Washington, D.C., September 5, 2023—Iranian authorities must reverse their decision to shut down the moderate Tehran-based state-run news website Entekhab and allow media outlets to report the news freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
On Monday, September 4, the Press Supervisory Board of Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance revoked Entekhab’s operating license indefinitely and blocked the outlet’s website and social media accounts in the country.
The ban followed an August 22 video report headlined “Iran’s Brand on Sale, Why has Iran’s Foreign Policy Become so Weak?,” which criticized President Ebrahim Raisi’s foreign policy. The Press Supervisory Board said the report was “in contradiction with national interests and against the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy principles.”
“Truthful and open reporting on matters of state policy is vitally important for the Iranian public,” said Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. “Iranian authorities must immediately allow Entekhab to resume publication and cease any attempts to censor the media.”
CPJ’s email to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance did not receive a reply.