At a meeting of over 30 mainstream media executives from Iran and China held at Espinas Hotel in Tehran on Friday, Iranian media executives and chief editors discussed issues of mutual interest.
Alireza Bakhtiari, managing director of Donya-e-Eqtesad, a leading Persian-language economic newspaper and the Financial Tribune, and Khosrow Ghadiri, editor-in-chief of the Tribune attended. The Chinese delegation included senior editors and CEOs of the main news outlets, namely Xinhua, CCTV and the major newspapers.
Ghadiri spoke on major issues of interest and concern to both Iran and China in the realm of social wellbeing and economic upliftment, namely sustainable development, health, education and the campaign against terrorism.
“National and sustainable development, promoting the agenda of economic growth, helping reduce inequality and poverty, redressing historical backwardness, and elevating the standards of education, health and other indices are among the common features of the media in our two countries,” he said.
Ghadiri took stock of the new era in Tehran’s interaction with the outside world following the implementation last week of the nuclear deal with the six world powers. “We in Iran are going through very critical times. Today, by recognizing the realities of Iran and realizing the significance of Iran’s role in regional developments, conditions have emerged wherein our foreign policy has entered a dynamic and active era.”
Highlighting the monumental task of rebuilding the national economy after the lifting of the restrictions, he noted, “It is our hope and belief that this new interaction, in particular the removal of restrictions in our trade and financial ties, will give a new lease of life to our economy and help improve GDP growth compatible with our status.”
Calling for closer collaboration between Beijing and Tehran in the fight against terror and extremism, the chief editor said, “The threat of terrorism, violence and insecurity is a real and a very serious concern. This threat and horror should be addressed effectively by the mass media in exercising high standards of objectivity and professionalism without resorting to bias or prejudice.”
He reiterated the call for cordial ties among the peoples of the world and understanding between governments, and said capacity building, public empowerment and sharing ideas can go a long way in achieving and sustaining the policies and instruments necessary for decent and genuine cooperation between governments and the people at large.
Fond Memories
Mahmoud Doaei, managing director of the Persian daily Ettela’at, one of the two oldest Iranian newspapers, said, “When I was working outside Iran, one of my main concerns was acquiring credible and authentic information and news from a world dominated by imperialism.”
Hojatoleslam Doaei who served as the ambassador to Iraq in the past recalled a memory from his term of office there and said, “Forty-five years ago I went to the Chinese Embassy in Baghdad and asked to subscribe to the Xinhua News Agency bulletin. Since then, I had a feeling that I was receiving accurate information and clarity from an anti-imperialist source.”
Addressing Chinese media managers, he said, “You have entered the country at the right time. At the moment, we are celebrating our victory over the imperialist intrigues as international sanctions have been lifted (following Iran’s fulfilling its commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, the nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers)”.
“You are our friends who did not abandon us during our difficulties, stood on our side and did not boycott us. Your support and cooperation will remain in the national memory,” Doaei added.
Pointing to the 2600-year-long relations between Iran and China, he underlined that even the holy Prophet of Islam has said, “Gain knowledge wherever it is, even in China”.
