Critics of Rouhani Dragged the Roman Emperor into the Debate

The newspaper Shahrvand reported on the 'attack on the government's opportunities for the nation' and wrote: 'Hassan Rouhani's European trip was fruitful for domestic industries as well as for the government's critics.' According to this newspaper, Rouhani's five-day trip to Italy and France was scrutinized by critics to the extent that pages were filled discussing the hoof of a Roman statue, and the topic of a dispute between a Roman emperor and a Parthian government from hundreds of years ago opened the doors for historical analysts to the media critical of the government after a long time. The Shahrvand newspaper criticized the opponents of the eleventh government for attacking the achievements of Rouhani's trip, stating: 'In the context of lifting sanctions, the government's duty is to create opportunities for the flourishing of the country's economy, but apparently some prefer wasting opportunities over creating them.' The newspaper Shargh also published the statements of the Basij commander against Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Javad Zarif, in which Mohammad Reza Naqdi said: 'The president was in France, but the foreign minister of that country welcomed him, and the press conference of this official of the Islamic regime in Italy was held under the boot of the statue of the aggressor general against Iran, which are results of infiltration.' According to this newspaper, the Basij commander said on Saturday during the opening ceremony of the 'first workshop on future studies of soft warfare' about Mohammad Javad Zarif: 'The foreign minister of Islamic Iran has learned Western sciences; for this reason, he acts like foreign ministers of other Western countries,' and 'for this reason, infiltration occurs easily in the country, and when we speak of acting based on faith in God's promises, they laugh at us.' The Kayhan newspaper criticized Rouhani's trip to Italy and France on its front page, stating: 'The wheel of the economy has finally turned, but for Europe.' This newspaper emphasized that 'with the West's conspiracy, our oil is sold at around 25 dollars, and it is at this low price that their economy's lights are on, but our officials put that money in the pockets of France and set their industries in motion.' The Etemad newspaper published Mohammad Javad Zarif's response to critics of Rouhani's European trip, quoting the foreign minister of Iran as saying: 'I am truly embarrassed that some say that our president was received by the French foreign minister in an unusual move to discredit him.' According to this newspaper, Zarif said on Saturday at the 'Opportunities After JCPOA' conference addressing the critics of Rouhani's European trip: 'Our president's trip to France was official, and the highest ceremonies were performed; why do you unnecessarily try to turn our people's dignity into humiliation?' The proposal of Mohi al-Din Haeri Shirazi, former Friday prayer leader of Shiraz and candidate for the Assembly of Experts elections, regarding holding a 'private exam for knowledge of ijtihad for candidates' has caught the attention of the Law newspaper. The Sharq newspaper reported on its front page on February 11 about the efforts of reformists to present a '100 percent reformist list,' stating that the Reformists' Policy Council has come to the conclusion with a two-thirds majority that 'despite the disqualifications that have occurred, they will finalize their lists in a completely reformist manner' and 'they have completely rejected any idea of an alliance with moderate principlists or supporters of the government and moderates.' Valiollah Shajapuriyan, a reformist figure, wrote in a note in the Arman newspaper that if for any reason the presence of individuals from the reformist political current is denied in the upcoming elections, 'the electoral priority of reformists is to select individuals who prioritize national interests over party interests.' Mahmoud Sariq al-Qalam, a professor at Shahid Beheshti University in an interview with Shargh newspaper emphasized that 'instability in Iran is against America's interests.' He also said: 'Any government elected in June 2013 would have moved towards resolving the nuclear issue as a sovereign matter; because negotiations between Iran and the US had started before this government.' Simultaneously, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, while referring to the role of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic in issuing permission for secret negotiations with the US before the formation of the eleventh government and explaining the nuclear negotiations leading to the 'JCPOA,' told the Arman newspaper: 'The JCPOA can pave the way for trust between Iran and the US.' The Vatan-e Emruz newspaper, close to the Front of Steadfastness, in its front page titled 'Bijan's Guard' wrote: 'The special police's confrontation with students protesting against the corruption-ridden management of Bijan Zanganeh [the Minister of Oil] was welcomed by government supporters.' This newspaper reported that the number of detainees in front of the Ministry of Oil was 38 and wrote that 'officials of the Basij of Amir Kabir and Imam Sadiq universities and also the secretary of the Justice-Seeking Movement were among the detainees.' However, the Law newspaper described the Saturday gathering of the student Basij as a 'suspicious gathering in front of the Oil Ministry' and reported that 'the bill for the costs of the attack on the Saudi embassy has not yet been settled, and on Saturday news of an illegal gathering of a group in front of the Ministry of Oil was published.' This newspaper wrote about the behind-the-scenes coordination of this gathering: 'For several days, messages for rebellion and protest against the Ministry of Oil were published on social media belonging to some governmental institutions.' 'The arrest of 60 employees accused of land grabbing' is a news headline in the Hamayat newspaper. This newspaper, affiliated with the prison organization, reported quoting Gholam Hossein Esmaeili, the head of Tehran's judiciary, that 'since the beginning of this year, more than 60 employees of executive bodies have been accused of land grabbing, all of whom have been arrested.' The Quds newspaper reported the possibility of 'lifting the ban on the voice of Mohammad Reza Shajarian on television' and wrote that at least once 'after several years, on Saturday night, the composition 'Sepideh Dam' with the voice of Shajarian, and the music and playing of Mohammad Reza Lotfi with a poem by Hushang Ebtehaj was broadcasted on the third network.'