Arash Aramesh

Various news sources, such as BBC Persian service and the Associated Press, reported that an explosion occurred near President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s motorcade, which had left the Hamedan airport in western Iran for the city’s stadium where Ahmadinejad was due to speak.

But state-run agencies published confusing and conflicting reports. The agencies first confirmed there was an explosion and then denied it, but never confirmed an assassination attempt.

Fars news, a semi-official news agency with intimate ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, first reported that an explosion was heard near the presidential motorcade in Hamedan. Fars removed this story from its homepage and replaced it with the following: “Sounds of firecrackers heard during arrival ceremony.” Fars later removed all relevant stories including the one about firecrackers.

Mehr, another semi-official news agency, accused the Arab media of spreading rumors about an assassination attempt against President Ahmadinejad. Mehr did not mention the Arab media allegedly responsible for disseminating false news, but it was referring to Al-Arabiya, a Saudi-funded news network. Al-Arabiya, citing eyewitness accounts, reported that Ahmadinejad’s motorcade came under attack in Hamedan.

Mehr also removed all items relating to the alleged explosion in Hamedan from its homepage and instead replaced it with a headline intended to refocus attention elsewhere: “Urgent News: explosion in a petrochemical facility in Pardis.”

IRNA, the Islamic Republic’s News Agency, was the only media organization reporting news about the explosion on its homepage. IRNA wrote, “Excitement of a young man made news.” According to IRNA, a young man in Hamedan, who was partaking in welcoming ceremonies honoring President Ahmadinejad, lit firecrackers to show his uncontrollable excitement. This is highly likely, but it seems this was the state’s approach to minimizing the attempted attack on the president.

Khabar Online, a pro-government news website in Iran, reported that a “grenade” was set off near Ahmadinejad’s motorcade. After removing that story hours later, Khabar Online quoted the Minister of Intelligence in a completely irrelevant story, saying, “New enemy plots have been discovered in the region,” boasting the strength of Iran’s security and intelligence apparatus.

Iran has made an effort in recent years, especially since the aftermath of the June 12 election last year, to brag about its abilities to avert security threats. This is due in part to the fact that the government is trying to intimidate opposition activists and the dissenting masses. Refusing to acknowledge an assassination attempt should be viewed with suspicion.

Furthermore, if the state admits there was an assassination attempt against the leader the Islamic republic claims is the most popular president in its history, the hardliners in the regime would have a credibility problem.