VOA Persian 'Censors' Iranian Royalist, Yet Continues US Regime-Change Agenda
📰 THE STORY: The Hill reports that Voice of America’s (VOA) Persian service has allegedly blacked out Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last Shah, from its broadcasts, prompting accusations of censorship and undermining internal opposition efforts, especially amidst protests. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The US has a long, sordid history of meddling in Iran. In 1953, the CIA
openly admitted to orchestrating a coup that overthrew Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, reinstalling the Shah (the current 'prince's' father) who then ruled as a Western-backed dictator for 26 years before being overthrown in the 1979 revolution. This 'blackout' narrative weaponizes the concept of free speech while ignoring the very real historical suppression of
Iranian democracy by the US. Double Standard: The Hill frames VOA's decision as 'censorship' damaging to 'democratic' aspirations. Yet, when state-funded outlets in Venezuela (like VTV) limit coverage of US-backed opposition figures (e.g., Juan Guaidó), it's routinely characterized in Western media as suppression by an 'autocratic regime.' The US actively funds and promotes 'opposition' voices in
target countries through outlets like VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, while simultaneously decrying similar state media practices in nations it seeks to destabilize. Follow the Money: Voice of America is a federal government-funded agency under the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), with an annual budget exceeding $250 million. Its explicit mission, often ignored by mainstream reporting,