Iranian press (Sep. 26th 2016): Tehran’s PM warns of water war and 15 billion dollars of smuggled goods in Iran

https://rasanah-iiis.org/english/?p=1466

ByRasanah

Siasat Rouz Editorial
Rouhani clarifies America’s non-commitment in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly.
Jehan Sanaat Editorial
Fundamentalists attack Ali Larijani, Head of Shura Council, because of Larijani’s cooperation with Rouhani in the nuclear deal, to the beginning of fundamentalists defeat.

News Roundup
PM warns of the water crisis.
Iran oil talks with Shell and Total.
Rouhani replies to Qum Hawza teachers secret message.

AGCIS
Ebtekar newspaper: Report for the Republic’s President
An editorial in Monday’s Ebtekar newspaper analyzed a report recently submitted to the President on by the Iranian Chamber of Commerce concerning a plan to provide around US $4.5 billion to support 7,500 troubled manufacturing plants in Iran, which are in danger of losing their bank funding.
According to the editorial, one of the bank managers present to discuss the loan at a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Minerals objected to the limited funding for only 7,500 manufacturing plants when the owners of 50,000 failing businesses have applied for financial support.
Some of those attending the meeting, including representatives of regional chambers of commerce and the heads of some major institutions condemned the widespread corruption which they warned could arise due to the limited allocation of funds for fewer than one-fifth of the country’s failing manufacturing businesses. Speaking to the bank officials and a ministry representative, they said that on the basis of the participants’ words during the meeting, they firmly believed that the government would attain nothing but further damage to its reputation from this project.
The owners of the majority of the 50,000 failing manufacturing businesses who failed to get funding are now engaged in a battle with the banks to obtain funding to support their businesses, the editorial continued, adding that Iranian industry was in a similar recession 25 years ago, with some government officials talking about support but failing to do so in the subsequent quarter century.
Addressing the Minister of Trade and Industry, the editorialist said that since it’s clear that the half billion being invested into the new project will not produce any fruitful results, what are the financial or economic grounds for continuing with the project?
The editorial shows the inconsistencies in the Iranian regime’s statements on the issue, with the Rouhani administration last month claiming that it would definitely be providing support but now claiming that the project is still in the research phase. The government had also claimed that a different number of facilities would be provided with financial support.
The editorial concluded by asking on what basis the manufacturing facilities would be supported, what the financial consequences of this are expected to be, and whether the problems afflicting Iran’s manufacturing sector are solely economic or also extend to low quality products and poor marketing.

Siasat Rouz newspaper: America’s promise is not a promise
An editorial in Monday’s Siasat Rouz newspaper condemned what it said was the failure of the US to abide by the terms of the nuclear deal, which it said was shaky from the first day of its being signed
The editorialist suggested that Washington has claimed objectives behind the deal of wishing for a peaceful nuclear program were false, with the real aim being to halt Iran’s capabilities in various fields. It suggested that the future of the Iran deal after Obama has left power will be vague to the extent that most American academics and media analysts are awaiting the result of the next election before predicting what might happen to it. Depending on the election results, the following phase could see the US beginning preparations for war against Iran and even return to imposing economic sanctions, the editorial suggested, although some prominent Iranian figures still insist that the US-Iranian tensions may end and a new chapter could begin in relations between the two countries. Despite these hopes the editorial said, this chapter does not yet exist.
The editorial lauded Rouhani for his complaint about the USA’s failure to adhere to its commitment in his recent speech at the UN General Assembly, saying that it had a positive impact on Iran.
It’s clear that Rouhani’s UNGA speech had a positive impact in Iran since it narrowed the gap of difference between the statements by Rouhani and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei whose views now more clearly merge. Up until the end of August, Khamenei had refrained from direct criticism of Rouhani’s government over the nuclear agreement; when he did speak out over the deal, Khamenei specified that he was attacking the US’ failure to adhere to its promises rather than the deal itself. Rouhani made it clear in his UNGA speech that much of what had been hoped for from the nuclear deal has not been achieved, with his condemnation of Washington’s failure in this regard narrowing the gap between himself and Khamenei.
The editorial voiced skepticism over Iran’s confidence in the US being restored and over Washington’s adhering to its commitments in the implementation of the nuclear deal, suggesting that European countries might blame the USA for this. It also noted that the speeches of the presidential candidates in the US election had not ruled out a military attack on Iran.
Although the nuclear deal may so far be beyond the specter of war for the two countries, given its establishment on shaky pillars, Trump is dissatisfied and sees a need to renegotiate it, while Clinton, formerly Obama’s Secretary of State, supports the deal but is far less flexible and positive than Obama towards Iran.

Jahan Sanaat newspaper: Fundamentalists are targeting Larijani
An editorial in Monday’s Jahan sanaat newspaper commented on fundamentalists’ attacks on Ali Larijani, the head of the Islamic Shura Council, who defected from the fundamentalist faction to become a member of the Rouhani coalition, and who was the biggest reasons for Rouhani’s victory in the last presidential election.
The editorial said that for the first time since the opening of the tenth session of the Iranian parliament fundamentalists criticized and attacked the head of the parliament, condemning his management style in handling the sessions and verbally assailing him.
Larijani’s management style did not deserve this criticism, the editorial asserted since it is no different to that of his predecessor. The editorialist asserted that Larijani’s management style during parliamentary sessions is a false pretext for the fundamentalists’ attacks on him, with the real cause being his alliance with Rouhani and his help in attaining parliamentary ratification for the nuclear deal. The editorialist asserts that Larijani’s alliance with Rouhani was the beginning of the end for the fundamentalist lobby’s power in parliament and forced them to retreat politically, with Larijani avoiding connection with fundamentalists both in the parliamentary election and elsewhere.
The editorialist further noted the recent rapprochement between Larijani and Rouhani, and also with the reformists and his continuous support for them, adding that it’s clear that Larijani has become a key figure in the political balance equation in Iran.
The assertion that Larijani has attained any genuine political independence in his own right is questionable, however, with some analysts suggesting that he may actually be positioning himself to become a contender in the upcoming election in competition with Rouhani. This question will only be answered in next year’s election, which grows ever closer.

AGCIS
♦ Iranian oil talks with Shell and Total


In coinciding with the International Energy Forum meeting in Algeria; new Iranian talks will be held with senior officials of the French company “Total” and the British company “Shell”. It is expected for Iran’s oil minister, Bijan Zangana, to meet the Executive Director of Total, Patrick Bojan, and the Assistant of business transactions affairs of UK Shell, Mike Mueller. The sale of oil and participating in new tenders for oil and gas projects in Iran considered as the most important aspects of separate talks with Iranian officials with the two companies.
Source: Abrar Eghtesadi Newspaper

♦ Economic cooperation between Iran and Kenya


Iranian Oil Minister, Bijan Zangana, said that the appropriate conditions for cooperation between Kenya and Iran could include other economic sectors, such as providing oil and oil derivatives. Zangana added during his meeting with the President of Kenyan parliament that cooperation with Africa tops the list of Iranian government priorities.
Source: Arman Amrouz Newspaper

♦ Tehran’s deputy warns of water war


Tehran MP in the Iranian parliament, Gholam-Reza Heydari, warned from a water war in Iran. Heydari said in a declared parliament session on Sunday, that 85% of Iranian territory within arid and semi-arid regions. Heydari also noted that the drought has increased since 2007, and he said, “The individual water consumption rate in Iran comes after 22 countries and that the average world per capita consumption of water more than 3.6 times higher than it is in Iran.”
Source: Mun Wato Site

♦ An execution in “Ne Reese” Stadium with conjunction of human rights criticism in Iran


During the past week, the Iranian authorities executed an accused person of murder in “Ne Reese” football stadium in Fares province, in front of dozens of people who came to watch the execution ceremony, including children.
In conjunction with the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani travel to New York for participating in the United Nations General Assembly meeting, new waves of criticism about the human rights situation in Iran. Criticisms included the organization of Reporters without Borders, which addressed the issue of journalists’ arrests and press situation in Iran. The organization, which defends freedoms, says that Hassan Rouhani did not keep his promises that he made in this regard.
Source: Farda Radio

♦ Rafiq Doust: we can prepare six million of warfighters


Minister of Revolutionary Guards during the Iran-Iraq war, Mohsen Rafiq Doust, stated that Iran today has the largest ground force in the Revolutionary Guards army and maybe it is five times more of US ground troops. He added that if any foreign country attacked Iran, six million armed fighters will be prepared fully in the field of war, and the Iranian warehouses full of rockets that can target Tel Aviv, pointing out that Iran has offered a huge range of these missiles in an actual show of Tehran, Zanjan and Oshnavieh for Americans intimidation.
Source: Jam-e Jam Newspaper

♦ 15 billion dollars of smuggled goods in Iran annually


The head of the government sanctions foundation, Ali Reza Jamshidi, explained that Iran has not yet succeeded in controlling smuggling of goods. He pointed out that the size of contraband goods that are entering the country annually, reaching a value of 15 billion USD. Jamshidi also hinted that goods smuggling is promoting the culture of lying and corruption, this action causes a recession in domestic production and influence of dirty money to power office, adding that it’s time to address the issue of dirty smuggling and the need to tighten the foundations of smuggled goods entry and display. Jamshidi said that crime prevention is a curriculum of this organization, pointing to the existence of 2 million and 750 thousand kinds of goods in the state, 750 thousand of them without a permit and that these types associated with 25 million people in the society indirectly.
Source: Etelaat Newspaper

♦ Rouhani replies to Qum Hawza teachers’ secret message


The President of the Republic, Hassan Rouhani has replied to the Hawza teachers’ secret message through a special envoy to him. The complex, which is the main core of the political formation of Hawza, has sent a secret message earlier this month to Rouhani criticized the cultural approach of the state as well as some current senior government officials statements and performance. They demanded in that message from Rouhani and his government to modify their behavior and considered that any support to the executive authority entrusted of conducting and performance of government officials in the framework of Islamic values.
Tasnim Agency pointed that the main objective the Director of Presidency office and the private delegate of the president, Mohamed Nahavandian’s visit to Qum, is to meet with the council members and provide Rouhani with the message in the context of responding to their message.
Member of Qum teachers’ complex, Mohsen Faqihi, confirmed the news of Rouhani’s response to the complex message, pointing out that during the joint session, Nahavandian gave the Rouhani’s response to the complex representatives, and entered into consultations on this matter.
Source: Tasnim Agency

Rasanah
Rasanah
Editorial Team