When Foreign Journalists Become an Instrument of the Regime

Foreign journalists are permitted into Iran only on occasions that serve the interests of the regime: to report on stage-managed elections, government-organized rallies, official ceremonies, and public events designed to project legitimacy and popular support. The intended outcome is clear—that international audiences receive images of a functioning political system and a government that enjoys popular backing.

The reality beneath these staged events is more complex. Yet, too often, Western reporters stop at what is visible. They describe the crowds, repeat official narratives, and report the imagery presented to them, without examining how the regime constructs those images, who is participating, and what political and religious messages the regime seeks to communicate.

Over time, the Islamic Republic has become highly skilled at managing foreign media access. It understands which journalists are likely to report within the framework it has created, which reporters are useful for amplifying its message, and which ones are less likely to be granted access.

The recent farewell ceremony and funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei provided another example. Western outlets covered the event widely, with many reports focusing on the size of the crowds and the scale of the public grief on display.
But the most important elements of the ceremony were not necessarily the ones that Western media reported. Beyond the numbers of attendees, there were layers of symbolism and coded messaging that required a deeper understanding of Iran’s political-religious language.

One such message was visible throughout the ceremony: a partial Quranic verse displayed in large Arabic letters behind Ali Khamenei’s coffin. The words came from Verse 46 of Surah Saba (Quran 34:46): “I advise you of one thing only: that you rise up for God, in pairs and one by one.” The complete verse: “And then reflect. There is no madness in your companion. He is only a warner to you before a severe punishment.”

Classical interpretations generally interpret this verse as a call for sincere reflection, individually or with a trusted companion, away from the pressures of crowds and social influence. It is not understood as a direct instruction to organize political cells or militant groups amongst the traditional scholars.

However, within the political version of Islam that the founder of the Islamic Republic innovated, this verse and concepts of qiam (rise/standing) acquired a different interpretation. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini repeatedly invoked Quran 34:46 in his writings and political speeches, particularly in 1978 during the revolutionary period, interpreting the phrase “stand up for God, in pairs and individually” as a call for a collective uprising. That political interpretation later became influential in some Islamist movements.

For those familiar with this ideological language, it carried meanings that went beyond a religious reference. Indeed, the Iranian media pulled no punches in deciphering the message. They openly said it was a call for an uprising to Iran’s cells across the world to take revenge.

Another aspect of the ceremony that received little attention from Western reporting was the selection of Quranic verses associated with different delegations paying their respects at the coffin. When the grandchildren of Khomeini stood beside Khamenei’s coffin, the verse recited was:

This was a hint to the descendants of Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, that they have become associated with comfort, privilege, and detachment from revolutionary struggle. As soon as Khomeini’s grandchildren realized what the verse was, they left the stage.

Journalists covering Iran often describe what is happening in front of them while missing the deeper meaning of the event. Western journalists who report from Iran would do well to look beyond the surface. Without that deeper examination, they risk moving from observers of the regime’s messaging to unwitting amplifiers of it.