The motto for Iran’s 21st Press Exhibition, an annual event run by the administration and attended by Iranian and foreign media, was titled “Fair Criticism, Responsible Accountability.” But the theme failed to live up to its aspirations, as factional fighting and a conservative media boycott further entrenched Iran’s competing factions. 

Rouhani’s opening statement at the exhibition took aim at Iran’s hard-line media and their links to the security forces of the country. “No one security officer can decide the criteria for the press,” he said Nov. 8. “It’s intolerable that in a country some media are always protected from punishment and closure and enjoy a permanent security to not only say whatever they want but sometimes act as a secret police. From some of the media you are informed of who will be arrested the next day, which [paper] will be closed and whose reputation will be ruined.”

Kayhan newspaper, which boycotted the press exhibition, wrote that the president’s comments show that they will “suppress any voice of criticism and promote the opinions of the enemy.” The Nov. 10 article’s headline suggested that the Culture Ministry is paying for news stories dictated by the BBC and giving subsidies to newspapers that undermine the Islamic Republic.

Citing the administration’s alleged cut in subsidies for conservative media or accusing the administration of having double standards with critical media, a number of conservative media boycotted the event, including Javan and Vatan-e Emrooz newspapers, Fars and Tasnim news agencies, and conservative websites such as Raja News.