Shargh

Shargh (شرق in Persian, meaning East in English) is the most popular reformist newspaper in Iran.

History and profile

Shargh was founded in 2003. The daily is managed by Mehdi Rahmanian. Its chief editor was Mohammad Ghouchani in its first period of publication. Mohammad Ghouchani and Mohammad Atrianfar, its ex-head of policy-making council, left Shargh in March 2007 and joined Ham-Mihan, another reformist newspaper managed by Gholamhossein Karbaschi.

Some people claim that the newspaper has a hidden agenda of helping the political goals of the Executives of Construction Party (Hezb-e Kaargozaaraan-e Saazandegi), including trying to nominate Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani for the 2005 Iranian presidential election and then making him win the popular vote.

Arash Karami, an Iranian journalist, described Sharg as the opposite of conservative paper Kayhan in terms of political stance.

Bans

Shargh had published 141 editions before the temporary ban by the Iranian judiciary system on 4 February 2004, one day before the parliament election, following the publication of an open letter from some members of the outgoing parliament to Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader. The letter was read to journalists by Mohsen Armin, one of the organizers of the MPs sit-in criticizing the vettings of the Council of Guardians.