US President Donald Trump is engaged in yet another battle with the US liberal media, including The New York Times and CNN. At its core is Trump's accusation that these liberal news organizations have let down the American people and nation in their confrontation with the Iranian regime by adopting Iranian propaganda in their coverage of the war.
One could say this is an old battle in a new form, though the headline is different this time. It is only natural for the president and members of his administration to be angered when the narrative presented by the US media does not align with that of the Pentagon, the White House, and Trump's own steady stream of statements and social media posts, sometimes more than once a day. One might even say it is the wish of every ruler.
But does that mean outlets such as The New York Times and CNN should be absolved of political bias in their coverage of this war?
These platforms, and those behind them, have been at odds with Trump long before the current conflict, indeed with the entire Trump movement. For that reason, it is difficult to take their narrative as entirely disinterested.
Earlier on Thursday, CNN, citing two sources familiar with US intelligence assessments, reported that Iran had already resumed some drone production activities during the ceasefire that began in early April.
The report also quoted four sources as saying that US intelligence indicates the Iranian military is rebuilding its ranks at a much faster pace than initially expected.
A US official also told CNN that the Iranians have exceeded all the timelines that intelligence agencies had projected for reconstruction.
Setting aside CNN’s political leanings, taking such information seriously is a matter of prudence. Indeed, it is probably closer to reality. I do not mean to downplay the severe damage inflicted on Iran’s military capabilities by US and Israeli forces, as CNN would like to emphasize. Rather, I mean that the leaders of Iran’s regime operate with one visible mode of behavior and another concealed one in the realm of politics.It is through this lens that one should approach the world of Khomeinist politics.
In the visible world, we see figures such as Zarif, Araghchi, and perhaps Ghalibaf, along with their cultural and media networks in the West. But in the hidden world, there is a different interpretation of both the world and politics.
What I mean is that even if the president of the United States were Obama, Carter, or even Robert De Niro himself, it would not deter Iran’s leaders from their commitment to that inner world, which, in their view, is the true world.
They see themselves as bearers of a mission to lead the world. That is their fundamental truth.
Al-Qadi al-Nu'man, one of the philosophers of esoteric thought, wrote in one of his books that everything perceptible must have an outer and an inner dimension. Its outer aspect is what the senses apprehend, while its inner aspect is what contains it and is encompassed by knowledge as residing within it. The outer aspect includes and envelops the inner.
I am not suggesting that dealings with the Iranian regime should be confined to this concept alone. What I am saying is that it should not be ignored, if only for the sake of understanding.
