Call for Balanced and Transparent Reporting on Iran by Helsingin Sanomat
Call for Balanced and Transparent Reporting on Iran
We, the undersigned, wish to express our serious concern regarding the balance,
neutrality, and transparency of several articles about Iran published by Helsingin
Sanomat in its recent coverage of Iran.
Our concern is not limited to isolated wording choices or individual interpretations.
Rather, it relates to a broader pattern in which reporting on Iran may, at times, rely
on limited perspectives, insufficient source transparency, and incomplete historical
or political context. We believe this can lead to an unbalanced understanding of a
highly complex subject.
For accessibility, brief summaries are also provided in Finnish and Persian at the end of this petition.
Lyhyt yhteenveto on saatavilla myös suomeksi tämän adressin lopussa.
خلاصهای کوتاه از این دادخواست نیز در پایان به زبان فارسی ارائه شده است
⚠️ Why this matters
Media institutions play a crucial role in shaping public understanding, especially on
international issues that many readers may not know in depth.
At present, Iran is experiencing a highly critical and rapidly evolving situation,
including widespread unrest, restrictions on information, and serious humanitarian
concerns.
In such conditions, accurate and well-balanced reporting becomes even more
important. When reporting lacks balance, contextual clarity, or transparency
regarding sources, it does not simply inform, it influences how people perceive
complex realities and may contribute to misunderstanding or misguided
conclusions.
Public understanding of such a sensitive situation should be based on careful,
transparent, and context-rich journalism, rather than on incomplete or one-sided
narratives.
We present the following three articles as examples of these recurring concerns:
1. Jos Iran romahtaa, Eurooppa maksaa kovemman hinnan kuin Yhdysvallat
This article presents a highly consequential scenario, that Iran’s collapse would lead
to a major refugee crisis in Europe, without providing sufficient evidence or balance.
Several concerns arise:
• The article relies on experts such as Ali Vaez and Trita Parsi without sufficient contextual explanation regarding their institutional affiliations, analytical perspectives, or the broader debate surrounding their views
• A large-scale refugee scenario is presented without supporting data, comparative analysis, or reference to current migration trends
• Alternative viewpoints or expert disagreements are not included
• The article places strong emphasis on potential economic consequences for Europe, while giving comparatively limited attention to the humanitarian realities affecting people inside Iran
As a result, the article risks presenting a speculative and one-sided narrative on a highly complex issue.
2. Iran horjuu sodan ja kumouksen välissä
This article raises concerns regarding representation of political figures and
interpretation of public opinion:
• Reza Pahlavi is presented primarily through a monarchy-focused lens, without
adequately reflecting his repeated public statements supporting democratic
choice and the right of the Iranian people to determine their system of
governance
• His public support is characterized as being driven mainly by “desperation,”
without supporting data, polling, or evidence. However, recent large-scale
demonstrations by Iranians, both inside the country and across the global
diaspora, show visible and organized expressions of support, including mass
rallies in February 2026 in multiple cities worldwide. This suggests that public
sentiment is more complex and cannot be reduced to a single explanation
• His role and significance are questioned without sufficient context regarding his
long-standing public positions on democratic and secular governance
• A comparison with Ruhollah Khomeini is made without sufficient historical and
ideological explanation, which risks oversimplifying fundamentally different
political contexts
This framing may lead to a partial and potentially misleading understanding of
both the individual and broader public sentiment.
3. Olisiko taas šaahin vuoro
This article presents a historical narrative of Iran that appears selective and
insufficiently contextualized.
• The Pahlavi era is described primarily through negative aspects such as inequality, repression, and elite behavior
• Widely discussed elements, including modernization, industrial development, expansion of education, and state-building, are not sufficiently addressed
• Key historical events, such as the 2,500-year celebration, are framed mainly in terms of criticism without adequate discussion of their broader historical and cultural context
The range of sources and interpretations presented appears limited for a subject of this complexity
Broader concerns
• Limited transparency regarding sources and their perspectives
• Interpretations presented in ways that may appear factual rather than analytical
• Insufficient inclusion of alternative viewpoints
• Repetition of similar narratives without sufficient critical examination
• Incomplete historical and political context in complex topics
What we ask
• Improve transparency regarding sources and expert framing
• Distinguish clearly between fact, analysis, and interpretation
• Include a broader range of informed perspectives
• Provide fuller historical and humanitarian context
• Ensure more balanced and responsible reporting on Iran
Sign this petition
We believe that high-quality journalism must be accurate, transparent, balanced,
and fair. For a subject as serious and complex as Iran, these standards are especially
important.
We submit this appeal in the hope that Helsingin Sanomat will take these concerns
seriously and strengthen its commitment to careful, balanced, and context-rich
reporting.
Sincerely,
The undersigned
Tämä adressi koskee huolta Irania koskevan uutisoinnin tasapainosta, läpinäkyvyydestä ja kontekstista Helsingin Sanomat -lehdessä. Iranissa vallitsee tällä hetkellä erittäin kriittinen ja poikkeuksellinen tilanne, johon liittyy levottomuuksia, väkivaltaa ja laajoja tiedonvälityksen rajoituksia, kuten internetkatkoksia. Tällaisissa olosuhteissa on erityisen tärkeää, että kansainvälisistä aiheista raportoidaan tarkasti, monipuolisesti ja vastuullisesti. Yksipuolinen tai puutteellinen uutisointi voi johtaa vakaviin väärinymmärryksiin. Pyydämme tasapainoisempaa, läpinäkyvämpää ja kontekstiltaan kattavampaa raportointia. Jos kannatat vastuullista journalismia, allekirjoita tämä adressi.
این دادخواست درباره نگرانی نسبت به توازن، شفافیت و زمینهسازی در گزارشهای مربوط به ایران در روزنامه هلسینکی سانومات است. در حال حاضر ایران در شرایطی بسیار بحرانی و حساس قرار دارد که با ناآرامیها، خشونت و محدودیتهای گسترده در دسترسی به اطلاعات، از جمله قطع اینترنت، همراه است. در چنین شرایطی، اهمیت دارد که موضوعات بینالمللی با دقت، چندجانبهنگری و مسئولیتپذیری گزارش شوند. گزارشهای یکجانبه یا ناقص میتوانند منجر به سوءبرداشتهای جدی شوند. ما خواستار گزارشدهی متعادلتر، شفافتر و همراه با ارائه کاملتر زمینهها هستیم. اگر از روزنامهنگاری دقیق و مسئولانه حمایت میکنید، لطفاً این دادخواست را امضا کنید.