Meisam Tavvab

Rooz Exclusive – The Press Department of Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has ‎sent a directive to all newspapers and news agencies containing an unprecedented National ‎Security Council message. This memorandum is unique in the sense that it contains dozens of ‎paragraphs instructing its audience to limit news coverage of issues that range from the country’s ‎nuclear program, developments in Iraq to the upcoming parliamentary elections and various ‎other issues. ‎

The Ministry's letter, signed by Deputy Minister and former Kayhan reporter Ali Reza Malekian, ‎tells the press to remind its readers that "the passage of a new [U.N. Security Council] resolution ‎would be regarded as an attempt to meddle in Iran's internal affairs," "the passage of new ‎resolution has no effect on the Iranian people's support for the nuclear policies the Islamic ‎Republic," and that "Iran's nuclear successes in technical fields were achieved despite the illegal ‎interferences by the U.N. Security Council." ‎

The National Security Council memorandum also directs the press to announce that "Iran's ‎peaceful nuclear achievements will be shared with the Islamic world," and emphasize "Iran's ‎willingness to assist Egypt and other Muslim nations with their nuclear programs." The ‎memorandum recommends that the press inform the public that "the West does not want Muslim ‎scientists to access modern-day technologies." ‎

In another part of the order, members of the press have been asked to write on the following ‎themes: "Highlighting the divisions that exist between some European countries and the United ‎States over Iran's nuclear program;" "referring to the divisions between Russia and China, and ‎the United States, over Iran's nuclear program;" and "the growing hatred towards America in ‎Muslim and Arab countries." ‎

The National Security Council directive also suggests certain parameters when reporting about ‎the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States over Iraq's security: "the United ‎States needs to negotiate with Iran in order to solve its problems in Iraq;" "Iran supports ‎negotiations and logic to solve the regional and Iraq's problems;" "the United States needs Iran in ‎order to succeed in the region;" and "security will not be established in Iraq without Iran's active ‎presence." ‎

The unusual point about this National Security Council directive is that it sets reporting ‎guidelines for even the most minute details (some of which are not considered to be sensitive by ‎the regime). For example, the latest memorandum asks the press to emphasize "the Islamic ‎Republic of Iran's humanitarian treatment of Afghani refugees" and "to take necessary ‎precautions to confront possible negative propaganda" on the eve of the anniversary of Iran’s ‎detention of 15 British sailors last year. ‎

In the past, the National Security Council had issued memoranda to the press setting out ‎parameters on reporting and identifying certain subjects as off-limits. The Council had also ‎issued guidelines regarding news story headlines. However, according to the head of a domestic ‎news agency, the issuance of such a detailed memorandum is unprecedented even in the ‎Ahmadinejad administration.‎