Iran accuses state TV of censorship over President's diplomatic speech edits.

A serious crack has appeared between Iran's government and state television over how to show the nation's war footing and talks with America while mediators try to push both sides toward diplomacy. The Government Information Council charged state broadcaster IRIB with censorship this Friday after parts of President Masoud Pezeshkian's speech from earlier in the week never made it to viewers.

IRIB pushed back on Saturday, calling the government's charges improper and saying its job is to stop any hint that leadership pillars are split. The president told a story in his remarks about how he spoke with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after last year's twelve-day war with Israel. He said the former supreme leader had publicly stated there would be no talks with Washington but gave private approval when explained why.

"We went to the dear leader, explained the situation, and asked him what to do since he had said the 'no war, no peace' conditions are bad for the country," Pezeshkian told reporters. "He ordered us to go negotiate. We started the talks based on his order."

The government called cutting that segment part of a string of unusual moves by state TV regarding recent comments from heads of the government, parliament, and judiciary. Earlier this month, portions of an interview with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of parliament and chief negotiator, were trimmed when he discussed talks with state television. A speech by judiciary head Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei was also left off the air earlier in the week even though it backed the president's position.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took aim at IRIB separately during an interview released on Saturday with a state-linked outlet. He said he fought with a sword while talking to US media like Fox and CNN during wartime but only one or two subtitles from those conversations ever aired. The chief diplomat rejected hardliner claims that the suspended memorandum of understanding signed last month was forced on new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, calling it the best deal possible under the circumstances.

The government blamed a political faction inside state TV for these actions, likely pointing to the Paydari Front of ultrahardliners, and warned their moves could hurt national security and social cohesion. IRIB said showing the president's segment would have spread an image of division within the country. Both sides traded accusations that they were undermining Mojtaba Khamenei's decree from last week to build sacred unity against US military, economic, and diplomatic pressure.

Mohammad Mirzaei, a member of parliament who runs a committee overseeing IRIB, told reporters on Saturday that directors at the broadcaster have been warned to show different viewpoints and act as a sign of national unity. Conservative journalist Mohammad Mohajeri told local media that the station is now its most expensive yet least effective.

Can a state run by the people truly survive when its own channels refuse to tell the whole story? The stakes are high for Iran's stability as diplomats walk a tightrope and citizens wonder who really speaks for them.

Reformist activist Mohammad-Sadegh Javadi-Hesar pointed to a fractured core issue. He called it one government being installed while another, known as IRIB, operates against that same state. This split runs deep inside Tehran.

Reformist Entekhab news outlet reported this tension using an unnamed source. That source claimed President Masoud Pezeshkian sharply reprimanded IRIB chief Peyman Jebeli during a cabinet meeting. The row followed recent diplomatic negotiations. Jebeli, who was appointed by Ali Khamenei in 2021, previously served as media deputy at the Supreme National Security Council. Saeed Jalili held that secretary role then too. Jalili remains the only council member said to have voted against an interim deal with the US last month.

Hardline lawmaker Meysam Zohourian claimed the president threatened to cut state television's budget. The administration has not confirmed this claim yet. Rumors swirl in corridors where secrets usually stay locked tight.

As public sparring unfolded, mediators from Oman arrived in Tehran on Friday. They came to discuss managing the Strait of Hormuz. This vital waterway controls trade routes for many nations. Its control has become a central point of contention between Washington and Iran. Tensions remain high near the Persian Gulf.

US President Donald Trump argued on Friday that the war was going extremely well. He also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Washington in coming days. The two leaders continue to talk through mediators. Yet Trump did not expect any agreement soon. Time is running out for both sides to find common ground.

Trump refused to answer a direct question about his threats. He threatened systematically attacking power plants and bridges in Iran if war escalates further. Would such acts constitute war crimes? The US president declined to provide an answer on Saturday. Silence hangs heavy over that specific accusation.

Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, responded on Saturday. He stated missile and drone launches across the region will continue until the full surrender of the enemy. His goal includes avenging the blood of civilians killed during the war. The cycle of violence shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.