Farhad Daneshjou’s ascension to the top position in the Islamic Azad University. Daneshjou, who received five out of the nine votes cast by the university’s Board of Trustees (which includes Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Seyyed Hassan Khomeini) called for the board members to yield to the opinion of the majority, “as is the common routine in a religious democracy.” Iran called the assassination of nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan “a beastly conduct by elements of the global imperialism,” attributing it to “mercenaries of the Zionist regime.”

Jomhouri-ye Eslami also covered the range of reactions to the assassination of Ahmadi-Roshan, from security and intelligence officials, to legislators and the Western media. The newspaper quoted Safar-Ali Baratlou, Tehran Province Governor’s Security Deputy who called the murder another measure by the enemy to decrease turnout in the upcoming parliamentary election. Jomhouri-ye Eslami also reported of the Monetary and Credit Council’s decision to modify the interest rates and banking facilities in order to control the skyrocketing dollar exchange rate and gold price. The newspaper also quoted Chief Magistrate Sadeq Larijani speaking of the trial of the key indictees of the 2.6 billion dollar bank fraud in the coming week. The Ayatollah also called for security apparatus to introduce to his office for punishment the disturbers of the national economy and the foreign exchange market. In Qom, Grand Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani, one of the most conservative marja’s of the city, emphasized that independence from the epicenters of power and wealth has been the key to success of Shi’a seminaries throughout history, and that is a tradition which should be preserved.

Kayhan covered the traditional march of 15 million mostly Iraqi Shi’as towards the holy city of Karbala –banned during the reign of Saddam Hussein- where lies the body of Hussein (AS), the third Shi’a imam. The newspaper also reported of the Monetary and Credit’s decision to set competitive, floating interest rates; a measure which hinges upon the president’s approval. In the meantime, Majles has passed a bill which bans the government from increasing the price of fuel in the final months of the Persian year 1390. Kayhan also covered the “blind terror” of Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, attributing it to Israel and the Western countries, referring to the Israeli General Benny Gantz comments in a Knesset session. In its editorial, as is its trait, Kayhan tried to establish links between the assassination and West-imposed sanctions on the one hand, and the post-election protests on the other. The enemy’s attempts are all geared up towards disturbing the upcoming parliamentary elections, the editorial also argued.

Resalat was the most unreserved Principlist media in reacting to the assassination. “Retaliation against the assassination project targeting Iranian scientists: the only way to end the enemy’s pathetic efforts” was the newspaper’s top headline. “The enemy has been emboldened due to the Islamic Republic’s nobility in defense of its inalienable right to wield nuclear technology” the newspaper’s analysis read, calling the assassination “the peak of self-proclaimed human rights’ advocates’ audacity” and battering the IAEA for providing Israel and the West with intelligence on Iranian nuclear scientists. The newspaper’s editorial analyzed the Iranian Navy’s Velayat 90 war game in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has no reservations when it comes to defending national interests” the editorial stated, adding that “34 years of relentless conspiracy against the Islamic Revolution have made nearly impossible any optimism regarding the behavior of global powers.” Resalat’s editorial added that Iran is however morally committed to preserving the regional energy security, though the West has never appreciated its efforts.

Shargh’s top news was a report on the proceedings of the important meeting of Azad University Board of Trustees. While the pro-government media have reported of Farhad Daneshjou’s finalized appointment as head of the Islamic Azad University, Shargh doubted the legality of the election process, claiming that the election may have been defective as according to the internal regulations, the election should begin upon the approval of the chairman of the board, namely Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, while that was not the case. The newspaper called the Monetary and Credit Council’s decision on the banks’ interest rates a “U-turn in banking policies.” Shargh’s feature on Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan’s assassination was void of sentiments,  elaborating on the details of the terrorist operation and citing the remarks of Iranian officials.

* 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.