A dispute broke out between the Iranian government and state television IRIB over the broadcasting of a speech by President Masoud Pezeshkian. The government-affiliated Media and Information Council suggested that IRIB removed sections related to international negotiations from Pezeshkian's address on National Industry and Resources Day.
The council said in a written statement that such editing was an unusual departure from accepted broadcasting practices. The statement questioned IRIB's handling of official government communication.
Iranian government officials claimed the incident was not isolated. It was alleged that similar editorial interventions had previously been made in the statements of other senior figures, such as the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice. It was especially noted that broadcast interference occurred when these figures expressed positions supportive of Pezeshkian.
The Media and Information Council stressed that it is vital for state communication to be conveyed completely and accurately to the public. It said this was critical for maintaining public trust, particularly on sensitive policy issues such as international negotiations.
IRIB denied the government's accusations. The broadcaster argued that its editorial decisions were taken not out of political considerations, but in line with its legal mandate and the broader public interest.
IRIB asserted that reflecting differing views among senior state officials to a limited extent served a greater national purpose. It said that in the current sensitive period, maintaining a unified public message was especially important due to concerns that internal divisions could weaken national integrity.
This public dispute highlighted differing interpretations of the broadcaster's role in Iran's political system. While the government presents the faithful transmission of official speeches as a matter of public accountability, IRIB views its editorial discretion as part of its responsibility to preserve national unity.
Although both sides claim to act in the national interest, the disagreement exposed institutional differences over transparency, media responsibility, and how the state's most important messages should reach the Iranian people.
