⌨Editorial priorities on January 13 shifted toward a global economic ultimatum issued by President Trump, who threatened a 25 percent tariff on any nation continuing to trade with Iran. This escalation dominated the morning cycle, with diaspora outlets framing it as a "noose" designed to achieve total isolation, while simultaneously reporting a staggering death toll of 12,000 cited by Iran International’s editorial board.
By afternoon, the focus transitioned to a direct American directive for the insurgency. VOA Persian and Radio Farda highlighted Trump’s message to "patriots" to seize state institutions, accompanied by Senator Lindsey Graham’s warning of imminent military and cyber strikes. Concurrently, European leaders, including German Chancellor Scholz, shifted their tone to declare the Islamic Republic in its final days, as Western embassies began evacuating non-essential staff.
State-aligned media maintained a rigid counter-narrative, ignoring the economic threats and casualty figures to prioritize reports of government-organized rallies at Revolution Square and military warnings of a "crushing response" to any foreign aggression.