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

Wednesday’s headlines
KAYHAN: 257 MPs insist Iran cannot tolerate massacre of Bahraini Shias
JAVAN: Former minister of Khatami government says (Mirhossein) Mousavi voted for Ahmadinejad in 2005 (election)
HAMSHAHRI: Oil Ministry file referred to Judiciary for violation of law
JOHURI ESLAMI: Rafsanjani says enemies want to show Islam is in contradiction with republicanism
KAYHAN: A wave of strikes grips Saudi Arabia
KAYHAN: Following widespread protests, government cancels the visit of Jordanian king to Tehran
SHARQ: Rafsanjani says enemy seeking to tarnish the image of Islam
JAVAN: U.S. knew Saudi intends to occupy Bahrain
MARDOM SALARI: Extremists stop insults, says Mardom Salari Party secretary general
MARDOM SALARI: Hassan Khomeini says Imam Musa Sadr was a knowledgeable scholar and tolerant politician
Mellat MA: 257 Majlis lawmakers warn Saudi Arabia on Bahrain
RESALAT: Foreign Ministry spokesman says report of the trip of Jordanian king to Iran is not true
Leading articles
HAMSHAHRI in a news report entitled “Cancellation of Jordanian King’s Visit to Iran” says while in the last few days vocal MPs Ali Mottahari, Ahmad Tavakoli, and Alireza Zakani had warned that an invitation to the Jordanian king to visit Iran to participate in the Persian New Year festivities ran against the interest of the Islamic Republic, some other leading parliamentarians including Elyas Naderan, Mohammad Dehqan, Sayyed Naser Largani, Heshmatollah Falahat Pisheh - who represent the cities of Tehran, Torqeba, Chenaran Flawerjan, Islamabad Gharb respectively - in a warning to President Ahmadinejad and Foreign Minister called for the cancelation of the visit and also sought explanation on the invitation. Meanwhile, some pro-government MPs such as Hamid Resaei and Mahmoud Ahmadi Bighash have said that the trip of the Jordanian king to Iran has been cancelled. Lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi said the invitation was a sign of lack of political foresight and pointed out that the trip at this juncture is not appropriate. He said “we are waiting for an official cancelation” of the visit. Boroujerdi, chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Majlis, said this invitation took place recently, but regarding popular uprisings in the Arab world and the stance of the Islamic Republic toward these developments and opposition by a majority of lawmakers the trip has been canceled.
KHORASAN in its editorial, in a reference to the ongoing conflict in Libya, says while the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) rightly supports the Libyan revolutionaries and vigorously condemns the crimes committed by Libyan dictator Qaddafi and criticizes the U.S. and other countries for impeding the enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace to prevent more massacre of Libyan people, and while many Arab and even Western states have recognized the Libyan Transitional National Council, why the Iranian government only “weakly” condemns massacre of the Libyan people. The editorialist asks: Is there any doubt that the illegal Qaddafi government must be condemned and the Transitional National Council to be recognized? According to the editorialist, the only reason behind Iran’s weak stance toward the massacre of Libyans is that Iranian statesmen have doubt that the Libyan revolutionaries achieve victory and therefore think they should not strain relations with Libya. The writer says such as “presupposition” ill-advised. The writer concludes how is it justified for the Islamic Republic’s government that Muslim people be massacred by a dictator and we do not even support them spiritually