TEHRAN – Leader of the
Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday appointed Peyman Jebelli as the new head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
Jebelli replaces Abdulali Ali-Asgari, who completed a five-year term, with the Leader thanking the latter for “his tireless and diligent efforts as a faithful and devoted manager”.
Jebelli, 55, has a long history in the IRIB, and was a deputy political director there. He also had worked as deputy secretary for media at the country’s Supreme National Security Council.
“I appoint you as the chairman of that organization for a period of five years,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in his decree for Jebelli, citing his “religious and revolutionary qualifications, long expertise and experience in the management of the IRIB and knowledge of the nature, functions and duties of the national media.”
“The national media is a university for raising the level of public awareness and knowledge, and a platform for confronting the hostile waves of distortion and sedition, and a sanctuary for everyone’s eyes and hearts to enjoy the effects of beauty and art, and a place to spread hope and joy in the public space of the country,” the Leader said in his message.
“Cultural guidance, strengthening the spirit and sense of national and revolutionary identity, promoting the Islamic-Iranian way of life, and increasing national solidarity are among the priorities that should be achieved by promoting human capital and quality improvement of programs with innovation and round-the-clock efforts. Insha’Allah (God willing).”
Jebelli is a university professor and a leading expert and analyst on political matters. Born and raised in a religious family in the northern Tehran neighborhood of Shemiran, he speaks fluent Arabic apart from Persian.
He received his master’s degree in Islamic sciences and propagation from the Imam Sadiq University of Tehran in 1993, and graduated from the same university in 2004 with a PhD degree in culture and communications.
His stint as a diplomat includes serving as Iran’s ambassador to Tunisia from 2011 to 2014.