Iranian dailies divided over Ukraine war

Jomhouri-e Eslami wrote in an article on Tuesday that campaigns to drag Iran into the war in Ukraine aimed at turning the tide in favor of Russia, “Can plunge our country into a deep vortex and cause problems that can’t be compensated for decades.”

The daily also wrote, “The efforts to pin Iran on Russia counter to the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic’s dignity,” adding Iran needs a balancing act in its policy regarding the West and East to preserve its independence and international standing.

Iran has said it is opposed to the war in Ukraine and backs a political solution to the conflict.

Iran abstained in a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian war on Ukraine, sending a message the Islamic Republic is preserving its neutral stance on the war.

Kayhan, another Iranian daily, showed a harsh reaction to the article by Jomhouri-e Eslami, castigating its suggestion for a ‘balancing act between the East and the West’ as a ‘passive stance.’

Kayhan wrote, “In these major international developments, some have called on Tehran to remain restrained and neutral and have spoken of a balancing role between the East and West.”

“This is a passive offer, if not imported. In this process, Iran should not close its eyes to the great opportunities of the developments and harm itself in the name of neutrality,” Kayhan concluded.