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

Wednesday’s headlines:
AFARINESH: Majlis approves urgency of plan for election of mayors through people’s direct vote
IRAN: Intelligence Ministry discloses recent seditious attempts by Mojahedin Khalq Organization terrorist group (to plant bombs)
ASRAR: Weakening of the pillars of unity in the country is alarming, says Grand Ayatollah Makarm Shirazi
PUL: $21 billion deal with local contractors to develop South Pars gas field signed
JAM-E JAM: Biggest energy contract awarded to Iranian companies
TAFAHOM: Desertification imposes $42 billion on Iran
TEHRAN-E EMROOZ: Ahmadinejad’s remarks about hijab meet with widespread criticism
FARHANG-E ASHTI: Disrespect to Hassan Khomeini was disrespect to Imam Khomeini and the Islamic system, says Ayatollah Mazaheri
JAHAN-E SANAAT: Principlists invite Ahmadinejad to a debate over his views about observance of Islamic dress code
KHORASAN: Foreign Ministry dismisses claim that Russia and China voted against Iran “out of sympathy”
DONYA-E EQTESAD: Europe threatens Iran with new sanctions; Iran objects to the decision
FARHIKHTEGAN: Iraq ahead of Iran in developing joint oil fields, says expert
QOSTARESH-E SANAAT: President underlines importance of using Iranian experts and domestically-manufactured equipment to implement energy projects
Leading articles:
EBTEKAR in an editorial has denounced the violent attack on the office of Grand Ayatollah Yusef Saneii as deplorable and unjustifiable. A few days ago an opposition leader made a trip to Qom and visited Ayatollah Saneii and a number of loyalists staged a peaceful gathering outside Saneii’s office to protest at the ayatollah’s stance toward the post-vote incidents and his support of the opposition, but some extremist elements overstepped the boundaries and entered his office and smashed everything there while shouting revolutionary slogans. The writer believes that loyalists have the right to protest at ayatollah’s performance, but it was an unwise action to violently attack his office, because loyalists themselves criticize the post-election protesters for damaging people’s property, so they should not do the same actions and violate the dissidents’ rights and privacy. The writer also laments that the attackers shouted slogans in support of the Supreme Leader. However, the Leader is opposed to such extremist actions and persistently advises loyalists to be insightful.
JOMHURI-E ESLAMI in its editorial has criticized the Egyptian government for cooperating with the Zionist regime in strangling the Gaza Strip. The Cairo regime forces have recently prevented some human rights activists from entering the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing. The writer has called on all activists and countries to pay more attention to the role of the Egyptian government in pressuring the Palestinians. It is the Egyptian government that has completed the blockade on Gaza by blocking the Rafah border crossing and not permitting the transport of food, drug and other necessities into the coastal strip.
TEHRAN-E EMROOZ editorialist has backed the proposal for the election of mayors through people’s direct vote as Majlis endorsed the urgency of a plan for mayoral elections in the big cities. This move is another step toward the establishment of democracy. The decisions made by mayors have direct effects on people’s lives, and locals have the right to choose mayors who can better answer their demands. If mayors are elected by people, they feel more responsible for their actions, because they know they should win peoples’ satisfaction if they seek to be reelected.
AFARINESH in its editorial has commented on the root causes of financial corruption in Iran. Although examples of financial corruption like embezzlement, bribery, extortion, appropriation, and money laundering are more or less common around the world, the prevalence of this evil phenomenon has reached an alarming level in Iran. According to the recently-published World Bank statistics, Iran has an undesirable standing in the world in this regard. The writer believes that the state-controlled economy has prepared the ground for opportunist officials to take advantage of their position and get involved in corrupt activities. The writer also believes that the poverty has aggravated the situation, because when civil servants are faced with financial problems, they are more inclined to abuse their position to gain more money to meet the cost of living.