What is it?
Iran International is a London-based Persian-language television channel and news site. According to its Wikipedia entry, it began broadcasting in May 2017. The channel broadcasts via satellite, the internet and social media. Wikipedia notes that it also has bureaus in Washington and other cities. It also runs an English-language news site.
In Farsçadan's source tags, Iran International is labeled "Opposition, diaspora." The label reflects how the channel's critical stance toward the Iranian government is commonly described.
How does it work?
The channel is owned by Volant Media UK Ltd, a company registered in London. It relies heavily on footage sent from inside Iran, reports by human rights groups and unnamed sources. As a result, much of the news about protests, arrests and executions that state media leave out is first reported in Persian on this channel. When Farsçadan relays such reports, it flags claims that can't be independently verified as "not confirmed."
Why does it matter?
Since the 2022 protests in particular, Iran International has been cited as one of the most-watched Persian-language news sources outside Iran. Because it publishes developments and figures that official agencies don't report, it is an important point of comparison for seeing how state media and opposition media frame the same event differently.
The channel and its staff have also been in the news over security threats. According to Wikipedia, Iran designated the channel a terrorist organization in November 2022. Citing threats, the channel temporarily moved its broadcasts to Washington in February 2023 and returned to London in September 2023. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), presenter Pouria Zeraati was stabbed near his London home on March 29, 2024, and two men were found guilty of the attack in June 2026. CPJ reports that prosecutors described the attack as "carefully planned" and said the defendants had been "recruited, funded, and directed." Iran denied any link to the attack.
Debates
The channel's funding is disputed. According to its Wikipedia entry, The Guardian reported in 2018 that the channel was funded through entities linked to a businessman reported to be close to Saudi Arabia's crown prince. The channel says it is editorially independent and receives no funding from any government. The Iranian government calls it a mouthpiece for Saudi Arabia and Israel.
