Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review

Jomhouri-ye Eslami cheerfully covered the Judiciary Speaker Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje’i press conference, in which he announced that the trial of 32 accused of the 2.6 billion dollar credit scam will kick off from Saturday. Eje’i meanwhile called for avoidance from tying the trial to electoral interests. The newspaper also flaunted a quote from Vice Admiral Mark Fox, who spoke of the tough days Iran can create for the US naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz. “Why is the dollar exchange rate still high?” the newspaper asked in its editorial. Jomhouri-ye Eslami attributed the problem to excess liquidity and sanctions, calling for fiscal apparatus to set priorities for imported goods and stopping allocation of cheaper dollar to unnecessary imports.

Kayhan’s top headline reported of the Saudi household and Bahrain’s Khalifa royal family engulfed by the citizens’ rage, as the “Islamic Revolution spreads in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.” The newspaper quoted IRGC Chief Commander Mohammad-Ali Ja’fari, saying that the [natural] response to oil sanctions against Iran is closing the Strait of Hormuz. Protests in Athens against the austerity measures of the Greek government were also covered by the newspaper. “Historical turn, electoral turn”, the newspaper’s editorial, called for unity among the revolution loyalist as the Islamic Republic has found a new chance to “set rails for the new history.”

Resalat also quoted the Prosecutor General Mohseni Eje’i who, besides announcing the date of trial of bank fraud indictees, reported of the Judiciary arresting a number of “disturbers” of gold and foreign exchange markets. He added that the Islamic Republic has filed a lawsuit against Israel in the international court. Attacks on Israel's embassies in India and the Republic of Georgia and the newspaper’s editor-in-chief Morteza Nabavi’s call for the rule of moderation and rationality in the ninth parliament were also covered by the newspaper.

Shargh’s quotation from Mohseni Eje’i remarks was different from the other media: the newspaper reported that the final verdict on Iran newspaper’s editor-in-chief Ali-Akbar Javanfekr has been issued and if politics do not intervene, the president’s former media advisor has to pass six months behind the bars. According to the Islamic Republic of Iran's News Agency (IRNA) which is chaired by Javanfekr, the verdict relates to the publication of Khatoon, Iran's controversial special edition on hijab. The newspaper also reported that after a six year moratorium, Ahmadinejad has reinstated the Constitution Enforcement Supervisory Board, a move some Principlist websites have seen as another effort to spark off tension with the legislative and judicial force.

“Europe set ablaze by protests” Tehran-e Emrooz chose as its top headline, as Greek citizens poured into the streets to protest against the austerity measures finally approved by their government. “Electoral qualifications at the final stop” the newspaper reported, adding that thirty-three members of the eight parliament have been disqualified by the Guardian Council, the body in charge of accrediting the nominees. The newspaper’s editorial by Sabah Zanganeh criticized “the mischievous alliance of the US and al-Qaeda”, Turkey and the Arab League, aimed to topple Bashar Assad’s regime.

* 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.