Editorials
Discussions of Russia’s halt of using Hamedan Military Base –
– Sharq newspaper traced the status of using the air base and its repercussions on regional balance for world powers.
Break News
– An armed assault on transit car to smuggle several prisoners.
– Iran threatened to withdraw from the nuclear negotiations due to Bashar al-Assad.
Shargh Newspaper
“Russians Have Left”
Iran declared that Russian raids on Syrian opposition from Nojeh air force base have ended. Foreign minister, spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi declared that Russian raids on the Syrian opposition from Nojeh air force base was a specific, authorized mission and it is over for now, while the Russian ambassador to Tehran, Levan Dzhagaryan said that Russian airplanes have left Iran’s airbase in Hamadan, but those operations can be resumed again in the future. The Iranians, in fact, criticized the Russians for revealing information about the use of Hamadan air force base to attack insurgents in Syria, while Iran sought to keep it a secret to avoid local and international criticism, which did not happen. On the other hand, political disputes erupted in Iran since the landing of the Russian airplane fighters in Iran about the legitimacy of handing over an Iranian air base to foreign forces that contradict the Iranian constitution. The Iranian parliament called for an urgent session to discuss the issue, but the higher council for national security announced that it is not of the parliamentary powers. Hussein Dhaghan, the Iranian defense minister stated that there was a need for the Russian airplane fighters in the military operations in Syria because the truce had enabled Saudi Arabia and Qatar to supply the Syrian opposition with state-of-the-art weapons. He added, “We did not grant Russia a military base. We only gave them the permission to land and take off for refueling, asserting that no contract has been signed in regard to this issue.” On the other hand, the Russian use of the Iranian base was denied by the international community. The United States considered it a violation of the Security Council resolution 2231concerning the Nuclear Deal with Iran. In conclusion, Iran and Russia have conformed to the American pressure more than to the Iranian Internal criticism. The United States will never allow Russian forces to take the lead and threaten its allies in the region or turn it into a theater for international conflicts between superpowers. The bottom line is that the Russians could have responded to the mutilation of their pilots’ bodies in Aleppo as a show-off and projecting power, but the United States will never allow a long-term Russian presence in the Middle East region.
Avrinsh Newspaper
“Awaiting for Trump’s Releases”
This newspaper handles the important role of the social media networks after being attacked by conservatives as the main cause of most social problems in Tehran. The editorial said, “Without the social media, the Iranian people would have known nothing about the American Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s statement about the 400 million USD the United States paid to Iran to help release the kidnapped Americans in Iraq,” It added, “The United States announced that this money was paid to settle down the unfulfilled arms deal between Iran and the United States that goes back to the Shah’s era, which is untrue because the Shah had paid more money than the released amount for such deals that were blocked by the Unites States. “Without social media, the Iranian people would have known nothing about the Russian use of Hamadan air force base,” the editorial also said. It wonders, “Is the policy of hiding information from the Iranian people a manifest destiny for Iranians who resort to foreign media to get information about their country?” On the other hand, the editorial ridiculed the Iranian minister of defense statement, saying, “Suppose that the Iranian people had remained unaware of the Russian airplane fighters in Iran, how come the Defense Minister blame the Russian news agency for releasing such information in light of the American satellites that detect all military moves on earth.” In conclusion, according to Afarinesh, the whole world is waiting anxiously for new releases by Trump that will trigger and enrich the social media networks with new news and debate.
Resalat Newspaper
“The Initiative of Smuggled-Goods Elimination”
This newspaper called the Iranian government to take a decisive action against smuggling. It added that Iran has to follow the lead of other countries such as Kenya, the Philippines, Russia, and Ukraine, and eliminate smuggled goods to sustain national economic growth and generate productivity. Current laws, according to the editorial, state that smugglers are to be fined or their smuggled goods are seized. It added, “After being detained, these goods are sold in the Iranian market, which hurts local products even if these revenues go to the State Treasury, which means that the government participates in the process of damaging the Iranian economy. The editorial also calls for watchful and strict customs procedures to fight smuggling. The editorial concludes, “According to Khamenei, the total amount of smuggled goods in Iran is about 20 billion USD, leading to a major damage in Iran’s economy.”
♦ Larijani addressed Dahghan: speak about the Parliament politely
The head of parliament, Ali Larijani, stated in the public session at the Iranian Shura Council that it is necessary to inform the defense minister to speak about the parliament respectfully. He referred to the defense minister recent remarks about the parliament, saying, “It is imperative to notify the defense minister that he did not speak tactfully about the parliament and should take wisdom into account in such cases.”
He continued that the parliament has the top priority; therefore, this issue should be considered in saying the demands and their implementation. Hence I do call on all colleagues to follow the formal structure and system’s levels.
Source: Jam-e Jam Newspaper
♦ Starvation of 30% Iranian people is incorrect
Assistant Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ahmed Mydri in response to Deputy Minister of Health’s comments in which he announced that 30% of the Iranian people living in hunger and suffer from living difficulties, has said that although there are difficulties in living, extreme poverty rates are very low in Iran. He maintained that the statements of Deputy Minister of Health mean the malnutrition, emphasizing that according to Ministry of Labor statistics “severe poverty rates” in Iran, are very low .
Source: Arman Emrouz Newspaper
♦ Armed attack on deportations car to free prisoners
Spokesperson of security forces, Saied Montazar Mahdi, stated that on Monday, during transferring prisoners (charged with murder) and anti-Iranian groups, to the court, the car suffered an armed attacked by several individuals. Shreds of evidence indicate that those individuals were seeking to smuggle the convicted prisoners, where an officer sustained injuries during clashes with the armed group who fled the scene later .
Need to be mentioned that these defendants were being transferred from Miandoab prison to Bukan Court, as the car was targeted when it entered Bukan.
Source: Aftab Site
♦ Russian aircraft overflights of Hamedan did not stop
The head of the Iranian Shura Council, Ali Larijani, claimed that Iran’s alliance with Russia in combating terrorism is in favor of Muslims in the region. He stressed that his country allies with Moscow against terrorism, in responding to the brief request submitted by Vice of Tehran, Mahmoud Sadeghi, concerning holding a confidential session to discuss Russian aircraft in Hamedan base, he said what was announced to stop sorties, is incorrect, Iran did not grant Hamedan air base to Moscow, the overflight and landing are merely aimed at refueling Russian aircraft, all that in fact will be discussed in a secret session.
According to Article 69 of the Shura Council regulations, Sadeghi assumed that this article allows a public session in case of 10 deputies’ request to hold it, in order to address delicate and critical topics. Therefore, 20 deputies requested from officials to clarify the reasons for granting a military base to a global power.
Source: ISNA Agency
♦ Saeed Jalili: unfortunate to say that nuclear deal prevents war
Member of Expediency assembly, Saeed Jalili, said that it is regrettable to hear some people inside the country assuming that the nuclear deal prevented tanks attack, and if there was not a nuclear deal, the enemy would have attacked Iran. Jalili added that people abroad who accept global begging and unjust relations, they also reconstruct the same oppressive relations such as the astronomical salaries. Some people say, for example, we want to fight, or the enemy now wants to attack us, such an illusion, they are leading the society to a different direction , and the educated students have to explain this approach to the people.
Source: Sharq Newspaper
♦ Razzini: 1988 executions rescued Iran of turning to Afghanistan
Member of the Assembly of Experts, Ali Razzini said that some people in 1988 were saying, “Forgiveness,” the prisoners of Mahdi Khalq still too young, and perhaps they should have different punishment sentence rather than execution. They were taking Khomeini’s role comically, now, after more than three decades later, we concluded that Khomeini was right, and if seriously was not dealt with the sedition of those hypocrites, Iran would have been as Iraq and Afghanistan now.
Source: Degrban
♦ Russian fighter jets and bombers leaving Hamedan Air Base
Russian ambassador to Tehran, Luan Jakarian, announced that Russian fighter jets and rockets, which were residing in Hamedan base to attack sites in Aleppo, had left.
The Russian defense ministry has also announced that a number of Sukhoi fighter aircraft (su34) and launchers of Topoulov (tu22-m3) were used in Hamedan Air Base in air strikes on opponents of the Syrian regime.
Russian ambassador expressed his hope to continue Russian-Iranian cooperation to find solutions to the Syrian crisis. He also stressed that if necessary, Russia will resume air strikes in Syria from Hamedan base, after the two sides reached an agreement in this regard .
Source: Tasnim Agency
♦ Does reformists threatened President Hassan Rouhani via Mousavi Kho’ini Ha
Pro-reformist newspapers in Iran addressed a number of meetings that took place between reformists and President Hassan Rouhani, in preparation for the forthcoming presidential elections. Arman Newspaper that is close to Hashemi Rafsanjani mentioned that a meeting took place between Rouhani and Mousavi Kho’ini Ha. Reformist activist, Abdullah Nasseri said stressing that Rouhani met one of the reformist activists and discussed the position of reformists and their fears of the next presidential elections program. Mousavi Kho’ini Ha criticized Rouhani and warning him of losing his mass base in the next elections if he continued certain policies. Nasseri said that there are people close to Rouhani attempting to convince him that he has an independent mass base from current reformists; it is a big mistake to believe that Rouhani can win in the next elections without the support of reformers .
Source: Mashreq News
