Concerns Over the Resumption of Cafe Closures

"The closure of two cafes and a bookstore" in Tehran is one of the events highlighted by the newspaper Etemad. This newspaper, referring to "concerns over the resumption of the cafe closure scenario," reported that officials from the Department of Public Places had a busy day on Wednesday in Enghelab Street, Tehran, as they closed two popular cafes named French Pastry Cafe and Verta, as well as a large bookstore called "Toranjestan." According to the newspaper, "Toranjestan bookstore was closed for selling a book that featured a heart design on its cover." The newspaper also reported on the first page about statements and the renewed activities of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stating: "On Wednesday afternoon, remarks attributed to Ahmadinejad received widespread attention in online media," and these media outlets reported that he "dismissed some speculations about the possibility of his disqualification by the Guardian Council for the upcoming presidential elections," asking, "What reason could the Guardian Council have to disqualify me?" The newspaper noted that Ahmadinejad characterized the spread of these speculations as "media fabrication and psychological operations by opponents to demoralize his supporters" and, on the sidelines of a memorial ceremony for the mother of Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told his supporters: "The fact that you are asking me to run in the elections today and are happy about the news of my potential candidacy shows that they (the current government) have messed things up." Sharq also referenced the remarks of Ruhollah Hosseinian, a representative close to the Steadfast Front, quoting him as saying: "Currently, many people are calling for Ahmadinejad to participate in the upcoming presidential elections, and he definitely should come and defend himself against the accusations leveled against him over the past three years and his victimization." However, the newspaper simultaneously quoted Ali Akbar Javanfekr, one of Ahmadinejad's close associates, stating: "Ahmadinejad currently has no plans to run for candidacy." Meanwhile, Arman newspaper quoted Abdolreza Davari, another close associate of Ahmadinejad, stating: "The political conditions are bringing Ahmadinejad back to power." Davari denied reports about Ahmadinejad's promise to "distribute a 250,000 toman subsidy" if he wins the 2016 presidential election but said: "Hassan Rouhani's government represents the top three income deciles of society, and in fact, the six to seven lower-middle income deciles will not give their representation to Rouhani's government and will instead give it to Ahmadinejad." In another report, Arman described the defeat of the principlists in the elections of Esfand 7 as "the principlists' turnaround towards Ahmadinejad" and named "the economy" as a potential focal point for the slogans of the 2016 presidential election. The newspaper also quoted Sadegh Zibakalam as saying: "Perhaps it can be said that the only threat to Rouhani is the continuation of the current economic situation. However, we should not forget that the principlists, especially those affiliated with Ahmadinejad, will try to take maximum advantage of the lack of economic progress." Ahmad Shirzad, a reformist figure, also emphasized in a note in Arman that "reformists should not fear the mention of Ahmadinejad's name," as some factions of the principlists may "present Ahmadinejad's entry as a strength and create a kind of fear among reformists," but even "if Ahmadinejad enters the arena, the principlists will not win the field." The columnist for Arman noted that there is still "a significant amount of time until the 2016 presidential election, and many details can transform and change the political scene of the country," writing that "some individuals and political factions of the principlist camp may again intend to promote him, but the breadth of these forces is not large," adding that the rift created in the last two years of Ahmadinejad's presidency between him and the principlists is a "deep rift." Ahmad Shirzad simultaneously emphasized that "there is an important goal behind the 250,000 toman subsidy promise," writing: "They want to create the impression among the lower-income groups that such resources exist, but the Rouhani government does not want to distribute them." The columnist for Arman stressed that this promise is "unethical and lacks good faith," writing that during the previous government, when cash subsidies began, "the budget for other matters was spent on paying subsidies" and "inflation and price increases reached over 40 percent," and for this reason, the only appropriate term for such a slogan is "a house-destroying promise." The newspaper Jahan Sanat dedicated the front page of its Thursday issue to the announcement of the results of the "Labor Force Survey for 1394" and wrote that the Statistical Center of Iran announced the average unemployment rate for the year 1394 to be 11 percent, which represents a growth of 0.4 percent compared to 1393, while the unemployment rate for men was 9.3 percent and for women was 19.4 percent. The newspaper Shahrvand also reported: "Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province had the highest unemployment rate at 17.7 percent, while East Azerbaijan province had the lowest at 7.3 percent." Additionally, "Kerman with 7.9 percent, Tehran 8.1 percent, Semnan 8.4 percent, Hamadan 8.5 percent, and Bushehr 9.7 percent recorded the lowest unemployment rates in the country after East Azerbaijan," while "the unemployment rate in Razavi Khorasan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, and Yazd provinces saw a relatively high increase between 1393 and 1394." This newspaper emphasized that in 1394, "the unemployment rate in 22 provinces was in double digits and above 10 percent," writing: "The red alert for the unemployment rate has long been sounded. While the lifting of economic sanctions has increased hopes for economic improvement, the country's industries continue to struggle with recession due to past crises and are awaiting a breakthrough." The newspaper Javan described the results of the "Labor Force Survey for 1394" as indicative of "increasing unemployment in the provinces," stating: "There are 2.7 million officially unemployed people in the country." According to this newspaper, "the government spokesperson, referring to the growth of entrants to the labor market, does not necessarily consider the increase in the unemployment rate to mean a rise in unemployment," but "in contrast, critics claim that the recession in the economy has deepened." The newspaper Javan also wrote: "The eleventh government believed it could improve the economy within 100 days of taking office, but it seems that the government's plans have not been very fruitful." The newspaper Kayhan also emphasized the "increase in inflation and unemployment 82 days after the implementation of the JCPOA," writing: "Despite 82 days having passed since the implementation of the JCPOA and the government's promises to reduce prices and stimulate the economy and even solve the people's water problems, reports indicate an increase in prices and fluctuations in various markets." Kayhan also criticized the eleventh government and Hassan Rouhani for "organizing its programs around the nuclear agreement," writing: "The shining sun of the JCPOA has, more than leading to growth and development in the country, exacerbated the recession." Nahid Molavi also reported in the newspaper Etemad that "the aftershocks of the annulment of the votes of the elected representative of Isfahan continue," writing: "Now the disagreement between the government and the Guardian Council over the disqualification and annulment of the votes of Mino Khaleghi, the elected representative of the people of Isfahan, has become apparent." According to Etemad, Mohammad Hossein Maqimi, the political deputy of the Minister of Interior, also reported the sending of two separate letters from Mino Khaleghi to the Guardian Council and the president, stating: "Copies of these two letters have been provided to the Ministry of Interior, and the Minister of Interior has sent his legal opinion in the form of a letter to the Guardian Council, citing Article 3 of Clause 52 of the Election Law, as the legal deadline for the Guardian Council to confirm the candidates has expired and according to the law, the matter should be referred to the Parliament." The newspaper Vatan-e Emruz, close to the Steadfast Front, reported on the "mass dismissal of nuclear specialists" and wrote: "After the dismantling of large parts of the country's space organization by the eleventh government, recently, on the eve of Farvardin 20, the day of nuclear technology, the publication of a letter regarding the mass layoffs of nuclear specialists has raised concerns in the political space about the future of our nuclear program." The newspaper Vaghaye Etefaghieh reported, quoting Mahnaz Ahmadi, the director of the Women's and Family Affairs Office of the Ministry of Education, about the "formation of a special committee to investigate the dimensions of student suicides." This newspaper, recalling the suicide of 13 students in 1394, quoted Mahnaz Ahmadi as saying: "After announcing the suicide statistics, the Minister of Education ordered the formation of a special committee with the presence of prominent professors in the country and educational, counseling, and health officials, which has also held many sessions." The newspaper Iran reported on "the latest status of Abbas Kiarostami," quoting the third statement from Kiarostami's medical team, signed by Mohsen Tadinfar, the CEO of Jam Hospital, stating: "Kiarostami's medical team announced that his condition in terms of consciousness level and vital signs is stable, and he is hospitalized in the intensive care unit."