Normalization of the Israeli-Turkish relations has overshadowed the editorials of Iranian newspapers on Tuesday, June 28th, 2016, and the reasons of this step at this critical stage, in addition to discussing the issue of the State economy and free economy which hasn’t been resolved since the revolution in Iran in 1979. Warning of the death penalty implementation against the Iranian billionaire Babak Zanjani who controlled Iran’s oil trade for years and not succeeding in charging his supporters in the government was also a major issue in the Iranian press.
In the news, the campaign to nominate Ahmadinejad for presidency in the upcoming elections began extensively. Hassan Rouhani is calling the judiciary to reveal the circumstances and investigations of the attack on the Saudi Embassy and Consulate. Economically, some considered the British withdrawal from the EU as an interest to this economy.
“Dangers of renouncing the Iranian oil trade black box,” Sharq Newspaper warned in its editorial from the implementation of death penalty against the Iranian billionaire Babak Zanjani who controlled the oil trade in Iran for years.
The editorial stated that the Iranian Oil Minister revealed the total amount of money Babak owes the Iranian government is $ 2.7 billion, while the total value of his detained properties is no more than $ 570 million. After the issuance of death penalty against Babak, nothing has changed. But the question here is how a young man like Babak could obtain all that money from the Iranian government, and how he was able to stand firmly at court and challenge the whole state, saying that he was transferring the money that could not be transferred to the Iranian government, which is a confession of carrying out money laundry. Babak does not represent one individual person, but a large group of Iranian oil dealers during the time of sanctions. The implementation of the death penalty against him is considered destruction of the black box of money laundry and the Iranian oil trade, in addition to the process of transferring funds to the terrorist groups supported by Iran. Babak’s activities began during Ahmadinejad’s era and continued to Rouhani‘s, and was supported by state officials at various levels, otherwise he would have owed the Iranian government all that huge money.
“Why normalization of the Turkish-Israeli relations,” Editorial of Etemad Newspaper participates the Iranian and the world’s public opinion in questioning the reasons behind the normalization of Turkish-Israeli relations at this critical time in the Middle East. The editorial says that it has been six years since the events of Marmara ship, which led to freezing their bilateral relations. Moreover, Turkey put specific conditions in order to restore ties with Israel such as making apology to Turkey and lifting its naval blockade on Gaza Strip, in addition to paying financial reparations to the families of victims on Marmara ship. Nevertheless, the agreement between the two countries did not enforce these points except the Turkish humanitarian aids to the people of Gaza, and a brief apology by Israel in the form of discussing the issue of reparations. The editorial said that Turkey now notices changes in the balance of powers in the Middle East and doesn’t want to stay away from them, or lose any available opportunities. The Iranian point of view reflected by the editorial is that when Turkey dealt violently with its neighbors it has incurred changes in its foreign policy whose impact appeared on three levels; the first is that Turkey engaged in the Syrian conflict, the second one is conflict with Russia, and to some extent the emergence of dispute signs with Iran over the Syrian question. Turkey now wants to make balance in the region depending on two axes, rapprochement with Israel on one hand and with Saudi Arabia on the other; although, there is no doubt that the Turkish government would face sharp criticism. Away from the editorial point of view, the Israeli-Turkish rapprochement, Turkish courtship to Russia through the apology for killing a Russian pilot in the Turkish airspace are all indications for Turkey to enter the European Union or at least they represent the European conditions for Turkey to join the Union. Indeed, the European Union does not want to add any country hostile to Israel, or might go to a military confrontation with Russia.
“Observers restriction contributes to Protection of the corrupt,” Ebtekar newspaper discussed in its editorial the causes of the widespread financial and administrative corruption in the Iranian government. For more than a month, the consequences of the shocking lists of the government officials’ astronomical salaries continued, making every Iranian political division hide behind one only utterance,” It’s not only us”. The Iranian citizen no longer excludes anyone in the Iranian regime from financial corruption. He believes that it’s not limited to the government of Rouhani or Ahmadinejad’s only. The editorial wonders about the Iranian Radio and Television Commission releases and handling of the financial corruption in the government at this particular time, meanwhile it has never handled such issues before, knowing that it is directly connected to Khamenei but not to the President. The editorial said that even the Radio and Television Commission is being criticized because of its magnitude budget. In the end, the editorial stated that the Iranian regime lacks independent regulatory agencies exercising their work away from any political party affiliations.
“Government economy,” Jehan Newspaper discussed in its editorial the issue of the State economy and free economy, an issue that hasn’t been resolved since the Iranian revolution, to the extent that the Iranian economy cannot be classified whether it is a socialist or a capitalist economy. In every economic decision, the Iranian government stood confused between the trends of economists. Once the government adopts one view point, it soon changes to the opposite direction, which indicated a series of successive failures. The editorial gives an evaluation to the Iranian economy over the past decades within the following points; the focus was on the commercial sector rather than on production and manufacturing sectors, the private sector submits to the government, tenders are awarded to companies directly without bidding, confiscation of economic institutions under the name of monopoly properties, nationalization of the private sector , allowing some sovereign entities to enter into economic activities to provide their expenditures which became prerogative and granted them duty free privileges, in addition to being free of economical laws, taxation, and supervision and control. This led to the elimination of economic competition in the Iranian economy, creating a monopoly capital in the import and export sectors in favor of particular members, the establishment of giant economic groups that belong to sovereign institutions (like the Revolutionary Guards and intelligence, and endowment bodies of the references), introduce projects without prior studies, such as relocating staff in the regions, moving the capital, and encouraging citizens to increase birth. The editorial offered a long list of economic sorts of corruption through real examples that some people might think are exaggerated, but the reality proves that the aforementioned examples are true and reflect the Iranian authenticity.
♦ Starting the exportation of gas from Iran to Iraq is contingent with the readiness of the Iraqi government
Executive Director of the National Corporation of the Iranian gas exports, Ali Reza Kameli said that the exportation of Iran’s gas to Iraq is dependent on the Iraqi government to declare readiness and willingness. He also explained that all technical issues between the two countries are ready, but is contingent with the Iraqi Government’s willingness. Kameli said that it was scheduled to export gas to Iraq since the beginning of the year 2014, but deterred by the security situation and expansion of conflicts.
Source: IRNA.
♦ British withdrawal from the European Union is advantageous for the Iranian economy
Iranian economic expert, Mohammad Reza Babai explained that the Iranian economy will be influenced by the British withdrawal from the European Union, such as the decrease of oil prices and the rise of gold. He said that the British markets will suffer big losses because of this matter, which could be beneficial to Iran. Babai pointed out that some people believe that the Iranian economy will not be influenced, but he stressed that the oil and gold markets will, which will in turn have a positive impact on the Iranian economy.
Source: Abrar Eghtesadi Newspaper.
♦ Unrelieved inflation, the cause of economic recession in Iran
Iranian economist Camill Tibi described the Iranian government’s policy to control inflation as proper, noting that those who talk about the need for the government to set the priority to recover economic recession in order to reduce inflation lack knowledge in this concern. Tibi stressed that given the economic indicators of the past few years, it appears that the continuous rise of prices in Iran has led to this chronic inflation.
Source: Abrar Eghtesadi Newspaper.
♦ Shamkhani arrives in Moscow to discuss developments in the region and Syria with Russian officials
Secretary General of the Supreme Council of the Iranian National Security, Ali Shamkhani, arrived in Moscow, the Russian capital to conduct meetings and discussions with senior officials in Russia. According to Fares News Agency, this visit comes in the framework of the bilateral relations of the two countries and developments in the region and Syria.
IRNA News Agency stated, “Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council meets the Russian Minister of Defense”. Shamkhani discussed various issues with the Russian Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, including the Russian-Iranian cooperation. Shamkhani as a political, security, and defense coordinator between Russia and Iran discussed the Syrian developments over the past few months, and the possible solution for the Syrian crisis.
Source: IRNA and Fares Agencies.
♦ Gabri Ansari confers with senior Lebanese officials
Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, Hossein Gabri Ansari arrived, Monday morning, in the Lebanese capital and discussed various issues with senior officials in Beirut. He also met the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammed Fateh Ali, and the Lebanese Prime Minister, Tammam Salam and the Foreign Minister, Gobran Bassil. They discussed bilateral relations and developments in the region and Lebanon.
It is also scheduled that Gabri Ansari, during his first visit to Beirut after he was appointed Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African affairs, to meet with the head of Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri.
Source: Tasnim Agency.
♦ The launch of Ahmadinejad’s Electoral Campaigns
Less than a year until the elections of the twelfth Iranian presidency, companions and supporters of the former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, enhanced their efforts for his running of the presidential elections, describing him as representative and protector of poor and needy people. Moreover, they crowd in a metaphorical atmosphere calling themselves the “Ahmadi Njadians”, “supporters of government of kindness and justice”, “supporters of the political discourse on the third of Terre”, “call for the actual supporter of the poor” and similar slogans. They also noted that their goal is to remove vulnerability of the political equations and invite “the real representative of the poor” to run the presidential elections in June 2017.
Source: Arman Emrouz Newspaper.
♦ Judiciary has to put people in the picture concerning the attack on the Saudi Embassy
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that people want to know how Judiciary dealt with radical people and lawbreakers who violated the national security laws through the attack on an embassy. Rouhani said during honoring the Judiciary conference week with the presence of Chairman of Shura Council, Ali Larijani; head of Judiciary, Sadeq Larijani, that the lawbreakers and those who gave orders are well-known, in reference to the attack on the Saudi Embassy and Consulate.
Rouhani added that when people are informed of such issues in a direct and transparent way, the judicial system will gain confidence of people and the world. He pointed out that his country does not seek to win popularity, but it is more important to show the Islamic Justice to the world. He stressed that it is possible for a judicial system in any country to work, but it is not possible to win the trust of people.
According to Rouhani, people want to know how some officials burgled the public wealth of nation from the House of Money and Oil Money, how it was arranged and who gave this charter. In fact, Hassan Rouhani’s government has serious disagreements with Judiciary on many files and public issues during the past three years, and most of them are known to the public.
Source: Degirban.
♦ The destruction of anti-revolution cells in Kurdistan, and three of the Revolutionary Guards were killed
Kurdistan Guard commander, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Hussein Rajabi declared the elimination of an eleven- people cell loyal to the anti-revolutionary groups in Sroabad by the local Revolutionary Guards of the province. According to Rajabi’, this cell was trying to enter the country, but was monitored at the first moment by the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence of the province of Kurdistan.
Rajabi stated that Guards prevented this group from getting to places where they intended to carry out attacks and eliminated them. Guards drew the cell members to where they wanted and hunted them for 10 days in Kohsalan district in Sroabad. The eleven members of the cell in addition to three soldiers of the Revolutionary Guards were killed during this operation.
Source: Fares Agency.
