VOA Continues Broadcasting in Iran Amid Communications Crackdown: Report

The Voice of America’s (VOA) Persian-language service continued to broadcast in Iran on Saturday despite widespread communications restrictions imposed by the regime, a spokeswoman confirmed to Fox News.

VOA – a US government-funded international broadcaster overseen by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) – appeared to broadcast Persian-language coverage of a US-Israeli military campaign known as “.Operation Epic Fury“Death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Donald Trump’s Remarks and Other Major Events.

In a post on X, USAGM said VOA is increasing By President Donald Trump Messages about the operation on his global platform, sharing images of his statement translated into several languages, including Korean and Kurdish.

A view of the Voice of America (VOA) news service center in Washington DC (Getty Images via Fatih Aktas /Anadolu)

“Voice of America is carrying President Trump’s message about Operation Epic Fury across all language services,” USAGM wrote. “Brave People of Iran are listening to him – and so are citizens living under tyrannical regimes around the world.”

Founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, now VOA Gives news to a weekly global audience of more than 361 million people in 49 languages, according to the organization’s website.

VOA began its Persian-language programming in 1979. The service “counters the Iranian regime’s disinformation and censorship efforts and enhances U.S. efforts to speak directly to the Iranian people,” its website says.

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday. (Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)

All broadcast media in Iran are state-controlled and promote official government policy and ideology. While private satellite dishes are illegal, foreign-based Persian-language satellite channels attract large numbers of viewers, according to BBC News.

The broadcast comes as Iranian authorities crack down on journalism and digital communications.

Authorities have imposed a near-total internet blackout – similar to restrictions imposed during protests last month – with national connectivity dropping to an estimated 4%. The Jerusalem Post Reported.

At least seven journalists have also been arrested since the latest wave of protests began in December, fueled by reports of economic collapse and inflation rising to 60%. Reporters Without Borders.

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Smoke billows after an explosion in Tehran, Iran on Saturday. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, CIA Entered the information war.

On Tuesday, the agency published a Persian-language video on its X account urging Iranian dissidents to secure contact with the CIA amid new anti-government protests.

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The US Agency for Global Media did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News’ Gillian Turner and Fox News Digital’s Emma Bassey and Efrat Lacher contributed to this report.

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