News-Making Figure of 1393 Selected by Radio Farda Audience

"Radio Farda" intends to select the most newsworthy figure of the year 1393 for the fourth consecutive year through audience votes. In this fourth round of selection, over 200 journalists and news professionals have nominated their candidates for the title of "Most Newsworthy Figure of 1393 as chosen by Radio Farda's audience." The result of this poll is a list of ten individuals, which you can read below along with a brief introduction of each, ordered by the number of votes received from our reference group. Radio Farda's audience can directly participate through the Radio Farda website, by sending an SMS to 00420603874150, or by calling Radio Farda's voicemail at 00420221122112 or via email at [email protected] to choose their preferred candidate for the title of "Most Newsworthy Figure of 1393." In the first round of this poll held in 1390, Reza Pahlavi, a political activist and son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, was named the most newsworthy figure. In the second round in 1391, Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist, won, and in the third round in 1392, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, was chosen. You can also participate in this poll and select one of the options from the final ten-person list to introduce the "Most Newsworthy Figure of 1393." 1. Mohammad Javad Zarif: Iran's Foreign Minister who heads the Iranian negotiating team with the 5+1 countries. His walk with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during nuclear negotiations in the streets of Geneva made headlines and drew reactions from conservatives in Iran. 2. Qassem Soleimani: Major General and commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who has played a significant role in military operations outside Iran, including in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. 3. Ali Motahari: Conservative representative of Tehran in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and a critic of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has made headlines several times due to his protest statements, including regarding the house arrest and imprisonment of leaders of the 88 election protests. 4. Mohammad Reza Rahimi: The first vice president of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was sentenced to five years in prison for financial corruption and embezzlement in 1393 and is currently serving his sentence in Evin Prison. 5. Jafar Panahi: Iranian filmmaker and screenwriter who was arrested after the events of the June 88 elections and served time in prison. He was sentenced to six years in prison and a 20-year ban on filmmaking and leaving Iran. His latest film, "Taxi," made under special conditions, won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. 6. Morteza Pashaei: A pop singer, musician, and composer who passed away in 1393 after battling cancer. The reactions to his death and the number of participants in his funeral were so significant that they surprised sociologists and experts. 7. Mohammad Khatami: President of Iran from 1997 to 2005, who after the 88 election events is referred to by conservatives as one of the leaders of the sedition and called for his prosecution. In 1393, Iranian judicial authorities announced restrictions on the media regarding the publication of news and images of Khatami. 8. Nasrin Sotoudeh: A lawyer and human rights activist who was imprisoned from September 2009 to September 2012. After her release, she protested weekly against the annulment of her law license in front of the Tehran Bar Association, claiming her right to choose her profession based on human rights declarations. 9. Masih Alinejad: An Iranian journalist and activist who launched the Facebook campaign "My Stealthy Freedom" in 1393, encouraging Iranian women opposing mandatory hijab to share their experiences and efforts regarding the lack of freedom of choice in clothing. 10. Hassan Rouhani: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Rouhani is the first Iranian president to meet with the British Prime Minister David Cameron after the 1979 revolution. He also became the first Iranian president to have a conversation with the U.S. president in 1392.