Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Abdul Ali Asghari as the new head of Iran’s national television, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). The previous head of IRIB, Mohammad Sarafraz, who resigned abruptly after only 18 months into a five-year assignment, faced numerous controversies and scandals during his short term as IRIB head.
In a statement May 11, Khamenei thanked Sarafraz for his “revolutionary efforts” and appointed him to the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. Khamenei also asked the new head of IRIB to focus on “attracting, retaining and training a revolutionary and skilled workforce and having an influential presence on social media.”