Head of State Media: We Proudly Say We Are the Military’s Tribune

The head of Iran’s state radio and television organization, immediately after saying “we are not the public relations office of any institution,” added, “but we proudly say we are the military’s tribune” and “we showcase the system’s services and achievements.”

PeymanJabeli on Wednesday, March 9, described state media as “a ship in which the entire system is seated” and, raising the claim that “with proper support and backing, it can be the solution to all society’s problems,” called on the government and Parliament to “believe in it.”

On Monday, Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour, a state media reporter whom some social media users call a “questioning journalist” due to her background in extracting forced confessions from some political prisoners, was introduced to the position of “acting head of the foreign Persian-language media group” at state radio and television.

Iran’s state radio and television, which is among the institutions under the supervision of the Islamic Republic’s leader, and according to research by Toby Dershowitz and Talia Katz of the Democracy Defense Foundation, in addition to “broadcasting misleading information and regime propaganda,” has regularly broadcast forced confessions of political prisoners who have been victims of torture.

In the decree issued for Ameneh Zabihpour’s mission in this position, “continuous monitoring of foreign media content and exposing foreign media tactics” as well as “exposing these media outlets and producing content for bulletins” has been stated.

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, on February 9, while attacking cyberspace and foreign media, called for adopting a “combined offensive” stance and said: “The Islamic system needs a defensive move and combined offensive centered on the immediate and definitive obligation of the duty of explanation.”

Source: Voice of America