News censorship destroys people’s trust: Iran's Rafsanjani

TEHRAN, Aug. 8 (MNA) -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has stressed the importance of news and journalism for the country and said censorship of the news will destroy people’s trust.

Rafsanjani made the remarks in Tehran on Saturday, one day ahead of Iran’s national Journalists Day.

In the post-industrial world, where the most advanced technologies have produced all means of communication, it is impossible to deny or censor a news story, he said.

“We should not let others report Iran-related news to our people (first),” he added.

He went on to say that there is a distinction between news reporting and news fabrication and noted that the advancement of information technology has made it easier to spread rumors.

Rafsanjani emphasized that news censorship will destroy people’s trust.

“The wider the circle of news fabrication and the denial of truth, the less the people will trust the national media, and (they) will shift (their) attention to the foreign media,” he added.

He said that journalists help raise awareness in society, and thus they contribute to the country’s progress.

He also called on the Islamic Republic of Iran to promote truthful journalism and prompt reporting in the country.