Iranian Newspaper, Journalist Face Charges Of Undermining National Security
Legal proceedings have been taken against the Jahan Sanat newspaper and a journalist accusing them of “compromising national security" for coverage of Saturday's operation against Israel.
The Tehran Prosecutor's Office has raised the charges which include disrupting "the psychological security of society and destabilizing the country's economic atmosphere," particularly in response to a headline in Jahan Sanat, "Hard Revenge or Big Concession," which was published after the attacks.
On Saturday night, Iran launched over 350 drones and missiles towards Israel, a retaliation for the April 1 airstrike on the Iranian consulate compound in Damascus, for which Iran blames Israel. The attack killed multiple Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members including two top commanders.
Iran's proxies in Iraq and Yemen also joined the onslaught. The regime has deemed the operation a huge "success" in spite of 99 percent of the projectiles having been intercepted by Israel and its allies, the US, UK, Jordan and France.
While many in Iran celebrated the failure, condemning the attack, the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC has called on the Iranian public to spy on their fellow countrymen and report any pro-Israel activities online by Iranian citizens.
The economic impact of the Sunday morning attack saw increases in gold and foreign currency prices in Iran, with the US dollar rate reaching 700,000 rials.
Since the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom Uprising, over 70 journalists have been arrested in Iran with press freedom among the lowest in the world.
