Iranian newspapers and the news agencies of Iran

The Iranian press includes Persian dailies such as Kayhan, Hamshahri, Shargh and Etemad, English-language titles such as Tehran Times, influential agencies such as IRNA and Tasnim, and channels based abroad, all available online despite heavy filtering.

From the first newspaper of 1851 to the 1979 revolution

The first official Persian newspaper appeared in Tehran in 1851 at the initiative of Amir Kabir. The 1906 Constitutional Revolution gave rise to a political press, then Ettela'at, founded in 1926, and Kayhan dominated the market until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Conservatives and reformists: reading the Tehran dailies

Kayhan, whose director is appointed by the Supreme Leader, carries the hardest conservative line. Shargh and Etemad are associated with the reformist camp, while Hamshahri, the daily of the Tehran municipality, focuses mainly on urban and national news.

Persian, the dominant language of the news

The vast majority of titles are published in Persian, the official language. English-language dailies such as Tehran Times and Iran Daily target foreigners, and state media broadcast in Arabic, Azeri and Kurdish for minorities and neighbouring countries.

Tabriz, Isfahan, Mashhad: the provincial press

Every major province has its own newspapers, often linked to local authorities or religious foundations. In Tabriz, part of the press addresses Azeri readers, while Mashhad and Isfahan follow the religious, economic and cultural life of their regions.

Telegram, Instagram and news websites

Iranians get much of their news on mobile, through Telegram and Instagram, even though both are filtered and accessed via VPN. Sites such as IFP News in English offer press reviews and translations, and local messaging apps such as Eitaa are promoted by the authorities.

Which agency for which kind of news?

IRNA, the official agency descended from the Pars agency created in 1934, relays the government. ISNA, born at a university, Mehr and Tasnim, close to the Revolutionary Guards, and the conservative Fars also publish in English and sometimes in Arabic.

IRIB, Press TV and international channels

The IRIB broadcaster holds a monopoly on domestic radio and television, under the authority of the Supreme Leader. Internationally, Press TV broadcasts in English, Al-Alam in Arabic and HispanTV in Spanish, each reflecting Tehran's official positions on world affairs.

Persian-language media based abroad

BBC Persian, based in London, Radio Farda, linked to Radio Free Europe, and Iran International broadcast in Persian from outside the country. Widely followed by Iranians and the diaspora, they are considered hostile by Tehran, which blocks access to them.

Donya-e-Eqtesad and the business press

Donya-e-Eqtesad is Tehran's leading business daily, followed for the rial exchange rate, inflation and sanctions. In sport, dailies such as Iran Varzeshi focus above all on football, the Persepolis and Esteghlal clubs and the national wrestling team.

Censorship, filtering and internet shutdowns

The Press Supervisory Board, attached to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, issues licences and can suspend titles. Internet shutdowns have been imposed, notably in 2019 and during the 2022 protests, cutting the country off from much of the web.

Paywalls, English editions and sources in French

Most Iranian newspapers are free online, but their sites can be slow or unavailable from abroad. In French, news comes mainly from international media and from the specialised Islamic and religious press online, which covers the country regularly.

Comparing with the regional press

On nuclear or regional issues, cross-checking the Iranian press with the Iraqi press or the Afghan press, itself partly Persian-speaking, helps measure the differences in interpretation between Tehran, Baghdad and Kabul on the same events.

How to follow Iranian news from abroad

1. Read Tehran Times or Iran Daily in English to learn the official positions and the government agenda.
2. Follow IRNA for official statements, then Tasnim or ISNA to gauge the sensitivities of the different factions.
3. Compare with BBC Persian or Iran International, which cover Iran from abroad with a critical line.
4. Check the front pages of Kayhan, Shargh and Etemad to compare conservatives and reformists on the same story.
5. Convert dates from the Solar Hijri calendar and check Tehran time before quoting a statement.
6. Bear in mind that Iranian sites may be temporarily unreachable during shutdowns or cyberattacks.

Access to Iranian newspapers and media

Key facts for reading the press in Iran

• Main language: Persian (Farsi), written in the Perso-Arabic script; English for a few titles
• Official agency: IRNA; other agencies: ISNA, Mehr, Tasnim, Fars
• Public broadcasting: IRIB, with Press TV in English and Al-Alam in Arabic
• Reference business daily: Donya-e-Eqtesad
• Time zone: UTC+3:30, daylight saving time abolished in 2022
• Currency: Iranian rial (IRR), with prices often quoted in tomans

Common pitfalls with Iranian news

• Forgetting that dates are given in the Solar Hijri calendar, the year 1405 having begun in March 2026, which leads to chronology errors.
• Confusing rial and toman: one toman equals ten rials, so amounts quoted in articles can differ by a factor of ten.
• Presenting a semi-official agency such as Tasnim or Fars as an independent source, when both are linked to state institutions.
• Sharing old protest videos presented as recent without checking the place, the date and the original source.
• Assuming that a site blocked in Iran is unreachable everywhere, or that an Iranian outlet can be read from every country.

Common questions about the Iranian press