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

Monday’s headlines
HAMSHAHRI: 4 regional countries (Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq) agree on issuing joint visa
KAYHAN: Al Saud’s fear of Islamic revolution; Malik Abdullah orders fire (on demonstrators)
KHORASAN: U.S. secretary of state concerned about Iran’s military and defensive power
JAME JAM: Majlis gives confidence vote to energy minister
JAVAN: Chairman of the Society of Qom Seminary Teachers says Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani is socially popular
HEMAYAT: Hashemi Rafsanjani says keeping unity and country’s solidarity is above personal interests
MARDOM SALARI: 36 government ratifications run contrary to law, Majlis announces to president
RESALAT: Tehran Mayor Qalibaf says I hope municipality problems to be resolved with president’s support
IRAN: President says management of cities entails a new and ‘revolutionary’ model
SHARQ: (Deputy culture minister for press affairs) Mohammadzadeh says it is necessary to increase press subsidy
DONYAYE EGHTESAD: Government draws up housing market plan for next year (March 2011-March 2012)
TAFAHOM: SAIPA is the country’s largest automaker
Leading articles
In an interview with TEHRAN-E EMROOZ newspaper about the building of artificial islands by the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf, international expert Davud Hermidas Bavand says according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, countries can exploit natural resources and also build islands within their sea borders, but the UAE has no right to construct artificial islands near Abu Musa island as the sea border between Iran and the UAE has not yet been determined. However, if the border is delineated, the UAE has the right to build islands within its own territorial waters. However, until the sea border is not marked the UAE has no right to do that. He added since the UAE has ownership claims over three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, and Greater and Lesser Tunbs in the Persian Gulf if it builds islands near Iran’s territory then it can cite those islands as the reasons for its claims. The expert said it should first be clear what the purpose of the UAE is in building such islands in the Persian Gulf.
JUMHORI ESLAMI in a news story says Turkey’s tourist officials have announced that the number of Iranian tourists who will visit the country during the approaching Norouz holidays in comparison to the last year will increase 10 percent. During Norouz holidays last year more than 1.8 million Iranians visited Turkey, and in this year’s Norouz holidays, which start on March 21, it is expected two million Iranians visit the country. The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that the Turkish economy grow much between March 13 to April 2 as tourists from eastern neighboring countries pour into the country.
JAVAN in a news report quotes a member of the Central Council of the Combatant Clergy Association as saying that the moves by Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi are the same as Abolhassan Banisader. He said during the 2009 fitna (sedition) Banisadr supported Mousavi. The rhetoric used by Banisadr, Mousavi and Karroubi in withstanding velayat-e faqih (the rule of supreme jurisprudent) and the law are synonymous and they are backed by foreigners. He goes on to say that Banisadr had direct relations with the CIA. He also said Western intelligence services in the West, under the cover of scientific studies in their universities in Europe and the U.S., select competent individuals and train them as their agents in order to make use of them at a proper opportunity. He compared the persons close to Banisadr, Mousavi and Karroubi and said today Ardeshir Amir-Arjomand, a royalist connected to the MKO and Israel, becomes a top member of Mousavi’s election headquarters, and Vahedi (first name not given), with all his bad record, runs all the affaires of Karroubi’s election campaigns