Fars News Agency

Fars News Agency, commonly known as Fars News, is an Iranian news organization established in 2003. It operates primarily as a Persian-language agency but has also provided reporting in English, Arabic, Turkish, and Dari, giving it a broader regional and international communications role than a purely domestic outlet. Its output covers Iranian politics, security, foreign affairs, society, economics, culture, and sport, with distribution through its website and associated digital channels. Fars describes itself as an independent Iranian news agency. However, outside observers and Western news organizations commonly describe it as semi-official and close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a major military and political institution within Iran. The agency is therefore frequently treated as an important channel for perspectives aligned with Iran's conservative political establishment and security institutions. Analysts have also identified Fars as a significant participant in Iranian state-aligned messaging and information campaigns, particularly on disputes involving the United States, Israel, opposition movements, sanctions, regional conflicts, and domestic political dissent. The agency's international profile has been shaped as much by controversies as by routine reporting. In 2012, Fars published an interview attributed to Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi that included comments about relations with Iran and the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. Morsi disputed the interview's authenticity, and questions were raised about the recording later offered by Fars in support of its account. In the same year, Fars reproduced a satirical article from The Onion as though it were genuine news, including fictional quotations; the agency subsequently apologized while maintaining that the story reflected broader dissatisfaction with the American political system. In 2013, it published a report claiming that an Iranian scientist had developed a time machine, then removed the report and cited an official statement that no such invention had been registered. In 2014, it circulated reports built around an alleged extraterrestrial or alien influence on United States policy, adding to criticism of its editorial standards and use of unverified material. Fars has also been involved in politically and ideologically charged campaigns. In 2016, it was among Iranian media organizations that pledged money toward a bounty connected with the death threat against author Salman Rushdie. In 2020, it shared an article denying or minimizing the Holocaust and reframing historical violence involving Yemenite Jews, prompting accusations of antisemitism and Holocaust distortion. The agency has additionally been described by the Iran Disinformation Project as a central component of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked disinformation ecosystem that targets dissidents, human-rights advocates, labor activists, political opponents, and intellectuals. The agency has faced direct restrictions from the United States. Its .com domain was blocked under U.S. sanctions in January 2020, and the U.S. Treasury Department added Fars News Agency to the Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List on 15 September 2023. These measures reflect Washington's assessment that Fars is connected to Iranian influence operations and information activities. Fars remains an active Iranian media brand, although its reach, credibility, and access to international audiences are affected by sanctions, platform restrictions, language segmentation, and sustained scrutiny over attribution, verification, and political alignment.

Fars News Agency was founded in Iran in 2003 as a news provider serving Persian-speaking audiences. It later expanded its publishing footprint through English, Arabic, Turkish, and Dari editions. Its subject areas include Iranian politics, government, security, defense, foreign affairs, economics, society, culture, and regional conflicts. The agency's multilingual output has enabled it to communicate Iranian political narratives beyond the country's Persian-language media environment. Fars characterizes itself as an independent news organization. International reporting and research organizations, however, have commonly described it as semi-official and close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. That perceived relationship has shaped the agency's reputation: it is often treated as an outlet that reflects or advances positions associated with Iran's conservative political and security establishment. Researchers studying Iranian influence operations have also described Fars as an important node in the circulation of state-aligned narratives about domestic opponents, human-rights groups, labor activists, intellectuals, Western governments, and regional adversaries. Several incidents in the 2010s brought international attention to Fars's editorial practices. In June 2012, the agency published an interview attributed to Mohamed Morsi, then president of Egypt. The report presented Morsi as favoring closer relations with Iran and reconsideration of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. Morsi disputed the interview, and Arabic-language commentators cited doubts about the authenticity of the voice in audio that Fars later offered as evidence. In September of the same year, Fars republished a satirical article from The Onion as a factual survey. The copied article contained invented remarks by a fictional American source. Fars apologized for the error but added a political defense of the story's broader message about dissatisfaction with the U.S. political system. In April 2013, Fars carried a report asserting that a 27-year-old Iranian scientist had invented a time machine capable of showing the future. The report was removed within days and replaced with material quoting an Iranian official who said that no such invention had been registered. In January 2014, Fars published reports claiming that U.S. security policy was directed by an extraterrestrial or alien agenda. The reports referred to an alleged security document and to Edward Snowden, but were widely regarded as conspiracy-oriented and unsubstantiated. The agency has also participated in highly controversial ideological and political activity. In February 2016, it was listed among approximately 40 Iranian news agencies that pledged money toward the bounty associated with threats against author Salman Rushdie. In November 2020, Fars shared an article by Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the Iranian newspaper Kayhan, that denied or minimized the Holocaust and described violence involving the Himyarite Kingdom as the supposed “real Holocaust” affecting Yemenite Christians. Critics said the article was antisemitic and sought to dehumanize Jews while diminishing the Holocaust. Fars's relationship with Western governments has become increasingly confrontational. The United States blocked the agency's .com domain under sanctions in January 2020. On 15 September 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Fars News Agency under OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. The measures limited parts of the agency's international digital accessibility and formally linked it to U.S. concerns about Iranian influence and information operations. Despite these restrictions, Fars remains an active Iranian news brand with domestic reach and multilingual distribution. Its present identity is defined by the combination of broad news-agency functions, close perceived alignment with Iran's security establishment, and continuing controversy over accuracy, propaganda, sanctions, and politically charged content.

1. 2023OFAC designation

   The U.S. Treasury Department added Fars News Agency to OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

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2. 2020Fars domain blocked under U.S. sanctions

   The agency's .com domain was blocked under U.S. sanctions.

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3. 2016Rushdie bounty pledge reported

   Fars was reported to have pledged money toward a bounty associated with threats against Salman Rushdie.

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4. 2014Extraterrestrial-influence reports published

   Fars carried reports alleging that alien actors influenced U.S. policy, generating criticism over unverified conspiracy claims.

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5. 2013Time-machine report withdrawn

   The agency removed a report claiming that an Iranian scientist had developed a time machine after an official said that no such device had been registered.

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6. 2012Disputed Morsi interview published

   Fars published an interview attributed to Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi; Morsi challenged its authenticity and questions were raised about supporting audio.

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7. 2012Satirical Onion article treated as news

   Fars reproduced a story from The Onion as factual reporting and later apologized for the error.

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8. 2003Fars News Agency founded

   Fars News Agency was established in Iran as a news organization primarily serving Persian-language audiences.

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Fars presents itself as an independent Iranian news agency, while international observers generally position it as a semi-official, conservative, and security-aligned Iranian outlet with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

• Persian news serviceNews agency service2003

  The agency's primary service is Persian-language reporting on Iranian politics, government, security, foreign affairs, society, economics, culture, and regional developments. This service forms the core of Fars's domestic audience and editorial identity.

• Multilingual international servicesDigital news service

  Fars has provided news in English, Arabic, Turkish, and Dari in addition to Persian. These editions extend its coverage to regional and international audiences and support the distribution of Iranian political and foreign-policy perspectives across multiple language communities.

• Digital news platformOnline media2003

  Fars distributes text, photography, and audiovisual news through its digital properties, including its Iranian website. The platform functions as a continuously updated news portal rather than a subscription product with publicly documented consumer pricing.

• 2016Salman Rushdie bounty pledge

  Iran · International media

  Fars participated in a group of Iranian media organizations reported to have pledged money toward the bounty associated with threats against Salman Rushdie.

  Outcome. The pledge generated international condemnation and reinforced criticism of Fars as an ideologically aligned media outlet.

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• 2023OFAC designationOther

  The U.S. Treasury Department cited Fars in the context of sanctions targeting Iranian entities and influence operations.

  What changed. Fars News Agency was added to OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List on 15 September 2023.

  Aftermath. The designation increased the agency's legal and distribution constraints in jurisdictions observing U.S. sanctions.

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• 2020U.S. sanctions block the .com domainOther

  The United States imposed sanctions affecting Fars in the context of broader measures against Iranian information and influence activities.

  What changed. The Fars News Agency .com domain was blocked under U.S. sanctions.

  Aftermath. The action restricted part of the agency's international digital accessibility.

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• 2003Launch a multilingual Iranian news agencyStrategy

  Fars was established to provide Iranian news coverage, initially centered on Persian-language reporting.

  What changed. The agency developed Persian reporting alongside services in English, Arabic, Turkish, and Dari.

  Aftermath. The multilingual structure enabled Fars to address domestic, regional, and international audiences.

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• 2020Holocaust-denying article sharedControversy

  Fars shared an article that denied or minimized the Holocaust and reframed historical violence involving Yemenite Jews. Critics condemned it as antisemitic and historically distortive.

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• 2014Extraterrestrial agenda reportsControversy

  Fars published reports alleging that extraterrestrial actors controlled or influenced U.S. security policy, leading to criticism over conspiracy-driven misinformation.

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• 2013Alleged time-machine reportControversy

  The agency published and then removed an implausible report claiming that an Iranian scientist had invented a time machine.

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• 2012Disputed interview with Mohamed MorsiControversy

  Fars published an interview attributed to Mohamed Morsi that he later disputed. Questions were also raised about the authenticity of audio presented by the agency.

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• 2012The Onion story republished as factual newsControversy

  Fars copied a satirical Onion article, including fictional quotations, and presented it as a real survey. The agency later apologized.

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• 2023U.S. Treasury adds Fars News Agency to sanctions list

  On 15 September 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department added Fars News Agency to OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

  Regulation
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• 2020U.S. sanctions block Fars-related domain

  The Fars News Agency .com domain was blocked under United States sanctions applied in January 2020.

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• 2003Fars News Agency established

  Fars News Agency was founded in Iran and developed into a multilingual news provider focused on Iranian domestic affairs, politics, security, and foreign relations.

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1. Fars News Agency
2. Fars News Agency official website