Iranian Pro-Regime Media Lament US Sanctions
Iranian pro-regime media outlets, including Tasnim, found themselves in an awkward position as they reported on their own sanctioning by the United States. The US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently designated 29 individuals and entities in connection with the Iranian regime’s violent suppression of nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa ‘Zhina’ Amini in custody of its ‘Morality Police,’ as well as the regime’s ongoing efforts to silence dissenting voices and restrict access to a free and open internet.
The US singled out three media outlets, Fars News, Tasnim News, and Press TV, along with three senior officials, in its sanctions. This clearly highlights the close ties between Fars and Tasnim and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In response to the sanctions, Tasnim News conducted an interview with Iran’s ISNA news agency, in which the CEO of ISNA criticized the US for its hypocrisy in claiming to support freedom of expression while imposing sanctions on Iranian media. He accused the West of acting autocratically and disregarding the independence and rights of other nations.
The report by Tasnim News also claimed that the US sees Iranian media as a threat because they contribute to the creation of a multi-polar world. Essentially, the report admitted that Iran’s media outlets are part of the regime’s propaganda machine, but the regime does not want them muzzled by the US.
Iranian media has connected the US sanctions to Western support for protests in Iran. The upcoming one-year anniversary of the killing of Mahsa Amini is a cause for concern for the regime, which has been attempting to detain dissidents ahead of the anniversary. Press TV, one of the sanctioned media outlets, reported on its own sanctions and sought to shift the discussion to critiquing the West.
According to Press TV, Iran’s intelligence community has accused the US and Britain of using their spy and propaganda apparatuses to provoke violent riots in the country. The report specifically mentioned several anti-Iran TV networks based in London, including Iran International, Manoto, and BBC Persian, which allegedly broadcast misinformation to encourage Iranian youth to join the rioters during the wave of unrest.
This report from Iranian pro-regime media highlights the regime’s concerns about Western support for protests and its focus on media reports in the West. It also underlines the interconnected nature of the regime’s media machine and its efforts to shape the narrative both domestically and internationally.
Original Story at www.jpost.com – 2023-09-15 21:20:00
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