Berlin, Mar 14: Reporting from conflict-hit Iran as the only Western television journalist present in the country carried a “big responsibility”.
CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen has said, describing the challenges of covering events from inside the region during a period of heightened tensions.
Pleitgen, 49, recently spent about a week reporting from Iran after being granted a visa by authorities, making him the only Western TV network journalist on the ground at the time.
Speaking after returning to Germany, the Berlin-based correspondent said the assignment involved both professional opportunity and considerable risk.
“It’s obviously a big responsibility,” Pleitgen said, noting that being the only Western television reporter in the country meant that both the authorities and the global audience closely followed the coverage.
According to Pleitgen, officials in the country were aware that his network was among the few international outlets able to report from inside Iran, and therefore sometimes arranged visits to locations or developments they wanted to highlight.
At the same time, he said journalists must also rely on broader international reporting and independent verification to maintain balanced coverage during such assignments.
The experienced correspondent, who has previously reported from conflict zones and politically sensitive regions including Russia, said his family had concerns about the trip, particularly given the volatile situation.
During one assignment earlier in the week, Pleitgen and his producer Claudia Otto had to quickly leave an area after hearing anti-aircraft fire and an explosion nearby, underscoring the risks involved in field reporting from active conflict zones.
The coverage also attracted criticism from some commentators who suggested that reporting from inside the country could reflect government narratives, an accusation Pleitgen said he was prepared to face.
“I can take the criticism. I think it’s fine,” he said, adding that scrutiny is a normal part of reporting on complex geopolitical situations.
Media observers note that reporting from within restricted or conflict-affected regions often requires navigating access limitations, safety concerns and competing narratives, while ensuring that audiences receive on-the-ground perspectives.
Pleitgen said the experience highlighted both the challenges and the importance of international journalism in providing firsthand reporting from regions that are often difficult for global media to access.
