According to several journalists in Iran, reporters were excluded from a recent government ceremony attended by Mohammad Reza Aref, the First Vice President. Reports from Mehr and ILNA indicate that in two farewell and introduction ceremonies held on Saturday, September 1, for the Minister of Labor, Cooperatives, and Social Welfare, as well as the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, journalists were not present. Mehr reported that only 'selective journalists' attended the ceremony for the Minister of Communications. Despite an initial invitation to journalists, they were informed four hours before the event that it would proceed without them. Several journalists, including Sonita Sarabpour from Shargh newspaper, Fatemeh Mahdiani from ILNA news agency, and Mohammad Taheri from Tejarat-e-Farda weekly, confirmed the absence of journalists at the recent events. Mohammad Taheri tweeted: 'We asked why the son of a prominent figure is taken to official meetings while journalists are excluded from them.' However, Alireza Khamsian, the communications deputy of Mohammad Reza Aref, denied reports of the government ceremony being held without journalists and urged reporters not to give credibility to 'inaccurate quotes.' Sonita Sarabpour wrote that she went to the Ministry of Communications for verification but was not allowed in as a journalist. According to Mehr news agency, in the past two weeks, two other farewell and introduction ceremonies were held with Mohammad Reza Aref, where political or specialized journalists were also absent. Mehr reported these two events as the farewell and introduction of the Vice President for Science and Technology on August 14 and the farewell and introduction of the Minister of Science on September 1. The news agency quoted a journalist stating: 'They called and said Mr. Aref does not want any journalists at the ceremony. I thought the new government would end the selective invitation policies for journalists, but it seems things are still the same.' The holding of government ceremonies without journalists is notable, especially given the media attention surrounding the presence of Hamidreza Aref, the son of the First Vice President, at these events.
Journalists Report Being Excluded from Government Ceremony Attended by Mohammad Reza Aref
Journalists were excluded from recent government ceremonies attended by Mohammad Reza Aref, raising concerns about media access and transparency in Iran. Despite initial invitations, reporters were informed shortly before the events that they could not attend, prompting criticism from the media community. This incident highlights ongoing issues regarding press freedom and selective access to government events.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Journalists were excluded from two government ceremonies attended by First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, despite initial invitations. This led to criticism from the media community regarding press freedom and transparency.
- Journalists were informed only hours before the events that they could not attend.
- The absence of journalists at these ceremonies raises concerns about selective media access.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has a complex relationship with press freedom, often characterized by government control and selective access to information. This incident reflects ongoing tensions between the state and the media.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%