DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES —
Iran’s judicial authorities reportedly banned a newspaper Monday for publishing a front-page graphic that appeared to point out Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s hand drawing the poverty line within the Islamic Republic, amid widespread anger over the cratering economic system.
The semi-official Mehr information company mentioned Iran’s media supervisory physique shut down the each day newspaper Kelid after it revealed a front-page article titled “Tens of millions of Iranians Residing beneath Poverty Line” on Saturday.
Underneath the headline, the graphic reveals an individual’s left hand holding a pen and drawing a crimson line throughout the web page as silhouettes of individuals beneath are reaching as much as the road.
The graphic resembled an earlier picture of Khamenei writing on a bit of paper along with his left hand, a outstanding ring on certainly one of his fingers. His proper has been paralyzed since a 1981 bombing.
The Younger Journalists Membership, a gaggle related to state tv, earlier reported that censors have been analyzing the newspaper after the publication. The state-run IRNA information company acknowledged Kelid had been shut down, with out explaining the rationale.
Kelid couldn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Monday. Its web site has been taken offline.
Iran, whose state-dominated economic system has lengthy confronted bother because the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has been beneath elevated stress since then U.S. president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear cope with world powers in 2018.
The Iranian rial is now about 281,500 to the U.S. greenback — in contrast with 32,000 rials for US$1 on the time when the 2015 nuclear deal was struck. With U.S. sanctions nonetheless strangling the economic system, record-breaking inflation has hit odd Iranians the place it hurts most. Surprised consumers are reducing meat and dairy from their diets, shopping for much less and fewer every month.
Whereas radio and tv stations are all state-controlled in Iran, newspapers and magazines could be owned and revealed by non-public people. Nonetheless, Iranian journalists face fixed harassment and the specter of arrest, in keeping with press advocacy teams.
The Committee to Defend Journalists known as on Iran to instantly reverse its resolution banning the newspaper.
“Truthful and open reporting about issues of each day life is of significant significance for the Iranian public,” mentioned Sherif Mansour, the committee’s Center East and North Africa program coordinator. “Iranian authorities should enable Kelid to renew operations instantly and stop any makes an attempt to censor the media.”
