The United States said it was aware of threats by Iran’s armed forces to put Persian-language media outlets including RFE/RL’s Radio Farda on a list of potential military targets, and pointed to what it said was Tehran’s record of harassment and attempted attacks against journalists and dissidents abroad. In an August 28 response to a query from RFE/RL, a State Department spokesperson said, “We are aware of these reports.”
Iranian Armed Forces Name Foreign Broadcasters as Military Targets
In a televised interview earlier this week, Iranian armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi named Radio Farda, Iran International, BBC Persian, and Manoto, and said their employees could be included in Iran’s “bank of military targets.” Military spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi named the BBC’s Persian-language service, Iran International and Radio Farda among the possible targets, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Wednesday. The general accused the outlets of having links to Israeli and US intelligence services. Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi made the remarks during a visit to Defa Press, a media outlet linked to Iran’s defense establishment, explicitly naming Iran International, BBC Persian, Manoto and Radio Farda and accusing their employees of working on behalf of Tehran’s enemies.
“The Iranian regime has repeatedly harassed and attempted to kidnap and kill journalists and Iranian dissidents worldwide simply for exercising their freedoms. This is longstanding, despicable behavior from a regime that has propagated terror globally for decades,” the spokesperson said. The United States stands with innocent civilians targeted by Iran and continues working with allies and partners to expose these threats, share threat information, and hold perpetrators accountable, the spokesperson continued.
International Reactions and Security Concerns for Broadcasters
The Czech Republic, which hosts RFE/RL and Radio Farda in Prague, has protested the threats. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said he was summoning the Iranian ambassador to appear at the ministry over the matter, Czech media reported. Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman Adam Corgo told Czech Radio that “Radio Farda, based in Prague, has been one of the few channels getting verified information to the Iranian population. Its importance was especially clear during the mass repression which the Iranian regime subjected its people to in the winter,” referring to a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran in January. Foreign-based Iranian rights groups say they have verified around 7,000 deaths but that the real death toll is likely higher.
David Kramer, executive director of the George W. Bush Institute and a former US assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, told RFE/RL that the regime’s hostility reflects its fear of an informed public. Thomas Melia, a former senior State Department official focusing on human rights and now a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Democracy and Civil Society, added that personnel in Prague and elsewhere need to heighten their security awareness, pointing to the Iranian state’s actions targeting dissidents abroad.
Did You Know? Radio Farda is the Iranian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which says its mission is to “promote democratic values by providing accurate, uncensored news and open debate in countries where a free press is threatened and disinformation is pervasive.” RFE/RL reports in 24 languages to 18 countries. It is a private, nonprofit American media corporation funded by a grant from the US Congress through the United States Agency for Global Media.
Broader Context of Information Warfare and Regional Censorship
Christopher Walker, vice president of the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis, described the move as part of a global shadow war waged against the West by authoritarian governments in Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran. Walker noted that the Iranian authorities take media and information competition very seriously, and are understood to spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually on their state information capabilities around the world.
Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a former deputy commander of US Central Command, observed that the clerical authorities who have held power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution have consistently opposed a free press. “At its core, the regime has always been against free press and anybody willing to speak, and they’ve been able to control that internally,” Harward told RFE/RL. “Now, as they get more desperate, they’re going to go after all the external pressure because it tells the truth about what a despotic regime it is,” he said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which media outlets were named by Iran’s armed forces?
Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi named Radio Farda, Iran International, BBC Persian, and Manoto as potential targets.
How has the United States responded to the threats?
The State Department stated that the US is aware of the reports, condemned Tehran’s history of targeting dissidents and journalists, and emphasized ongoing cooperation with allies to expose threats and hold perpetrators accountable.
What actions have host nations taken in response?
The Czech Republic, where Radio Farda is based in Prague, protested the threats by summoning the Iranian ambassador to the foreign ministry.
What measures should international media organizations and governments take to safeguard journalists facing transnational security threats?