Press or Satellite Broadcasts?

Hussein Saffar Harandi, the new hard-line radical Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance is once again attacking the pro-reform media in Iran. He believes that many legal parties are misusing the press as their party spokemedia and are hide behind civil institutions such as the press. The ultra-conservative Minister calls on these parties to establish their own transparent, organized and independent media. He added that his Ministry will assist these groups to get the required licenses. Harandi's made these comment to the members of the "Association of Moslem Journalists", and is a reminder that the reform-minded groups do not have a mouthpiece in Iran.In his first press briefing, Alireza Mokhtarpour, the deputy for press affairs at the Ministry also said that some of Iran's political parties did not have official newspapers and so the press inevitably bears the burden of all the groups and ideas on its shoulders. Since 2000, more than 120 publications have been banned in Iran with hundreds of journalists facing judicial proceedings. International organizations working on the freedom of press have identified Iran as being the largest prison for journalists in the Middle East.Mokhtarpour is not a known figure among journalists but he has a notorious record during Mostafa Mirsalim’s days as the Minister of Culture. He was the executive manager of "Special Book Bureau" in the ministry and is noted to have considerably increased book censorship in Iran. It was during his management that many writers were banned from writing.The new extremist Culture Minister has also announced his objection to having 20 publications with the same ideology. In reaction to such recent statements by government officials, some political parties have announced their intentions to use satellite radio and television stations, which are under such strict control as the press media are.Saffar Harandi is a hardliner who is said to know how to fight "cultural imperialism" and confront modern thoughts and liberalism, both of which are considered Western ideas. During his vote of confidence before the Majlis (Parliament) he told the deputies that he wanted to "revive the press". And knowing his confrontational record, reformists are not optimistic about the future of the press in Iran. “Revival�? in Harandi’s terminology most likely means regression and curtailment of the freedom of press, as his thoughts indicate.Many political analysts believe that instead of promising a brighter future for Iran's press, the new Culture Minister comments have been targeting the reform minded groups. They believe he is trying hard to talk the reformers out of using satellite radio and televisions for their broadcasts.Changes in the structure of publications such as Iran and Hamshahri are proof of the enormous transformations in the press in Iran. Iran's official news agency IRNA, and the student news agency ISNA both have new conservative editor-in-chiefs. With such appointments, the Iranian media is in control of extremist right-wing conservatives. Under the current atmosphere, the reformist press is taking a very cautious approach to its work and interests in order to avoid being shut down.

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