A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 16

A top story today was the sudden death of renowned Iranian lyricist Afshin Yadollahi in a car accident near Tehran.

The Persian fire festival Chaharshanbe Soori and the impact of online campaigns on people’s avoidance of dangerous firecrackers also received great coverage.

Newspapers also covered the upcoming presidential and city council elections, and the plans by reformists and conservatives to win the majority.

The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines and top stories:

Abrar:

1- Rouhani Will Soon Visit Russia: Official

2- Ex-Chief of IRIB Zarghami to Run for President

Abrar-e Eqtesadi:

1- 1.4% Increase in Unemployment Rate

2- Iran’s Oil Output Expected to Increase to 4.15 Million Barrels

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Rouhani Ready to Attend Presidential Debates

• Foreign ministry spokesman dismissed the false allegations that President Rouhani is going to visit Europe during the prudential debates ahead of Iran election

2- Old Traditions instead of Dangerous Firecrackers in Chaharshanbe Soori

3- 14.5% Increase in Next Fiscal Year’s Wages

4- Ahmadinejad’s Supporter in TV [ex-chief of IRIB] to Run for President

Amin:

1- Zarif: We Hope Turkey Holds More Serious View of Regional Issues

2- Erdogan’s Recent Remarks Aimed at Pleasing Arab Leaders

3- Russians Ready to Stab Iran in the Back: Analyst

4- Zionist Lobby Trying to Reinforce Trump: Ex-Diplomat

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Conservatives Have Turned to Artillery against Rouhani’s Gov’t: Analyst

2- Let People Know about Certain Issues: Intelligence Minister

3- 1,437 People Arrested during Persian Fire Festival

4- Editor-in-Chief of Kayhan Newspaper: Airbus is a Good, Modern Plane

Ebtekar:

1- Scent of Natural Gas: Iran, Qatar to Extract Equal Amount of Gas from Joint Field

2- Reformists Planning to Win Majority of Seats in City Councils

3- Americans Plotting against Iran amid State Secretary’s Asian Tour

4- Goodbye the Loving Poet: Is Yadollahi Last Victim of This Year?

Etemad:

1- Sudden Death of Famous Lyricist

2- Friends Meet in White House: Bin Salman Calls Trump True Friend of Muslims!

3- Plasco Fire Could Be Contained: Investigation Official

Ettela’at:

1- Rouhani: Let’s Think of National Interests instead of Partisan Ones

2- Iranian Immigrants Have Exceptional Share in US Growth: Democrat Congresswoman

3- Iranian Universities to Hold Joint Courses with 100 Major Universities

4- Ray al-Youm: Trump Sees Saudi Arabia as Cash Machine!

Ghanoon:

1- Iran Doesn’t Want to Stay in Syria: Ex-Ambassador

Haft-e Sobh:

1- Three Major National Events in New Persian Year

• Presidential elections in May
• Possible qualification for FIFA World Cup
• Paying ‘Justice Share’ dividends to people

Iran:

1- Efforts to Tarnish Rouhani’s Image Backfire

2- Foreign Conspiracies behind Accusations against Gov’t: Official

Javan:

1- US Violation of Its Commitments Was Predictable: Zarif

2- Saudis Justifying Trump’s Islamophobia!

3- IRGC Construction Base to Build Hospital with 1,400 Beds in Shiraz

4- Cultural Unity, Social Media Campaigns Worked: Cold Fire of Last Wednesday before Nowruz

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Unity, Solidarity Only Way to Achieve Establishment’s Goals: President

2- Eurasia Economic Union Keen to Create Free Trade Zone with Iran

3- Nuclear Deal Was Most Important Foreign Policy Issue in Past Year: Zarif

4- Fight against ISIS in Final Stages: Iraqi PM

Kayhan:

1- Out of 1,000 MoUs in Post-JCPOA, Only One Has Been Implemented!

2- Iran on Frontline of Fight against Terrorism: Professor Lawrence Davidson

3- Don’t Trust Erdogan, He Even Betrays His Closest Friends: Gulen to Barzani

4- Two Killed, 2,300 Wounded in This Year’s Chaharshanbe Soori

Khorasan:

1- Silence, the Last Lyric by Afshin Yadollahi

2- Where Do Terrorists Head to after Mosul?

Resalat:

1- Gov’t Should Force Governor-Generals to Take Islamology Classes: Senior Cleric

2- Increased Tensions between US, Europe

3- Security Index in Europe Decreased: Intelligence Minister

4- Astana Talks Were Constructive: Bashar Jafari

Shargh:

1- An Army Standing against Rouhani: On Conservatives Plan for May Election

2- Ayatollah Rafsanjani Insisted on Rouhani’s Candidacy in Presidential Election: VP

3- Russia to Become Stronger If Iran Is Strong in Mideast: Analyst