Farda-e-Eghtesad, an Iranian media outlet, has resumed its activities after a 15-month suspension. The outlet’s studio was sealed by Tehran’s Economic Security Police on June 27, 2024, prompting a prolonged closure.
In an announcement on its website and social media platforms, Fardaye Eghtesad confirmed the resumption of its operations. The closure followed an incident on June 7, 2024, when Tehran’s Economic Security Police sealed the outlet’s visual media studio. Sources close to the Defening Free Flow of Information (DeFFI) revealed that the studio was shut down on allegations of using “smuggled” equipment. This came after an earlier incident in February 2024, when the studio was sealed for 20 days, its technical equipment inspected, and a portion confiscated. The second closure, just four months later, on charges of tax evasion related to the equipment, raised concerns about potential extralegal actions against the outlet.
On February 5, 2024, in an unprecedented move, Tehran’s Economic Security Police entered Fardaye Eghtesad’s newsroom, located at Kian Building in Tehran’s Argentina Square, and detained all staff members present. Following protests by the journalists’ families outside the building and the subsequent media coverage, some detainees were gradually released.
Among the detained journalists, Ali Mirzakhani, the outlet’s editor-in-chief, was released on February 8, 2024. Behzad Bahmannezhad and Mehrdad Asgari, held for 10 days, were freed on February 15, 2024. Nikan Khabazi was released on March 4, 2024 after nearly a month in detention. However, Ali Tasnimi, the last detained member of Fardaye Eghtesad, remained in custody for over two months before being released.