What is it?
Tasnim (Persian pronunciation Khabargozâri-ye Tasnim) and Fars (Khabargozâri-ye Fârs) are among Iran's two most influential news agencies. Khabargozâri means "news agency" in Persian. Tasnim is the name of a spring of paradise mentioned in the Quran. Fars is the name of Iran's historic region and of the Persian language.
According to their Wikipedia entries, Fars was founded in 2003 and Tasnim in 2012. International media widely describe both agencies as "IRGC-affiliated" or "semi-official."
How does it work?
Both agencies publish in languages other than Persian. According to Wikipedia, Tasnim produces content in English, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and other languages. In security, defense and foreign policy coverage, the agencies often publish exclusives based on "informed sources," which other Iranian outlets then quote. Newspapers Farsçadan monitors, such as Kayhan and Ettelaat, often attribute IRGC statements or military claims to these two agencies.
According to the U.S. Treasury, Tasnim was founded by two IRGC commanders, Majid Gholizadeh and Hamidreza Moghadam Far. The Treasury says Fars is also closely affiliated with the IRGC and that its board chair is a senior official of the IRGC Intelligence Organization.
Why does it matter?
Tasnim and Fars are important sources for following the views of the IRGC and hardline circles. When a story first appears at one of these agencies, it is often read as a sign of the message security institutions want to send the public. When Farsçadan relays their reports, it attributes claims to the source and notes when there is no independent confirmation.
Debates
On September 15, 2023, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned both agencies under Executive Order 13553 for acting on behalf of the IRGC. The Treasury said Tasnim helped identify protesters during the 2022 protests. The Wikipedia entry on Fars lists cases in which the agency published unverified or satirical stories as real news. In 2012, for example, it ran a piece from the satirical site The Onion as genuine news. The agencies describe themselves as independent news organizations and call the sanctions an attack on press freedom.
