This study provides a comparative analysis of how Iran’s major newspapers - Kayhan, Resalat, Etemad, and Shargh - represented the evolution of social cleavages across four key socio-political junctures: 2009, 2017, 2019, and 2022. The dataset comprises editorials, analytical notes, and reports purposefully selected for their direct relevance to these events.

Findings reveal that Kayhan and Resalat framed social cleavages within a discourse of system preservation, national cohesion, and political security. Terms such as sedition, unrest, foreign interference, infiltration, and hybrid warfare dominated their narratives, emphasizing the need for stability and unity. Conversely, Etemad and Shargh portrayed these cleavages as reflections of weakened state-society relations and declining public trust. Their discourse highlighted notions like public confidence, civil protest, national dialogue, and internal reform, focusing on rebuilding social capital and restoring the link between state and society.

A comparative reading shows a gradual shift from politically confrontational representations in 2009 toward socially and culturally grounded portrayals by 2022. Despite linguistic and interpretive differences, both press camps underscored the importance of maintaining social order and preventing crises. Grounded entirely in textual data and independent of external theoretical frameworks, this study offers a realistic depiction of the evolving representation of social cleavages in Iran’s media field.