The Iranian regime’s propaganda about presence of foreign journalists at February 11th ceremony

NCRI – On January 31, Mohsen Sabbagh, the head of the organizing committee for the Iranian regime’s February 11th ceremony, spoke about the scheduled presence of 400 foreign reporters at the scene of the event (state-run ILNA news agency, January 31, 2010). The Goebbelsian lie was exposed when obtained reports from the clerical regime’s own Ministry of Islamic Guidance said that no foreign reporter has entered Iran as of February 9.

Deeply terrified and anxious about the extensive dimensions of popular protests against it, the clerical regime has decided, unlike in previous years, to invite a number of foreign correspondents already residing in Iran and a few “friendly foreign reporters” primarily from Asian and African countries to its February 11th event for the anniversary of the 1979 revolution.

The said reporters will be transported collectively to Azadi Square by the regime on February 11th and will be returned once again collectively to their residences after the event ends. They will not be given permission to produce reports about events outside the confines of a predetermined area.

In order to manage the situation, the religious fascism ruling Iran has also arrested many domestic journalists and state-run media reporters. Currently, 55 journalists are imprisoned with 9 of them arrested around midnight on February 7 and February 8.

Another measure implemented by the regime is the disruption of internet connections in recent days in a bid to prevent the widespread participation of people in the February 11th uprising and the dissemination of news and reports about it.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
February 10, 2010