Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin.  To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.
 
(E) = Article in English

Earthquake in Iran

• News stories about the earthquake in northwestern Iran:
  • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sends condolences to the survivors of the tragedy. 
  • Asr-e Iran slams Ahmadinejad's visit to Saudi Arabia during a natural disaster:
    • "Ahmadinejad and his statesmen traveled to Saudi Arabia one day ahead of the schedule to go on pilgrimage to Medina, and then travel to Mecca to participate at the summit. Of course, no one expects the government to address what was most necessary under these circumstances: pilgrimage to Medina or visiting the earthquake zone?"
  • Hossein Baqeri, deputy interior minister and the head of Iran's Crisis Management Center, says his organization has signed a memorandum of understanding with the theological seminaries in order to reduce natural disasters. He added:
    • "In the first phase, we have signed memoranda of understanding with the theological seminaries in Qom, Mashhad, Isfahan and Shiraz so that the theological seminaries use the role of spirituality in order to reduce natural disasters..."
  • Aftab News slams the Islamic Republic of Iran Voice and Vision for continuing the Olympics coverage instead of reporting on the earthquake:
    • "Is it not an insult to the entire nation when the TV news reported on an accident involving a cyclist and a truck driver in Germany killing one and wounding three others, a bus accident in India, or a couple of American citizens protesting against the economic situation... but not the earthquake?"
  • Allahverdi Dehqan, parliamentarian from East Azerbaijan province, criticizes the relief and aid effort.
  • Yashar Soltani, Memari [Architecture] News editor, accuses Ahmadinejad of not fighting corruption and wasting public funds needed to help homeless villagers.
  • Asr-e Iran asks why Iranian television continued broadcasting standup comedies after news of the deadly earthquake reached the public. 
  • According to Digarban, the Islamic Republic Voice and Vision did not mention the earthquake in their news coverage Saturday and Sunday morning. 
  • Sunday issues of Kayhan and Resalat totally ignore the earthquake in their news coverage. 
  • Qassem Rezaei, Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman style wrestling, dedicates his medal to Iran's Azeris.
  • Hamid Sourian, Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman style wrestling, visits the epicenter of the earthquake bringing aid donated by the public to the survivors.
  • Farda News slams Washington Post's coverage of the disaster and accuses it of "instrumentally using the disaster to depict a chaotic picture of the situation in Iran." 
  • [E] Iran needs no international medical aid and assistance to deal with the aftermaths of the recent earthquakes, Iranian Health Minister Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi said.

Photo of the Day

• Earthquake in East Azerbaijan province.