Iran's conservative, reformist media divided on coverage of Rushdie attack

By Mustafa Melih Ahishali, Ahmet Dursun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iran's conservative and reformist media is divided over its reaction to Friday's attack on Salman Rushdie, an Indian-born American-British novelist.

Rushdie was stabbed multiple times by 24-year-old Hadi Matar in New York just as he was about to present his lecture on stage.

Soon after the attack, Iran was pushed into the limelight. The reason was a 1989 death fatwa against the author issued by Iran's then-supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini just after Rushdie's controversial book, The Satanic Verses, was published.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Monday refuted any link between the attack on Rushdie and Iran, adding that "no one has the right" to accuse Iran.

Meanwhile, the attack was hailed in Iran's conservative circles.

Kayhan, a conservative daily known for its leaning toward Khamenei, published a story with the headline "Rushdie suffered divine revenge. It's time for Trump and Pompeo."

Another daily Cam-i-Cem used the headline "The devil is blind," referring to the eye injury Rushdie suffered which could potentially lead him to losing his sight.

State-run daily Iran titled its report on the attack "The Devil's neck is under the knife." "34 years after Imam Khomeini's historical fatwa, he was finally attacked," the story read.

Mohammad Marandi, a professor at Tehran University, adviser to the delegation that conducts Iran's nuclear negotiations with the West, said on Twitter: "I will not shed tears for a writer who sows seeds of endless hatred against Islam and Muslims. Rushdie is a pawn of the empire disguised as a postcolonial novelist."

Marandi said the attack took place after the alleged assassination of John Bolton, who was a national security adviser during the tenure of former US President Donald Trump and hinted it could be a provocation to undermine the possible nuclear deal.

Reformist daily Arman published the headline "The new period of anti-Iranism under the pseudonym Rushdie."

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, who won the elections in Iran about a year ago, came to power with the support of conservatives against the nuclear deal. Despite US exit from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, negotiations are continuing between the parties for the re-implementation of the agreement.

Reformists in the country fear the latest attack could hamper the nuclear deal talks.

- Road to recovery

Rushdie’s family said on Sunday that he remains in critical condition.

“Following the attack on Friday, my father remains in critical condition in hospital receiving extensive ongoing medical treatment,” his family said in a statement.

The family said he was taken off the ventilator and additional oxygen, and he was able to say a few words on Saturday.

The suspect who attacked Rushdie was taken into custody, police said Friday.