Iran Edition—“Historic Transformation” or “Sacred Defense”?

The biggest newsmaker between Iran and the West at last year’s UN General Assembly was “the call.” This year, it was “the meeting.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s short phone call with US President Barack Obama last September was the first interaction, albeit only auditory, between American and Iranian presidents since the Iranian Revolution. This year, on September 24, Rouhani’s meeting with UK Prime Minister David Cameron was the first such meeting since 1979.

But Iranians who read some of the nation’s biggest newspapers could be forgiven for not knowing the meeting between Rouhani and Cameron even took place. That’s because another widely publicized event was scheduled in Tehran only hours before: commemoration by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran’s “Sacred Defense” during the Iran-Iraq War.

It’s not clear whether the timing was a quirk in scheduling or intentional by the regime. But regardless, Iranian newspaper editors, preparing their September 25 editions, faced a choice: give greater weight to the Rouhani-Cameron meeting (important to Iranian moderates) or the Khamenei event (important to Iranian hardliners and veterans).

A review of 15 of Iran’s most prominent newspapers showed, not surprisingly, that the handling of the two stories mostly followed ideological lines. Not a single newspaper declined to put Khamenei’s event on the front page. But nearly all of the reformist newspapers relegated Khamenei to a small sidebar, choosing to splash large color photos of Rouhani and Cameron on the front page. On the other hand, three of Iran’s most hardline publications buried the Rouhani-Cameron meeting deep in their papers, as did a more moderate daily.

Among the highlights:

Reformist or moderate newspapers – including Aftab-e Yazd, E’temad, Ebtekar, Arman and Shargh – published large, front-page color photos of Rouhani and Cameron. Aftab-e Yazd was most buoyant, hailing the meeting as a “historic transformation in diplomacy.” E’temad, above, spread the photo all the way across its front page.

Iran, the official daily newspaper of the government, focused on the Rouhani-Cameron meeting, proclaiming the “conclusion of 35 years of cold relations.” Like its reformist counterparts, Khamenei’s event was relegated to the skybox.

Jomhouri-e Islami — a hardline newspaper founded by Khamenei himself in 1979 — led with a photo of Khamenei addressing the generals and an excerpt from Khamenei’s comments. Nearby is a picture of the Rouhani-Cameron meeting.

Four major newspapers — moderate E’talaat, the oldest daily newspaper in Iran; ultra-conservative Kayhan; conservative Resalat; and conservative Jam-e Jam, the largest circulation news publication —buried the Rouhani-Cameron meeting. All led with similar quotes by Khamenei praising Iran’s “Sacred Defense.”

E’talaat, on page two, included a picture with a matter-of-fact caption: “Dr. Hassan Rouhani, president of our republic, met with David Cameron, the prime minister of Britain,” and it subsequently noted the novelty of the meeting. Kayhan, on page three (above) featured a tiny picture of the meeting and a brief recap. Resalat managed to publish its Thursday edition with only the slightest passing mention to Rouhani’s meeting with Cameron, as part of a short article quoting comments made by former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. And Jam-e Jam relegated the meeting to page two. 

Front pages are courtesy the respective publications.