The top story in all papers today was President Hassan Rouhani’s speech at the Parliament, during which he responded to five questions raised by the lawmakers about the country’s economic woes.
The parliamentarians, however, were not convinced by his answers to four of their five questions, which focused on increased unemployment rate, the growing foreign currency rates, the smuggling of goods into the country, and the ongoing economic downturn. They were just relatively convinced on the banking sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Reformist papers criticized Rouhani for not speaking out against what they call elements disrupting the government’s performance. Conservative papers, for their part, welcomed the Parliament’s nay vote to Rouhani’s responses, and urged him to improve his administration’s performance.
Several papers also covered the military deployment of Russia and Syria ahead of an alleged plan by the US and its allies to attack Damascus.
The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines and top stories:
Aftab-e Yazd:
1- Victim of Expediency
- Rouhani’s Conservative Stance Failed to Convince Either Parliament or People
2- Court Session Held for 19 People Involved in Disrupting Forex Market
Ebtekar:
1- Hassan Didn’t Speak Out
- Rouhani: I Hope I’ll Be Able to Heed All Advice Given by Leader on This Session
2- Trump Emboldened after Late December 2017 Events in Iran: Rouhani
Etemad:
1- Rouhani Did Not Speak Out
- MPs Not Convinced by President’s Responses to Four Questions
Ettela’at:
1- All Authorities Must Be Accountable: Rouhani to MPs
2- Russia Deploys 13 Warships to Defend Syria
3- Bike-Riding Traffic Police Start Operation in Tehran
Hemayat:
1- Public Prosecution of 19 People Involved in Forex Corruption
Iran:
1- Rouhani: Everything Started in Late December 2017; Iran Was Calm, What Happened?
2- Rouhani’s Appearance in Parliament Show of Democracy: Intelligence Minister
Javan:
1- We Were Not Convinced
2- Courts Start Prosecuting Those Who Disrupted Iran’s Economy
Kayhan:
1- People’s Representatives Not Convinced
- If Government Is Popular, It Must Change Its Path
2- Russia, Syria’s Unprecedented Military Deployment Discourages Trump from Attacking Damascus
3- Aftershocks of Ansarullah’s Attack: Dubai No Longer Safe
Khorasan:
1- Red Card Given to Rouhani’s Management of Economy
Sazandegi:
1- Government Needs Fresh Blood
2- Third Path; Rouhani Talks of New Initiative against US
- We’ll Neither Leave JCPOA nor Remain in It under Any Circumstances
- We’ll Declare a Third Option in Future
Shargh:
1- We Were Not Convinced: MPs Tell Rouhani
2- Rouhani: Why Did They Dare to Threaten Iranian President with Death?
