Iran Media, Leaders Scoff at US Election

November 6, 2016

Iranian media and leaders have been closely following the U.S. presidential election. Not only have they criticized the candidates’ policies, but they have also derided the political atmosphere and American democracy. “Did you see the debate and the way of their speaking, accusing and mocking each other? Do we want such a democracy in our country? Do we want such elections in our country?” President Rouhani rhetorically asked a crowd in the city of Arak on October 24. “You see the United States that claims it has had democracy for more than 200 years,” he said in the address broadcast live by state television. “Look at the country, what the situation is where morality has no place.”

 

The headline below reads, “Obama’s Heir: famous but not popular.”

 

Even Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has commented on the race – and how the candidates’ positions have implications for the next step with Iran. 

 

 

In the final days before the election, Khamenei discussed Trump and Clinton again. “Did you watch the recent debate between the two candidates for the U.S. presidential elections? Did you see the truths that they revealed? Did you listen to them? They revealed the true nature of America,” he said on November 2. Khamenei suggested that Americans paid more attention to Trump during the campaign because he spoke more candidly about problems in the United States. “They saw that what he was saying was correct. They saw it in the realities of their life. Human values have been annihilated and trampled upon in that country,” added Khamenei. 

 

State media has also shown an unprecedented interest in the election. On October 9, Iranian state media aired the second presidential debate. It was the first time state television had broadcast an entire debate. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting also aired the third and last debate in three languages, English via Press TV, Arabic via Al Alam News Network and Persian via IRINN.  

 

The two candidates have regularly made front page news in Iran, often illustrated by colorful caricatures. Several publications have also covered the candidates’ comments on the state of the Iran nuclear deal after the election, the most important issue for Iranians. 

 

 

Trump’s controversial conversation with “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush in 2005 made the front pages of some 19 Iranian newspapers. The following covers and translations were collected by Iran Front Page.

 

19 Dey

Trumpgate: The Big Scandal

19Dey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Etemad

Trump’s Scandal: Release of Trump’s Remarks about Women Hits US Like an Earthquake and Leads to His Apology 

Etemad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jahan-e Eqtesad

End of Populist? Scandal Created after Trump’s Vulgar Remarks

Jahan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mardom Salari

Trump’s Ethical Chaos: GOP Candidate’s Vulgar Remarks Sparks Controversy

Mardom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the run-up to the U.S. debates, the state-run Namayesh channel broadcast the hit Netflix series House of Cards. The fictional show is a dark portrayal of Washington depicting power politics, corruption, infidelity and murder centered around the politician Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey. Some hardliners have apparently embraced the show as a realistic representation of American politics. “House of Cards has been able to skillfully show the deception in the complicated political sphere of liberal American civilization, as well as treason, power-hungriness, promiscuities and crimes behind those ruling in the country,” the hard-line website Mashregh wrote.

Some of the information in this article was originally published on October 25, 2016.