
EXCLUSIVE: Kari Lake says VOA's Persian news service 'rising to the occasion' amid Iran-Israel conflict
Fox News
Kari Lake confirms VOA Persian news service is ramping up as Iran-Israel conflict escalates, bringing back journalists who were placed on leave during recent agency cost-cutting.
Jasmine is a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse based in New Orleans. Stories can be sent to jasmine.baehr@fox.com
"Farsi language is a statutorily required for USAGM. We are ramping up — as we’ve always planned to do — to meet this historic moment," she continued. "Everyone who is being called back has been on paid administrative leave, so they are simply being called back into the office to cover this historic moment in Iran."
"VOA Persian news service is, very appropriately, covering one of the most consequential moments in Iran’s history," she concluded.Lake’s remarks follow the recall of approximately 75 Farsi-speaking staffers, including dozens of journalists, from administrative leave, according to The Washington Post. Most are returning to cover the escalating conflict, which began with Israel’s precision strike on Iranian nuclear sites and was followed by Iran’s missile barrage on Israeli cities.






