In their first collaboration, ITV News and Zandland have unveiled a digital-first immersive report from Iran, with distribution led by online platforms including YouTube. A long-form film is premiering on ITV News’ YouTube channel in the UK, before rolling out via Zandland’s YouTube channel. A five-minute version also aired on ITV News last night.
The report features previously unseen footage captured during the first ten days following the outbreak of conflict in Iran. Produced under conditions of restricted internet access and limited scope for international reporting, the film combines on-the-ground footage with personal commentary, capturing both the escalation of conflict and moments of resilience among civilians.
To protect the contributor’s identity, AI tools have been used to anonymise the central figure, whose first-person account anchors the narrative. The film documents shifting public sentiment during a period of rapid political change, alongside the impact of escalating military activity on daily life.
Ben Zand, founder of Zandland, said the collaboration reflects a shared ambition to bring urgent, underreported stories to global audiences. “This is an extraordinarily rare account of civilians living through a historic and deeply volatile moment from inside Iran, in their own words. At a time when so much of what comes out of the country is tightly controlled, this film offers something uniquely immediate, human and revealing.”
ITV News head of content Ed Saunt added: “Working with Zandland on this project has allowed us to bring audiences an exceptional piece of journalism from a place where independent voices are rarely seen or heard. The access, honesty and perspective in this film offer a vital window into the reality faced by people in Iran during an extraordinary moment in the country’s history.”
Image courtesy ITV News/Zandland
