Fars News Agency – State Media Monitor

Fars News Agency, founded in 2003, is a prominent Iranian media outlet that, while outwardly presenting itself as an independent journalistic institution, in practice operates as a strategic mouthpiece for the Iranian state—particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Broadcasting primarily in Persian, it also disseminates content in English and Arabic, aiming to project Tehran’s narratives to both domestic and global audiences.

Over the years, Fars has evolved into one of the regime’s most visible instruments of information warfare, frequently accused of peddling disinformation and ideological messaging aligned with hardline interests.

Media assets

Fars News Agency

State Media Monitor Typology

Ownership and governance

According to local media analysts and multiple international assessments, Fars News Agency is effectively controlled by the IRGC, Iran’s elite military and intelligence organization. While its formal legal structure remains opaque, the agency’s leadership and editorial line are widely understood to be vetted by the Guards. Appointments at senior editorial levels are reportedly made with IRGC oversight, ensuring alignment with its political and ideological objectives.

There is no publicly available corporate or institutional governance information, nor any evidence of oversight by an independent regulatory body. Fars operates in a legal grey zone between quasi-state control and private management, giving it operational latitude but binding it ideologically to the IRGC.

In February 2020, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Fars News Agency under Executive Order 13876, placing it on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. The Treasury cited Fars’ deep affiliation with the IRGC and its role in spreading “malign influence and disinformation” both within Iran and abroad. This designation freezes any assets Fars may hold under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons or entities from conducting any transactions with it. The designation has severely restricted its access to international platforms and financial tools, though Fars continues to publish online and operate through Iranian infrastructure.

Payam Tirandaz is the Managing Director (General Director) of Fars News Agency. Known for his close affiliations with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Tirandaz plays a key role in shaping the agency’s strategic messaging and operational direction. Before assuming leadership at Fars, Tirandaz held several roles within the state-controlled media ecosystem, including editorial and managerial positions at IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) and various IRGC-linked cultural organizations. He is also believed to be affiliated with Iran’s hardline media networks and ideological institutions.

Since his appointment, Tirandaz has overseen the expansion of Fars’ multilingual operations, the tightening of editorial alignment with IRGC policy lines, and the agency’s heightened role in regional disinformation campaigns, particularly amid tensions in Iraq, Syria, and the Persian Gulf. Tirandaz is also known for his public support of Iran’s Supreme Leader and the “Resistance Axis”—a political-military alliance led by Tehran.

Source of funding and budget

Based on the assessments of local experts consulted for this report in April 2024, Fars News Agency is primarily state-funded, with most of its budget sourced from government subsidies, likely funneled through IRGC-affiliated institutions. The agency’s estimated operational budget was approximately USD 9 million in 2023.

While precise financial details remain unavailable due to lack of transparency in Iranian media financing, the consistent quality of its output, including multilingual operations and overseas reporting, indicates continued access to significant public funding.

Editorial independence

In practice, Fars News Agency lacks editorial autonomy, operating as a tool of state propaganda. Its output is tightly controlled and aligned with the ideological line of the IRGC and Iran’s broader security and intelligence apparatus.

Key concerns include: disinformation and bias (Fars has a long-standing reputation for publishing inflammatory content, conspiracy theories, and ideologically driven coverage. It frequently targets reformist voices, civil society actors, and foreign governments hostile to Iran); sanctioned propaganda (the U.S. government explicitly cited the agency’s role in extremist messaging and disinformation as justification for its SDN designation); and absence of oversight (there is no domestic statute or independent regulatory framework that guarantees or verifies Fars’ editorial independence).

The agency operates within a heavily censored media ecosystem, where criticism of state policies—especially those linked to the Supreme Leader, the IRGC, or foreign policy—can lead to repression or prosecution. In this context, Fars functions not as a watchdog, but as a megaphone for the ruling establishment.

July 2025