The Media Approach of Masrour Barzani During the Imposed U.S.–Zionist War Against Iran

On March 20, 2019, Masrour Barzani launched Ava Media (avamediatv) and began producing television programs aimed at promoting Kurdish culture in its Sorani and Kurmanji dialects. Ava Entertainment, with a cultural, entertainment, and comedic approach, produces multimedia content—including radio programs and television series—and operates digitally across other parts of the world through its website and mobile applications.
Masrour Barzani, the son of Masoud Barzani—the former President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq—and a prominent member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has emphasized maintaining the independence and autonomy of the Kurdistan Region during his tenure as Prime Minister. His administration’s economic and security policies focused on economic stability and strengthening relations with foreign countries such as Turkey and Iran.
As a conservative politician who nevertheless maintains good relations with regional countries, Masrour Barzani places significant importance on preserving Kurdish identity and safeguarding the interests of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq at the international level. In confronting various domestic and external challenges, he has pursued independent and distinct policies.
In his most recent actions and policies, coinciding with what is described as the criminal attack by the United States and Israel, as well as the alleged disinformation campaign and psychological operations conducted by the U.S. and the West against Iran, Masrour Barzani has entered what is characterized as a dangerous arena of media confrontation with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
An analysis of Ava Media’s activities shows that it maintains a particular alignment and functional overlap with most American and Zionist media outlets. Through the dissemination of false information and its hostile media stance toward the Islamic Republic of Iran during the imposed “Ramadan War,” this network has demonstrated that it has assumed a defined role in the current psychological offensive by adversaries against Iran and the Axis of Resistance. Several examples are outlined below.
In one of Ava Media’s media scenarios, aligned with what are described as the sworn enemies of the Islamic Revolution, the network has pursued a narrative concerning the health status of Iran’s new leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, publishing reports about the possibility of his being alive or martyred.
Ava Media has also repeatedly published threats attributed to the Zionist regime regarding the assassination of senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly its new leadership.
Under the leadership of Masrour Barzani, one of the leaders of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Ava Media has further claimed—continuing its hostile approach—that following the assassination of martyr Ali Larijani, former Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, fear and anxiety have overshadowed senior Iranian officials, depriving them of decision-making capacity.
This network, described as affiliated with American and Zionist interests, has, by persistently disseminating what are termed unforgivable falsehoods from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, asserted that due to direct threats from Washington and Tel Aviv, no one is willing to assume high-ranking positions.
“Ava Media,” as a media outlet associated with the Barzani network, continues its media maneuvers by emphasizing a policy of sowing discord between the Islamic Republic of Iran and neighboring countries. This is while the Islamic Republic of Iran, throughout its governance, has consistently sought to act in accordance with international law and to maintain good-neighborly and fraternal relations with countries in the region, particularly its neighbors.
In this context, Iraqi Kurdistan has held a special place in Iran’s relations, based on shared cultural, historical, and religious ties. Iran has consistently acted as a strategic partner in the region, supporting the strengthening of political and economic stability in Iraqi Kurdistan and maintaining close cooperation with the Kurdistan authorities at various times, including on security matters—particularly in combating terrorism and extremist groups. Masrour Barzani himself, in meetings with Iranian officials, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of these relations and has been regarded as a positive factor in strengthening regional ties.
In this regard, the Turkish newspaper Zaman, in its January 8, 2015 issue (corresponding to early stages of ISIS’s attempt to seize Iraq), conducted an interview with Masoud Barzani, then President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, titled “How Erbil Was Saved.” Barzani stated: “Yes, everyone knows that ISIS had reached the gates of Erbil and there were fears that the city would soon be occupied. After the ISIS attack, I contacted the Americans, the Turks, the British, the French, and even Saudi Arabia, but officials from all these countries responded that they were unable to provide any assistance at that time.”
“I immediately contacted Haj Qassem and explained the situation in detail. Haj Qassem told me: “I will be in Erbil tomorrow morning after the dawn prayer.”
Barzani continues: “The next morning, Haj Qassem was at Erbil airport. I went to welcome him.”
In another part of the interview, Barzani states: “If it had not been for General Soleimani’s guidance, ISIS would have carried out a major massacre in Kobani, and we consider ourselves indebted to General Soleimani.”!!!