Selected Headlines

08 Apr 2010 03:23No Comments

Press Roundup provides a selected summary of news from the Iranian press, and excerpts where the source is in English. The link to the news organization or blog is provided at the top of each item. Tehran Bureau has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Please refer to the Media Guide to help put the story in perspective. You can follow our news feeds on Twitter.

Fars proclaims Ahmadinejad national 'rainmaker'

Fars | April 7, 2010

Fars News Agency claimed that during his visit to Orumieh, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was successful in his attempt to bring about rainfall.

After the president reached the end of his speech, he asked Orumieh citizens gathered in the Takhti stadium to pray for rain and he prayed to God with them for rain.

According to Fars, immediately after Ahmadinejad lowered his hands, which were raised in prayer, and ended his speech, rain drops began to fall on Orumieh. Gradually, the report said, the rain fell harder.

Fathers of two Kahrizak victims meet with Supreme Leader

Tabnak | Photo | April 7, 2010

The fathers of two Kahrizak victims met with Iran's Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday.

According to Khabar Online, Mohammad Kamrani and Mohsen Rouholamini's fathers met with Ayatollah Khamenei along with a group of Iranian officials.

Mohammad Kamrani and Mohsen Rouholamini were among the protesters detained on July 9, 2009, and transferred to the Kahrizak Detention Center. Kamrani subsequently passed away in Tehran's Loqman hospital and Rouholamini in Shohada hospital.

Meanwhile, a Jahan report claimed that the Kamrani family had met with Ayatollah Khamenei in the final days of the previous Iranian year (1388).

The IRGC-affiliated Jahan also claimed that the families of the Kahrizak victims were of the opinion that only Ayatollah Khamenei was diligently following up on the cases of their loved ones.

MP accuses Larijani of siding with reformists

Tabnak | April 7, 2010

Lawmaker Ali Mohammad Bozorgvari accused Ali Larijani, Majlis Speaker and head of the Principlist faction, of siding with the minority Reformist bloc.

"Nothing remains of the Principlist faction but its name and you have not been able to guide the faction toward its desired goal due to your many foreign trips," he said. "Mr. Larijani follows meetings with the minority bloc with more enthusiasm."

"Even the faction's website in the short period since its launch made such a huge mistake, that I'm ashamed to discuss it. This shows the presiding board's negligence."

He criticized the minority bloc for meeting with Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mohammad Khatami and Mehdi Karroubi. "No one bearing the name of a Majlis faction has the right to meet with the heads of sedition. The presiding board must warn them to not openly oppose the establishment and leadership."

Hosseinian: Mehdi Hashemi riot ringleader; no hope for resolving subsidy row

Khabar Online | April 7, 2010

Lawmaker Rouhollah Hosseinian accused Mehdi Hashemi of being a ringleader in the post-election 'riots' and said that he did not believe that the joint Majlis-government committee could resolve the subsidy dispute.

Speaking to Fars News Agency, the Tehran representative in Majlis said, "There appears to be a strong will in the Judiciary considering the decisive manner used to deal with political and economic criminals," referring to charges against Hossein Marashi; Faezeh Hashemi's son, Hassan Lahouti Eshkevari; and corruption networks.

"The Judiciary's taking action against the close relations of some demonstrates that certain elements, who felt they had immunity due to their affiliation with certain officials, feel unsafe."

He said he expected the Judiciary to deal with Faezeh and Mehdi Hashemi.

"Faezeh Hashemi's main charge is participating in illegal protests and provoking people to participate in illegal gatherings and her brother Mehdi Hashemi has multiple financial and political charges including being the head of last year's riot committee and we hope that the Judiciary will prosecute these individuals in the new year and fulfill our wish," he said.

Regarding the joint Majlis-government committee formed to review the guided subsidy law, Hosseinian said, "The Majlis decision to appoint certain individuals to be on the committee reviewing the guided subsidy law leaves no hope for the resolution of this problem."

Motahari tells Ahmadinejad to cooperate on Rahimi

Tabnak | April 7, 2010

Tehran representative in Majlis Ali Motahari said evidence shows the first Vice President's involvement in the Fatemi Street case was serious and demanded that the Judiciary show no leniency toward him.

"Evidence shows that first Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi's charges are serious and Mr. Ahmadinejad, who advocates [with] the slogan of seeking justice, must be the first to step forth to deal with Rahimi's charges," he said. "The president must show more cooperation with the Judiciary in taking action with respect to Rahimi's charges."

Motahari went on: "The Judiciary has so far shown negligence [in dealing with Rahimi] and it must prosecute those at the top regardless of their position and rank."

"The law shouldn't be unyielding to the weak and weak with regards to the powerful," he lamented.