In recent hours, the Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and the head of the judiciary Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei have drawn attention from government-loyal political circles in the country. Details reveal that the "Jam Jam" newspaper, affiliated with the broadcasting agency, removed Qalibaf and Ejei from an image of the inauguration ceremony of Masoud Bezhakian on its front page, causing widespread reactions. A member of the research center's scientific board, who is close to Qalibaf, shared the original and photoshopped images, commenting: "Can you [remove Qalibaf] with Photoshop?"
Political analyst and reformist activist Abbas Abdi remarked, "This is the understanding of the broadcasting agency's newspaper regarding the professional commitment of media; without reforming the official media system, there will be no sustainable positive action."
In response, "Jam Jam" clarified that the removal of Qalibaf and Ejei's images was due to "photographic conditions" and "the positioning of the headline," adding that there was "no political intent" behind the decision. The newspaper also apologized to the public and to the leaders of the legislative and judicial bodies in the country. It is worth noting that the reformist Masoud Bezhakian officially assumed the presidency in Iran on Sunday during his inauguration ceremony by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, following his victory in early elections that followed the death of Ebrahim Raisi.
