Vaezi Ashtiani, Member of Tehran City Council:
Rooz (R) Mr. Vaezi, on the eve of publishing the 500th issue of Rooz, how do you evaluate the performance of this electronic newspaper?
Amir Reza Vaezi Ashtiani (AA): In my opinion electronic publications can serve those who do not have access to print media or do not have time to read them, provided that their reports match reality and they do not corrupt public opinion.
R: What does that mean?
AA: [It means reporting] accurate and real news.
R: What do you mean?
AA: News must be reported in a context that recognizes the political, cultural, social and economic aspects of society. It must be based on the truth.
R: Who gets to define the truth?
AA: We just have to avoid moving in a direction that corrupts public opinion unjustly. It is a right of the people to have access to news from their surroundings and gain more information about it. I support dissimenating information through electronic media.
R: This issue of corruption public opinion has been brought up many times for journalists. In light of the fact that many of the country’s professional journalists choose not to work under the strict guidelines of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and prefer instead to publish their pieces in more open forums, how do you think government institutions can define the “bounds of national security” for them?
AA: Look, the issue of national security is under discussion in every country. If you look at the foreign press, the issue of national security is also important to them. We have to abide by professional standards in journalism and news reporting. We have to have a rational and principled look at the news in order to serve the public. We have seen repeatedly that newspapers or website that report false news have not been well received by the public.
R: In recent years some groups within the Islamic Republic have linked any kind of civil society activity, especially those done by independent journalists, to “foreigners” and “enemies,” claiming that these people are after instigating a “color revolution” in Iran with their reporting. How much evidence is there to support these charges?
AA: I think that we should not behave in a manner that gives rise to such doubts.
R: What do you mean?
AA: We should not behave in a way that invites others to think we are acting in the interest of foreigners. Also, we have had and do have newspapers, publications and news agencies that receive support from foreigners.
R: How so?
AA: Some receive financial aid from foreigners, and this is undeniable. This exists in Iran and everywhere else in the world.
R: Please explain.
AA: I think that there are some who serve as the enemy’s fifth column. There are also some who have valid criticism but also take into account national security and their homeland; even their religion is important for them and they are not willing to exchange their religion and homeland for anything else. We have to distinguish the latter group from the former. Rational and responsible criticism is not bad for society.
