Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review

22 August 2010 | 17:51 Code : 8424 Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review
Tehran’s newspapers on Wednesday, 27th of Mordad, August 18, 2010.
Tehran’s Daily Newspaper Review
The rift between President Ahmadinejad and the Principlist camp is becoming wider day by day. At the center of their row perhaps stands the head of Ahmadinejad’s presidential office, Esfandiar Rahim Masha’ee, and his controversial remarks, the likes of which have rarely been heard from any other Islamic Republic official. Ahmadinejad’s maverick attitude and his refusal to enact some Parliamentary bills are only exacerbating the situation. And adding to this mix are aspiring politicians such as Ali Larijani, Speaker of the Iranian parliament, or Majles, and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the current mayor of Tehran. The ongoing battle of words between pro-Ahmadinejad newspapers (Iran, Vatan-e Emrooz) and Qalibaf’s unofficial organs (Hamshahri, Tehran-e Emrooz) will most likely not abate until the next presidential election. Ahmadinejad is meanwhile battling with Hashemi’s (Ayatollah Rafsanjani) camp through his proxy, the Islamic Azad University. It shouldn’t come as any surprise if the reformists and the Greens turn themselves (intentionally) into political bystanders during the next few months, in order to gauge who their future rivals will be in Iranian politics.

Hamshahri

Iran’s Global Rank in Environmental Record; Eighty-Seventh

60 Killed and 130 Injured in Iraq Bombing

Ayatollah Kashani [Principlist Figure] Lauds the Construction of Sacred Defense (1) Garden-Museum [Constructed by Tehran Municipality]

Iran

Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics [Ahmad Vahidi]: Iran’s New Long-Range Missiles to Be Tested

According to the Final Verdict of the Jurisprudential Committee: Islamic Azad University’s endowment [of assets] considered illegal

Head of [Tehran’s] Planning and Budget Committee: Tehran Municipality’s debts cuts contractors’ lifeline

Jomhouri-ye Eslami

Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani in Meeting with a Group of Tehran Universities’ Professors and Faculty Members: Wisdom, rationality and sustention of unity will cause the enemies’ failure

Speaker of Foreign Ministry [Ramin Mehmanparast]: Any assault on Bushehr [Nuclear] power plant will face a strong reaction

Dana Insurance Shares Sold in 9 Minutes

Kayhan

Second Wave of Flood Coming; Human Disaster in Pakistan: 20 Million Flood Victims Awaiting International Aid

New Achievements of Defense Industry Reported by Commander Vahidi

Four Other Countries Ready to Sell Iran Petroleum

Khabar

Analysts Explain in Interview with Khabar: Principlists’ necessary strategies to regain unity

This Year Reaching 54 Billion Dollars: Oil revenue 4-billion dollar increase this year

Karimi’s Sacking Verdict Vetoed

Resalat

Putin: Nuclear power plant ready to start

Vahidi Announces: Iranian [fighter] jet and new missiles to be tested on 31st of Mordad (22nd of August, National Day of Defense Industry)

Two Other American Spies Arrested on Iranian Border

Shargh

15 Months after the Electoral Debate; Ahmadinejad’s Private Meeting with Reza’ee

Successor for Jasbi [Head of the Islamic Azad University] Denied; Fresh Struggles over Azad University

Tehran-e Emrooz

Defense Minister’s Warnings; Commander Vahidi: Assault on Bushehr power plant will jeopardize Israel’s existence

Principlists Support Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani’s Strategies [for Reunion]

[Principlist MP] Gholam-Reza Mesbahi Moghaddam: Government’s ignoring of law should be stopped

Vatan-e Emrooz

Verdict Announced by the Jurisprudential Board Chaired by [Judiciary Head] Ayatollah Amoli Larijani: Endowment of Azad University [assets] not complying with religious laws

Speaker of Foreign Ministry Announces: Iran’s forceful reaction if Bushehr attacked

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.

Jomhuri-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 anlayst is Amir Mohebbian, its political editor.

Tehran-e Emrooz (Tehran Today) is a ‘principlist reformist’ newspaper, connected to Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

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.

Vatan-e Emrooz (Motherland Today) -which started its publication in November 2008-, belongs to Mehrdad Bazrpash, the thirty-old pro-Ahmadinejad politician who is also head of Iran’s second largest auto manufacturer company, Saipa. Vatan-e Emrooz is a supporter of the president’s policies.

(1)   The eight-year war with Iraq