The Convergence and Divergence of Media Discourses on JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)

The discourse theory holds that the social world is understood through discourse in the sense of meaning, and discourses construct distinct semantic systems in various respects in light of what society calls on them.
This study aims to provide a theoretical framework based on Laclau and Mouffe's Discourse Theory in order to identify divergences and convergences of the JCPOA-related discourses in the form of the "official/State" and "Conservative" discourses in the media outlets, supported them while trying to establish a system of meaning.
Content of five media outlets was selected and assessed in three periods of Iranian calendar 1394, 1395 and 1396 to 13th Aban 1397.
The field of research is divided into Micro (linguistic and lexical topics) and Macro (discursive applications) levels.

The results of study suggest that both discourses depend heavily on empty signifiers. Formal/State discourse follows this same strategy of the elements and empty signifiers in the field of discursivity. In the first and second eras, the Conservative discourse took a more proactive approach and exploited ideological moments. In the second era, both sides changed their discourse array.

Conservative discourse took Nodal Point from the field of discursivity of the competing discourse. In the third era, however, both discourses were focused on floating signifiers. In the field of language-foregrounding and backgrounding mechanism, positive and negative representations aimed at the dual construction of the "legitimate self" and the "illegitimate other" are on the agenda of both discourses and the main method is in the form of referential strategies.