Feb 20, 2019

"A social Democrat pursuing political revolution in the United States," wrote Iran’s official IRNA news agency of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders after he launched his campaign for the Democratic Party's nomination in the 2020 presidential race for the White House.

Sanders introduced his fight as one about "creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice." Based on that agenda, “Sanders has come forth with 'revolution' as his slogan," reported leading Iranian business daily Donya-e Eqtesad. According to the daily, what Sanders enjoys more than other US presidential candidates is massive support on social media.

Seemingly trying to hide excitement about Sanders' announcement, Jahan Sanat, a conservative paper with regularly biting headlines against President Hassan Rouhani's moderate government, referred to Sanders as the "leftist Democrat." But the term notably has little negative connotation in the Islamic Republic, whose ideology shares a lot with left-wing movements opposed to US global influence. "Sanders launched his campaign right at a time when the US president [Donald Trump] undermined his Venezuelan counterpart's socialist ideology as a dead one with no more relevance in the Americas," wrote Khorasan, as it introduced Sanders as a progressive politician.

What perhaps made Sanders a more attractive choice for coverage was his decision to name Faiz Shakir as his campaign manager. Shakir is a Muslim civil rights lawyer of Pakistani origin. Meanwhile, the outlets — which gave little room to Sanders — still found some space for Trump and how he is being squeezed by 16 states with a lawsuit against his emergency declaration over the controversial plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico. "Disunited States," wrote pro-government Iran in a catchy title to suggest a split that America is grappling with due to Trump's perceived divisive policies.

While closely monitoring political developments in the United States, the Islamic Republic's official line toward American presidential elections has long been one of indifference. This is, nevertheless, not shared by many among the elites and the public who find it decisive who makes it to the Oval Office.