[2] As chief executive of the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Javanfekr was reportedly "one of the most powerful figures in publicizing Iran’s government policies and messages to the outside world".

[3] Javanfekr had been put on trial after the publication of a series of articles about the chador, a traditional hijab garment that covers Iranian women from head to toe.

In one article, Ahmadinejad's former media adviser, Mehdi Kalhor, "criticised the black colour of Iranian chadors, saying they did not originate from the Persian culture but were rather imported from the west.

"[6]His arrest "appears" to be as a result of the court ruling, but according to The New York Times, may be in retaliation for an interview given by Javanfekr to the reformist newspaper Etemad, on 19 November, "in which he disparaged" some of Pres.

[6] Etemad was immediately ordered closed for two months for `disseminating lies and insults to officials in the establishment.`"[3] Javanfekr is reportedly one of "dozens of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's political backers to be targeted by hard-line opponents."