Freedom of expression is one of the universal concepts that has always been subject to various definitions and interpretations across different geographies and governments. This study was conducted with the aim of explaining the framework of media freedom of expression in the upstream documents of the Islamic Republic of Iran, employing a qualitative approach and utilizing thematic analysis strategy. The statistical population of the research includes all official upstream documents in the fields of culture, media, and communication. Using a purposive (judgmental) sampling method, key documents including the Constitution, the Charter of Citizens' Rights, the General Media Policies, and parent laws were selected and analyzed. The research findings indicate that the governing framework of media freedom of expression is derived from a multi-layered synthesis of theoretical foundations, including social responsibility, developmental, jurisprudential (fiqhi), and discourse-based principles. This framework can be formulated into five main and interconnected axes: "Conditional and Responsible Freedom," "Institutional Oversight and Regulation," "Media as a Tool for Cultural Guidance," "Legal and Structural Dimensions," and "Normative and Security Restrictions." Collectively, these axes delineate an indigenous model of "Guided Freedom under the Auspices of Responsible Oversight," in which the right to freedom of expression is recognized, yet this inherent right, within the context of an Islamic government, is defined as bound and conditional upon adherence to "the foundations of Islam," "public rights," "national security," and "Islamic-Iranian values." In this model, the media is perceived not as an independent entity or a pure public watchdog, but as a guiding actor and an instrument serving the preservation and strengthening of the Islamic-Iranian system, cultural protection, and national security. This coherent framework could provide a basis for reducing interpretive and functional conflicts, which are the locus of many disputes in Iran's media sphere, within the country's media landscape.