This column features excerpts from news articles, editorials, commentaries, and interviews of the leading Iranian newspapers and websites. 

JAM-E JAM: Agriculture minister warns fruit importers 

TEHRAN-E EMROOZ: Construction of 3 lines of Tehran’s metro to be completed by end of current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21)  

TAFAHOM: 45 power plants ready to be privatized, deputy energy minister announces 

JAVAN: Iran not to attend IAEA forum on a nuclear weapons-free zone in ME, says Soltanieh 

HEMAYAT: Establishment of cultural heritage ministry to be discussed by Majlis

JAVAN: Iran will pound all centers of Zionists (if attacked), deputy chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff warns 

HAMSHAHRI: Non-standard vehicles and polluting industries main culprits for Tehran’s air pollution 

IRAN: Former managing director of IRNA receives prison sentence 

SHARQ: Decision to increase salaries of soldiers cancelled 

FARHIKHTEGAN: Reemergence of protests in Egypt 

TEHRAN-E EMROOZ, in a news report, has said that lawmakers have decided not to ratify the proposal calling for paying lifetime salaries to MPs. Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has announced that amendments will be made to the proposal and said that it was approved by previous parliaments. Mohammad Hassan Ghafouri-Fard, a member of the Majlis Energy Committee, has opposed the proposal and said, “We only serve the people,” and it is unfair that a person receives a lifetime salary because it has served as a politician or a lawmaker for a few years. The law is against the views of the late Imam Khomeini. 

JAVAN, in a news report, has quoted Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, a senior member of the Assembly of Experts, as saying that the associates of the deviant current should be immediately dealt with. He commented on the March parliamentary elections and warned that certain groups have been seeking to win some seats in the next parliament and come to power at any price. Over 30 years of experience have shown that they should come to power first through becoming a lawmaker and then through becoming a president, he said. “If you can do something, you should act right now,” Yazdi stated, addressing the country’s officials.