Iranian journalists are raising alarms about a tightening crackdown on press freedom after a series of troubling incidents, including recent explosions at a munitions company and a southern port that left dozens dead and hundreds injured. The government, which has dismissed foreign involvement in these incidents, is accused of negligence. A Tehran MP suggested sabotage was highly unlikely. Many journalists express concern about potential legal repercussions for reporting on these tragedies, indicating an environment of fear and self-censorship as they navigate government restrictions on media coverage.
One Tehran-based reporter, speaking to the Guardian on condition of anonymity because of safety concerns, said: Not only were we warned against ground reporting, we were also banned effectively from sharing reports on social media.
Following the filing of charges, our newsrooms are also self-regulating in fear that they'll be facing legal consequences. Officials have confirmed only that the goods that exploded on Saturday did not appear to have had a digitised reference code as required by Iranian customs law.
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