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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

EDITORIAL : THE TEHRAN TIMES, IRAN



Persian Press Review
Tehran Times Political Desk
This column features excerpts from news articles, editorials, commentaries, and interviews of the leading Iranian newspapers and websites.
Monday’s headlines

KAYHAN: Openly challenge the West’s degrading view toward women, Leader says

HEMAYAT: Judiciary chief says corruption weakens governments

FARHIKHTEGAN: Bright future for the system with the principle of velayat faqih (rule of the supreme jurisprudent)

HAMSHAHRI: Govt. illegally withdraws 50,000 billion riyals (about $5 billion) from central bank reserves (for paying cash subsidies), chairman of the special Majlis committee on economic reform plan announces

JAME JAM: Iran’s Greco-Roman wrestlers crowned Asian champions

QODS: Cutting cash subsidies of 10 million rich families will not undermine justice, a member of Majlis Budget and Planning Committee says

KHORASAN: Ali Nikzad nominated as infrastructure minister

DONYA EGHTESAD: Tax shock to gold coin market

MELLATEMA: Several state managers among (CIA) spy network

IRAN: International standards for Iranian bread

SHARQ: Rafsanjani says the ‘deviant currents’ are not able to continue their path

Leading articles
In an interview with SHARQ newspaper former Intelligence Minister Ali Younesi says al-Qaeda came into the limelight after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Following is an excerpt of the interview by Younesi: “After the Sept. 11 attacks U.S. officials felt a great sense of insecurity at home. Not only the U.S. but also all countries including the Western countries faced an unexpected danger. Regional countries, Muslim countries, and also Iran also faced threats. We as Afghanistan’s neighbor were in conflict with Taliban as Iran supported the Northern Alliance which was in war with Taliban, and Taliban was the main supporter of Al-Qaeda, and therefore were indirectly in war with Al-Qaeda, and naturally at the time we felt threatened. The whole world was surprised by the Sept. 11 attacks and Iran also felt the danger because the Islamic Republic predicted that wars will break out near its borders and we had to make efforts to defuse threats. We felt threatened by al-Qaeda - which used Iran as a route for reaching Iraq and Europe - Taliban, and also the U.S. which sought excuses against Iran; in addition, we were in threat of a war. At the time we turned threats into opportunity because we managed to thwart the threat posed by Taliban, Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda.” The former intelligence chief also said, “I believe that Pakistan’s intelligence service was completely involved in both keeping Bin Laden and disclosing his hideout”. The former minister added Pakistan’s intelligence service is a very sophisticated organization and it “has never been honest with its neighbors.”

IRAN in a news report quotes Department of Environment director Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh as saying we are so concerned about the decrease of forested areas in the northern Iran. According to an official international report, the area of forests in northern Mazandaran Province has decreased from 3/6 million hectares in 1960 to 1/8 million hectares and this is a disaster, Mohammadizadeh said. The Department of Environment director said this is a serious warning to officials especially as samples of Hirkani forests in northern Iran are not found anywhere in the world. The 50 percent decrease in forested areas over the past 51 years has caused a shortage of oxygen, he said. The damage to the north’s forests is irreversible and can set the alarm bells over the emergence of deserts, he warned. In order to preserve forests, Mohammadizadeh suggested that cutting trees be prohibited for 10 years and the country’s needs to paper be met by importing woods.

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