The column ‘Persian Press Review’ features the headlines and leading articles carried by Farsi dailies.

Thursday’s headlines:
AFARINESH: Iran and Afghanistan have common friends and enemies, says Ahmadinejad (in Kabul)
ETELAAT: Supreme Leader makes 200 million rials donation to needy families
IRAN: Majlis slashes administration’s revenues from subsidy cut savings by half
ABRAR: Every government that is not backed by its nation will not remain stable, says Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani
EBTEKAR: Mirhossein Mousavi is not allowed to teach (anymore), says president of Tarbiat Modarres University
ASRAR: MPs say financial corruption networks exist in other state organizations (following the arrest of the members of a major ring of corrupt employees working for a state organization)
PUL: We will grant loans for building apartments on roofs of (existing) buildings, says housing minister
JAHAN-E SANAAT: Energy minister says 70% of electricity subscribers should not be worried (about the cutting of electricity subsidies)!
KAR-O KARGAR: It is not possible to have a strong economy just by filling up people’s stomach, says Mohsen Rezaii (former presidential candidate)
Leading articles:
‘ARMAN’ in editorial entitled “The Poor Become Poorer” has voiced concern about the national economy. Although the Central Bank has announced that the inflation rate has dropped by two percent, it has not affected the people’s purchasing power significantly. Considering the high inflation rate (which runs about 20%) this degree of decrease will not affect people’s purchasing power notably. If the administration seeks to enhance economic prosperity, it should present plans which help the current stagnant economy rebound; otherwise a gloomy future awaits the economy.
‘TEHRAN-E EMROOZ’ in its editorial has approved of MPs’ decision to cut subsidies in five stages. The repercussions of the liberalization of energy prices in three stages espoused by the administration are unpredictable. Many experts and MPs have warned about the negative effects of a hasty implementation of the plan. Now the administration should implement the plan as endorsed by the Majlis even if it holds the view the objectives will not be realized as the government had assumed.