Iranian government accuses state TV of censorship over US negotiation coverage
President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration claims state broadcaster omitted key details regarding secret approval for talks with the United States, while IRIB defends edits as necessary to preserve leadership unity.
A public dispute has erupted between Iran’s government and state broadcaster IRIB over the portrayal of ongoing negotiations with the United States, coinciding with diplomatic efforts led by Omani mediators in Tehran. The Government Information Council accused the state television network of censorship after it omitted a section of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s speech in which he stated that former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had privately authorised talks with Washington, despite public statements to the contrary.
IRIB rejected the accusations, asserting that its duty was to prevent the appearance of division within Iran’s leadership pillars. The broadcaster issued a statement on Saturday rejecting what it termed “improper attributions,” arguing that broadcasting the president’s segment would have propagated an incorrect and unreal suggestion of duality in the country’s leadership structure.
President Pezeshkian had reportedly told the former supreme leader that the conditions of “no war, no peace” were detrimental to the country, prompting Khamenei to order negotiations. The government council described the editing of the speech as part of a series of unusual actions by state television, noting that segments of recent interviews with parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and judiciary head Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei had also been cut.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed frustration over the limited coverage of his wartime interviews with US media outlets such as Fox and CNN. He stated he had “fought with a sword” in these interviews to present Iran’s case to US policymakers but noted that only one or two subtitles from the broadcasts were aired. Araghchi also rejected hardline claims that the suspended memorandum of understanding signed last month was imposed on the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, characterising it as the best possible agreement under the circumstances.
Tensions within the administration have escalated, with reports indicating that Pezeshkian sharply reprimanded IRIB chief Peyman Jebeli at a cabinet meeting following the row. While hardline lawmaker Meysam Zohourian claimed the president threatened to cut state television’s budget, the administration has not confirmed this. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that talks continue but no agreement is expected soon, as Iranian officials vowed that missile and drone launches will continue until the full surrender of the enemy.
