Iranian media and state officials have welcomed U.S. former National Security Adviser John Bolton's "dismissal," and the market in Tehran has reacted positively to the development as the rate of exchange for the U.S. dollar slightly dropped overnight while it rose against all other currencies on international markets.
While Foreign Minister Javad Zarif commented that he would not pass any judgement on U.S. internal affairs, President Hassan Rouhani's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi wrote in a tweet that Bolton's removal from his post marked the "failure of the United States' unilateral, war-mongering, interventionist and radical policies."
A day earlier, Zarif had harshly criticized Bolton's stances about Iran. In another development Rouhani administration's spokesperson Ali Rabiee said: "Bolton had promised the downfall of the Islamic Republic months ago. Today, Bolton has gone and we are still here," reported ISNA.
Vaezi characterized John Bolton as "an enemy of diplomacy and a supporter of war," adding that "The man who promised Iran's collapse, will now be pushed into isolation."
Presidential adviser Hesamoddin Ashna wrote in a tweet that Bolton's removal marked "the defeat of the U.S. maximum pressure policy visa-vis Iran."
Rouhani himself was not observed to comment directly about Bolton, but he said in a speech on Wednesday, "The United States must understand that war-mongering is not useful, and war-mongers must be left aside," probably alluding to the dismissal.
Semi-official news agency ISNA, that has extensively covered Bolton's dismissal, speculated that he would be replaced temporarily by Charlie Cooperman whose views about Iran are not different from Bolton.
Most Iranian daily newspapers reacted cheerfully to Bolton's dismissal with front-page headlines and reports that condemned Bolton's firebrand views on Iran. Newspapers in Iran are directly or indirectly controlled by various state organs.
Hamshahri, Iran's best-selling daily newspaper carried an unusually large front-page headline in one word: "Dismissal." The daily called Bolton "The most anti-Iranian U.S. official," and opined that Iran's regional enemies lost their closest ally in Washington.
Leading reformist daily Sharq analyzed that President Donald Trump has sacrificed his National Security Advisor in order to improve Washington's ties with Iran.
Iran's most hardline daily Kayhan, did not write a word about Bolton, as its Wednesday's issue was prepared three days in advance ahead of a two-day public holiday that marked religious occasions Tasua and Ashura, without bothering to offer an update on a story that should have been important for its hardliner editors.
On the other hand, hardline daily Khorassan, noted that Trump dismissed his national security adviser four months after the U.S. president revealed his differences with Bolton's for the first time. Khorassan observed that "Bolton was no longer useful for Trump as the date for U.S. Presidential elections approaches quickly." The daily noted that Bolton's views were different from those of Trump, when it came to Iran, Venezuela, Russia and Afghanistan.
Rouhani Administration-owned daily Iran carried a very brief factual report on Bolton's dismissal, but did not offer any analysis, probably because its editors did not have access to officials during the holidays.
Centrist daily Arman opined that Bolton's dismissal a short while before the UN General Assembly certainly carried a message. Arman wrote that "it was the international situation and the U.S. isolation in the world that prompted Trump to get rid of Bolton."
Pro-reform news website Fararu, however, wrote that although Bolton's dismissal was the result of the differences between his and Trump's positions, the development is unlikely to affect the U.S. policy toward Iran.
Fararu stressed that "the Iranian government has welcomed Bolton's removal."