Tehran's Daily Newspaper Review
Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks on the upcoming parliamentary elections, and Iran's newly unveiled nuclear achievements dominated the front page of Tehran's newspapers’ today.
In Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei met the citizens of the Eastern Azerbaijan Province, were he originally comes from himself. “Participation in the elections will push back the enemy” Iran quoted Iran's Supreme Leader. As Iranian nuclear scientists injected fuel to the Tehran medical nuclear reactors, Iran reported of Iran's upper hand in the future negotiations with the West. Five key indictees of the 2.6-billion dollar mega bank fraud are “corruptors of the Earth” –a charge leading to capital punishment- according to the Chief Magistrate Sadeq Larijani, Iran reported.
Jomhouri-ye Eslami’s top headline was also a quote from Ayatollah Khamenei in his meeting with fellow Azeris: “the Iranian nation will strike another powerful blow against the enemy in the 12th of Esfand [2nd of March] parliamentary elections.” The newspaper also reported Iran's serious warning to six key European oil importers, in a meeting in the Foreign Ministry with the participation of ambassadors of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and France. “Iran's written response to P5+1” reported of Secretary of National Security Council Saeed Jalili’s letter to negotiations’ partner EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton, announcing Tehran's readiness to resume nuclear talks.
“The Iranian nation will reenact the 22nd of Bahman [commemoration] legend in the 12th of Esfand elections,” Kayhan quoted the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution. “West sanctioned, we made it ourselves: nuclear achievements” was Kayhan’s headline for the news of Iran's injection of 20% enriched uranium to the Tehran research reactor. The newspaper also reported of Iran summoning six European ambassadors and ‘instructing’ them how to continue their future energy deals with Iran, while immediately cutting oil exports to France and the Netherlands after the meeting. “The Wind Blows”, Kayhan’s editorial, praised the “stormy day” of Wednesday 15th of February, when Iran “struck several powerful blows to its Western enemies” by unveiling its new nuclear achievements, issued an ultimatum addressing six European countries on oil imports and confidently sending a letter to the EU announcing its readiness to continue nuclear talks.
On its front page, Tehran-e Emrooz criticized the government for its refusal to publicize the figures on Purposeful Subsidies Plan, trying to rationalize it by arguing that it would ‘inflate’ the next Persian year’s budget. The newspaper’s editorial was written by the influential Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad-Reza Bahonar. The Conservative MP slightly criticized “hasty decisions by the executive apparatus” causing many problems for the country, stating that there is no time left for trial and error in administrating the state affairs and there is a need to “return to the path of moderation.” He added that the Iranian citizens could realize this necessity through their votes in the upcoming parliamentary election, supposedly by voting for Bahonar and his friends in the United Front of Principlists.
* 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.