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

Wednesday’s headlines
HAMSHAHRI: President ends membership of intelligence minister in money and credit council
SHARQ: Majlis asks question about role of Mashaei (head of the presidential chief of staff) in foreign policy
IRAN: International Monetary Fund announces Iran has been successful in implementing subsidy reform plan
DONYAY-E EQTESAD: Change in the path of dollar and coin market
HEMAYAT: Controversy arise over naming minister of sports and youth
MELLAT MA: Ahmadinejad says I have no alternative than naming a minister; Larijani says letter (by president) intended to justify violation of law
TEHRAN-E EMROOZ: Tehran prosecutor dismisses reports some persons close to administration are under house arrest
JAME JAM: Ahmadinejad meets Chinese president (on sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Astana)
KAYHAN: Victory of resistance and defeat of U.S. in introducing new Lebanese cabinet
QODS: MPs severely criticize president for his letter (in naming sports and youth minister)
Leading articles
In a report published on TABNAK website Hojjatoleslam Ali Sa’idi says the IRGC will stand against any deviationism in the Islamic Republic’s system. “Sepah will stand against all deviationist groups,” says Saeedi, the representative of Supreme Leader in the IRGC. Saeedi says if a group moves in the path of velayat (rule of the supreme jurisprudent), Islam, and revolution it will enjoy the support of the IRGC. “Sepah moves in the path of velayat and adapts itself with the principles of Islam, (and) so long as a group moves in the path of velayat and Islam and revolution it will support it.” He said unfortunately some officials make remarks which are not in conformity with religion.
HAMSHAHRI carries a news report according to which Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi says six oil managers have been arrested over the last two weeks. The prosecutor calls the arrest of six oil managers a very important legal issue which he also said has international aspects. He said the judiciary is seeking to arrest some other people in connection with this issue. However, he said more studies are needed to air judgments about the case of these six people. Asked about a commentary in a mass circulation newspaper close to the government which had described the Judiciary chief, the IRGC commander and Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi as ‘authoritarian’, Dolatabadi said the prosecutor office has lodged a complaint against the newspaper.
TEHRAN-E EMROOZ says three months after an aborted attempt by the president to sack Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi a report surfaced in media outlets on Monday stating that the president has ordered that the name of Moslehi be omitted from the money and credit council. According to a decision taken by the government from now on the intelligence minister is not allowed to participate in the council’s meetings and instead the cooperatives minister will fill the place of intelligence minister.
In a report published on SIASAT ROOZ website MP Elias Naderan says the problem with First Vice President Mohammadreza Rahimi is not just about the validity of his university degree. In reaction to remarks by Rahimi who had told Fars news agency that “the problem with my opponents is not my educational degree” Naderan said “unfortunately, Mr. Rahimi has only talked about a part of the truth.” Naderan added, “If this statement is a proof to my opposition (to him) I should say that the problem with Mr. Rahimi is not ‘just’ his educational degree.” Naderan claims that Rahimi’s doctoral degree has been licensed by Belford University which is not genuine. Science minister Kamran Daneshju attended the Majlis on Monday to explain about the validity of university degrees by state officials including Rahimi’s. Naderan told the minister that first vice president has also signed a letter requesting Belford University to issue a doctoral degree for another person. Daneshju said that the degrees by Belford University are not authentic. However, he said there is no legal tool to assess university degrees.