From Gates to Leaks

The disclosure of the "Panama Papers" has been welcomed by several newspapers close to reformists, while only a few newspapers aligned with conservatives have mentioned this event on their front pages. Among reformist newspapers, 'Etemad', 'Shargh', 'Jahan San'at', 'Te'dal', 'Ebtekar', 'Farhikhtegan', 'Roozan', 'Iran', 'Donya-ye Eghtesad', and 'Tejarat' have published reports about the "Panama Papers" on their front pages, while 'Arman', 'Mardomsalari', 'Shahrvand', 'Hamdehli', and 'Aftab Yazd' did not mention it at all. Among conservative newspapers, 'Javan' and 'Khorasan' dedicated one of their main headlines to the disclosure of the "Panama Papers", while other newspapers in this faction, including 'Quds', 'Hemayat', 'Resalat', 'Kayhan', 'Vatan-e Emruz', and 'Jam-e Jam', chose not to pay attention to this revelation on their front pages. The newspaper 'Ebtekar' in its editorial titled "From Gates to Leaks" stated: "If the world had to wait years to learn about what happened in the forced labor camps of Siberia in the former Soviet Union or the Auschwitz crematoria, nowadays even the survival and dominance of power holders over the geography of information cannot prevent the exposure of truths that lead to the disgrace of governments and prominent figures around the world." Reza Dehaki in the editorial of 'Ebtekar' noted that the disclosure of these documents evokes four main themes: "The first theme is the widespread nature of corruption in the world; the second theme is the intertwining of economic and political corruption interests; the third theme is the impact of free information flow and new methods of information dissemination, including the internet; and the fourth theme is the role of investigative journalism in exposing corruption." The newspaper 'Ebtekar' emphasized that the absence of investigative journalism in Iran, alongside issues such as the incomplete implementation of the law on access to information and legal restrictions on media in exposing corruption, has prevented the media from fulfilling their real role in shedding light on the dark corners of corruption. It stated that after the exposure of "widespread corruption" related to the previous government and the efforts of the eleventh government to combat corruption, "strengthening the role of the media and, of course, the media's attention to investigative journalism can help create insecurity for the existence of corruption." The newspaper 'Etemad' highlighted that the release of 11.5 million documents of corruption and money laundering involving famous world leaders and politicians has created a media storm globally, describing this disclosure as the "Watergate of our era". It reported that "12 current and former leaders and 72 associates and connections to world leaders and 140 famous politicians are involved in the financial scandal of the century," while "33 individuals accused by the Panama Papers are on the U.S. Treasury's blacklist." The report emphasized that the "Panama Papers" reveal how a minority of prominent figures and power holders, who feel accountable to no one, have accumulated and hidden extraordinary and terrifying wealth through illegal methods, money laundering, and tax evasion. 'Etemad' noted that "400 newspapers and 107 media outlets from 78 countries were involved," stating that "no Iranian journalist participated in this project." The newspaper 'Jahan San'at' published a design on its front page featuring some leaders accused in the Panama Papers, including Mahmoud Ahmadinejad alongside current and former leaders such as Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin, and King Salman. It stated that millions of documents of money laundering involving the world's greatest politicians were released, naming several political figures "from Putin's circle to King Salman and Ahmadinejad." 'Jahan San'at' pointed out that "among the millions of documents released, there are only four documents from Iran," stating that "Iran used a state-owned company to bypass sanctions for its global oil transactions. As one employee of Mossack Fonseca stated, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad owned a company that was connected to Mossack Fonseca." The newspaper also emphasized in its editorial that "nothing remains hidden anymore," stating: "Now, in the second decade of the third millennium, if someone scratches behind their ear in a corner of Alaska, here in Tehran, with just the push of a button, everything will be revealed. Technology has advanced to the point that not only public life but also private lives are exposed to public scrutiny and judgment." Massoud Salimi, an editorial writer for 'Jahan San'at', noted that from Tuesday, "documents from a Panamanian financial institution are gradually being revealed in cyberspace, undoubtedly through the efforts of a group of Western journalists," stating that this event "has caused and will cause many leaders and diverse famous personalities around the world to be recognized by the term money laundering." 'Jahan San'at' questioned what effects such revelations will have, for example, on the situation in Ukraine, where its president is on the list of money launderers, or whether those who have deceived the public with populism and then laundered their country's money in Panama will be questioned or continue their work, but the important thing is that "nothing remains hidden anymore." The newspaper 'Shargh' also mentioned on its front page titled "Dirty Hands" that "the list of money laundering involving some presidents and famous figures around the world has been published."