Iranian press review: Conservatives demand war until destruction of Israel
Kayhan daily calls for war until Israel destroyed
As Israel’s attacks on military and civilian targets in Iran escalate, the conservative Kayhan daily has called for the war to continue until Israel is completely destroyed.
Kayhan is closely tied to Iran’s supreme leader, and its editor-in-chief, Hossein Shariatmadari, was directly appointed by him.
On Tuesday, the daily published a front-page editorial with the headline: “The condition for ending the war is the destruction of Israel, not the halt of attacks”.
Kayhan published the article after Iran’s foreign ministry said that Iran would stop firing missiles if Israel ended its attacks.
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Kayhan wrote: “Now is not the time for retreat or meaningless diplomacy. This is the golden moment. The condition for ending the war is not a ceasefire, nor is it political pressure, nor is it a shift in position. The only condition is the complete destruction of Israel.”
Shariatmadari is also a strong and regular advocate for closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The strait, located between Oman and Iran, is considered the world's most important gateway for oil shipping.
Pahlavi’s support for Israel sparks anger
The BBC’s interview with Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted shah of Iran, has sparked widespread criticism after he expressed support for Israel’s bombing of Iranian cities.
Pahlavi, who has long supported Israel and met several times with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also visited the Western Wall in 2023 and took part in Jewish religious ceremonies.
In the BBC interview, he voiced strong support for Israel’s attacks and claimed that harming civilians was not Israel’s goal. He said, “Clearly, I do not think it was the intention of the Israeli government to attack Iranian civilians.”
Arash Azizi, an Iranian writer based in the United States, commented on the BBC presenter’s reaction to Pahlavi’s remarks.
“Did you see the BBC presenter?” he wrote on X. “She looks shocked and in disbelief. It’s like she’s feeling vicarious embarrassment when she asks Pahlavi, ‘Are you actually saying that the Israel bombing your country, civilians in Iran are being killed, is a positive thing?’ She can’t believe it.”
Other Persian social media users also strongly criticised Pahlavi. Some compared his photo with Netanyahu to a photo of Massoud Rajavi and Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war, suggesting Pahlavi’s actions were similar to those of Rajavi.
Rajavi was the leader of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. During the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, he moved his forces to Iraq and fought alongside Saddam Hussein against Iran.
Granaz Mousavi, an Iranian poet who has faced court summons and travel restrictions imposed by Iranian authorities, posted both photos on Facebook with the caption: “Don’t sell out your homeland.”
Criticism mounts over intelligence failure
Since the start of Israel's attacks on Iran, state-run media have reported multiple arrests of individuals allegedly linked to Israeli intelligence. These reports claim the suspects were helping coordinate strikes from inside Iran.
Although these announcements were presented as achievements by Iranian security agencies, some outlets, such as the Sharq daily, criticised the intelligence services for failing to prevent Israeli infiltration.
On Monday, the state-run IRNA news agency reported the discovery of a house in Fashafouyeh containing 200 kilograms of explosives. Meanwhile, Hamshahri reported that a drone production workshop had been found in Isfahan, along with the arrest of four people accused of collaborating with the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency.
The claims have not been confirmed by independent sources.
The Sharq daily argued that these developments, along with the killing of several commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), show that Israel’s intelligence network has been operating inside Iran for years without being stopped.
Sharq wrote: “The recent attack by the Zionist regime on Iranian soil was not based on military strength, but rather on years of intelligence planning, building networks, and using agents inside the country.
“Previous security officials had warned about this many times, and even some senior figures raised alarms, but instead of listening, the authorities pushed them aside.”
Authorities tighten grip on free expression
Iranian authorities have tightened restrictions on media and free expression amid Israel’s ongoing offensive.
Since Friday, several Iranians - including civil society activists - have been arrested for commenting on the conflict.
Domestic media have also reported the return of Basij forces to the streets and the re-establishment of checkpoints, measures widely seen during the Iran-Iraq war.
This week, Ali Pakzad, a reporter for Sharq daily, and Saeed Majidi, a photojournalist working with international outlets, were detained for two days because of their reporting activities. Both were released on Wednesday after questioning.
The crackdown has not been limited to journalists. Social media users have also been targeted.
On Sunday, Tasnim news agency reported that 15 people were arrested in Mazandaran province for their posts on Persian-language platforms.
In addition, local media reported that student activist Motaharah Gonoy and well-known sociologist Mostafa Mehrayin were also recently detained.
*Iranian press review is a digest of news reports not independently verified as accurate by Middle East Eye.
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