Iranian newspapers on October 1^st hailed the strong showing of Iranian athletes in the Asian Games which makes the likelihood of Iran claiming the fourth spot in the overall standings of the event all the more stronger. Remarks by President Hassan Rouhani that “Blind sanctions should be removed” were at the center of another story which dominated the front pages of a handful of newspapers. Also under the spotlight was the announcement by officials that [compulsory] military service in Iran will increase to 24 months.

Afkar: “The Chinese president is to make a trip to Iran,” is the daily’s top pick on its front page.

Arman-e Emrooz: “7,000-billion-toman rent-seeking in the previous government”, the daily wrote, quoting the head of parliament’s Economic Committee as saying that three foreign exchange brokers earned the staggering amount in collaboration with the Central Bank of Iran.

Arman-e Emrooz: “[Former President] Ahmadinejad should have been impeached,” is a headline in the daily quoting Sadegh Zibakalam, a university lecturer, as arguing that part of Ahmadinejad’s policies made Iran distance itself from the rest of the world, something which, as he put it, has caused huge economic and political losses for Iran.

Arman-e Emrooz features an exclusive interview with Jafar Towfighi, a former senior advisor to the science minister, citing him as saying that opponents of President Rouhani’s administration are resorting to the 2009 postelection developments to turn up the heat against Rouhani.

Asia: “Iran to stop car imports from South Korea, Germany and Japan,” reads a headline on the daily’s front page, bringing under focus such brands as Hyundai, KIA, Honda, Mitsubishi and Mercedes.

Asr-e Iranian: “Iran is not willing to take the place of Russia in exporting gas to Europe,” said President Rouhani in an interview with a Russian TV channel.

Asrar: “If the other party shows courage, a final nuclear agreement would be inked,” President Hassan Rouhani said.

Ebtekar reports that six Iranian filmmakers have formed a campaign to call for public support for a final [nuclear] agreement with the West, arguing that nothing is worse than ‘no agreement’ in the talks.

Ebtekar: “Mohammad Ali Najafi is to be named as the minister of science, research and technology.” He is currently serving as the acting minister.

Eghtesad-e Pooya: “I offer my [gold] medal to Dr. Rouhani,” said Ehsan Haddadi, the Iranian discus thrower who bagged Iran’s 12^th gold medal in the Asian Games, underway in Incheon, South Korea.

Eghtesad-e Pooya: “The financial discipline which is in place in the Oil Ministry is the achievement that the Cabinet of Prudence and Hope has pulled off,” said the director of the National Iranian Gas Company.

Ettela’at: “Iran plans to send man to space in four years.”

Ettela’at quotes the economy minister as saying that the wheels of production are spinning.

Ettela’at: “Terror groups do not pose a threat to Iran,” said Commander of the Army’s ground forces, Brigadier General Ahmadreza Pourdastan.

Hamshahri runs a number of interviews with some MPs who have stressed that the government should pay enough attention to other sectors and not hinge the country’s fate only on the results of nuclear talks.  

Hemayat reports on the facilitation of trade transactions between Iran and Russia and puts “Euro and dollar are to be replaced by ruble in Iran-Russia trade” on its front page.

Hemayat: “The world booed [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu [for his anti-Iran comments at the UN General Assembly]”.

Iran Daily: “Iran to continue supporting Syria against terrorism,” Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said.

Kar va Kargar: “The country’s main challenge down the line would be youth unemployment,” said Masoud Nili, the president’s economic advisor.

Rah-e Mardom: The health minister says fees patients are paying for admission to public hospitals will drop again as of October 5.

Tafahom:“Iran’s has climbed14 notches in the world as far as the tourism industry is concerned.”

Vatan-e Emrooz puts “New aspects of Zarif-Gate” on its front page, saying that the release of a video in which the foreign minister confides in members of the US Council on Foreign Relations has raised concerns over loyalty to Iran’s national interests in nuclear talks.

Two stories generated headlines Tuesday on the front pages of Iranian dailies. The stellar performance of Iranian athletes in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea which landed Iran in the fifth spot of the medal table was the first top story. The Caspian Summit and comments by President Rouhani at the gathering were also splashed across the front pages of newspapers.

Aftab-e Yazd: “Once more an impeachment tsunami is on the horizon; some [MPs] are insisting on impeaching the minister of energy.”

Arman-e Emrooz: “Protesters thronged outside the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, chanting slogans against the minister.” What is perceived as widespread disregard for the Islamic dress code was the reason why the worriers [a reference to radical advocates of the former president who have voiced concern about the state of affairs under President Rouhani] gathered outside the ministry.

Arman-e Emrooz: “I will present evidence, I do not accept my conviction and will appeal the verdict,” said former First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, who was recently found guilty of corruption.

Ebtekar: “Netanyahu’s delirium; the Israeli prime minister described Palestinian resistance and the killing of people at the hands of ISIL as two sides of the same coin.”

Ebtekar: “Extremists poisoned the atmosphere of the [nuclear] talks,” said Chairman of the State Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Ebtekar: “I did not take one iota of action which ran counter to the law,” said former Tehran Prosecutor General Saeed Mortazavi.

Ebtekar: “A state of emergency in the principlist camp” is the headline of a report that underlines there are deep divisions among principlists prior to the 10^th parliamentary elections. The daily speculates that following the setback the faction suffered in the presidential vote in 2013, it might have to set aside differences and acquiesce to forming a coalition with other groups, in particular the Islamic Revolution Stability Front, to secure victory in the upcoming vote and make up for the past defeat.

Eghtesad-e Pooya: “Oil revenues have beaten figures projected in the budget,” said Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.

Eghtesad-e Pooya: “Today the world’s widest-body airliner is to touch down at Imam Khomeini Airport.”

Etemad: “In privatizing oil companies, the previous government cherry-picked the best firms and left us with dead wood,” complained the oil minister.

Ettela’at: “The Caspian Sea should be a symbol of peace, security, and cooperation between nations,” said President Rouhani at the 4^th Caspian Summit.

Ettela’at: “Coalition jet fighters targeted the Iraqi army instead of ISIL positions.”

Ettela’at: “A service in commemoration of Mohammad Ebrahim Bastani Parizi [an Iranian author, historian and poet who died on March 25, 2014] at the Council for Cultural Assets and Works.”

Hemayat: “The obstacles that America and Canada are throwing in the way of extraditing Mahmoud Reza Khavari [ the former CEO of Iran’s Melli Bank who is the main defendant in Iran’s biggest banking fraud case] are politically motivated,” said the deputy prosecutor general for political and security affairs.

Iran Daily: “Iran jumps to fifth spot in Asian Games medal table.”

Iran News: “Iran has several squadrons of secret drones.”

Iran News: “S. Arabia urges peaceful solution to Iran nuclear issue.”

Javan: “New York talks under wraps; apparently nuclear talks have made more progress than officials let on.” is a report in which the daily encourages new speculation and casts doubt on the inconclusive outcome of New York nuclear talks. Drawing on the comments of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov [who said the negotiations are “moving in the right direction” and that “some 95 percent of the deal is agreed.”] and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier [“We have never been so close to a deal as now.”], the daily believes the Iranian and American negotiating teams are economical with the outcome of the talks and keep some parts of the deal to themselves.

Jomhouri Islami: “Nuclear talks between Iran and P5+1 will get underway in less than two weeks,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi.

Kaenat: “Threecooperation deals and a statement have been signed by countries on the Caspian Sea.”

Kayhan: “The plan to open a joint Iran-America Chamber of Commerce has been scuttled,” said the secretary general of the Iranian Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Kayhan: “The individual who fatally stabbed Ali Khalili [a 19-year old man who was assaulted and beaten while promoting virtue in 2011 and died from his fatal injuries in 2014] was sentenced to death.

Nasl-e Farda: “The Supreme Leader sent a letter on [protection of] the environment to officials in charge,” said a member on the Healthcare and the Environment Commission of Tehran City Council. The daily quoted the councilor as saying that in the last meeting between the city councilors and the Leader efforts to protect green spaces and gardens in Tehran Province were highlighted. To that end, later, the Leader sent letters, among others, to Tehran mayor, the minister of roads and urbanization, the interior minister, and Tehran provincial governor, instructing them to revamp the law to protect greenery.

Sharq: “Plans to charge transaction fees from shops which use debit card readers havebeenputon hold.”

Sobh-e Eghtesad: “Holding talks with British officials is not among the announced red lines,” said Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular and Parliamentary Affairs Hassan Ghashghavi.

Taadol: “Iran and P5+1 do not seek to go back to the previous conditions,” said Chairman of the State Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.