Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review

In its top headline, Jomhouri-ye Eslami spoke of “the Israeli leaders’ disappointment with the Zionist regime’s survival,” as, according to the newspaper, the Western powers’ failure to topple Bashar Assad’s regime have proven their incapability to safeguard Israel’s existence, and the Arab Spring has, in words of King Abdullah of Jordan, isolated Tel Aviv in the Middle East more than ever. Jomhouri-ye Eslami also reported that 215 out of the total 290 seats of the Ninth Parliament have found their new users. The newspaper also reported of MEK’s decision to reside in the border of Jordan and Iraq instead of moving to the Camp Liberty northeast of Baghdad, after the terrorist group were ordered to leave the Camp Ashraf in north of the country. The newspaper’s editorial focused on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s decision to revive the Board of Supervision over the Constitution’s Enforcement, a legal body established in the time of Mohammad Khatami, later to be defanged by the Guardian Council’s interpretation of the law, and discussed the ambiguities in the Constitution which have once again caused a conflict between the president, as the highest official after the Supreme Leader, and other powers.

“Americans: We occupy AIPAC in support of Iran” Kayhan published as its front page’s top headline, as Obama, Netanyahu and Simon Peres are holding a joint meeting in Washington. Bashar Assad’s threat to launch missile attacks against Israel in case of military intervention in Syria, anti-austerity measures’ demonstrations in Italy and Spain, and vote counting in Tehran were also covered by the newspaper.

Five Principlist MPs found their way from Tehran constituency Resalat reported, while 50 others will be waiting for the second round to fill in the 25 seats remaining. Top of Tehran’s list is former Majles’ Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel. “Quds’ liberation is near” the newspaper quoted Hezbollah leader Seyyed Hassan Nasrullah. In the newspaper’s editorial, “For Whom the Bells Toll?” Saleh Eskandari elaborated on the significance of electoral defeat of key Reformist MPs of the Eighth Parliament, among them Mostafa Kavakebian, self-proclaimed leader of a new ilk of Reformists who ‘demarcated’ their stance from the Green Movement, and the president’s sister, Parvin Ahmadinejad, who failed to secure a seat from her birthplace constituency in the northeastern city of Garmsar. “This was the last stop in the political and social life of the Reformists,” the editorial argued.

Shargh covered its front page with a large photo of the new Kremlin resident, printing beside it “Putin’s Day”. The newspaper also reported of a new regulation drawn up by the Ministry of Health, which is in charge of medical universities, based on which the students will received grades also for their appearance and will be handed “cultural assessment records.” The fate of the motion submitted to the parliament’s presiding board by Ali Motahhari and more than seventy other MPs to summon Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Majles was discussed in an interview with Reza Hosseini, a proponent of the motion, while 58 signatories of the motion have failed to make their way in the next term of the parliament.

Tehran-e Emrooz jubilantly chose its top headline as “Principlists atop the Ninth Parliament,” adding that the United Principlist Front has been the decisive winner of elections in Tehran constituency. The newspaper also featured a critical report on the government’s Maskan-e Mehr project, public housing development plan aimed to tackle a serious problem for Iranian citizens, recounting the failed promises of governmental officials to accomplish the projects in their due time. The newspaper’s editorial was written by MP Elham Aminzadeh on the result of the parliamentary elections. People showed that they want a more powerful parliament, Aminzadeh, a female member of the United Principlists Front, argued, one which controls the government’s behavior in a stricter fashion.

* 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.