Iran News Coverage

Since Iran held its presidential election June 12, early accusations of vote-rigging have given way to large-scale protests that many are calling a direct challenge to Iran's system of government. Our community has tracked the developments in Iran day by day, comparing news stories and looking for the best journalism on this now global event. Last week's top stories suggest that even as the Iranian government violently cracked down on protesters and expelled many foreign reporters, news coverage remained timely and increasingly journalists are providing more context on the unrest in the country.

Understanding the Actors
Several news organizations, some lacking feet on the ground to report breaking news, profiled the actors in the Iranian election aftermath. The New Yorker ran a special report (NT review) on the plain-clothes Basij militias, loyal to Iran's leadership, who have clashed with protesters in Tehran. Their role as a civilian paramilitary force can be traced back to the 1979 Revolution, the magazine reported.

In 'In Iran, an Iron Cleric, now blinking,' (NT review) the New York Times analyzed Ayatollah Ali Khameini's backpedaling on early election results -- Khameini, the Times said, "may have opened a serious fissure in the face of Islamic rule, one that may prove impossible to patch over." Karim Sadjadpour, a leading Iran analyst, said as much in an interview (NT review) with the Council on Foreign Relations: "It's very difficult to see how the status quo ante could prevail no matter what happens," he told CFR.

The Guardian reported (NT review) less hopeful views from the street on Monday, as the arrest, beating and killing of protesters appeared to have disrupted rallies across Tehran. Breaking news from the scene of anti-government demonstrations was otherwise scarce among our top stories. 

The Use of Social Media
The Iranian opposition's use of social networks to communicate and coordinate efforts also remained a major subtext of the events in Iran. Atlantic Monthly blogger Andrew Sullivan has emerged as one of the leading Western journalists covering Iran from afar on his blog the Daily Dish. Last week he ran what amounted to an apologia (NT review) of his 'round the clock blogging, in which he praised the Iranian opposition for creating a "whole new paradigm for world politics" through their use of these technologies:

this is the central event in modern history right now. The forces of democracy have marshalled in Iran for accountability, transparency and fairness. Wherever they marshall, we should stand with them, especially in the blogosphere, where our Iranian brothers and sisters built the foundation for this movement.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also remarked on the role of social networks in the Iranian opposition movement, the LA Times reported (NT review). Defending U.S. efforts to deliver Twitter services to Iranians, Clinton said the network was key to allowing people to share information at a time when the Iranian government had shut down other lines of communication.

As Iranians continue their demands for a freer, more democratic society, we'll be tracking the developments here on NewsTrust. Check out our Iran topic page for updates, and keep submitting great stories on Iran.

Iran: top rated stories (full list)
Iran: most recent stories (full list)

-- Derek Hawkins, with Fabrice Florin, Kaizar Campwala and Joey Baker

Comments

[Val]

The voter fraud was plain to see, and their government injustice will not be forgotten by the people of Iran. When a country is forced to attack their own people in order control them, they have lost the battle already and will self destruct. The people will undermine the government authority every chance they get, as they well should. Iran will do nothing but put out political fires, and all the people will come to understand that no one is safe from government paranoid overreaction. Any government that dictates will come to the same outcome. Perfect example Honduras Pres. who decided he didn't have to run for re-election just declare himself Pres. for ever.

[DominicT]

Only economic development can provide for secure social and cultural countries. Democracy is just the first step.

Dominic is an internet marketer helping other internet marketers Make Money From Home and getting Targeted Traffic to their sites.

[dorsay dejam]

please watch and take part in the JULY 9th ONLINE PROTEST... it takes only a minute and can make ALL the difference with your help... this is not a video, this is a MOVEMENT... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26f0yE3Pz7E

any questions or comments please email ddejamster@gmail.com or nima812@gmail.com THANK YOU