THE article published in that esteemed newspaper on 12 January 2023 with the title of “Iranian women demand for freedom” by the respected writer Samra Athar Kakakhel, presents an unrealistic and fallacious image about the situation of women in Iran.
The article makes unfair claims against Iran by inserting false information, misinformation and citing incomplete technical issues in the legal and judicial field, bereft of having adequate education about Iran’s domestic laws, civil and criminal procedures and the implementation of the laws, thus depicting a destructive image about the Iranian women.
The language of the article, while mentioning the technical legal issues, the analysis of which requires years of study and research, misuses the legal cases and makes an incorrect reference to Iran’s internal laws by mentioning issues that never exist in the Statute and Customary Laws of Iran.
The article, knowingly or unknowingly, reiterates the slogans and words of the separatist groups that inflicted the most severe attacks during the last four months against the dignity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic Iran.
These groups are responsible for the deaths of tens of people and have martyred more than 70 defenders of the people’s security; utilizing all kinds of pretexts and means in order to make fault records and documents against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Repeating the claims made by the hostile media, that are notoriously known to everybody and aligning with the separatist slogans, have no place in the noble profession of journalism.
The publication of such material under the pretext of defending women’s freedom and by abusing freedom of expression means to play for the hostile media against a neighbouring country and the admission of their actions.
This is despite the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always dealt with the protesters with patience, tolerance, indulgence and lenience.
According to the statistics published by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, more than 85 percent of the detained people have been released so far.
It is worth mentioning here that the Iranian media has always considered itself committed to presenting a positive and constructive media image about the friendly, brotherly and neighbouring county of Pakistan.
Presentation of positive and constructive picture of the neighbouring country is a part of neighbourhood approach in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It should also be noted that the cause of peace and friendship is the most important duty of the noble and esteemed profession of journalism, and it should never be used for the unreasonable objectives against a member of the international community.
Especially when the target of such attacks is a brotherly and friendly Muslim country of Pakistan, whose unique historical ties and commonalities with Iran does not have any record from such things.
It is recommended that the quality media and its talented and respectable columnists are actively involved in the promotion of the cause of peace, friendship and contributing to the commercial and economic prosperity of the two countries, people-to-people recognition, presenting each other’s tourist attractions and capacities, etc.
Obviously, publication of negative content is not in line with the good neighbourliness of the friendly and fraternal relations and also not in line with the growing trend of all-round relations between the two countries of Iran and Pakistan. Therefore, due to the misinformation used in the article, it is expected from that esteemed daily to avoid publication of the contents against the good relations between the two neighbouring countries.
—Iran Embassy, Islamabad
