The criticism of Hassan Rouhani on 22nd of this month and his talk about university professors was the distinctive feature in the editorials of Iranian newspapers, in addition to smuggling and stealing of antiquities, which are considered negative phenomena that affect the Iranian economy, as well as replacing the Euro in commercial transactions with the world instead of Dollar.
In the news, the press highlighted the escalation of tension between the president and the Revolutionary Guards because of Hossein Amir Abdullahian.
Socially, groups of individuals were arrested under the name of “terrorist cells” in Ahwaz and poverty pushes women to sell their babies. Economically, Turkey provides 10% of Iran’s needs of electrical needs.
Prominent Editorials
“Smuggling is a stab in the back of the Iranian economy,” Editorial of Etemad Newspaper warns of the increasing amounts of goods smuggled into the Iranian markets and their negative impact on the economy. Smuggling squanders foreign exchange for consumption rather than investing that money in local production. With fluctuation of prices, smuggling doubled inflation rate, which hurt the standard of living of poor families. Unofficial statistics show that the total amount of smuggled goods is estimated between $ 20 billion and $ 25 billion annually. The editorial attributes this problem to the extended Iranian borders, high customs value, legal deformity, unemployment, lack of job insecurity, low quality of locally produced goods, increasing cash flow, lack of border areas development, government support system, and low cost of smuggling process. The question that arises here is how Iran can claim that it has largely succeeded in facing drug smuggling and has protected Europe and the world from a sweeping flood of drugs, but at the same time, it is unable to stop smuggling of goods. This can’t happen unless the people in power in Iran participate and facilitate these smuggling operations. There are many evidences that the Revolutionary Guard is the major smuggler of goods in Iran in order to build a strong economic power, favoring its own interests over those of the country, in addition to the unlimited powers of its officers that enable them to carry out smuggling operations.
“Theft of antiquities: a frequent occurrence in Iran,” Sharq Newspaper’s editorial mocks the dramatic and frequent theft of antiquities in Iran. The editorial says that the theft of Alqaishani tiles from the front of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz (a masterpiece built 150 years ago) is an evidence of rampant corruption in the Iranian government departments and wondered how those tiles had been stolen from such a public place? The editorial also says that several years ago, a copy of the holy Quran, written by Imam Ali was stolen from Shiraz Museum after thieves had killed the guard. The thieves have never been run after and the Quran has never been retrieved. Archaeologist Ismail Yaghmai, the editorial writer, stated that he, over the past ten years, recorded dozens of stolen precious antiques from the National Museum of Iran such as Reza Abbasi Museum that was stolen fifteen consecutive times but no response was taken. The Editorial ridicules the Iranian intelligence forces for their inability to stop these thefts, but direct their efforts to stop broadcasting pre-revolution songs on Iran Air flights.
“Choosing between the bad and the worst,” Arman Newspaper addresses in its editorial the Iranian government’s decision to conduct its oil trade for the Euro. The editorial says that the Iranian Oil Minister announced that the Iranian oil deals shall be exchanged for Euro, a precedent step that was taken in 1974 when the Dollar dropped, and OPEC members decided to establish a bin that consists of 10 different currencies, and then it happened again in 1980. The editorial says that this decision gives greater economic security to Iran after the restrictions imposed by the US on Iran’s trade in Dollar, but this costs Iran big losses and deprives part of its oil revenues since stocks of most oil-producing countries are linked to the US Treasury, and make all their transactions in Dollar, which means that the price of oil is tied to Dollar. The editorial urges other oil-producing countries such as Russia, Iraq and Venezuela to take the same step and deal in Euro rather than Dollar. It also urges them to collect oil revenues in local currency of the importing country to deter the American plans from using the Dollar as a weapon against Iran. In its presentation of the case, the editorial brings up an unrealistic point of view; dealing in local currencies like the Yuan, for example, exposes Iran to significant losses, because China often reduces the value of its currency in order to increase exportation.
“The president addresses university professors” Resalat Newspaper discussed in its editorial Rouhani’s speech at the meeting with university professors. The editorial says that Rouhani’s speech was characterized by a status of complaint. He wondered about the state of distrust universities, and dealing with students and professors as well from the perspective of security? Resalat, the Conservative Newspaper, raises a big question about which countries’ president is this speech for, and who are those who distrust universities and students? It attacked Rouhani, saying that on his first day as president, he brought up and criticized the scholarships issue, and rejected giving scholarships to hundreds of student. Despite of this, Resalat Newspaper did not hide the conservative stream distrust university professors, and recounted the incident of Jeffrey David Sachs, adviser of George Soros, the activist in the field of colored revolutions. Sachs came to Tehran and tried to contact a number of university professors through multiple methods and arguments.
Indeed, the editorial ignores a long history of systematic repression of university life in Iran across Cultural Revolution Institutions, specifically the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution. Moreover, the process of exclusion of university professors was extensively practiced in the early years of revolution, and was repeated during Ahmadinejad’s era, in addition to the mandatory security approval the Iranian student needs in order to get to university and the domination of the Students Revolutionary Organizations over university managements and abusing professors.
Prominent News
♦ Construction of a pipeline to transport oil from Iraq to Iran
Iran and Kurdistan of Iraq have finished the technical details of setting up a pipeline plan to carry oil in a capacity of 250 thousand barrels per day, with no signing of this agreement so far. Deputy Minister of Natural Resources of Kurdistan, Taha Zanganeh who heads the delegation of negotiations, declared that they had hammered out an agreement with Iran on how to implement a project to export oil and gas from Kurdistan to Iran. He noted that the two sides discussed all technical details, and added that it is scheduled that high-level delegation will visit Iran after the end of Ramadan to sign the agreement.
Source: Abrar Eghtesadi Newspaper.
♦ Turkey provides 10% of electricity of Iran’s needs
The Turkish company “Unit International” signed an agreement with the Ministry of Energy of Iran for the construction of seven gas stations with combined cycle in Iran amount to $ 4.2 billion. It is expected to be carried out in the first three months of next year 2017.
Chief of the board of directors of the Turkish company said that these stations will provide more than 6 thousand megawatt of electricity to Iran representing 10% of Iran’s needs, which will improve the economic relations between Iran and Turkey.
Source: Abrar Eghtesadi Newspaper.
♦ The arrest of spy cell in Tabriz
The chairperson of Supreme Court of the province of East Azerbaijan, Ali Mozaffari, revealed the arrest of a spy network in Tabriz. He added that this cell, which is called “Jammu”, consists of six members, aimed to collect military and economic information and submit it to the enemies of the Iranian regime according to Mozaffari who refused to give further comments about this issue.
Source: Arman Amrouz Newspaper.
♦ Iran and China launch Oil talks
The second round of talks between Iran and Chinese companies was launched to determine the value and duration of the implementation of the second phase of Yadawran oil field development. The Iranian Oil Minister, Bijan Zanganeh has ordered the National Company of Iranian Oil to hand over the development of the second phase to a Chinese company, and launch talks in this regard.
Source: Mehr News Agency.
♦ Selling of unborn babies has increased in Iran
Assistant of the President for Women and Family Affairs Shahyndekht Mulawardi, announced that statistic of selling unborn children is terrible, but She denied the existence of accurate data about the numbers of those children. This matter headed tops of news, pointing out that the phenomenon of selling children is not a single-reasoned, but rather a set of interrelated factors force woman to sell their children. She stated that the economic and cultural poverty, addiction, displaced women, and early marriage are among the factors that could make women sell their babies. Mulawardi said that if we want to eliminate this phenomenon, we must pay attention to all problems and solve them. As for early marriage below 18 years old, she said that she asked the minister of justice to make a report about this issue to the directorate of Women and Family Affairs, but the Ministry of Justice turned it to the National Organization of Child Rights.
Source: ILNA Agency.
♦ Verbal tension between Guards and Government Increases
Verbal tension between President Hassan Rouhani and his government with the Revolutionary Guards and military commanders have risen in light of some of changes that have occurred recently in the Iranian Foreign Ministry and recent developments in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Furthermore, the removal of former Assistant of Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdullahian, and dropping the nationality of Sheikh Issa Qasim by Bahrain’s ruling family have turned into two points of dispute between Guards and the government. The Revolutionary Guards and the commander of the Al Quds regiment, Qassem Soleimani took sharp positions against the Bahraini government as a response to the nationality deprivation of Issa Qasim on Tuesday, June 21st. The goal of this reaction was to object the policy of Rouhani’s Government toward the regional developments and threats of Saudi Arabia.
Some news sources reported that Amir Hossein Abdullahian was removed from his position in order to improve relations with Saudi Arabia and all Arab countries. Consequently, based on some analysis and interpretations, the sharp reaction of the Revolutionary Guards was, indeed, connected to this change.
After hours of this sharp reaction of the Guards, Rouhani in an interview metaphorically said, “Unfortunately, some are talking in some way or another about the state and revolution, while they had never witnessed the revolution and war field.” He added, “If we want to make slogans, it should not be at the expense of people, and we should bear the responsibility of our slogans. According to the constitution, the state administration comes through people and their votes, and all officials are elected directly or indirectly only by people.” Rouhani added, “It is possible that some people will be angry because of the situation and the openness that occurred in the state, but will certainly be responded to on the suitable time, when people will be furnished with all facts.”
Source: Degirban.
♦ Arrest of several vandal operational cells in Ahwaz
General President of Ahwaz Allegation, Ferhad Afshar Nia, announced the arrest of several subversive operational cells in recent days in the province, claiming that during a meeting with the representative of the Jurist Leader in Ahwaz, Mousavi Jazayeri, that there is no external or internal threat hidden from the eyes of security officials.
Afshar Nia explained that during the last period two or three operations occurred and several subversive cells tried to infiltrate to central locations in the state through Ahwaz, and carry out terrorist operations, but some of them were captured and others killed.
Source: Tasnim Agency.
♦ Rafsanjani: Iran’s security must not be lost by historical mistakes
According to IRNA News Agency, quoting from the public relations of the Expediency Compound, in a reference to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Egypt, and Bahrain, Chairman of Expediency Compound, Hashemi Rafsanjani said that Iran is in the midst of insecure situations in the world, it is the regional security center, and we should not lose this ideal security by historical mistakes.
Hashemi Rafsanjani said during a meeting with scientists, elites, clerics and students from different seminaries in Tehran and Barz that some of the views and declarations of officials of the former government, which was tinged with the sacred support of conservative stream, are historical mistakes for some political streams, as well as some of clergy in Iran, saying: “people who have stepped up on the shoulders of clergy until they reached office were saying explicitly that when the Occulted Imam be back, he will knock the necks of clergy and even religious references.”
Source: IRNA.
♦ Russia has the capability to confront the US through its relationship with Iran
The Deputy Chairman of the Committee of National Security and Foreign Policy in the Iranian parliament, Kamal Dehghani Firuzabadi pointed out in his interview with Bait Alomma News Agency, to the pressure of the US Congress on Obama to impose sanctions on Russia because of selling the defense system S-300 to Iran.
He added, “Despite the dispute over Iran, this issue is up for discussion and dialogue in the framework of bilateral relations of the two countries, who are members of the Security Council.” Dehghani added that in the American policy there are always two active streams, as we see in the US Congress, Republicans and the Democrats. If Democrats take over the House, Republicans seek to impose pressures, and affect the US foreign policy, pointing out that this pressure and endeavors are put only to obtain concession. Based on that, there should be congressional pressure on the US president to impose sanctions on Russia in this regard.
He explained in reference to the subject of the US – Iranian relations that America has taken a pragmatic policy against Iran recently, and politics and diplomacy of America should not be trusted. He added, “In America, militant groups take positions that strongly oppose the Iranian Republic. On the other side, there is another stream that seeks to conduct negotiations, which allows them to gain concession from Iran.”
He stressed that behind the scenes, the trends of both streams is to secure the American interests, and obtain concession through two different methods and techniques. He claimed that, so far, Iran has been able by relying on its internal and independent capabilities that have earned after Revolution, to stand in the face of pressure of the West, especially America. Dehghani explained that Russia also has the ability to use the necessary tools in order to counter the US pressure through its membership in the Security Council of the United Nations in regard to its relationship with Iran.
Source: Khaneh malt.
♦ Zarif: Iran’s relations with the regional countries are more important than the nuclear issue
Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif claimed in reference to the issues of the region and relations with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that his country is seeking to build good relations with neighboring countries, which is a priority to Iran and considered more important than the nuclear issue.
Source: Etemad.
