The Iranian media was transfixed by the U.S. election, with more than a dozen newspapers covering the race largely from their own ideological perspective – reformist, centrist, conservative or hardline.
Conservative and hardline papers focused on the confusion surrounding the result. "Tensions between supporters of the two candidates have intensified and plunged the country into chaos," Javan, a hardline newspaper, reported on November 7. Right-wing outlets displayed images of street violence after President Trump refused to concede. "Cheating, chaos and street war" read a front-page headline in Kayhan, the most hardline paper, on November 7.
Reformist and centrist papers instead focused on the election’s potential impact on U.S.-Iran relations. “Can Biden cause a victory for reformists in 2021?” Shargh, a reformist newspaper, asked on November 5. They grew more optimistic of a Biden win as pivotal swing states were called. "Biden is on the verge of victory in the election, after a victory in Wisconsin and Michigan and leading in Pennsylvania," Etemad, a reformist paper, reported on November 7.
Conservative and hardline newspapers also downplayed the importance of the result. Their headlines instead echoed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's post-election remarks on the "political, civil, & moral decline" of the United States and reflected the regime's anti-Americanism. The following are selected frontpages from Iranian newspapers.
Reformist
![Shargh Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Shargh.png)
America's New Face After November 3
How Trump's presidency paved the way for armed groups to show their electoral power
![Nov 4 Shargh](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Shargh_Nov4.jpg)
![Nov 5 Aftab](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Aftab.png)
Mystery of the United States 2020
The results of the U.S. elections have still not become clear
The two competitors progress neck and neck in key states
![Nov 5 Aftab](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Afrab_Nov5.jpg)
![Nov 5 Arman](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Arman.png)
Trump Won't Accept the Results!
Although Biden won Wisconsin, Trump applied for a recount
Biden is one step closer to the White House
![Nov 5 Arman](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Arman_Nov5.jpg)
![Etemad Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Etemaad.png)
Red Situation in America
Trump spoke of an early victory, Biden called for patience
Competition for the U.S. Senate majority tied to the presidential election
![Nov 5 Etemad](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Etemad_Nov5.jpg)
![Mardom Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Mardom.png)
Key to the White House in Mail-In Votes
![Nov 5 Mardom](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Mardon_Nov5.jpg)
![Nov 5 Shargh](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Shargh.png)
Man-to-Man Clash
Can Biden cause a victory for reformists in 2021?
![Nov 5 Shargh](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Sharg_Nov5.jpg)
![Aftab logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Aftab.png)
A World Without Trump
![Nov 7 Aftab](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Aftab_Nov7.jpg)
![Nov 5 Shargh](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Shargh.png)
Palace of Loneliness: Early Return of Democrats to Power?
Biden's team is planning for the presidential transition
![Nov 7 Shargh](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Shargh_Nov7.jpg)
![Nov 7 Etemad](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Reformist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Etemaad.png)
Democratic Dismissal
![Nov 7 Etemad](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Reformists/Etemad_Nov7.jpg)
Centrist
![Donya Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Centrist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Donya.png)
Breathtaking Competition in Key States
Will mail-in votes change the outcome of the U.S. elections?
![Nov 5 Donya](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Centrist/Nov5_Donya2.jpg)
![Nov 5 Ebtekar](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Centrist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Ebtekar.png)
Close Competition Despite the Polls
U.S. election results accompanied by historically-low margins
![Nov 5 Ebtekar](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Centrist/Nov5_Ebetkar.jpg)
![Hamshahri Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Centrist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Hamshahri.png)
American Surprise
The U.S. presidential elections, regardless of the outcome, are a big surprise
![Nov 5 Hamshahri](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Centrist/Nov5_Hamshahri.jpg)
![Donya Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Centrist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Donya.png)
Trump's Leaving
The Future of Trumpism
![Donya Nov 7](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Centrist/Nov7_Donya2.jpg)
![Ebtekar logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Centrist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Ebtekar.png)
Blue Transformation in the White House
Joe Biden outperforms Trump in a complicated and breathtaking competition
![Nov 7 Ebtekar](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Centrist/Nov7_Ebtekar.jpg)
![Hamshahri Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Centrist%20Logos/Final_Logo_Hamshahri.png)
Countdown Begins
The U.S. presidential election results until now show that
Donald Trump will accept defeat and leave the White House
![Nov 7 Hamshahri](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Centrist/Nov7_Hamshahri.jpg)
Conservative and Hardline
![Iran logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Conservative%20Logos/Final_Iran_Logo.png)
The Fragile States [of America]
Biden and Trump's close competition in the U.S. elections has reached a dispute over votes
![Nov 5 Iran](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Conservatives/Nov5_Iran.jpg)
![Javan Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Hardline%20Logos/Final_Javan_Logo.png)
Four-Year Lease on the White House Ends With Cheating and Ambiguity
Rouhani: For us, it's not important who gets elected in the United States
![Nov 5 Javan](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Conservatives/Nov5_Javan.jpg)
![Iran logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Conservative%20Logos/Final_Iran_Logo.png)
Scorching November: Trump's Leaving
Post-election protests and accusations intensified in the United States
![Nov 7 Iran](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Conservatives/Nov7_Iran.jpg)
![Javan Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Hardline%20Logos/Final_Javan_Logo.png)
End of Elections, Beginning of Tensions
Challenging the U.S. presidential elections, tensions between
supporters of the two candidates have intensified and plunged the country into chaos
![Nov 7 Javan](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Conservatives/Nov7_Javan.jpg)
![Jomhouri Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Conservative%20Logos/Final_Jomhouri_Logo.png)
Trump's Heavy Defeat: United States on the Verge of Chaos
General Soleimani's killer overthrown
![Jomhouri Nov 7](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Conservatives/Nov7_Jomhouri.jpg)
![Kayhan Logo](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/Newspaper%20Logos/Hardline%20Logos/Final_Kayhan_Logo.png)
Spectacle of U.S. Election: Cheating, Chaos and Street War
![Kayhan Nov 7](https://iranprimer.usip.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Iran%20on%20Elex%20Week/Headlines_Conservatives/Nov7_Kayhan.jpg)
Photo Credits: All photos from Iran Front Pages (CC By 4.0)
Andrew Hanna, a program specialist at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and Ashley Lane, an intern at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, assembled this report.