Editing Voice of America (section)

===Kurdistan and Iran===

VOA's service in Iran had a negative impact on [[Kurd]]s and [[Kurdistan]] according to the publication ''[[Kurdish Life]]'' in 2000. They claimed that the VOA exacerbated the conflict between the [[Talabani]] and the [[Barzani (tribe)|Barzani]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2000 |title=The Kurdish Disservice |work=Kurdish Life |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A132000325/GIC?u=viva_gmu&sid=GIC&xid=47c |url-status=live |access-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914203755/https://login.gmu.edu/idp/profile/cas/login?execution=e1s1 |archive-date=September 14, 2022}}</ref> They further claimed that the VOA covered up wrongful imprisonments, wrongful arrests, and the building of extremist mosques. According to the same publication, Kurds were being turned into fanatics, and a new generation of terrorists was forming because of the VOA. They claimed the VOA was doing this to help [[Patriotic Union of Kurdistan|PUK]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Revisiting the Kurdish Disservice |work=Kurdish Life}}</ref>

On April 2, 2007, [[Abdul Malik Rigi]], the leader of [[Jundallah (Iran)|Jundullah]], an Iranian Muslim [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] [[Salafi]] militant group with possible links to [[al-Qaeda]], appeared on Voice of America's [[Persian language|Persian-language]] service. The interview was condemned by the [[Iranian government]].<ref name="swissinfo.org">{{Cite web |title=Iranian speaker says U.S. supports 'terrorists' |url=http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Iranian_speaker_says_U_S_supports_terrorists.html?siteSect=143&sid=7692846&cKey=1175790190000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205232531/http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Iranian_speaker_says_U_S_supports_terrorists.html?siteSect=143&sid=7692846&cKey=1175790190000 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |publisher=swissinfo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |script-title=fa:گفتوگوي صداي آمريکا با قاتل مردم بلوچستان! |url=http://www.baztab.com/news/63969.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410034234/http://baztab.com/news/63969.php |archive-date=April 10, 2007 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |language=fa}}</ref> Jundullah was linked to attacks on both Iranian military and civilians.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=M. Hersh |first=Seymour |date=June 28, 2008 |title=Preparing the Battlefield |url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh?printable=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627031726/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh?printable=true |archive-date=June 27, 2014 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]}}</ref><ref name="washt400killed">{{Cite news |last=Massoud |first=Ansari |date=January 16, 2006 |title=Sunni Muslim group vows to behead Iranians |url=http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060116-124019-6619r.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403203656/http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060116-124019-6619r.htm |archive-date=April 3, 2007 |access-date=April 5, 2007 |work=The Washington Times}}</ref> Rigi was captured by the Iranian security services and executed in 2010 in [[Evin Prison]] in [[Tehran]].<ref>{{cite news |date=20 June 2010 |title=Iran hangs Sunni militant leader Abdolmalek Rigi |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10359415.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109135059/https://www.bbc.com/news/10359415 |archive-date=9 January 2016 |access-date=16 March 2011 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2010 |title=Iran hangs Sunni group leader |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/06/201062034410244183.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203064900/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/06/201062034410244183.html |archive-date=3 December 2011 |access-date=2020-03-05 |website=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]}}</ref>

On June 12, 2024, the House Foreign Affairs Committee concluded that there was "credible evidence of corruption" regarding the matter of Setareh Derakhshesh Sieg, the former director of Voice of America's Persian News Network (PNN).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-12 |title=House Committee Alleges 'Credible Evidence of Corruption' at U.S. Agency for Global Media |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/06/house-committee-alleges-credible-evidence-of-corruption-at-u-s-agency-for-global-media/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=National Review |language=en-US}}</ref> Sieg had been terminated in January 2021 for falsifying her education credentials and corruption-related offenses, but was later reinstated in February under the Biden administration.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gertz |first=Bill |date=February 8, 2021 |title=VOA executive Setareh Derakhshesh Sieg fired under Trump rehired by Biden |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/18/voa-executive-setareh-derakhshesh-sieg-fired-under/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |work=Washington Times}}</ref>