A controversial Iranian missile test raised even more furor when it was discovered that a photo credited to Sepah News and distributed world-wide by AFP was doctored.
To shed a little light on Sepah News, Backspin editor Pesach Benson talked to Meir Javedanfar (pictured), a Mideast analyst specializing in Iranian affairs. An Iranian-Israeli, Javedanfar is also director of Meepas.com (Middle East Economic and Political Analysis).
What is Sepah News?
It’s the arm of the Revolutionary Guards. It’s one of many news agencies in Iran reporting on the views and activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Its audience is the Iranian public, current and former members of the Guards, and foreigners around the world.
Describe its relationship with the Iranian regime.
Basically, it’s the media outlet, a very important part of the Islamic administration in Tehran. It’s the administration’s way of showing the thinking and activities of the Revolutionary Guards to the world. It allows the Guards to flex their muscles in the media. Many people in Iran believe the Guard’s views are not properly presented in Iranian and foreign media. Not all Iranian media is interested in everything the Revolutionary Guards do.
Can Sepah be considered a legitimate news service?
Yes. It’s a source in Iran. If you want to know what’s going on in the Revolutionary Guards, Sepah’s the web site to go to. If you want general news about Iran, there are much better sites.
Any idea why they manipulated the photo?
Maybe to cover up the mishap and to boast Iran’s capabilities. They’re worried about a possible Western attack. They don’t want the West to use its military muscle to force them to accept Western conditions for the nuclear program.
Does Sepah have a history of fudging news, or could this photoshopped image of the missile test be considered an isolated incident?
I don’t know about Sepah doing this before.
What is the relationship between Sepah and Western news services?
Sepah hopes that as many people in the West who speak Farsi and are interested read its content. That’s all there is. It doesn’t have any real relationship with the Western media. AFP believed the pictures were from a legitimate source. The foreign press wasn’t allowed to attend the missile launch. And if you want photos, then Sepah’s the place to go to. When [AFP] realized the picture was doctored, they pulled it.
Is the relationship between Sepah and the Revolutionary Guards any different than the relationship between Hezbollah and Al-Manar, or between Al-Qaida and As-Sahab?
It’s the same. It’s the media arm of the Revolutionary Guards. Al-Manar probably gets better funding though. They have their own TV station. Sepah doesn’t.
The State Dept. has already designated the Revolutionary Guards as a terror organization. Should Sepah News get the same designation?
No. It doesn’t spew hate. It basically reports on what the Revolutionary Guards believe. In terms of analysis of Iranian news, its pretty poor. I’m sure one its intended audiences are the Western news agencies. I think the Guards use it to show their strength and ideology, and perhaps for psychological warfare purposes.
