Disharmonious moves of IRIB
The editorial of Ebtekar deals with the fallout of documentary aired on Iranian state-run TV (IRIB) which showed a teenage girl “confess to dancing” and posting its videos on Instagram. Many Iranians, in objection to the “TV confession,” released short videos of themselves dancing in the social networks. The editorialist calls out the meaningless cruelty of such programs while questioning their rationale.
According to the editorial, this documentary blew a serious, dangerous strike on the public trust and Iranian establishment. IRIB officials, once again, wasted the public money by creating such a program and also created a new crisis for the country. Without a doubt, anyone with a little common sense, logic, or conscience wouldn’t approve of the images aired on Channel 1 of IRIB. How can one see blurred images of a 16-year old girl who is crying and not feel upset?
The editorial continues: by this “propaganda maneuver of IRIB,” what is gained for the country, the establishment, and people? At a time when Iranian people suffer from distrust and economic frustration, and when terrifying news of embezzlement, thefts, infringement on public properties upset Iranian people a day to day, how come the officials have never thought of airing accurate news regarding embezzlements, thefts, and rent-seekers?
The editorial asks: to what extent Instagram videos of a teenage girl’s dance could harm public mental security and public trust? Who was the target audience of these footages? To what extent this issue endangered the moral security of the society? What were the producers of this documentary trying to achieve?
The editorial concludes: IRIB’s measures aren’t defensible by any logic. If leaders of the country are after creating unity and solidarity among people, they must think of a solution for such arbitrary moves of IRIB. Undoubtedly, the first step to create the unity and solidarity is creating essential changes in IRIB’s method.
An editorial in Ebtekar on July 11, 2018
Europe’s incentive package in deadlock
The editorial of Arman daily deals with the reason why Europe’s incentive package to preserve the nuclear deal didn’t manage to meet Iran’s demands.
According to the editorial, even though Iran made all diplomatic efforts to get the best incentive package from Europe, Iran’s foreign ministry officially received some general outlines and Europe’s commitment in support of the nuclear deal (JCPOA). Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed disappointment with the incentive package, calling it lacking in executive plans and more of generalization. Why weren’t the expectations of Islamic Republic met, and the constructive points which were prepared beforehand were not stipulated in the incentive package?
The editorial continues, some of the points unofficially mentioned by Europeans included support for 10 billion dollars of investment in Iran by Iranian and European investors, guaranteeing the purchase of Iran’s oil about 1 million barrels per day, etc. Why did European incentive package change in the last minute?
The editorialist holds that Europe seems to have fallen in doubts as to Iran’s intentions. Europeans hoped that with offering the incentive package to Iran and decisively supporting JCPOA, Iran would stand by them. Under such conditions, Islamic Republic should have taken into account Europe’s consideration so that Iran doesn’t end up strengthening its own opponents in European Union. After Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani threatened to shut Hormuz Strait and an Iranian diplomat was charged with terrorist measures, it should have been expected that Europe would change its course.
In conclusion, the editorial says that perhaps Iran must first decide what it intends to do: does it want Europe’s incentive package to be the solution to counter the U.S. sanctions; or is it going to follow the opinion of certain people in Iran who believe that the cooperation with Europe must be disrupted at any price?
An editorial in Arman daily on July 8, 2018
In pitch darkness
The editorial of Ebtekar news focuses on liquidity growth in Iran in the past two years.
According to the Central Bank of Iran’s report, the liquidity growth from December 2015 to December 2017 has been 520 thousand billion tomans – from 925 thousand billion tomans to 1,445 thousand billion tomans. These numbers show that in the past two years, the volume of liquidity has increased more than 56%. If this growth is without gold backing, it means that the explosion of prices in foreign currency and gold markets is not unreasonable.
The editorial continues: liquidity growth in most of the industrial societies is usual, and it is not proportionate with their economic growths. And it even happens that governments might print money without gold backing and would later take the money out of the money circulation.
The editorial then adds: Iran doesn’t have industrial growth; doesn’t have a healthy financial-monetary system; doesn’t have any striking capacity in export; doesn’t have reliable economic relations with the world. Iran’s only hope is selling oil which is tantamount to selling crude oil. Given all these factors, the question is: what has been the necessity of pumping liquidity to the market during past two years?
The editorial concludes: “such behaviors become more worrying when we realize that someone like Masoud Nili, senior economic advisor of the Iranian president, has resigned from his position for more than 10 months,” and no one seems to listen to economic experts.
An editorial in Ebtekar on July 8, 2018
Velayati goes to Moscow with Khamenei’s message for Putin
Iranian president’s special envoy Ali Akbar Velayati went to Moscow to give the message of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and Hassan Rouhani to Russian president Vladimir Putin, said Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Bahram Ghassemi. He said the goal of this letter is to emphasize on the importance of the development of the relationship between Iran and Russia.
Along with Velayati’ trip to Russia, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu too entered Moscow to hold talks with Putin on Wednesday. Netanyahu had said the goal of his trip to Russia is to talk about Iran’s presence in Syria and Israel’s security.
Tasnim
Mehdi Karroubi approves of legal elections in National Trust Party
Challenges of the National Trust Party came to an end with a letter. The letter signed by Mehdi Karroubi, the director general of the party, announced: “Elias Hazrati will be deputy chairman for two years.” In past months, there were many differences among members of the National Trust Party. A group led by Rassoul Montajebnia believed in continuation of the party’s policy and making no changes, while the other group led by Elias Hazrati emphasized on not halting the party’s activities and holding an election.
Karroubi’s letter put an end to all differences. In separate orders, he appointed heads of office and deputy chairman of the National Trust Party.
Arman daily
Ashna denies remarks regarding triple citizenship of Rouhani’s son
President advisor Hessamoldin Ashna reacted to recent remarks of MP Zolnour regarding the citizenship of president’s son. In his criticism of Rouhani’s performance and his inefficiency in the international domain, Zolnour had said that the president’s son has triple nationalities.
In his Twitter, Ashna wrote: “An MP, in his talk with Etemaad daily, has made accusations against the president’s son. These accusations are denied. That son doesn’t have citizenship of any other place, nor the residential card, long-term visa, short-term visa [of any other countries]. He doesn’t even go on foreign trips. He [Zolnour] had previously had told lies against the president.”
Khabar online
Border guard killed in armed clashes
In clashes with an armed group in Baneh, Kurdistan, one of the border guards of the law enforcement of Islamic Republic of Iran was killed.
Young Journalists Club
4 periods of a power outage for Tehran
Following the power outages in recent days and an increase in temperature, Tehran Province Electricity Distribution Company issued a statement announcing four periods of time for power outages in Tehran. According to an issued statement, Tehran will witness possible power outages in different parts, in case the subscribers of this company do not save on the consumption of electricity.
Arman daily
Boroujerdi: Foreign ministry must expel Dutch diplomats
Following expelling of two Iranian diplomats from the Netherlands, Aladdin Boroujerdi, member of National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in the Iranian parliament, said that based on the principle of reciprocal measures, Iran must act accordingly and expel Dutch diplomats who reside in Tehran. Boroujerdi urged that the Netherlands is after disrupting the relationship between the Islamic Republic and Europe so that Iran wouldn’t have any logical relationship with Europe based on mutual interests.
Eghtesad news
Austrian Airline to limit services to Iran
Austrian Airline announced that it will halt flights to Isfahan and Shiraz from September. According to the information in this airline’s website, even though services to the abovementioned cities will stop, Austrian Airlines’ flights to Tehran will continue.
Previously, KLM Airline had announced halting flights to Tehran after the U.S. pulling out of the nuclear deal.
Fars news agency
Lawmaker: Trump’s oil sanction to have no impacts
Member of National Security Commission in Parliament pointed out to implementing the U.S. oil sanctions against Iran, saying that due to increase in OPEC’s oil price and high demands in the oil market, Trump’s oil sanctions will have no impacts on Iran’s economy. Mortaza Safari Natanzi urged that the pressures of Europe and the U.S. on Iran will result in an increase in non-oil revenues, adding that “good policies” have been taken by MPs to confront threats and measures against Iran.
Tasnim
Government spokesperson reacts to news of Jahangiri’s resignation
Following the reports of the resignation of First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Government Spokesperson Mohammad Bagher Nobakht implicitly reacted, emphasizing on Jahangiri’s presence in Hassan Rouhani’s cabinet. In a tweet, Nobakht called First Vice President the “strong point of Rouhani’s government.”
On Sunday, Entekhab news website announced on Sunday that Eshaq Jahangiri had “orally resigned.” Since the beginning of Hassan Rouhani’s second government, Medias have recurrently reported differences between Eshaq Jahangiri and other senior members of the cabinet like Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi and Government Spokesperson Nobakht.
Radio Farda
10 women active in Telegram summoned to Isfahan’s judiciary complex
Lawyer Payam Dorfeshan said ten admins of Telegram channels have been summoned to Isfahan’s judiciary complex. According to Dorfeshan, these women’s activities on Telegram included “cooking pastries, baking cakes, or issues related to arts and women.” He added the channels whose admins have been summoned are completely related to family issues and have nothing to do with politics. The admins have been told not to work in Telegram and move their activities to state-run Soroush messenger; otherwise, arrest warrants will be issued for them.
Iran Wire
Former lawmaker: We either export oil, or Hormuz Strait is not safe any longer
Former MP Mohammadreza Mir-Tajoldini pointed out to the recent stance of Iranian president regarding selling Iran’s oil and support of General Soleimani for this stance, saying Rouhani’s decisive stance had impacts on international and domestic affairs and showed that the Islamic Republic still stands by the revolution’s and regime’s ideals.
Mir-Tajoldini added, “if they want to invade Iran or plans to cut export of Iran’s oil to zero, they must know that this measure will not go without any response; if Hormuz Strait is going to be safe, it must be safe for all, and if we won’t be able to export our oil from Hormuz Strait, that place won’t be safe any longer.”
Khabar online
Zibakalam: Rouhani must announce what percentage of the budget is in his possession
Iranian reformist academic Sadegh Zibakalam stated in an interview that economy is the biggest challenge of the government, adding that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani must announce what percentage of the country’s budget is in his possession. According to Zibakalam, Rouhani hasn’t talked to people about the really serious issues in the country’s economy such as the percentage of the budget which is in possession of the executive branch. He added, “that is why Rouhani’s popularity has drastically declined and many people say they made a mistake by taking part in the presidential election and voting for Rouhani.”
Etemaad Online
Government cabinet reviews foreign ministry’s report regarding Europe’s obligations
Government’s cabinet headed by Hassan Rouhani were informed of foreign ministry’s report about latest negotiations of Islamic Republic with Europeans and their incentive package regarding the nuclear deal. The government emphasized on following up European countries’ obligations by respective executive organizations.
Following the U.S. pullout of the nuclear deal, Iran and European countries are trying to reach an agreement to salvage the deal.
ISNA
Ali Larijani: Regional issues can be solved through consultation
Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani urged that regional issues can be solved through consultations, and there is no need for foreign interference in this regard. In his farewell meeting with Qatar ambassador to Tehran, he called “continuation of sieging Qatar wrong,” adding that regional issues must be resolved through dialogues and negotiations.
IRNA
Sepanta Niknam’s case not taken out of Expediency Council
A member of Expediency Discernment Council refused the claim of a newspaper as to taking Sepanta Niknam’s case out of agenda by the discretion of the secretary of the council.
Sepanta Niknam, the Zoroastrian member of the city of Yazd, has recently said that disagreement of one person plays the main part in not resolving the issue of minorities in city councils. He didn’t mention the name of this person.
Sepanta Niknam who had served in Yazd’s city council for four years since 2013 was reelected in 2017 for membership of this council. But his membership was suspended due to “being non-Muslim.”
Former president Mohammad Khatam said in reaction to Sepanta Niknam’s case and preventing his presence in Yazd’s city council that Iran, with respect to democracy, justice, and freedom of thought and speech, “has moved backward for hundred years.”
Asr Iran
Development of cultural cooperation between Iran and Japan
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi and Japan’s ambassador to Tehran pointed out to the longstanding relationship between the two countries, emphasizing on the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of culture. Salehi stressed joint cooperation in the fields of cinema, music, plastic arts, dramatic arts and literature with the aim of an acquaintance of two large civilizations of Iran and Japan in Asia. He added that the Japanese embassy has had good activities in different cultural fields in Iran.
Pars Today
Rouhani’s former minister: Society wants change in the government’s economic team
Fakhroldin Ahmadi Danesh Ashtiyani, former minister of education in Rouhani’s government, considered the performance of the 12th government under current conditions as good. With regard to the government’s economic team, he said it seems that the society in general wants changes in the government’s economic team.
Recently there have been many popular unrests all over Iran with regard to poor economic conditions including skyrocketing prices of goods, soaring price of the dollar in the currency market, and high prices in the gold market.
Tasnim
Khamenei orders forming economic war chamber
Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, in a confidential meeting with leaders of the country, has ordered forming an “economic war chamber.” Khamenei has said that if necessary, he would personally approve of its ratifications.
Under the current critical economic conditions of Iran, the supreme leader is playing a more interfering role. He first asked the judiciary branch to confront the disruptors of the market. He then asked Hassan Rouhani to give him a report about transferring gold coins and governmental foreign currency. And now he has asked for the formation of a new entity for managing Iran’s economy which is in critical conditions.
By order of Khamenei, the government will be in charge of this economic war chamber, and Hassan Rouhani will assign its secretary.
Radio Zamaneh
Protest gathering in Borazjan against the shortage of water
A great number of citizens in the city of Borazjan, Bushehr Province gathered to protest against shortage of water and its irregular distribution, chanting slogans against the officials in this province.
This was after recent unrests in Khorramshahr and Abadan which were held in protest against lack of sweet water. Following protests in those two cities, 10 people were arrested, and 25 people were identified in these regions for “inviting people to riot and taking advantage of popular demands.”
The gathering in Borazjan continued for four hours, and “several thousand people gathered to protest against the inefficiency of officials. They chanted slogans, asking for water.”
Radio Farda
International relations expert: Europe is after buying time
Morad Enadi, the international relations expert, believes that it can be inferred from European countries’ behavior that are after buying and wasting time with regard to the nuclear deal (JCPOA). He added that Europe as the architect of the nuclear deal must take more serious steps to preserve the deal. Pointing out to Europe’s proposed package, Enadi said as Iranian president and foreign minister have urged, this package has inadequacies and doesn’t include the main issues. He emphasized that Europeans do not seem to be trustworthy in this regard unless the negotiations with them have serious results.
ISCA news
KLM to halt direct flights to Tehran
KLM announced on Saturday that it will end direct flights from the Netherlands to Iran within next couple of months. In a short statement issued on its website, KLM said it will halt its direct flights to and from Iran from September 22, 2018. This company has announced that this step is taken due to “financial prospects and the negative consequences of working with Iran.”
Young Journalists Club
French shipping line halts cooperation with Iran
A French shipping company announced stopping cooperation with Iran due to fear of the U.S. sanctions. French shipping company CMA CGM said on Saturday that following the U.S. president pulling out of the nuclear deal and return of sanctions against Iran, this company will stop carrying cargo to Iran. The executive director of the company said this company’s cooperation agreement with IRISL (Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line) has been suspended and CMA CGM doesn’t want to ignore the sanction laws, given its remarkable presence in the U.S. market. CMA CGM is considered as the third biggest shipping company in carrying cargo.
Kosar
Head of NAJA political-ideological organization: Enemy is after sowing discord
Alireza Adyani, head of the political-ideological organization in law enforcement of Iran, said: “the enemy is after sowing discord among forces, but with the leadership of the supreme leader, this trick has been neutralized, and there is an unprecedented unity among armed forces.” He continued that the mission of the law enforcement is realizing Islamic values which makes having knowledge of this mission very significant.
IRNA
