Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T16:40:47.740Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

From mission to profession: Journalism in Iran, 1979–2004

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Hossein Shahidi
Hossein Shahidi*
Affiliation:
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, American University of Beirut
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content.
Image of the first page of this content. For PDF version, please use the ‘Save PDF’ preceeding this image.'
Type
Articles
Information
Iranian Studies , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 1 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 The International Society for Iranian Studies

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

The article, based on the author's doctoral dissertation at Oxford University, is focused on newspapers and the recently emerging online news sites, the only segment of the Iranian media where independent journalism has had an opportunity to develop.

References

1 Projection from tables in Salnameh-ye Amari-ye Keshvar [National Statistical Yearbook], (Tehran, 1977), 173Google Scholar.

2 Molana, Hamid, Journalism in Iran—A History and Interpretation, Ph. D. dissertation, (Evanston, Illinois, USA, Northwestern University, 1963), 570Google Scholar.

3 1952 population of 18.47 million, 5.33 million urban. See Julian, Bharier, Economic Development in Iran, 1900–1970 (Oxford, 1971)Google Scholar. 1978 population of 35.8 million, 48.4 per cent urban, based on Nemagarha-ye Jam'iyati-ye Iran [Iran Population Index], (Tehran, 1999), 10.

4 Based on tables in Nemagarha-ye Jam'iyati-ye Iran, 94.

5 Salehyar, Gholam-Hossein, Chehreh-ye Matbou'at-e Moasser [The Image of the Contemporary Press] (Tehran, 1973)Google Scholar.

6 Author's calculations based on Qassemi, Seyyed-Farid, Rahnema-ye Matbou'at-e Iran [Directory of the Iranian Press] (Tehran, 1993)Google Scholar.

7 Qassemi, Seyyed-Farid, Rahnema-ye Matbou'at-e Iran [Directory of the Iranian Press] (Tehran, 1993)Google Scholar.

8 Meaning “Mr. Flower,” a common name in the countryside. Saberi closed down the paper in 2002, at the height of another round of newspaper closures in Iran, when his only other options would have been either to publish a tame magazine and see it collapse or to allow a sharper tone and antagonize his beloved state. He died soon after Gol Agha's closure.

9 Aminzadeh, Mohsen, Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Nokhostin Seminar-e Barresi-ye Masa'el-e Mabu'at-e Iran [Collection of the Papers Presented at the First Seminar to Study the Problems of the Iranian Press] (Tehran, 1992), 26–28Google Scholar.

10 Pourostad, Vahid, Mohakemeh-ye Salam [The Trial of Salam] (Tehran, 2001)Google Scholar; Kashi, Gholam-Reza, Matboua't dar Asr-e Khatami, Mordad 76-Mordad 79 [Press in Khatami's Era, August 98–August 2000] (Tehran, 2000)Google Scholar.

11 Mo'tamednejad, Kazem, “Barresi-ye Sharaye-te Pishraft Nashriyat-e Mostaqel va Kesrat-gera” [A Review of the Conditions for the Development of Independent and Pluralistic Publications], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar-e Barresi-ye Masa'el-e Matbou'at-e Iran [Collection of Articles Presented at the Second Seminar to Review the Problems of the Iranian Press] (Tehran, 1998), 34Google Scholar.

12 Larijani, Ali, “Ghalat-ha-ye Aqa-ye Qouchani,” in Qouchani, Mohammad, Pedarkhandeh va Chap-haye Javan [The Godfather and the Young Leftists] (Tehran, 2000), 198–202Google Scholar.

13 Mohsenian-Rad, Mehdi, et al., “Payam-Afarinan-e Matbou'at-e Iran” [The Message Creators in the Iranian Press], Rasaneh Quarterly Part 1, 4, no. 2 (summer 1993): 4–17Google Scholar. The survey covered 2,145 journalists.

14 The 1992 “free market” rate of exchange of 1,600 rials to the dollar from M. H. Pesaran, “Economic Trends and Macroeconomic Policies in Post-Revolutionary Iran,” August 1998, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Figure 4, 22, http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/faculty/pesaran/iran98_0.pdf.

15 Rasaneh Quarterly, 5, no. 2 (Summer 1994): 8–13.

16 Didari, Akram, “Sahm-e Rouznameh-haye Sobh az Manabe'-e Khabari” [Morning Dailies' Use of News Sources], Rasaneh Quarterly 6, no. 3 (Autum 1995): 52–57Google Scholar.

17 Forqani, Mohammad-Mehdi, “Matbou'at va Tahavolat-e Ejema'i dar Iran” [The Press and Social Developments in Iran], Rasaneh Quarterly 7, no. 2 (Summer 1996): 30–42Google Scholar.

18 Rasaneh Quarterly, 5, no. 1 (Spring 1994): 50–61.

19 Kashi, Gholam-Reza, Matboua't dar Asr-e Khatami, Mordad 76-Mordad 79 [Press in Khatami's Era, August 98-August 2000] (Terhan, 2000), 177–78Google Scholar.

20 Esmaili, Mohsen, “Dad'gah-ha-ye Matoub'ati” [Press Courts], Rasaneh Quarterly 8, no. 1 (Spring 1997): 69–72Google Scholar.

21 Rasaneh Quarterly, 6, no. 3 (Autumn 1995): 115Google Scholar.

22 For a selection of criticisms, see Jomhouri-ye Eslami, 6 September 1995 and Adineh, no. 102 (August 1995): 49–53.

23 Director of Domestic Press at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Entezami, Hossein, quoted in Rasaneh Quarterly 6, no. 1 (Spring 1995): 81Google Scholar.

24 Rasaneh Quarterly, 7, no. 2 (Summer 1996): 48–52Google Scholar. Payam-e Daneshju that had been banned briefly in 1995 was permanently stopped in 1998.

25 Rasaneh Quarterly, 7, no. 1 (Spring 1996): 2–11Google Scholar.

26 Asare-e Bargozideh-ye Chaharomin Jashnvareh-ye Matbou'at [Selected Works from the Fourth Press Festival] (Tehran, 1998), 72–110Google Scholar.

27 Razzazi, Majid, “Gozareshi az Vaz'e Control-e Maali dar Sherkat-ha-ye Dolati” [A Report on Financial Control at State-owned Companies], in Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Chaharomin Jashnvareh (Tehran, 1998), 298–314Google Scholar.

28 Kaviani, Hamid-Reza, “Goftog-gouy-e Shesh-sa'teh ba Mohsen Raqiqdoust” [Six Hour Interview with Mohsen Rafiqdoust], in Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Chaharomin Jashnvareh (Tehran, 1998), 334–352Google Scholar.

29 Bastani, Lili Farhadpour, “Obour az Gomrok-e Mordegan” [Passing Through the Customs House for the Dead] Daricheh [Window] monthly, 1, no. 3, reprinted in Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Chaharomin Jashnvareh (Tehran, 1998), 316–326Google Scholar.

30 Shoja'i, Seyyed-Mehdi, “Shazdeh” [The Prince] in Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Chaharomin Jashnvareh (Tehran, 1998), 367–371Google Scholar.

31 Ali-Entezari, , 4th Festival Secretary, Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Chaharomin Jashnvareh (Tehran, 1998), 10–11Google Scholar.

32 Mo'tamednejad, Kazem, “Barresi-ye Sharayete Pishraft-e Nashriyat-e Mostaqel va Kesrat-gera” [A Review of the Conditions for the Development of Independent and Pluralistic Publications], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar-e Barresi-ye Masa'el-e Matbou'at-e Iran, [Collection of Articles Presented at the Second Seminar to Review the Problems of the Iranian Press], (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:45Google Scholar.

33 Rouznamehnegar, organ of the Association of Iranian Journalists, no. 1 (August–September 1999): 1.

34 Kashi, Matboua't dar Asr-e Khatami, 178.

35 Mo'tamednejad, Kazem, “Barresi-ye Sharayete Pishraft-e Nashriyat-e Mostaqel va Kesrat-gera” [A Review of the Conditions for the Development of Independent and Pluralistic Publications], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar-e Barresi-ye Masa'el-e Matbou'at-e Iran, (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:45Google Scholar.

36 Mohajerani, ‘Ata’ollah, Esteezah [Censure], (Tehran, 1999), 204–206Google Scholar.

37 Rasaneh Quarterly, 8, no. 3 (Autumn 1997): 130.Google Scholar

38 Zeidabadi, Ahmad, “Manaafe'-e Melli, Barayand-e Aara'-e Mellat” [National Interests, the Vector of People's Votes], in Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Panjomin Jashnvareh-ye Matbou'at [Selected Works from the Fifth Press Festival] (Tehran, 1999), 26–27Google Scholar.

39 Mo'tamednejad, Kazem, “Gozaresh-e Dabir-e Elmi-ye Seminar” [Report by the Academic Secretary of the Seminar], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1: 2–3Google Scholar.

40 Rezaie, Hamid-Reza, “Dowlat, Aamel-e Asli-ye Bazdarandegi-ye Towse'eh-ye Matbou'at” [The State, the Main Factor Holding Back the Development of the Press], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:131–141Google Scholar.

41 Talebzadeh, Khosrow, “Barressi-ye Mo'zalat-e Chap-e Matbou'at” [Review of the Problems of the Printing of the Press], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:235–245Google Scholar.

42 Qazizadeh, Ali-Akbar, “Zamineh-ha-ye Sou'-e Tafahom Miyan-e Maboua't va Massou'lan” [The Background to Misunderstanding Between the Press and the Officials], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:355–372Google Scholar.

43 Farahmand, Ali-Reza, “Matoub'at-e Jame'ey-ye Madani” [Press in a Civil Society], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:115–117Google Scholar

44 Zare', Bijan, “Barresi-ye Vaz'iyat-e Amuzesh-e Rouznamehnegari dar Iran” [A Review of the State of Journalism Training in Iran], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 2:642Google Scholar.

45 Adib-Hasehmi, Farid, “Siyassat-gozari va Amuzesh, Do Mas'aleh-ye Assassi dar Matbou'at-e Iran” [Policy-making and Training, Two Fundamental Issues for the Iranian Press], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 2:612–615Google Scholar.

46 Adib-Hasehmi, Farid, “Siyassat-gozari va Amuzesh, Do Mas'aleh-ye Assasi dar Matbou'at-e Iran” [Policy-making and Training, Two Fundamental Issues for the Iranian Press], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 2:617Google Scholar.

47 Article 3 of the Iranian Press Law.

48 Mohsenian-Rad, Mehdi, “Rouznamehnegari-ye Enteqadi!” [Critical Journaism!], in Majmou'eh Maqalat-e Dovomin Seminar (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 1998), 1:100–101Google Scholar.

49 Jalaiepour, Hamid-Reza, Pass az Dovom-e Khordad [After 22May] (Tehran,1999), 39–46Google Scholar.

50 Jalaiepour, Hamid-Reza, Pass az Dovom-e Khordad [After 22May] (Tehran,1999), 33–53Google Scholar.

51 Pourostad, Mohakemeh-ye Jameah, 131–135.

52 Pourostad, Vahid, Mohakemeh-ye Tous [The Trial of Tous] (Tehran, 2002), 17–42Google Scholar.

53 Rasaneh Quarterly, 9, no. 2 (Summer 1998): 159–160Google Scholar.

54 Rasai, Hamid, Payan-e Dastan-e Ghamangiz, Negahi beh Zamineh-haye Sodour-e Hokm-e Hokoumati-ye Maqam-e Mo'azzam-e Rahbari dar-bareh-ye Qanoun-e Matbou'at [The End of the Tragic Story: A Glance at the Background to His Excellency the Supreme Leader's Decree on the Press Law], Vol. 1 (Tehran, 2001), 84–194Google Scholar.

55 Pourostad, Mohakemeh-ye Tous, 77–115.

56 Pourostad, Mohakemeh-ye Tous, 46.

57 Pourostad, Mohakemeh-ye Tous, 171–195.

58 Pourostad, Mohakemeh-ye Tous, 145.

59 Mohajerani, ‘Ata’ollah, Esteezah [Censure], (Tehran, 1999), 215Google Scholar.

60 Mohajerani, ‘Ata’ollah, Esteezah [Censure], (Tehran, 1999), 215–216Google Scholar.

61 Kashi, Matboua't dar Asr-e Khatami, 126–127.

62 Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom-e Matbou'at [The Book of the Sixth Press Festival], (Tehran, 1999), 54Google Scholar.

63 Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom-e Matbou'at [The Book of the Sixth Press Festival], 60

64 Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom-e Matbou'at [The Book of the Sixth Press Festival], 65.

65 Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom-e Matbou'at [The Book of the Sixth Press Festival], 7.

66 Ali Rabi'i, “Khat-e Nofuz ra Jeddi Begirid” [Take the Infiltration Line Seriously], Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom, 91–93.

67 Photograph by Javad Montazeri and cartoon by Mana Neyestani, Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom, 203 and 287, respectively.

68 Asadi, Abbas, “Otaq-e Izoleh, Akharin Istgah-e Mobtalayan-e AIDS” [Isolation Room, the Last Stop for AIDS Patients and other reports], Ketab-e Jashnvareh-ye Sheshom (Tehran, 1999), 227–262Google Scholar.

69 Mohsenian-Rad, Mehdi, Rasaneh Quarterly 12, no. 1 (Spring 2001): 136–139Google Scholar.

70 Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, Vol. 1, 96–165Google Scholar.

71 Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, Vol. 1, 194–200Google Scholar.

72 Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, Vol. 1, 88Google Scholar.

73 Salam front page, 6 July 1999, reproduced in Mohakemeh-ye Salam, 367.

74 Kaviani, Hamid, Dar Jostoju-ye Mahfel-e Jenayatkaran [In Search of the Criminal Circle] (Tehran, 1999), 138–170Google Scholar.

75 Pourostad, Mohakemeh-ye Salam, 210–211. The Court later imposed a five-year ban on Salam.

76 For comments by Ayatollahs Fazel-Lankarani, Makarem-Shirazi, Nouri-Hamadani, Behjat, Mousavi-Aredebili and Sheikh Javad Tabrizi, see Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, 1:213–225Google Scholar.

77 Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, 1:200–204Google Scholar.

78 BBC World Service report, 12 March 2000, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/674499.stm.

79 BBC World Service report, 17 May 2000, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/752624.stm, and BBC Persian Service report, 16 August 2003, http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/030816_mf-asgar.shtml.

80 For details of the conference and its aftermath, see Zakariaee, Mohamad-Ali (ed.), Conferans-e Berlin: Khedmat ya Khiyant? [Berlin Conference: Service or Treason] (Tehran, 2000)Google Scholar.

81 Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, 1:206–209Google Scholar.

82 Association of Iranian Journalists, Daghdagheh-ye Azadi [Angst for Freedom] (Tehran, 2003), 201–202Google Scholar.

83 Rouznamehnegar, no. 27 (February–March 2001): 4.

84 Rasai, , Payan-e Dastan-e Gham-angiz, 2:247Google Scholar.

85 Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Haftomin Jashnvareh-ye Matbou'at [Selected Works from the Seventh Press Festival] (Tehran, 2001), 7Google Scholar. Iran's Reporters' Day is named after Mahmoud Saremi, a correspondent for the national news agency, IRNA, who was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 1998.

86 Rouznamehnegar, no. 13 (September–October 2000): 2.

87 Seyyed-Ebarhim Nabavi, quoted in Rouznamehnegar, no. 30 (May–June 2002): 6.

88 Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Haftomin Jashnvareh, 27.

89 Daghdagheh-ye Azadi, 201–203.

90 Association of Iranian Journalists' Secretary, Massoud Hushamand-Razavi, interviewed by the author, Tehran, 4 Jan 2005.

91 Asar-e Bargozideh-ye Haftomin Jashnvareh, 24.

92 BBC Persian Service reports on 28 July 2004: http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2004/07/040728_a_mb_mohajerani.shtml, http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2004/07/040728_a_mb_mohajerani.shtml, http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2004/07/040728_mf_mohajerani01.shtml, and http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2004/07/040728_mf_mohajerani.shtml. http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/030623_mf-icdac.shtml.

93 Rouznamehnegar no. 23 (September–October 2001): 3.

94 Daghdagheh-ye Azadi, 205–206.

95 Rouznamehnegar, no. 32 (July–August 2002): 2.

96 Reuters, 16 July 2001, carried by Gulf News Online: http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=22330.

97 Rouznamehnegar no. 32 (July–August 2002): 1.

98 Rasaneh Quarterly 13, no. 2 (Summer 2002): 1Google Scholar.

99 Rasaneh Supplement, weekly publication of the office of Deputy Minister for Press and Publicity Affairs, Minstry of Culutre and Islamic Guidance 1 (May 2004): 5.

100 Rasaneh Supplement 1 (May 2004): 3.

101 Rasaneh Supplement 1, no.1 (16 June 2004): 4.

102 Rasaneh Quarterly 15, no. 2 (Summer 2004): 230.

103 Rouznamehnegar no. 39 (May–June 2003): 1. The paper named the detainees as Ali-Reza Jabbari, Reza Alijani, Taqi Rahmani, Hoda Saber, Amin Bozorgian, Ensaf-Ali Hedayat, and Mohammad-Mohsen Sazegara.

104 In July 2004, the judiciary announced that the “sole defendant” in Zahra Kazemi's case, an Intelligence Ministry agent, had been acquitted and that Zahra Kazemi's death could only have been caused by “a drop in her blood pressure caused by her hunger strike, thus making her fall from a standing position and get hurt.” Zahra Kazemi's family and reformists in Iran said the trial was part of a cover-up to protect a high ranking judiciary official. The ruling was also dismissed by the Canadian government. (BBC World Service, 29 July 2004: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3936021.stm.)

105 Rouznamehnegar no. 40 (August 2003): 1–6.

106 Rouznamehnegar no. 40 (July–August 2003): 8.

107 Rouznamehnegar no. 40 (July–August 2003): 9.

108 The then Director of Research at the Centre for Media Studies and Research, Bahrampour, Ali, “Aasibha va Masaae'l-e Herfei-ye Matbou'at” [Professional Failures and Problems of the Country's Press], Rasaneh Quarterly 14, no. 2 (Summer 2003): 42–49Google Scholar.

109 Rouznamehnegar no. 42 (April–May 2004): 4.

110 Rouznamehnegar no. 42 (April–May 2004): 1.

111 Rouznamehnegar no. 44 (August–September 2004): 8.

112 Safdari, Akbar, “Herfeh Rouznamehnegar” [Profession, Journalist], Rasaneh Supplement 1, no. 5, 5–20 (August 2005)Google Scholar: 8–9.

113 Jahan-e-Football [World of Football] editor, Laroudi, Ardeshir, Rasaneh Supplement 1, no. 10 (22 October–5 November 2004): 6–7Google Scholar.

114 Sohofi, Rasaneh Supplement 1 (June 2004): 5. The “Press Council” was later renamed the “Media Council.”

115 Sohofi, , meeting the managers of sports and popular newspapers, Rasaneh Supplement 1, no. 4 (22 July–5 August 2004): 4Google Scholar.

116 The Director General of the Stock Exchange, Abdoh-Tabrizi, Hussein, Rasaneh Supplement 1, no. 3, 6–21 (July 2004)Google Scholar: 1–2.

117 Rasaneh Supplement 1, no. 12 (21 November–5 December 2004): 1–3Google Scholar.

118 Fariborz Rais-dana, “Miz-e-gerd-e Towlid-e Melli” [National Production Roundtable], Naqd-e Now [New Critique] monthly, no 4 (January–February 2004): 8.

119 Shenasnameh-ye Mowzoui'-ye Matbou'at-e Keshvar. The smallest groups of newspapers listed in the catalogue, with five titles each, were the “Holy Defense Literature” and “Satire and Cartoons.”

120 Shenasnameh-ye Mowzoui'-ye Matbou'at-e Keshvar [Subject Catalogue of the Country's Press], (Tehran, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 2004)Google Scholar.

121 For instance, the November 2004 issue of the quarterly Me'mar [Architect] had a cover price of 40,000 rials ($4.5), five times greater than the women's monthly Zanan. One-third of Me'mar's glossy, full color pages carried advertisements for construction material, equipment, fittings, and furniture.

122 Issa Saharkhiz, quoted in Rouznamehnegar no. 42 (April–May 2004): 12.

123 For a list of the online services, see: http://www.parstimes.com/IL5.html.

124 Reporters Without Borders' website, http://rsf.fr/article.php3?id_article=10733, accessed 16 January 2005.

125 Internet Filtering in Iran in 2004–2005: A Country Study, http://opennetinitiative.net/studies/iran/.

126 Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Seyyed-Ahmad Mo'tamedi, Shargh, 24 January 2005, 4.

127 Shargh daily, 25 December 2004, 4.

128 Deputy Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Sadri, interviewed by Jahan-e San'at daily, 2 March 2005, 5.

129 Internet World Stats, Top Twenty Countries, http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm, 12 February 2005.

130 Internet World Stats, Internet Usage in Asia, http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm, 3 February 2005.

131 Internet World Stats, Internet Usage in the Middle East, http://www.internetworldstats. com/stats5.htm, 3 February 2005.

132 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_weblogs.

133 Badjens [Iranian Feminist Newsletter], September 2004, http://www.badjens.com/rediscovery.html.

134 Data compiled by the author from various Iranian newspapers.

135 ISNA, 11 December 2004, http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-454945.

136 Arash Sigarchi, editor of Gilan-e Emrouz (Gilan Today), based in Rasht, Shargh, 23 February 2005, 2. Mr. Sigarchi's lawyer said he would lodge an appeal. Mr. Sigarchi was arrested in January after using his weblog to criticize the arrest of other online journalists, BBC World Service report, 23 February 2005, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/4292399.stm.

137 Shargh, 2 March 2005, 6, quoted Reporters Without Borders as saying that Webnegar writer Mohammad-Reza Abdollahi-Nasab had been arrested and sent to central prison in Rafsanjan. He had been found guilty of “publishing lies and insults” and sentenced to 6 months in prison and payment of 1 m rials [$112]. The sentence was confirmed by the Court of Appeal on 24 February.

138 Baztab news site, 4 June 2005, http://www.baztab.com/news/25020.php.

139 In January 2005, Iran's SMS service already had 1.4 million subscribers – Hamvatan Salam daily, 8 January 2005, http://itiran.net/archives/001202.php.

140 Eqbal daily, 7 March 2005, 9.

141 Shargh, 2 March 2005, 11.

142 Shargh, 25 December 2004, 4.

143 For the definition and elaboration of the concept of Iran as a “short-term” society, see Katouzian, Homa, Iranian History and Politics (London and New York, I.B. Tauris, 2003)Google Scholar.

144 Mohammad Qouchani quoted by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), reproduced by the German-based Persian language news site, Iran-e Emrouz, 3 August 2004, http://news.iran-emrouz.de/more.php?id=6792_0_21_0_M.

145 Kayhan daily, 5 July 2005, available online: http://www.nasle3.com/archives/000045.html.

146 Ghaed, Mohammad, “Taqaddos va Ebtezal-e Sotoun-ha-ye Chaapi” [The Sanctity and Vulgarity of Printed Columns], introduction to Ghaed's Persian translation of Martin Walker's The Powers of the Press (Tehran, 1993), 10–11Google Scholar.