On Friday, March 14, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aiming to dismantle the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. These two media organizations, which also broadcast in Persian under the names VOA Farsi (broadcast from Washington) and Radio Farda (from Prague), are largely run by Iranian journalists abroad. The Islamic Republic of Iran has long regarded these organizations as hostile and branded their journalists as traitors. All Persian-language media outlets based abroad are seen as propaganda tools against the regime.

"It is outrageous that the White House is seeking to gut the Congress-funded agency supporting independent journalism that challenges narratives of authoritarian regimes around the world," denounced Carlos Martinez de la Serna, program director of the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York. "We call on congressional leaders to protect this critical agency, which provides uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted."

You have 81.37% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.