Baztab
Encyclopedia
Baztab is an Iranian, Persian language
, Tehran
-based news website. The English
service of this site has published since January 2007. Although Baztab is an anti-reformist
website, it sometimes criticizes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government's policies and mostly unveils corruption
cases inside the government. Baztab is widely believed to have close ties with (or even managed by) Mohsen Rezaee
, conservative politician, current secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council
and former Revolutionary Guards
chief.
Baztab was filtered and suspended for a few weeks in October 2005 for allegedly insulting the former Supreme Council of National Security's Chief, Hassan Rohani. Baztab's suspension was rescinded after the site's editor, Foad Sadeghi, stepped down.
February 2007: The website is banned and filtered in Iran for the second time.
September 2007: A court in Tehran orders the website to be shut down indefinitely for threatening the national security of Iran by "exaggerating the foreign threat to Iran and the possibility of war."
September 2007: Tabnak news website goes online from Tehran. It is run almost entirely by the same team and follows the same policies. The website is almost identical to Baztab, even in its design.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
-based news website. The English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
service of this site has published since January 2007. Although Baztab is an anti-reformist
Iranian reformists
The Iranian reform movement , or the Reforms Front also known as 2nd of Khordad Front is a political movement by a group of political parties and organizations in Iran who supported Mohammad Khatami's plans to change the system to include more freedom and...
website, it sometimes criticizes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government's policies and mostly unveils corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
cases inside the government. Baztab is widely believed to have close ties with (or even managed by) Mohsen Rezaee
Mohsen Rezaee
Mohsen Rezaee Mirgha'ed, also spelled Rezai and Rezaie , born Sabzevar Rezaee Mirgha'ed , is an Iranian politician, economist and former military commander, currently the Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
, conservative politician, current secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council
Expediency Discernment Council
The Expediency Discernment Council of the System is an administrative assembly appointed by the Supreme Leader and was created upon the revision to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran on 6 February 1988...
and former Revolutionary Guards
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution , often called Revolutionary Guards, is a branch of Iran's military, founded after the Iranian revolution...
chief.
Baztab was filtered and suspended for a few weeks in October 2005 for allegedly insulting the former Supreme Council of National Security's Chief, Hassan Rohani. Baztab's suspension was rescinded after the site's editor, Foad Sadeghi, stepped down.
February 2007: The website is banned and filtered in Iran for the second time.
September 2007: A court in Tehran orders the website to be shut down indefinitely for threatening the national security of Iran by "exaggerating the foreign threat to Iran and the possibility of war."
September 2007: Tabnak news website goes online from Tehran. It is run almost entirely by the same team and follows the same policies. The website is almost identical to Baztab, even in its design.