A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on Jan. 28

Comments by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that Iran and P5+1 see eye to eye on termination of sanctions made front-page headlines on Wednesday. Reformist dailies focused on the letter of grievance former Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi has released following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s decision to distance himself from his deputy. And principlist papers underlined the call by three die-hard principlist MPs for adherence to the rules in the trial of the son of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani.

 

Afarinesh: “We have reached a deal with P5+1 over termination of all sanctions,” said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

 

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Arman-e Emrooz: The Russian ambassador to Tehran has said a visa waiver between the two countries is likely to come into effect shortly.

 

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Asrar: The presidential office has issued a statement urging MPs not to build on unsubstantiated allegations when they question executive officials.

 

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Ebtekar has used the headline “The Great Escape of a Draftee” to refer to the failure of Mehrdad Pouladi, a footballer who played for the national team in the AFC Asian Cup in Australia, to return home to serve his military duty.

Ebtekar: “I became a victim of your obstinacy and your measures to bring shame upon others,” said Mohammad Reza Rahimi, vice-president under Ahmadinejad, in a letter released in response to a statement by the former president in which he disavowed the actions of Rahimi, who is convicted of corruption and sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Ebtekar: Air pollution in the southwestern cities of Ahvaz and Abadan is 15 times more than the permitted level.

 

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Emtiaz: Some 71 percent of the country’s population lives in cities.

 

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Etemad: “If Pouladi [a national soccer team player who has yet to serve his military duty] fails to return home voluntarily, we’ll have him arrested through Interpol,” said an official with the Conscription Organization.

Etemad: “Criticize as much as you want, I won’t fire back. I have kept silent for 10 months not to harm national interests, or the nuclear talks for that matter,” said Foreign Minister Zarif in comments aimed at his critics in parliament.

 

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Ettela’at: A book on 5,000 years of engineering in Iran has been launched at Tehran University. A movie on the same theme was screened at the launch of the book.

Ettela’at: “Criticism leveled at the government is not well-intentioned,” complained the vice-president for parliamentary affairs.

 

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Hemayat: Some 10,000 prisoners are to wear electronic shackles.

Hemayat: Some 200 MPs have voted for a motion that requires the government to scrap the Geneva Deal in case new sanctions are imposed on Iran.

 

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Hosban: “Interior Ministry officials should not adopt a stance for or against a certain political party,” said the Interior Ministry spokesman.

 

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Jomhouri Islami: The education minister has been yellow-carded for a second time by MPs. That puts the education chief on the verge of impeachment.

Jomhouri Islami: There is division in the ranks of Republicans on Capitol Hill over continued nuclear talks with Iran.

 

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Kayhan: “Twenty members of the Jaish al-Adl terrorist group have been arrested,” the spokesman of the Interior Ministry said.

 

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Mardomsalari: “Two MPs and a senior executive manager who served under Ahmadinejad have been found guilty of administrative offenses,” said the chairman of a panel addressing administrative corruption.

 

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Qods: Officials should do something to help street children, up to 70 percent of whom are addicted to drugs and 40 percent are HIV-positive.

 

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Resalat: Those who favor a clampdown on corruption have called for the corruption case involving Mehdi Hashemi [a son of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani] to be seriously followed.

 

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Shahrvand: A deputy foreign minister has said that following the martyrdom of General Allahdadi [during an Israeli helicopter gunship attack on Syrian soil] Iran warned the US about Israeli actions.

 

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Sharq: The International Volleyball Federation has said Iran can host the FIVB Volleyball World League if it allowed female spectators into sporting arenas.

 

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Tafahom: Foreign exchange offices which have failed to comply with regulations are being shut down.