Is Iran next?
The Bush administration's criticism of the Islamic republic has some commentators in the international press seeing parallels to the buildup to war in Iraq. But the differences between Iran and Iraq loom much larger, especially in the Iranian press.
The lively, sometimes bitter, debate between conservative and reformist newspapers belies stereotypes of Iran as another Middle Eastern country with a state-controlled press. In fact, profound differences have been on display all week in the Farsi-language press.
The conservative newspapers are seeking to link their internal opposition with the Americans and portray both as a threat to the Islamic way of life. The reformists, while no less worried about the U.S. threat, argue a milder and more modern Islamic state that engages the West has a better chance of warding off U.S. pressure.
As this power struggle deepens, Washington's threats seem to be boosting the confidence of conservatives while adding urgency to the reformist cause. It has both sides paying close attention to what is going on in Washington--sometimes closer attention than Washington itself is playing.