AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): At the "Future of the Battle" conference, Sheikh Mahdi al-Sumaida'i, the Mufti of Iraq, delivered a speech.
At the beginning of his remarks, referring to the decisive role of media throughout history, he stated, "From ancient times to the present, there have always been two currents—'truth' and 'falsehood'—in confrontation in the media arena. The false current, using lies and distortion of facts, has sought to divert public opinion and prevent the truth from being revealed."
Sheikh al-Sumaida'i, criticizing the media dominance of false currents, stated, "One of the fundamental challenges today is the weakness and underperformance of the media of the truth front; while the enemies, by producing fabricated and widespread narratives, influence public opinion, the media of truth must have a more active and effective presence."
Emphasizing the importance of using modern communication tools, he added, "Today, social networks, digital media, and various communication tools have provided an important opportunity to convey the truth, and it is necessary for activists of the truth front to properly utilize these capacities."
The Mufti of Iraq, referring to regional developments, noted, "During the recent wars in the region, including in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and also regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran, we have witnessed widespread distortion of facts by some Arab and Western media, to the extent that sometimes the aggressor has been portrayed as the oppressed and the oppressed as the aggressor."
He emphasized, "In such circumstances, silence in the face of the distortion of truth is not permissible, and it is obligatory upon all people of truth to express the facts with courage and clarity, and not to allow false narratives to dominate public opinion."
Sheikh al-Sumaida'i concluded by calling for the strengthening of the "media of the truth front," stating, "Expressing the truth is not only a religious duty but also a determining factor in the victory of truth and the confrontation with falsehood, and it can change the course of future developments."
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