Framing the Iranian threat: an analysis of Canadian and American newspaper coverage of the Iranian nuclear project, September 11 2000 - September 11 2002

The Iranian government has long been viewed with suspicion by the West, but the Iranian nuclear project has been a significant source of contention. The United States has been particularly vocal about its distrust of this project. Iran claims that its nuclear program is for energy purposes, while the U.S. contends it is a clandestine weapons project. This study employed frame analysis and examined shifts in, and the maintenance of: the media frames used to present the Iranian nuclear project around a critical event: the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. Newspaper data from two Canadian and two American newspapers ( Toronto Star, National Post, Chicago Tribune and the New York Times) were examined for a one year period before and after the attacks. The data were evaluated for similarities or differences between: (1) the pre-9/11 and post-9/11 periods, (2) the Canadian (Toronto Star and National Post), and American publications (Chicago Tribune and New York Times), and (3) the liberal (Toronto Star and New York Times ) and conservative newspapers (National Post and Chicago Tribune). The pre-9/11 and post-9/11 comparison findings were that while frames were maintained, themes shifted. Images of Iran and its nuclear project as a threat remained consistent throughout the data, although the justifications offered for this label changed. The findings for the Canadian and American comparison were that national concerns were evident in the pre-9/11 discussion of Iran and its nuclear project, but post-9/11 security interests between Canada and the U.S. were presented as more similar, overriding national interests. The findings for the liberal and conservative comparison were that the liberal publications presented the Iranian nuclear project as a diplomatic problem, while the conservative publications presented it as a security threat, for which a military response maybe necessary. This study's findings demonstrate the how frame selection operates to present a particular image of reality and the power of critical events to reframe issues. Mixed images of Iran and its nuclear project were presented in the data and treatment recommendations ranged widely, illustrating that the news is an incomplete presentation of events and reality.