Representation of US Withdrawal of JCPOA: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Editorials of Keyhan, Resalat, Shargh and Etemad Newspapers

Abstract: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached in July 2015 between I.R. Iran and the P5+1, but the US announced its withdrawal from the deal on May 2018. This withdrawal attracted much media attention, both internationally and inside Iran, due to its impact on international political and diplomatic spheres. this article aims to investigate the representation of the US withdraw from JCPOA in four Iranian newspapers: Keyhan, and Resalat (the main representatives of the Conservatives); and Etemad‌, and Shargh (the main representatives of the Reformists). Using the critical discourse analysis method, this research relies on discourse, representation, and framing theories. The findings point out that the dominant discourse in reformist newspapers is “Interaction”. These newspapers emphasize on the necessity of interaction with the world, negotiations, détente, and maintaining the national cohesion. By applying the techniques of highlighting and marginalization, Shargh and Etemad highlight “their own” positive features and “the others’” weak points. Through these techniques, these two newspapers seek to represent and induce their intended frameworks. The dominant discourse in conservative newspapers is “Resistance”. By bringing up historical evidences on unreliability and hostility of the West (the US and Europe), They highlight negative aspects of “the others” and positive aspect of “themselves” as “Iranian people” and “Iranian political system”. These conservative newspapers make effort to induce their favorite concepts and frameworks and to influence others by emphasizing on the concepts of “resistance”, using domestic capabilities, resistive economy, revolutionary insight, and serious and severe reaction against the enemy.