Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review

The 2.6 billion dollar embezzlement, protests in the US and Europe and electoral remarks of Ali Larijani were the top headlines of Tehran's newspapers today.

Etemaad’s front page was economic corruption-oriented. According to the newspaper  that members of the Economic and Budget committees of Majles are discontent with the legislative body’s Special Investigation Committee report on the embezzlement, calling it unconvincing for the public opinion and overlooking the deeper layers of the scandal. “Palizdar escapes” was the other major headline of the front page. Abbas Palizdar, former member of Seventh Majles investigation committee made news following his chain controversial speeches at Iranian universities in early 2008, accusing many high-ranking officials of economic corruption. Etemaad wrote that upon knowing that his sentence to be enforced by the Judiciary the whistleblower has become inaccessible (Palizdar denied the rumors, however, this afternoon.) Etemaad’s editorial written by Mohammad-Ali Sobhani, former ambassador to Jordan, analyzed the vetoed anti-Syrian proposal set forth by Western countries in the UN Security Council.

Iran’s banner headline was a quotation from Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi who accused the government’s critics of false accusations to disrupt the cause of serving the citizens. Yemenis’ reception of Ali Abdullah Saleh’s decision to step down also appeared on the front page.

Jomhouri-ye Eslami focused on Ali Larijani’s analysis of the giga-Toman LC fraud, which according to the parliamentary speaker, is the product of shelving the law. The newspaper also interviewed a number of MPs who called on the government to admit its fault in the 3 thousand billion-Toman embezzlement. “The Policy of Hegemony at the End of the Road”, Jomhouri-ye Eslami’s editorial, gave an account of the dire moral state of the American society, where homosexuality, abortion and Satanism have become rampant.

Kayhan’s top headline came from a Time Blog piece by Tony Karon: “Iran snubs all US-set red lines.” The newspaper also speculated that the protests in the United States may inspire similar moves in Australia, Canada and Europe. “Death to Al-Khalifa” chants in the funeral ceremony of a teenager killed in anti-government demonstrations were also covered by Kayhan. The newspaper’s editorial criticized FM Ali-Akbar Salehi for meeting his Bahrain counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and for the justifications provided after the talks.

“Reformists are our main rival” Resalat quoted Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, the second powerful man in the parliament and an influential Principlist. The newspaper also reflected Larijani’s criticism of the Reformists for approaching Hashemi Rafsajani, the man they demonized in the heyday of their power in the late 1990s –particularly in the sixth parliamentary election.

Shargh also selected Larijani’s remarks as its top headline. The news was complemented with an interview with the outspoken Reformist Ahmad Shirzad, who confirmed similarities in approaches and mentality between a strand of Reformists and Hashemi Rafsanjani, meanwhile calling Hashemir’s remarks “clever and abound with wisdom”. Importantly, Shirzad stressed that Reformists have not boycotted the elections –an unwritten taboo in IRI politics- but actually deprived of participation.

Upon suggestions by a member of the parliament to replacing the presidential position with premiership, to remove blurred authority boundaries in Iran's power system, Tehran-e Emrooz quoted Guardian Council Speaker Abbas-Ali Kadkhodayi who stressed that the issue is beyond the parliament’s discretion. In its editorial, Tehran-e Emrooz called for carving deeper the embezzlement scandal and avoid reducing to a mere “banking corruption” and focus on officials outside the banking the system who facilitated the fraud.

Vatan-e Emrooz’ top headline concentrated on protests in Italy against the “Godfather”, i.e. Silvio Berlusconi and his austerity measures. Abdullah Saleh’s decision to resign from the presidential post was also covered by the newspaper.

* 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

Etemaad is a Reformist newspaper owned by former MP Elias Hazrati. The newspaper supported Mehdi Karroubi in the 2005 and 2009 elections. In 2010, it was temporarily banned from publishing (for a three-month period) by the Judiciary.

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 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 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.