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Wall Street Journal Criticizes Iranian Media Accounts Maligning Its Reporter Wall Street Journal Criticizes Iranian Media Accounts Maligning Its Reporter
(about 1 hour later)
The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday criticized what it described as false Iranian state media reports that accused the newspaper and one of its veteran correspondents of conspiring against Iran’s government.The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday criticized what it described as false Iranian state media reports that accused the newspaper and one of its veteran correspondents of conspiring against Iran’s government.
In a statement, The Journal said the Iranian reports had erroneously asserted that the correspondent, Farnaz Fassihi, had acted as a secret link between the United States government and the opposition Green Movement in Iran. In a statement, The Journal said the Iranian reports had erroneously asserted that the correspondent, Farnaz Fassihi, had acted as a secret link in 2009 between the United States government and the opposition Green Movement in Iran.
The accusations against Ms. Fassihi, which appeared in conservative Iranian publications recently, including the Kayhan newspaper, a mouthpiece of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, constitute the second serious public dispute in the last year between Iran and a major American newspaper over the actions of an American correspondent. The accusations against Ms. Fassihi, which appeared in conservative Iranian publications recently, including the Kayhan newspaper, which is closely aligned with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, constitute the second serious public dispute in the last year between Iran and a major American newspaper over the actions of an American correspondent.
The Washington Post’s Tehran bureau chief, Jason Rezaian, an Iranian-American, has been imprisoned for nearly 13 months on charges including espionage. The Washington Post’s Tehran bureau chief, Jason Rezaian, an Iranian-American, has been imprisoned for nearly 13 months on charges including espionage. A verdict in his case could come any day.
Ms. Fassihi, who also is of Iranian descent, was based in the Middle East for The Journal from 2003 to 2014 and covered Iran extensively, including the 2009 disputed presidential elections and subsequent crackdown on the Green Movement and its sympathizers. She is currently based in New York.Ms. Fassihi, who also is of Iranian descent, was based in the Middle East for The Journal from 2003 to 2014 and covered Iran extensively, including the 2009 disputed presidential elections and subsequent crackdown on the Green Movement and its sympathizers. She is currently based in New York.
“Ms. Fassihi is a highly accomplished, longtime Wall Street Journal senior writer who has reported fairly and accurately from the region for more than a decade,” Gerard Baker, editor in chief of the newspaper, said in the statement.“Ms. Fassihi is a highly accomplished, longtime Wall Street Journal senior writer who has reported fairly and accurately from the region for more than a decade,” Gerard Baker, editor in chief of the newspaper, said in the statement.
“Her reporting has been a model of courageous, fair and high-impact journalism,” he said. “She has repeatedly risked her life and safety from the front lines of wars and uprisings to document the truth, which makes these scurrilous allegations all the more galling.”“Her reporting has been a model of courageous, fair and high-impact journalism,” he said. “She has repeatedly risked her life and safety from the front lines of wars and uprisings to document the truth, which makes these scurrilous allegations all the more galling.”
Ms. Fassihi was not giving interviews, but in a statement issued through The Journal, she said: “I have watched with horror and dismay as these false allegations against me have circulated in Iranian media. I am a journalist. My independence and reputation are sacred to me.”Ms. Fassihi was not giving interviews, but in a statement issued through The Journal, she said: “I have watched with horror and dismay as these false allegations against me have circulated in Iranian media. I am a journalist. My independence and reputation are sacred to me.”
The allegations against Ms. Fassihi come as members of the United States Congress are considering whether to accept the landmark accord reached last month with Iran over its disputed nuclear activities, a pact that could lead to improved relations with Iran after more than three decades of hostility.The allegations against Ms. Fassihi come as members of the United States Congress are considering whether to accept the landmark accord reached last month with Iran over its disputed nuclear activities, a pact that could lead to improved relations with Iran after more than three decades of hostility.
President Obama has urged support for the agreement and vowed to veto a congressional rejection.President Obama has urged support for the agreement and vowed to veto a congressional rejection.
The Journal’s editorial pages, which are politically conservative, have sharply criticized the Obama administration over its Iran policies and the nuclear issue. But the newspaper draws a sharp distinction between its news sections, which are widely considered to be straightforward, and its editorial pages. The Journal’s editorial pages, which are politically conservative, have sharply criticized the Obama administration over its Iran policies and the nuclear issue. But the newspaper says it draws a sharp distinction between its news sections, which are widely considered to be straightforward, and its editorial pages.
The Journal’s statement on Ms. Fassihi asserted that the reporting about her in Iran appeared to be based on an Aug. 9 opinion piece in Forbes magazine by Michael Ledeen, a conservative scholar and columnist. The piece makes a reference to a “Wall Street friend” of Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who it said had been asked to pass information between the United States government and the Greens.The Journal’s statement on Ms. Fassihi asserted that the reporting about her in Iran appeared to be based on an Aug. 9 opinion piece in Forbes magazine by Michael Ledeen, a conservative scholar and columnist. The piece makes a reference to a “Wall Street friend” of Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who it said had been asked to pass information between the United States government and the Greens.
Mr. Ledeen’s piece never refers to Ms. Fassihi by name, and in fact identifies the person in question as a male.Mr. Ledeen’s piece never refers to Ms. Fassihi by name, and in fact identifies the person in question as a male.
“However, some Iranian media entities have falsely labeled Ms. Fassihi as the alleged liaison by incorrectly and illogically claiming the ‘Wall Street friend’ reference in the piece actually meant ‘The Wall Street Journal,’” the newspaper’s statement said.“However, some Iranian media entities have falsely labeled Ms. Fassihi as the alleged liaison by incorrectly and illogically claiming the ‘Wall Street friend’ reference in the piece actually meant ‘The Wall Street Journal,’” the newspaper’s statement said.
“These same media outlets have also suggested that The Wall Street Journal is part of a conspiracy against Iran,” the statement said. “These are transparently false allegations.”“These same media outlets have also suggested that The Wall Street Journal is part of a conspiracy against Iran,” the statement said. “These are transparently false allegations.”
It called on the Iranian media outlets “to cease their inaccurate reporting about Ms. Fassihi and The Wall Street Journal.”It called on the Iranian media outlets “to cease their inaccurate reporting about Ms. Fassihi and The Wall Street Journal.”
There was no immediate comment on the Journal’s statement from Kayhan. A security guard who answered the telephone at the newspaper’s editorial offices in Tehran said it was closed for the night.
The Journal’s statement coincided with a repetition of the accusations against Ms. Fassihi on the floor of Iran’s parliament by Ayatollah Khamenei’s son-in-law, Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, the semiofficial Mashregh News website reported.
According to the website’s account, Mr. Adel quoted extensively from a Kayhan editorial containing the accusations, published on Aug. 12. He also asserted that leaders of the Green Movement, through the alleged liaison in 2009, had urged the United States to impose sanctions on Iran at the time “because Iran was going to make a nuclear bomb.”
Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that they seek nuclear weapons.
Mr. Adel was quoted as saying that the Green Movement leaders conveyed via the alleged liaison that they wanted the United States to “put pressure on the people of Iran so that they rise up against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”