With the outbreak of World War I and its expansion into Asia, Iran was not spared from its consequences. Despite declaring neutrality, the country was occupied by the Allied forces. After the October Revolution of 1917 in Russia and the Bolsheviks’ rise to power over the Tsarist regime, their humanitarian slogans and support for the working class influenced parts of Iranian society, fostering hopes for establishing a society based on equality.
This article, using a descriptive–analytical method and based on the content of Fars newspaper, examines the newspaper’s stance regarding the spread of Bolshevism in Iran. The main question of the article is: What was the approach of Fars newspaper toward the expansion of Bolshevik ideology in Iran and the efforts to counter it?
The findings show that Fars newspaper, by raising awareness of the nature of Bolshevism and the dangers posed by Bolshevik activities in Iran and the world, criticized their deceptive slogans and referred to the bitter experiences of neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and India, while highlighting the resistance of powers like France and the United States against this ideology. Through political and cultural approaches, Fars sought to curb the spread of Bolshevism in Iran.
Culturally, by pointing to the Bolsheviks’ attempts to destroy religion and national identity, the newspaper appealed to Shia scholars and clerics to counter their misguided beliefs and play a role in preserving and strengthening Iranian and Shi‘i culture.