''Ayandegan'' ( fa, آیندگان lit. "The Future People") was one of the most influential and popular daily newspapers in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

during

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , title = Shahanshah Aryamehr Bozorg Arteshtaran , image = File:Shah_fullsize.jpg , caption = Shah in 1973 , succession = Shah of Iran , reign = 16 September 1941 – 11 February 1979 , coronation = 26 October ...

's rule. It was the first morning daily paper of Iran. It had an independent and critical stance. The paper was also a liberal and nationalist publication in the Pahlavi period.

History and profile

''Ayandegan'' was founded in 1967 by

Daryoush Homayoun Daryoush Homayoun ( fa, داریوش همایون; 19282011) was an Iranian journalist, author, intellectual, and politician. He was the Minister of Information and Tourism in the cabinet of Jamshid Amouzegar, founder of the daily newspaper ''Ayan ...

, and its first issue appeared on 16 December that year. From its start in 1967 to 1977 Homayoun edited the paper, which held a

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

stance. The paper had its headquarters in Tehran. In the immediate aftermath of the

1979 revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...

, ''Ayandegan'' enjoyed higher levels of circulation selling 400,000 copies. However, the paper was banned on 12 May 1979 due to its criticisms over the Islamic government's

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...

and limitations on the freedom of press. In fact, on the same day the paper published three empty pages to protest over the statements of

Ayatullah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...

who declared that he would not read ''Ayandegan''. Soon after this incident Ayatullah Khomeini stated that the paper was both depraved and deviationist. Then the revolutionary prosecutor closed the newspaper on 8 August 1979. The staff were also arrested.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ayandegan 1967 establishments in Iran 1979 disestablishments in Iran Censorship in Iran Defunct newspapers published in Iran Liberalism in Iran Newspapers established in 1967 Newspapers published in Tehran Persian-language newspapers Publications disestablished in 1979 Pahlavi Iran Banned newspapers