IRNA Official: Western Media, Press Should Reflect Realities Of Islamic Iran

New York, May 15, IRNA – IRNA acting managing director Gholamhossein Eslamifard stressed the need for the western press and media to reflect realities and capabilities of Islamic Iran. In a meeting with the President of the Associated Press (AP) Tom Curely here Monday evening, he pointed to the enduring presence of world media and press, especially those belonging to western countries, in Iran. Noting that western media and press have had active presence in Iran to cover numerous events and elections in the country, he said both Iranian people and officials expect western reporters to focus on Iran’s capabilities especially in nuclear area instead of trying to portrait a dark picture of the Iranian society. While presence of foreign media and press has been warmly welcomed by Iranian officials, Iranian reporters working in western countries face many restrictions, the IRNA official stressed. He said although representatives of western media are able to easily travel to all parts of Iran to do their jobs, IRNA correspondent in New York faces travel restrictions and banking limitations. Eslamifard also referred to numerous cases of interviews the western media have so far had with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and hoped western countries too would prepare the ground for Iranian reporters to interview their officials. The AP chief hailed Iran’s rich and ancient culture and regretted that the majority of Americans were not familiar with Iran. He also expressed happiness over cooperation with IRNA and called for its continuation and expansion./end