Critical Discourse Analysis of Iran-China Relations Through Football Headlines

Iran and China are getting closer day by day, from economic to political to social relations. Since media plays a significant role in shaping norms, social relations, and values in society, it is not a neutral medium to propagate information only. Social and political elites, as well as political fractions, use media to shape public opinion with the least cost. Therefore, this paper attempts to answer the question as to which ideologies, social and political thoughts Iranian football headline-writers attempt to convey to the wider public in Iran. To answer this question the main hypothesis of the paper posits that Iranian political and social elites are conveying a much more economic dimension of China, downplaying the political dimension of China, including the mounting political oppression inside China and Hong Kong, and the dramatic situation of Chinese Muslims. This paper approaches the abovementioned question under the framework of critical discourse analysis proposed by Norman Fairclough (1989). With regards to the methodology of the paper, a qualitative approach has been adopted, availing itself of different headlines of Iranian sport. Findings of the paper indicate that elites in Iran are proposing to the public a much rosier image of china due to closer political and economic ties between the two countries.