Shargh
Encyclopedia
Shargh is the most popular reformist newspaper in Iran
. It is managed by Mehdi Rahmanian, and its chief editor was Mohammad Ghouchani
in its first period of publication. Mohammad Ghouchani and Mohammad Atrianfar
, its ex-head of "Policy-making Council", leave Shargh in March 2007 and joined Ham-Mihan
, another reformist newspaper managed by Gholamhossein Karbaschi
.
Some people claim that the newspaper has a hidden agenda of helping the political goals of the Executives of Construction Party
(Hezb-e Kaargozaaraan-e Saazandegi), including trying to nominate Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
for the 2005 Iranian presidential election and then making him win the popular vote.
. The letter was read to journalists by Mohsen Armin
, one of the organizers of the MPs sit-in criticizing the vettings of the Council of Guardians.
The situation got more interesting when Mehdi Rahmanian, Shargh
, Tehran
's general prosecutor, the next day to discuss a removal of the ban. After that, Rahmanian wrote a public letter asking for forgiveness, saying that he couldn't confirm that the letter was actually from the MPs and signed by them, and that even in the case it was, it would have been a non-professional act to publish "offensive" texts.
Mortazavi announced that he had ordered the ban because of a request by the High Council of National Security, which Hassan Rowhani
, the council's chair, and Mohammad Khatami
, the president, later denied on February 20 and February 23 respectively, mentioning the matter was not even discussed at the council's meeting.
The ban was removed on February 28, 2004, and Shargh was published again from March 3, 2004.
Shargh was shut down again on September 11, 2006 by the Iranian government. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1533773,00.html
In March 2007, Iran's hardline judiciary allowed a number of banned reformist dailies to republish, including the flagship centrist daily Shargh after a half-year ban. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1533773,00.html
However, as of April 2009, the links to its website do not work and sources inside Iran say the paper is no longer in operation.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It is managed by Mehdi Rahmanian, and its chief editor was Mohammad Ghouchani
Mohammad Ghouchani
Mohammad Ghouchani is an Iranian journalist. He graduated from University of Tehran with major in Political Science and started his career in Jam'eh Daily newspaper, the most famous among the newspapers that started after the refomer Mohammad Khatami became the president in 1997.He was the editor...
in its first period of publication. Mohammad Ghouchani and Mohammad Atrianfar
Mohammad Atrianfar
Mohammad Atrianfar is an Iranian journalist and reformist politician, currently the head of the "Policymaking Council" of the daily newspaper Shargh. He is a member of the Executives of Construction Party...
, its ex-head of "Policy-making Council", leave Shargh in March 2007 and joined Ham-Mihan
Ham-Mihan
Ham-Mihan is a popular reformist newspaper in Iran . Its chief editor is Mohammad Ghouchani since April 2007. Ham-Mihan published under supervision of Mohammad Atrianfar....
, another reformist newspaper managed by Gholamhossein Karbaschi
Gholamhossein Karbaschi
Gholamhossein Karbaschi is an Iranian politician who was the Mayor of Tehran from 1989 until 1998. He is considered politically reformist and is a close ally of former president Mohammad Khatami...
.
Some people claim that the newspaper has a hidden agenda of helping the political goals of the Executives of Construction Party
Executives of Construction Party
The Executives of Construction Party is a political party in Iran, founded by several members of the cabinet of the then President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani...
(Hezb-e Kaargozaaraan-e Saazandegi), including trying to nominate Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is an influential Iranian politician and writer, who was the fourth President of Iran. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts until his resignation in 2011...
for the 2005 Iranian presidential election and then making him win the popular vote.
Temporary ban
Shargh had published 141 editions before the temporary ban by the Iranian judiciary system on February 18, 2004, one day before the parliament election, after publishing an open letter from some members of the outgoing parliament to Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme LeaderSupreme leader
A supreme leader typically refers to a figure in the highest leadership position of an entity, group, organization, or state, who exercises strong or all-powerful authority over it. In religion, the supreme leader or supreme leaders is God or Gods...
. The letter was read to journalists by Mohsen Armin
Mohsen Armin
Mohsen Armin is an Iranian politician. He was a representative for Tehran and vice speaker of the Majlis during the sixth term of the Majlis. He is also a central committee member and speaker of MIRO.-References:...
, one of the organizers of the MPs sit-in criticizing the vettings of the Council of Guardians.
The situation got more interesting when Mehdi Rahmanian, Shargh
Saeed Mortazavi
Saeed Murtazavi is a controversial Iranian jurist and former prosecutor of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, and Prosecutor General of Tehran, a position he has held from 2003 to 2009. He has been called as "butcher of the press" and "torturer of Tehran" by some observers...
, 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...
's general prosecutor, the next day to discuss a removal of the ban. After that, Rahmanian wrote a public letter asking for forgiveness, saying that he couldn't confirm that the letter was actually from the MPs and signed by them, and that even in the case it was, it would have been a non-professional act to publish "offensive" texts.
Mortazavi announced that he had ordered the ban because of a request by the High Council of National Security, which Hassan Rowhani
Hassan Rowhani
Hassan Rowhani is an Iranian politician and cleric, and as of March 2007, a member of the Supreme National Security Council. Rowhani's membership in the council is as one of the two representatives of the Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran...
, the council's chair, and Mohammad Khatami
Mohammad Khatami
Sayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
, the president, later denied on February 20 and February 23 respectively, mentioning the matter was not even discussed at the council's meeting.
The ban was removed on February 28, 2004, and Shargh was published again from March 3, 2004.
Shargh was shut down again on September 11, 2006 by the Iranian government. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1533773,00.html
In March 2007, Iran's hardline judiciary allowed a number of banned reformist dailies to republish, including the flagship centrist daily Shargh after a half-year ban. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1533773,00.html
However, as of April 2009, the links to its website do not work and sources inside Iran say the paper is no longer in operation.