It was an honour to contribute to the Baku Connection investigation as a France 24 Observers journalist, working alongside colleague Corentin Bainier. The collaborative project, led by Forbidden Stories, received the Special Award at the European Press Prize ceremony in Bari, Italy.
The FRANCE 24 Observers -including me- collaborated with France Info and Belgium’s RTBF to analyse the rhetoric of Elon Musk, one of Trump’s closest advisers. This two-part investigation, conducted by the Médias Francophones Publics, examines the X owner’s social media posts, documenting how the billionaire is propagating anti-Ukraine sentiment and posting tweets in support of the European far right.“I use my tweets to express myself,” Musk said in 2018. Seven years later, and three years after he bought Twitter, Musk uses his own platform, now known as X, to express himself more freely than ever. With his criticism of Europe and its institutions, attacks on Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent months, Musk has become a vocal supporter of the US presidential camp’s line. Journalists from Belgium’s RTBF, the FRANCE 24 Observers, and France Info, collaborating under the umbrella of the French-speaking public media association MFP (Médias Francophones Publics), looked at the 15,485 posts published or shared by Musk between November 4, 2024, the day before Trump’s election, and April 4, 2025. This report …
To mark the 100th day of US President Donald Trump’s second term, the FRANCE 24 Observers collaborated with France Info and Belgium’s RTBF to analyse the rhetoric of Elon Musk, one of Trump’s closest advisers. This two-part investigation, conducted by the Médias Francophones Publics, examines the X owner’s social media posts, documenting how the billionaire is propagating anti-Ukraine sentiment and posting tweets in support of the European far right. I was lucky to be part of the team. If you are interested, you can find our investigation here: Elon Musk’s tweets (1/2): A conduit for pro-Russian anti-Ukraine rhetoric Elon Musk’s tweets (2/2): Raising the profile of Europe’s far right
I am thrilled to announce that “Repression in Iran, Ammunition Made in France“, the investigation I conducted with my esteemed colleague Julie Dungelhoef, has been selected for the 32nd FIGRA Festival in the documentary competition (under 40 minutes). This two-year investigation uncovered how French-made shotgun shells ended up in Iran and were used against Woman, Life, Freedom protesters—despite international sanctions. Shedding light on this injustice would not have been possible without the courage of Iranians who sent us hundreds of photos and the bravery of Elaheh and Sima, two victims of shotgun fire, who shared their harrowing experiences.
A two-year investigation by FRANCE 24 has revealed that hunting cartridges produced by the French-Italian ammunition manufacturer Cheddite were used in Iran during the violent crackdown on the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in 2022. The investigation uncovers how these cartridges are widely available in Iran, despite European sanctions imposed in 2011. It appears the ammunition may have been routed through Turkey, where Cheddite at one point held shares in a weapons manufacturing company. This investigation, broadcast by FRANCE 24, sheds light on the dealings that allowed the ammunition to reach Iranian soil, despite international sanctions. This investigation was produced by Ershad Alijani and Jullie Dungeloef. You can watch it on YouTube above and read the full story here on France24.
On May 27, a video of what appears to be a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fight between two women began to make the rounds on Iranian social media. The match, which took place in the suburbs of Tehran, caught the attention of many. It was the first time that an underground MMA fight – forbidden for women in the Islamic Republic – was caught on tape. But according to our Observer, this video actually shows a widespread scam taking advantage of female MMA hopefuls. Just like underground female bodybuilding competitions or ballet dancing, these female MMA tournaments are kept under wraps but well known among sportsmen and journalists in Iran. Now, for the first time, a video of this phenomenon was released. The video, which according to our Observer was filmed in Shahriar, a suburb of Iran’s capital Tehran, shows two women fighting MMA-style in a boxing ring located in what seems to be a private villa. We hear two other women coaching the fighters as well as a man who advises the referee …
Iranians are facing a fourth wave of Covid-19 and it is shaping up to be the worst since the start of the pandemic. According to official figures, there are no beds left in life support units anywhere in Iran. And there are no beds available in any units of the 100 hospitals in Tehran, the capital. With no hope of rapid, widespread vaccination any time soon, healthcare workers are at a crisis point. Around 500 people a day are dying of Covid-19 in Iran, according to official statistics, though the actual number could be higher. The official pandemic death toll has risen to 70,000— a number that, according to Iran’s Scientific Council, has been underreported and could, in reality, be four times higher. READ MORE: Authorities in Iran ‘hiding’ COVID-19 deaths by listing other causes on death reports Last year, the FRANCE 24 Observers team published a series of articles about the way the pandemic had severely impacted the country, but all of the healthcare workers that we interviewed in the past few days said …
Videos of fights breaking out in front of supermarkets or currency exchange offices in Iran have become so common on social media over the past few years that many people don’t even find them surprising anymore. These fraught scenes illustrate the stress caused by the economic downturn that has swept the country, accompanied by rampant inflation and currency devaluation. Experts and observers describe an unprecedented crisis that has led to violence and significant psychological distress amongst those fighting to stay afloat. Every day, large crowds gather in front of currency exchange offices in the capital, Tehran, and other Iranian cities. The people in these queues are hoping to preserve their meager savings by converting them into US dollars, as their own currency rapidly devalues. Fights are common amongst those scrambling for a place in line. The video below, shared on social media on September 8, is one example. It shows a man and a woman fighting in front of a currency exchange office in the Eskan commercial center in northern Tehran. These incidents, which are …
Dozens of Afghan migrants are feared dead after Iranian border guards allegedly forced them into a river on the Iran-Afghan border on May 1. Of the 57 men and boys in the group, only 12 are known to have survived. One of the survivors told the France 24 Observers he and the others were arrested and tortured by guards from an Iranian border post overlooking the Harirud river.
According to official numbers announced by Iran’s government – 9,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of March 11, with 354 deaths – Iran is the third-hardest-hit country in the world, after China and Italy. But regional officials are reporting higher rates in their own areas, and publicly questioning the statistics being announced by the Health Ministry. Medical staff in Iran told me that hospital administrators have instructed doctors treating patients who die from the coronavirus to list other causes – such as pneumonia and pulmonary embolism – on official death reports. The first signs of an epidemic in Iran, like in China, emerged on social networks. Doctors in the holy city of Qom in mid-February noted an uptick in patients with severe pulmonary problems. As early as February 2, Iranians were posting videos of medical workers in protective suits escorting patients, asking whether the coronavirus had arrived in Iran. Iranian officials initially denied the virus had reached Iran. Some hardliner activists denounced “rumors” about the coronavirus, saying they were part of a plot by opposition groups …
Ershad Alijani 