MIDEAST MIRROR 01.06.15, SECTION C (TURKEY & IRAN)
1-From today’s Turkish press
GENERAL ELECTIONS: Mehmet Tezkan argues that the ruling party is fighting to stay in power in centrist Milliyet: "The government has made its success dependent on the pro-Kurdish HDP alliance's failure. If the HDP remains below the 10% electoral threshold, the 45 to 50 seats that it could have won will be a lifesaver for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). They will keep the ruling party in power. That is why they are using all possible means to ensure that this happens."
Selcuk Gultasli dismisses the president’s claims to victimhood in moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-Gulen Zaman: "There has been a huge increase in the number of those ready to insult President Erdogan ever since he was elected president. The 'dregs' of the West, as Erdogan refers to some Western newspapers, have noted that he has been suing someone almost every day ever since he was elected. Those who are sued are not insulting him at all. But Erdogan interprets any criticism as an insult and does not miss any opportunity to claim 'perpetual victimhood'. That is the problem!"
Ozcan Tikit regrets the ruling party’s reluctance to accept the HDP’s patriotic claims in centre-right HaberTurk: "At the HDP's rally in Istanbul, there were some eye-catching pictures. The Turkish flag was one of the leading themes of this rally. Actually, this was not the first time something like that has happened. We are used to seeing the Turkish flag at many HDP election rallies. At the Istanbul rally, this turned into a phenomenon. It is impossible not to feel sad about the fact that certain pro-AKP groups approach rallies with Turkish flags with 'but' comments. Interpreting the Turkish flags at this rally as being anti-AKP can only be explained as an act of exclusion."
Orhan Miroglu has no faith in the HDP’s peaceful intentions in centre-right, pro-government Star: "Today, the HDP is a movement that has been taken over by weapons. It cannot rescue itself from this captivity but wants the voters to play along with it. There is not the slightest chance that the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) will lay down its arms. There was an even better chance of this happening in the 1990s."
Yasin Aktay charges the HDP with fascism and racism in moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-government Yeni Safak: "The HDP is clearly conducting an armed election campaign. In this context, it can enter a village, pursue its election campaign and if it sees any opposition or resistance, it can take up arms and commit a massacre. The HDP is involved in fascist politics based on Kurdish racism, especially in the east and southeast."
Kurtulus Tayiz claims the HDP is wedded to force in centre-right, pro-government Aksam: "I do not believe that the HDP can make any contribution to our democracy - no matter whether it clears the 10% threshold or not. Unless the HDP severs its ties with violence, terror and murder, it can make no contribution to democracy. The violence in the mountains has been replaced today by the organized tyranny of the street. In both cases, it is the PKK and the HDP that practice, enforce and use violence as a political tool."
2-From today’s Iranian press
NUCLEAR TALKS: Hard-line Keyhan is incredulous: "The negotiations with the U.S. and the Geneva and Lausanne agreements have not made Iranians happy. Linking the wheels of the economy to the centrifuges stopped the centrifuges from spinning, but did not make the wheels of the economy spin. It made the U.S. both frown and smile. Associating the economy with factors beyond our borders and to talks with America was a great error. Worst of all, this unseemly propaganda takes place in the midst of a diplomatic battle with the enemy. Our people have the right to know, after two years of suspending most nuclear activities, why even the smallest problem has not been solved and the lifting of even a small part of the sanctions is still uncertain despite finalizing Iran's commitments in the final agreement."
Hard-line Javan opines on good and bad agreements: "The Americans are seeking a good agreement for themselves and a bad one for Iran. The West is under the impression that economic pressures have forced us to negotiate and they think that the Iranian nation has no choice but to accept their demands and will do so. Every Iranian knows which agreement is good and which is bad. Iranians expect only a good agreement from our negotiating team. A good deal is one that will guarantee national interests, as well as our dignity, security and independence by respecting the red lines set by the wise leader of the Revolution."
Reformist Sharq accommodates: "The Additional Protocol requires elaboration because it has been inferred that our negotiating team has promised the other side that the door for inspecting military sites will remain open. Meanwhile, no talks have been held on the inspection of military sites and therefore such a promise has not been made. What has been discussed is the issue of accepting the Additional Protocol and its mechanisms. We have two options: we can declare that we do not accept the protocol and leave the negotiations, or we can accept the protocol, knowing that we will always have the opportunity to reject access to military sites if it harms national security. The second option might be worth considering. The possibility that they may demand access to important military sites is not high because, just like us, the IAEA and the West do not want to upset the agreement."
Reformist Arman is balanced in criticism: "Instead of showing sensitivity towards the Additional Protocol, which could prove the peacefulness of our nuclear activities, we are discussing banning inspections at military sites. Greedy illusions of countries like France are also wrong; they think that, in this delicate situation, they should force commitments on us before the Additional Protocol, which is not acceptable. Insisting on such demands threaten the wellbeing of the negotiations."
Conservative Resalat is defiant: "Washington and its Western allies insist on investigating Iran's most upright children when they themselves are behind nuclear, biological and chemical terrorism used against the region's oppressed women and children to kill millions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and North Africa. The Islamic Republic will never allow its nuclear scientists to be investigated by the world's famous nuclear terrorists and their institutions."
CRITICISM: Conservative Siyasat-e Ruz reminds the president: "Criticising, expressing opinion and analysing are the duties of journalists and experts. An atmosphere of criticism and expressing one's views improves matters. Whenever critics react to the nuclear issue; officials, including the President, adopt a serious stance. On Saturday, he said: 'The country's secrets should be protected.’ He forgot that critics have pointed out several times that military issues and interviews with our scientists should never have been subjects for negotiations."
REGIONAL POLITICS: Reformist Mardom Salari examines regional attitudes: "Saudi Arabia, together with Qatar and Turkey, is trying to strengthen ISIS so they can overthrow the ruling regimes in Iraq and Syria and uproot the Houthis in Yemen. If they succeed, they will proceed to Lebanon and other countries. These countries also fear that following a nuclear deal, Iran may turn into a major power in the region and will impose its will on them; therefore, they want the West to push Iran into deadlock on various fronts to deprive it of becoming a major power. It is likely that Saudi extremists have formed a team that wants conflict and battle with Iran."
FIGHTING TERRORISM: Centrist Jomhuri-ye Eslami doubts Western intentions: "In an interview with Al Jazeera, the leader of the Nusra terrorist group was hostile to Hizbollah of Lebanon, but assured the West that the group has no enmity to the U.S. and Europe and will not use Syria as a base to attack them. The remarks of this criminal reconfirm the convergence of Western interests with those of the terrorists in Syria and Iraq. Their common objective is to strike at the anti-Zionist resistance front. Hence, it would be naive to expect Western powers to stand against terrorism in the region. The so-called anti-terror coalition forces led by America have achieved nothing against the terrorists; this phony operation, in many cases, has strengthened the terrorists. Recent developments and the revelation of new aspects of the conspiracy in the region have emphasized the need for regional countries to form a common front to deal with terrorism."
Moderate Iran is misinformed: "Shiite forces have taken the responsibility of fighting extremists on the two fronts of Syria and Iraq. Contrary to the poisoning propaganda spread by Western media, world public opinion does not consider Shiite forces to be destructive; rather they see them as a force that is trying to create stability in the region. Regional and world powers accept this reality. The only way to overcome extremists is to allow these groups to be involved in the fight against them."
TURKISH ELECTIONS: Conservative Khorasan marks the challenges facing Erdogan: "Less than a week remains before parliamentary elections in Turkey. The ruling Justice and Development Party [AKP] considers the upcoming elections an opportunity for a transition to neo-Ottomanism. The desire to go back to the era of Ottoman hegemony is impossible without absolute power. The Party's first step towards fulfilling this high dream is to amend the country's constitution. Kurdish parties, nationalists and Kemalists, will be the main obstacles for the Justice and Development's absolute dominance. Last year's financial embezzlement and Erdogan's occasional adventurisms over the past few years - as well as the dark situation for freedom of speech and human rights have dimmed the AKP's luck."
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