Remarks by President Rouhani during his trip to the west of Tehran Province that the majority of Iranians back his policy of interaction with the rest of the world made front-page headlines in Iranian newspapers on Wednesday. Also in the news was an in-house election in the Islamic Consultative Assembly that reinstated Speaker Ali Larijani and his deputies for the final year of the ninth parliament.
Abrar: Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and his deputies were reinstated.
Afarinesh: “Greetings to the neighbors; this is Iran’s message,” said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the buildup to an OIC meeting.
[Zarif is scheduled to attend the 42nd foreign ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Kuwait.]
Aftab-e Yazd: Ahmadinejad’s denial was denied.
The Foreign Ministry has said that dissemination of lies attributed to Zarif by the office of [former President] Ahmadinejad is actionable.
[This came after FM Zarif said in an interview that the previous government had allowed Iranian nuclear scientists to be interviewed. In a statement, the office of the former president rejected the top diplomat’s remarks as incorrect.]
Aftab-e Yazd: “We will show whether we have 8 percent of votes or 80 percent [in March elections],” Mohammad Reza Aref, a reformist, said sarcastically in response to Kayhan. [After the 2013 presidential elections, the principlist daily had repeatedly said the reformist camp could garner only eight percent of the popular vote.]
Arman-e Emrooz: President Hassan Rouhani has accused a small group of people of hijacking official microphones.
“Sloganeering does little to solve the country’s problems,” he said.
Arman-e Emrooz: The Worriers are worried about the termination of [anti-Iran] sanctions.
[The so-called Worriers are supporters of former President Ahmadinejad who are opposed to every single move by President Rouhani and reformists.]
Asr-e Rasaneh: “Iran has remained committed to the fight against money laundering,” said the economy minister.
Asrar: “Hardliners do not want to see a normal [tension-free] atmosphere in society,” said Ali Motahari, a Tehran MP.
[He further said, “These individuals want the country to remain in a state of emergency forever so that they could sideline their rivals. Under normal circumstances they are unable to engage in healthy competition with their political rivals.”]
Asrar: [Ali] Larijani’s speakership turned eight.
Asrar: The Saudi aggression against Yemen amounts to modern barbarism,” said Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei.
Asrar: The anger of a Worrier about the release of a film featuring his shouts at FM Zarif
[Zarif and his deputy appeared before parliament on Sunday to brief the MPs on the latest developments in nuclear talks. The top diplomat got involved in a verbal brawl with two principlist MPs who are the vocal supporters of the former president and critical opponents of President Rouhani and his policies.]
Etemad: “Some want to see [nuclear] talks hit a snag,” said Ali Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leader’s advisor.
Ettela’at: “We are ready to boost ties with Arab nations,” said the Iranian foreign minister.
Ettela’at: President Rouhani has said that sloganeering and blustery rhetoric of a minority of people will not solve the country’s problems.
Ettela’at: “We will seriously deal with [those involved] in land grab and reclamation,” said Iran’s environment chief Masoumeh Ebtekar.
Ghanoon: “Censorship has crippled the Iranian cinema,” said Farhad Aslani, an Iranian actor.
He also said Iran’s cinema is state-run in the real sense of the world.
Hambastegi: “Except for a small minority, the overwhelming majority of Iranians support interaction with the world,” said the Iranian president.
Iran: Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati has sounded a warning against the institutionalization of administrative corruption [in the country].
Iran: Support for nuclear talks is the message of ceremonies to mark the demise anniversary of the late Imam.
Mohammad Ali Ansari, the secretary of the committee in charge of commemorating the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic, said in a press conference.
Javan: “We will not trade the country’s military secrets and scientists,” said senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi.
Kaenat: “Days of extremism are gone,” President Rouhani told people in the west of Tehran Province.
“We need unity to settle the country’s problems,” the president further said.
Kayhan: The US backed out; government attacked its opponents.
Kayhan: Black days of Takfiris in Iraq
Khorasan: An operation has been launched to take back Al Anbar Province in western Iraq from ISIL terrorists.
Resalat: Interior Minister: Governments should take serious measures to ensure cyber security.
Sharq: Sheer lie
The daily has released documents showing Ahmadinejad’s approval of interviews with Iran’s nuclear scientists.
Sharq: In a letter to judicial officials, 40 Iranian MPs have asked to be allowed to visit Babak Zanjani [who stands accused of massive corruption] in Evin Prison.
