Letter to Cde. I. I. Kozlov, 'List of the Main Newspapers and Magazines Published in Tehran'

[faded CPSU CC stamp:

43290

[[19 November 1955]]

Subject to return to the

CPSU CC General Department]

SECRET Copy Nº 1

to Cde. I. I. KOZLOV

I am sending you a list of the main Tehran newspapers and magazines with a short description [of each]

ATTACHMENT: the aforementioned on three pages

[signature]

G. ZAYTSEV

19 November 1955

Nº1318/OBSV

Two copies

la/VU

Nº 2171

19 November 1955

[handwritten]: [to the] archives

The material was used in

the sector's work [illegible signature]

31 January 1956 [two illegible signatures]

[Attachment] 

Attachment to outgoing Nº 1318

A LIST

of the main newspapers and magazines published in Tehran

I. Newspapers

1. "Ettelaat" - Abbas Masudi is the publisher; he is a senator and is close to the Shah's court. The circulation is 17-20,000.

The most influential of all the daily Tehran newspapers with a reactionary inclination. Its commentary on foreign policy issues is anti-Soviet and pro-American.

2. "Kayhan" - Mostafa Mesbahzadeh is the publisher; he is a former Majles deputy, a professor at Tehran University, and is associated with the court. The editor is Majles deputy Faramerzi.

The circulation is 7-9,000; it is the second most-important daily newspaper. It is informed on economic issues and sympathizes with Anglo-American policy. It places various sorts of slanderous articles directed against the USSR and the countries of people's democracy.

3. "Farman" Abbas Shahende, an official of the Tehran city council, is the publisher. He is a reactionary and provocateur, and is associated with the Shah's court.

The newspaper's circulation is 6,000.

It is a daily newspaper, well-informed and extremely reactionary, with a pro-American orientation. It systematically slanders the Soviet Union and the countries of people's democracy. It pursues an active struggle against the democratic movement in Iran. It is actually a mouthpiece of the American embassy in Iran and at the same time a semi-official newspaper of the government.

4. "Poste Tehran" - Mohammed Ali Masudi, a Majles deputy, is the publisher and editor-in-chief.

The circulation is 7,000.

A reactionary daily newspaper, it began to come out right after the 19 August 1953 coup. It supports the Shah's court and Ala government, and also Anglo-American policy in Iran. It opposes Soviet policy in veiled form. However, sometimes it places official materials and articles from the Soviet press.

5. "Atesh" - Seid Medhi Mir Ashrafi, a Majles deputy and close friend of the well-known reactionary General Arfa, is the publisher and editor.

The circulation is 4-5,000. It is a reactionary daily newspaper associated with the military clique. It supports the Shah and government on issues of domestic policy. On foreign policy issues it is known for being especially hostile to the USSR.

6. "Dad" - Abol Hasan Amidi Nuri, a Majles deputy, lawyer, and former Deputy Prime Minister in the Zahedi cabinet, is the publisher and editor.

The circulation is about 5,000.

It is a daily newspaper with a reactionary orientation, known for changing its orientation several times during its existence (it was founded in 1943). During the Mossadegh government it was often closed by the authorities for constant attacks on the government. It supports the foreign and domestic policy of the Ala government and opposes the Soviet Union in veiled form. Sometimes it places official documents and important articles from the Soviet press on foreign policy.

7. "Sedaye Mardom" - Mohammed Hosein Faripur is the publisher and editor. The circulation is from 3,000 to 4,000, and comes out irregularly.

It is known as a pro-British newspaper and takes a hostile position with respect to the USSR. Sometimes it criticizes the government if it is to the advantage of the British.

II. Magazines

1. "Teherane Mosavvar" - Vala, a government official and reactionary, is the publisher. The circulation is 30,000.

It is an extremely reactionary weekly. It defends the positions of the Shah's court, the government, and the army on issues of domestic policy. It is oriented toward the US in the area of foreign policy. It systematically places provocative, hostile articles against the USSR and the countries of people's democracy. It places dirty anti-Soviet insinuations fabricated by traitors and enemies of the USSR.

2. "Handaniha" - Ali Asker Amirani is the publisher. The circulation is 30,000.

A weekly, it provides almost no information and reprints reports and articles from the Iranian and foreign press. The selection of printed material demonstrates the magazine's reactionary orientation.

3. "Roushanfekr" - Rahmat Mosafavi, the publisher and editor, is a former colleague of H. Fatemi from the "Bakhtare Emruz" newspaper. The circulation is 12-15,000 copies.

A weekly with a liberal orientation, it sometimes cautiously criticizes government measures on issues of foreign and domestic policy.

4. "Kavian" - Moshfek Hamadani, a government official, is the publisher and editor. The circulation is 7-8,000 copies.

A weekly literary and political magazine with a liberal orientation. It defends the principles of national policy in cautious form, favors neutrality, and opposes blocs. It expresses itself quite sharply on issues of foreign policy; however, it treats the National Resistance Movement sympathetically.

5. "Omide Iran" -Ali Akbar Safipur is the publisher and editor. The circulation is 6-7,000.

A weekly literary and political magazine, it reflects the interests of the Iranian bourgeoisie and nationalistic intellectuals. On issues of foreign policy it supports the ideas of neutrality. It takes a neutral position with respect to the USSR.

Compiled by OBSV Attaché [signature] (V. Utkin)

19 November 1955

[illegible signature]

46824