Interviewing Ahmadinejad in Shiraz
I’ve been in Iran for the last couple of days.
I have been applying for a period of months for an interview with President Ahmadinejad had twice been refused and was settling down for the Christmas break, or the prospect of it, when I was contacted from Tehran and told I would have an interview yesterday.
No sooner had I landed in Tehran than President Ahmadinejad was lifting off in his presidential plane to Shiraz in the south of the country.
It gave me a chance to revisit the bureaucracy, the paranoia, the exceptional capability of so many people you meet and the parlous underperformance of what should be a brilliant state.
Officially inflation is running at 15 per cent, unofficially it’s 25 per cent. Amid all the talk of emerging economies this ought to be one and isn’t.
Everything continues to work, just. But you feel it’s down to the persistent ingenuity of the Iranians themselves and no thanks to any kind of an administration.
The revolutionary guard have seized still more of the economic drivers and thoroughly enriched themselves in the process.
The thuggish Basij stalk the streets and yet there is an overall sense of calm and businesses as usual. Even though everybody knows there is turmoil at all sorts of levels in all sorts of places – in the Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri’s home town of Najafabad
The opposition is disparate, but in the safety of the departure lounge people came up to me to express despair and to speak of 80 per cent of the population loathing the current setup.
To make up for our long journey to find him the presidents aides had setup a grandiose setting for our interview. The gorgeous shrine of the great 14th Century Persian poet Hafeez.
A platform was built, flowers were arranged even chocolates and stuffed dates were on hand. There’s always the fear that the stuffed dates are going to get the better of you and lead to a soft soap encounter.
You don’t see Ahmadinejad in the first flash of his arrival at the shine. A phalanx of other men obliterate his presence and then there he is in his open neck shirt and jacket and he’s sitting in front of me.
He admits to some trouble. Dismisses any question of a nuclear deadline or threats of UN sanctions and whatever the trouble has been at home he seems oblivious of the rising discontent.
But he’s probably right in claiming that nothing very dramatic is going to happen at home at least in the immediate future.
It’s an intriguing interview and at the end of it the smiles on the faces of his aides have turned something approaching discomfort if I can put it diplomatically.
Within three hours we are airborne and out and I worry how long it will be before I will ever be allowed in again.
It’s a sad place to leave and it never gets any better each time you do so.
After the interview ended the president then relayed to me his Christmas message – he speaks extensively of the ‘prophet Jesus Christ’ and of how those who believe in him should continue to do so.
He offers the prospect the son of God will return in some immaculate moment that will include his own favourite prospective returnee, the 12th Imam (sometimes described as the Hidden Imam) – it was the aura from this thought that the president referred to when he described feeling his presence in the chamber of the UN in New York.
Anyway I think we can say it was happy Christmas from him and perhaps I could humbly add from me as well, although I look forwards to engaging with you in the usual way on Xmas day. A short but sweet offering at 7.40pm
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There are 156 comments on this post
Listening to the interview now, subtitles would have been better, Ahmadinejad’s translator is almost impossible to hear. I think that although Ahmadinejad has a lot to answer for and his lack of respect for democracy and free speech are unquestionably scandalous, when it comes to Iran’s nuclear programme, the US and Britain are purposely blowing up the story – which is wrong. Maybe there would be more transparency if foreign governments stop bashing Iran’s nuclear programme while knowing too little about it or without taking into account the lack of power and electricity for thousands upon thousands in every provence of Iran.
Ps, congratulations on your OBE decision Jon, always great to get the scoop properly on C4!
The translator is awful …it just drained the replies of any possible effect
@Rob,
The video is on YouTube with a good and accurate translation (Subtitle).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTwkua1XiO8
One of Jon Snow’s previous interviews with Ahmadinejad (a couple of years ago) was so badly translated that he had to change the transcript and apologies for it.
Interpreting Farsi to English is difficult because the structure of sentence in Farsi and English are different; parts of the sentence that come in the middle or at the end of English sentence come at the beginning of Farsi sentence. E.g. in Farsi we say “I yesterday went to see him” but in English we say “I went to see him yesterday”. In long sentences and nested sentences this structural differences can make it very difficult for the interpreter unless he/she waits long enough to get the meaning of the sentence and be able to make a sentence in English that makes sense.
Some of Ahmadinejad’s sentences are long and nested and breaking the sentence in the middle can change the meaning of the whole sentences. I don’t think Jon Snow actually understood some of what Ahmadinejad really said.
This is also a complication for German and Dutch, for example, and is further complicated because of the idiomatic nature of languages in day-to-day usage, and the use of metaphor, which makes accurate translation difficult. Bring it on if you think you’re hard enough, is okay English. But loses a lot of its impact in translation
The President made some good points about the West. How can we criticise the neighbours garden when our own resembles a land-fill site. Our politicians and police are corrupt. Greedy banks and big businesses control the government and our media is controlled and manipulated to suit the Zionist agenda.
I wonder how it feels to interview a delusional mad man? Months of unrest, over 4000 arrests, hundreds killed, tortured and raped; he still insists Iran is a free country and people are united!! They even deny the pictures we have seen on the Internet. Unbelievable
You didn’t seem to push him John Snow. Everytime you asked him a question, he pushed his own agenda, often failing to answer you. Why didn’t you push him as you push other politicians? He smiles and you nod or you sat stone faced. Where’s the John Snow who refuses to be manipulated or cajoled or sidetracked? He got the better of you. How disappointing.
That is true. Mr Ahmadi Nejad used your interview to use the same rhetoric he always use. I do like your news, however I feel the western politicians and now the reporters lack the understanding of the politics involved in Iran. I had a feeling as a reporter you would have some statistics of number of Newspapers closed, number of people arrested and number of people killed or executed. But, somehow you let him to interview you! I must be wrong but western reporters should start to get some training and prepare themselves, rather than sticking to Nuclear issues and then make themselves defenceless because of lack of information and preparation about other issues involved. Sometimes an uninformed person can create more problem than solving them, unintentionally.
A fascinating interview and a rare chance to see Ahmadinejad attempting to answer, or rather, dismiss challenging questions. I wonder if this interview can even be accessed in Iran. Anyhow, congratulations Jon!
Dear John,
It was a pleasant surprise to turn on tv today, while having one of those cold boring evenings at university residences, and suddenly seeing you against the background of Hafiz tombe. I almost felt the warmth of the sunshine in my beloved city.
It is such a shame that the whole atmosphere was ruined by the presence of Ahmadinejad. I have to say, I really liked your cynical smile towards the end of the interview as he continued to lie so shamelessly, and I also felt for you who had to listen to his bullshit. He doesn’t deserve to be interviewed by somebody like you.
All the best and a very happy Xmas,
Sara
Never trust a man who looks like a sewer Rat, has little dark eyes that are too close together, & sometimes gives replies like: “I think you have some information that I don’t have…”. You’re pre Pres’- you should know EVERYTHING! Anyway, I will summarise by saying this; ‘Would you trust this man to fix your Gas meter if it was broken…?’ I know what my answer would be! I’d rather fix it myself!
You got one thing Wrong, This man is not a gas fitter
When do the westerners want to learn that you cannot talk or deal with this government and its supporters. Bunch of meaningless drivel came out of this man tonight and his government wherever they go and whoever they talk to, check all their rhetoric, statements, and conversations. But I guess they already know this. It is better to deal with a dictator than a democratic government because there is more to go around for the westerners. If there was a democratic government in Iran it didn’t have to pay the west, east and south Americans to prop them up. Instead it would invest it in its own people so less for everybody else around the world. What a clown this man is. He is a shame for our country’s history and a disaster for us and every body else. Mark my word. Have you or any one you know has seen or heard anything good from the mullahs and this and previous governments in the last 30 years?
I REST MY CASE!
“Have you or any one you know has seen or heard anything good from the mullahs and this and previous governments in the last 30 years?”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6962844.ece
I REST MY CASE
Thank you Jon Snow and Channel 4 for not forgetting the Iranian people. By far, the best news channel.
Dear Jon, the person who interviewed is not the Iranian people representative at all. He is a fasist murderer. Everytime you asking him about Iran’s current situation he swithed to US and Israel or UK with irrelavant answeres. This is the time that international community support Iranian people for a democratic change.
The way Ahamdinejad simplified the issue of present turmoil in Iran, in fact illustrates the level of fear and anxiety of his goverment. This is an old technique and a deceitful attempt to deny everything and pretend that everything is in order . I have watched all his interviews and it is his expertise to answer the question by asking another question from the reporter in order to confuse and distract him from the main subject. I would like to admire Jon Snow of being so unflappable. I certainly would not have been for an obvious reason (I am Iranian).
Kind regards
Shahin Motamedi
I was led to believe that I could read the actual interview. My hearing is not good enough to follow the interpreter
Thanks for that, Jon. It was a ‘first’ to see the president interviewed and especially by someone we know, like you.
First of all – and it probably wasn’t your fault – on the TV the president’s voice was louder than the interpreter’s and the latter’s was hard to hear. So, I had hoped your blog would be longer.
Secondly, at least the president agreed to be interviewed. Probably, he did very well because the underlying logic and cirticism of your questions – which I fully agree with, by the way – are not necessarily the president’s logic and reasoning. For example, nobody says to Gordon Brown: How can you sit there when a man was killed at the G20 protest? He would say: I am sorry about that – the policing aspects are the business of the CoP. In the same way the president did not rise to your questions because they were not all questions he feels he should rise to.
All in all, I really enjoyed Channel 4 interview and the blog.
Pete
An interesting interview and a lovely setting which I visted in November 2004. I wish there was better news coming out of Iran as it is a beautiful country with wonderful people…the ordinary people that is.
He lies through his teeth! I know what is happening in Iran and I just can laugh at his stories!! “Iran is free”?! It is just like a sad jock! I am sorry for my beautiful country and people to have such a dishonest and cruel government! Let’s just hope for a free Iran. Thanks a lot anyway for the interview.
He is very delusional, he really did not know what he was saying and I am so sorry for having an embarrassing and uneducated president for my birth country Iran
Ahmadinejad’s demeanour is highly reminiscent of that which pertained to the former leaderships of Iraq and Afghanistan. The icons of history make for dramatic settings, and underpin a line of romantic bombast, but will Ahmadinejad learn from history.
The expression on your face during the interview was priceless, Jon. A mixture of despair and incredulity that someone could just sit there and ignore the facts you were putting to him. Can he really be that much in denial?
I wonder what he wanted to achieve by giving you the interview? He certainly didn’t come across as a man in touch with the reality of his country’s situation, especially when next to the pictures of violence on the streets of his towns.
He is a disgusting creature! The biggest liar ever! I hate him! He is not my president! I have seen and felt the tortures, beatings and fear myself! And yet he is denying! Why do you interview him?!!!! Have you really got an honest or reasonable answer? Have you honestly heard anything new from this dictator?!!!!
Jon, why are you nodding when he holds BBC for death of Neda?!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why are you begging for his friendship?!!!!
I am so disappointed with you
Perhaps Jon wanted to get out of there alive
It is apparent that channel 4 has joined BBC on a MI6 backed campaign on a media war on Iran! Is channel 4 paid some of the licence money by the BBC to do their dirty work for them? I guess the economic hardship and need of money has forced the channel 4 to sell anti Iran news on behalf of the BBC! I used to believe that channel was independent, but my view on channel 4 has now changed and I believe that channel 4 has joined the ZIONIST controlled BBC on war against Iran!! Shame on you channel 4 for bogus and fabricated anti Iran news! Shame on you!!
Never heard channel 4 being accused of being Zionist. Dispatches programmes and Jon’s own comments on Middle East policy may suggest the opposite.Best to get facts right.
Hey you, Joe the blogger, whatever you think is not important for us Iranians. Right now what matters is that young people are being tortured and raped in jails because they want their right to democracy! We are living under extreme fear and stress and you want to stop the world to know about our ordeal!!!!
Shame on you!!!!!!
hahahahhah, really Ahmadinejad is a mentally sick person, but i think he is a little cute, he should play in theater, u know he is professional in lying, but i think most of iranians are like him, yes surely these people stick too much to their history, hahahahha
I’m sorry to hear this from Bahamin, Ahmadinejad lies and you help him to continue it, my friend Iranian people are true and their protests shown it, you have to live in this big prison and then you can say about Iranian people.
I Loved the way Doctor Ahmadinejad handled Jon Snow with his great answers to Jon Snow`s hopeless attempts to suggest that Iranian opposition is gaining grounds. Channel 4 showing an interview with a bogus Basiji was poor taste and did not achieve the Anti Iran propaganda that they hoped for! shame you Channel 4 for joining the zionist controlled JUNK news broadcasters like BBC, FOX NEWS, VOA, CNN …… Shame onyou channel 4!
Hi dear Jhon.i have wached the program and came here to wach full interview of Ahmadi nejad.all to gether and as you know he was lying front of all of your questiones.every one know that whats happening in Iran and all that demonstrationes in many different cities.but still not just people being beeten by Basijis and sepeciall armise(forse polises),yet so meany have been executed by stupid reasons as they say.Jhon you know what are they doing during 30 years after revelution till this days,i myself am the one that was presoned with my sister for years and being tortured by them.all my file still existes in Meddical fondation(Kentish town_1998 London).any how i bealive they cant avoid of the revelotion this time and soon they will be gone.because they dont bealive in Democracy and freedom. Jhon i rwally injoyed your interwiev with Ahmadinejad. i could underestand easily the way you were looking at him and he was trying to smile…! as you mentioened it may be smile of Diplomacy it was.but all to gethere he was just lynig and ranning away from answering you. and people saw all this amaizing program. Jhon happy Crismas to you and your family.happy crismass dear Jhon
I am not great supporter of the iranian president but where else in the middle east could John Snow interview a ruler of a country so freely. Why doesnt John interview the Israeli officials so freely.
Didnt the british police kill one or two protesters not so long ago? Dont the british police brutally clash with drunken louts in almost every town and city centre in britain? What about human rights violations in the so called pro western countries such as SAUDIA ARABIA,JORDON,EGYPT,ISRAEL and the rest of the Persian gulf countries?
Dear John there has been a war going on in the Yamen, the armies of two countreis( SAUDIA ARABIA and YAMEN ) savagely and brutally attacking defenseless men ,women and children. why havent the free western media reported it or is it that they not allowed to do so? lets be honest with ourselves and not kid anyone there is no such a thing as free media, John you know that dont you?
I do not believe it was Mr John Snow who interviewed Mr Ahmadi Nejad. It was other way around. Mr Ahmadi Nejad only accepts interviews to say what he cannot say anywhere else. Showing himslef as someone against west, to gain support outside Iran, is the only means he has and interviewing with whoever whom can give him the microphone, he will use it.
Other countries do not need this microphone.
Ahmadinejad agreed to give the interview as he and his government are stupid to think people will buy their lies. Yes Jon asked the questions freely, but did he give one honest answer?
Youre not right to compare Iranian demonstrators who have been cheated and oppressed for 30 years with drunken louts of Britain.
Dear Sir
This interview was very one-sided with Ahmadmadinejad avoiding answering all the important questions being asked. I, for one, was not at all surprised, fully expecting this, and only confirmed my opinion of this dangerous man. I fail to see the reason behind this taking place, and would very much to know your views on this.
a reply will be appreciated.
Sincerely
R. Statman
I really enjoyed Mr. Snow’s interview tonight, he was tough on President Ahmadinejad and asked the questions other journalists would be afraid to ask. While watching I actually feared he may not make it out of Iran for being so direct. A through professional.
What a shame to the Iranian Islamic rehime’s president claiming to have the best democrasy in the world. Claims that in Iran no body will be kept in jail for opposing the government. He is absolutly right, because the Iranian regime’s opponants always will get killed under barabric tortures or hanged under the pretext of ” fighting god and corraptors on earth.
I hope you don’t think we can be propagandised into accepting conflict with Iran with the old chestnut of “freedom and democracy” again do you?
Where have you been in exposing the deceitful, treacherous, undemocratic, authoritarian nature of our own government; who’ve betrayed us into an (illegitimate) new European Soviet?
Let’s try taking the log out of our own eye.
Jon, Thanks for your interview.
As an iranian now living in the UK, I am ashamaed to hear this pethetic lier claiming “the rule of law” in my beloved country. All he said was just “Tu quoque”, ie “you too” a logical fallacy, and thank you for reminding this evil that “two wrongs won’t make it right”.
In a country that people are raped, beaten and killed just for saying they have had enough with status que, It takes only religion to say “They are free to express their opinions”.
Their have lost it all, and their days are numbered.
Merry Christmas and happy new to all free humans all around the world.
It is disgusting to see once again Jon Snow begging this dwarf dictator for interview and listen to his old and boring rants. Jon, don’t waste your time . No one cares what this little murderer says. he and his regime doesn’t represent the Iranian people.Instead you must interview those brave men and women in the cities of Iran who are struggling for freedom.
It is difficult to interview someone who is so confidently operating on another version of reality.
Weirdly, it reminded me of interviews with the so-called Tea-baggers / birthers in the USA. Interviewing Sarah Palin might be something like this.
Dear Jon,
I commend your brave act of going to Tehran in these turbulant times, trying to de-mask the lies of the Iranian Regime. I was watching your face while you were intereviewing Ahmadie Nejad and was aware of your extreme discomfort at facing such a great shamless lier. I salut you for having the courage to do this interview, as I beleive it will help the plight of the Iranian people. The current Iranian regime is governed by a bunch of thugs who only care for their own narrow interests. The country’s economic resources have been distributed amongst the Basige bosses/ the sons of Mullahs/ who work only for their own interests/benefits. While 80% of the population is struggling to make the ends meet.
Carry on the good work.
Thank you and kind regards, F S Long
When you tried to suggest that west finds it difficult to resolve differences with this government while they are cracking down on people, he replies with terrifying indifference “we also have similar criticism when people are suppressed in Palestine, our brothers are killed in Afghanistan, and when people are beaten in Pittsburg.
He feels no affinity with Iranians at all. Apparently, the plight of Palestinians, Afghani’s and their human rights bothers him in some strange twisted way. And he also finds this a minor problem, which really shouldn’t stop engagement and discussions. We Iranians are insignificant, we are dirt. A radiating culture that once influenced the world is now reduced to this! And to add insult to injury, the venue he chose was Hafezieh Mausoleum, a beloved Iranian poet.
You could have asked Ahmadinejad why he was only worried about what has been happening in Palestine and Lebabon, what about the Muslems in China and Chechnya? According to him people of Iran are free to debate to complain only about Israel and nothing else, if Iranians are free to critise the Iranian government so what is it happening in Iranian in the last 6 months?
Debating with a Ahmadinejad and Khamenei is a waste of time. They easily deny everything since they do not have any morals and do not respect the international community and what is happening to Iran and Iranians. The obvious example is the disastrous economic and social situation in Iran. Now majority of Iranians inside and outside the country believe that this government should not have access to the nucs. A dictator and manipulative government like the theocratic Iranian government that beats, imprisons and tortures its own people cannot be trusted with the nuclear weapons. The world should know that the policies of the Iranian government is not supported and accepted by Iranians. Yes Iranians are united but against Ahmadinejad and Khamenei and their facist government.
People of Iran are being held captive by the Islamic government. We need your support to get rid of them all.
Wow!! For me as an Iranian,watching Ahmadinejad interviews are the hardest thing to do; especially this one! He obviously doesn’t care anymore if people look at him as a big fat lair.His first and last wish is to get through interviews he does, no matter how much amount of crap he give to audience.
—
p.s: I’m really ashamed of him as Iran’s president, watching he started the interview with many Arabic sentences….
It hurts you that a Muslim leader of a Muslim country starts his interview with “in the name of God..”, from the Holy Qur’an – because it was revealed in Arabic rather than Persian? I’m speechless..
If extremist nationalists like you ever take power in Iran it will be worse than the BNP in the UK!
Jon,
Congratulations on nailing an interview with Ahmadinejad.
I really felt for you, however, when – quite unexpectedly – you found yourself having to explain the subtleties of the BBC’s unique relationship to the state. To a man whose only understanding of the media is in the context of rigid state control. A look that was a mix of dismay, futility and panic shot across your face. You coped manfully.
For all his two-wrongs-mean-a-right comparisons to US media opinion (anti-Iran, pro-Israel consensus), to justify Tehran’s denial of freedom of speech,
the fundamental question remains: if he and his goons aren’t openly and shamelessly committing human rights abuses, why does he restrict the access and movements of foreign journalists? If these beatings and rapes aren’t taking place, then what has he got to hide?
All the best,
Andy
Am I imagining it, or does the loopiness of the current regime seem more promising than the closed-off theocracy of the 80′s? A sort-of secular cry-for-help, or a baby-step towards Western democracy – a bit North Korean, a bit we-deep-down-want-to-move-forward-but-we-don’t-quite-know-how-to-join-without-losing-face? A bit hopeful.
It may be that Iran is going through the sadly-necessary Benny Hill stage of socialisation; not pretty, very naff, but sort-of poignant and asking for some encouragement.
Nadolig llawen!
It was amazing when you kept on questioning him about the case of leaving the treaty of NPT as Pakistan and Israel. He was so confused that couldn’t give any proper answer and changed it to something else. It was funny once he calims that our attitude toward our people is much better than American, when he said in America they beat people while rallying in Petersburg. how could you claim that you are much better and you compare yourself with American who are the worst one?? isn’t crazy such comparing??. The paranoa had arisen as he said all these news agancies are just made for producing politician thoughts and philosophies but nothing else. This interview made my day. Thank you, now I can figure out how those people carzy are but only I am thinking about this question; if they get any chance what would they do to the rest of our peaceful world???.
Dear Jon,
It was an interesting yet disturbing interview! I wish you could have asked more up to date questions in regards to the recent rapes in detention centres as well as attacks on a gathering of Christian believers and the arrest of two of the leaders last week in Tehran!
I would be grateful if you can contact me so I can provide you more info about these news!
Please have a look at the following links in regards to the rapes
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/12/19/iran.detainee.death.trial/
& news about plain clothes officers attacked a gathering of Christian believers and arrested two of the leaders of the fellowship
http://www.fcnn.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5051&Itemid=63
& violations/detaining and releasing Journalists:
http://www.rsf.org/Press-freedom-violations-recounted.html
I wish you a merry Christmas and looking forward hearing from you soon.
Kind regards
Hamidreza
The interpretation on this interview is properganda and you know it. It is evidence that you are just as controlled as the BBC.
You are all scared of Jews. They are the one’s that tell the Worlds story and no one can say anything at all about them. They understand that the Book of Life is your subconsious acceptance and avoid the truth like you do and everyone you know. The Truth is not a Lie – 9 11 is a lie. How much longer will you perpetuate the lie?
Jon,
Could you and other international journalists please, please never ever again interview this guy, as you can not and are really not well perpared to respond to his non-sense. He gives you this non-sense answers now for more than four years and you are still giving him the chance to do so and fall in his traps. Until they don’t open doors of the country to foreign media to freely report their killings of the normal people in the streets of the country you shouldn’t give him these chances again.
Looking forward to your answer.
Kazem
all lies i hate him dosnt give right answer to qustions
PR for a dictator is not on the long term interest of UK and we should give this chance to those who are fighting for democracy in iran
Hi John
It was good timing interview (with all the media concentrating on the troubles in Iran, the Basiji’s defection & demonstrations following the death of Ayatollah Montazeri), a president who is oblivious to all the troubles, beating and killing of his countrymen/women by his thugs, speaks volume of this character. Of course he knows exactly what has been happening,to say that all is ok in Iran reminds me of the Iraqi’s Information minister during the Gulf war, denying any American presence in Iraq.
it was a very uncomfortable interview to watch when one could see your frustration following Mr Ahmadinajad’s replies to your questions,skilfully ignoring them or his remarks that everyone else is wrong.
I believe that the Iranain people will succeed in getting rid of the tyrant and will have a free & democratic Iran which will be welcomed by all free nations.
Thanks to you & Channel 4 for keeping the turmoil of Iran at the forefront of the News and letting people know as what is really happening in Iran.
I wish you & all your readers/audience a Merry Xmas and hope that the following Xmas’s the situation will be different in Iran.
Mr. Obama should without changing his opinion and views on Iran’s regime or rulers travel to Iran and meet Ahmadinejad and maybe also the leader. Just to sit and talk and yes for the sake of talk and with no progress.
It would have a positive effect worth of at least $500 billion on US economy.
It would decrease the oil price and would give a sense of peace in the world.
The stock market would go up and so on … Soon or later a US president would do that.
It is wrong to think that a US president by travelling to Iran would increase the current regime’s credibility or legitimacy. This regime is going to stay or if it is gone there will be no peace in Iran. By saying so I am not for the regime.
I have no idea how Jon Snow had the guts and time to interview an ignorant egomaniac like Ahmadi Nejad, This man has serious delusional problems he is living in a parallel world and ignores what is happening to his country, Ahmadi Nenjad’s way of talking reminds me of Shah’s interviews closer to the revolution.This one will also regret and ask for people’s forgiveness when it’s way too late. Why don’t they learn from History??
FREEDOM IS GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER FOR PEOPLE OF IRAN.
you did wast your time.he is liyer. he dinay every thing happend 30 years in iran.he does’t know the law . but says they follow the law. all he said was liye.he is not diserved for interviwe.he is dictator and not diservet for iranian people. the iranian seeking for freedom and democrasi in iran . please tel Mr Obama help iranians . they need your suports. if America spend lots money to bring democrasi for Afghan or araq people why they dont help people withowth any spending money for thier gol.
i hope you enjoed to be in iran great and beautyful country.
Nazanin
Canada
He is dangerous, mad and a big liar. he and his leader and all his supporters destroyed my country …he is NOT my president . He is Not Most of Iranian’s (over 75%) President..listening to his Lies just make me so angry . I cant believe someone could look in to your eyes and lie like him !!! We will have our country back from them…I am sure.
I must have been very difficult (and it came across as well) interviewing somebody who seems to exist on a different planet. Most politicians will answer a question (normally not the question asked and their answer will be a brief party/personal political broadcast but at least they seem to have a grasp on reality). In his case it seemed he really was not quite in this world. In some ways a bit like somebody with bad dementia.
But is he really in charge?
The Persians are an intelligent and industrious nation who deserve better. We visited at the beginning of the decade and were constantly approached by people wanting to talk English, wanting us to know that they did not hate America, and wanting to know how to salsa. At the first opportunity they wanted to leave the country. They all had hidden satellites to keep in touch but were constantly wary for the watching eye of the mullahs.
Mr Snow; your remark about BBC was not accurate. You were talking about BBC homeland but President Ahmadinejad was talking about BBC World Service.
BBC World Service (which broadcasts in foreign languages) is funded and managed by the foreign office. BBC World Service is an apparatus of the British government and its charter (or white paper) actually states that it MUST operate in the interest of Her Majesty’s Government.
There are two SOAS publications that study the role the BBC World service has played in Iran since its creation.
I also attach the link to a BBC Radio program called “A Very British Coup” that admits to the role of BBC in toppling Dr Mossadegh in 1953.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=399388455159787768&ei=LzUzS5mLDsfJ-AaazaH5Dg&q=Google+video+bbc+iran+1953&hl=en#
PS: The interpreter did not do a good job; he misinterpreted a few sentences and also missed some of the points that the President made.
Admirable attitute from Jon Snow during the interview with one of the most unintelegent and ruthless man in the world – Ahmadinejad,
How could you sit and listen to this man denying everything happening in his country? and his hard face lies?
everyone knows and sees what is going on in Iran.
Thanks for the interview, Jon. You pressed him well. Sensed the petit-bourgeois streak in the president when he commented that ‘even’ university professors can be imprisoned in the West for Holocaust denial (he was himself a university lecturer, I believe).
On another note, have been disappointed to see the lack of support for – even opposition to – Africa on your Copenhagen blogs.
Correction: meant to say lack of support/opposition re Africa from fellow bloggers, not yourself. It was your positive appraisal that chimed with my own view and led me to write in.
I have never seen a more shifty looking figure being interviewed.Half shut eyes giving the impression of a lot to hide and that he was lying.
I certainly would never buy anything of the likes of such an individual.No wonder you say the aides had a look of discomfiture
i can not undrestand the logic behind interwing this murderer.you can never have a dignified interview withhim as all of his answers are undignified and pompous.he is only using these interviews to show that his unacceptable election by the international community.jon snow can do better that interviewing political non enteties such as this biggot whose name i can not even mention.
feel happy to read this interview post
Dear John
please allow me to thank you for your persistence in showing a more clear picture and clarifying the current climates of Iran and the leading government in Iran. As an Iranian in the security of the western democracy amongst many others like myself, we are trying hard to give a clear picture of the current situation back home, and appreciate any attempts to help this cry for human rights to be heard worldwide and as a big fan of your reports at channel 4,I can safely say you do a great job, I hope that you enjoyed the beautiful city of shiraz and wish you wonderful Christmas.
John: I hate to say it, but your questions were feable. You could have been much more specific about the totalitarianism in Iran (100+ newspapers closed down, 1200+ former majlis members disqualified from elections, ask how many total political prisoners are in jail…)! Also, I checked your translation and it was not accurate. In any case, considering the time invested it was a lousy job. You in effect provided him with a platform to show western hypocracy which while true – does not excuse his government’s actions.
AN has a special talent in sounding convincing while turning the generally accepted meanings of the words and actions on its head! I thought he got the better of you Jon – you should have pressed him more on the events and atrocities following the last elections in Iran, especially cheating the people out of their votes, and the unconditional support he gets from the Leader.
The current Green Movement in Iran will ultimately succeed in changing the system to a pluralist and democratic system that secures the rights of minorities. This movement is significantly different compared to any previous movements. 1- it’s non-violent, despite aggressions from the other side; 2- it’s made up of all sorts of people, young, old, rich, poor, educated, illiterate, and most important of all, the slogans of the movement are neither ideological (including religious), nor excessively nationalistic. It’s wishes are simply equality in the eyes of the law which is based on globally accepted human rights.
Iran shall be a democracy based on secularism and growing liberalism. The religious groups should also freely take part in such system. It will take time but Iran’s future is bright!
Well done John – a good achievement. I am one of those expats who left Iran in a hurry in 1978, with family and safely, after four enjoyable years there and, like you, I wish the Iranian people well and hope that this nightmare ends soon for them. The only foreigners there at the time who knew something was amiss were those of us who had children in international schools. Your interview demonstrated clearly what a parallel universe – where black is white and day is night – the Ahmadinijads of this world occupy. But how ironic to see from the later interview with the woman from the universities that we have plenty of people in our public sector who are from the same planet as he.
Regards
As an Iranian, I am embarrased that he is representing my country. When he says there is freedom in Iran, he means he and his Basiji thugs and pasdars are free to do anything they want. No foriegn enemy could manage to cause as much damage as he has done to my country.
I AM JUST 15 YEARS OLD THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY NOW IS THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HOPE WE CAN HAVE FREE DOME FOR MY CONTERY .
Dear John
I envy you for puting up with characters like Ahmadinejad
The interview further proves this man is sitting on coco’s nest. Those in Europe, USA, China and Russia who think could negotiate with this sick hallucinated character and his group of reactionary government are simply chasing wild goose.
It is about time governments in Europe, USA and rest of the world listening to plight of Iranian people, rather than trying to negotiate with a government in Iran that has no hesitation in robbing and killing a nation.
Merry Christmas and have a wonderful holiday, you well deserve it after year of offering excellent news program.
Kamran – London
As an Iranian each time I see this man in an interview or any other occasion, there is a great deal of unease and somehow feeling of shame, embarrassment and anger that runs down through my spine. Everything about him is essentially non Iranian; his mentality; his character; his words and his intellect; even his looks is not typical of an iranian; And yet officially he represents the country of Iran on the world stage. And I am sitting here and contamplating whether Jon Snow interviewing this creature is a good thing for him or would it somehow benefit the beautiful people of Iran?
Most of the anti Iran comments are by either the ignorant and brainwashed westerns who watch and read their junk tabloid media and believe that they are telling the truth. With regards to the Iranians commenting anti Iran comments, they are living in exile in foreign lands and are only dreaming of maybe by joining the anti Iran propaganda, they will oneday be allowed to return to Iran, if this government falls! Keep dreaming as Iran will stay independent, self relient, more and more powerful everyday, and you can not do a damn thing about it! All your anti Iran propaganda is like a open book, and easy to read right through! Long live Iran!
İran = U.S.S.R
Ahmedi Nejad = Meymuni Nejad
Why comments of those who are for Ahmadinejad are not poste here and are sensured. Didn’t Ahmadinejad have right about foreign media.
While Iran is far from perfect now – it is hypocritical to be saying he is a thug – etc etc – does not represnet the people – well what do you Think of Brown , Obama , Blair etc etc – does anyone think they put the people first ??. – and Democracy – - name ONE country on planet where it exists – and would anyone prefer to live in Iran under the Shah . Yes – the early Promise of the Revolution has not been fulfilled – but it still can be – and what about Israels Nuclear Arsenal – and the US ‘s – the UK s etc – Is the US/Israel to be the sole arbitrator of who can have waht on the planet ?.. Does anyone think Iran will attack the USA or Israel – the consequences would be total disaster for Iran – they are entitled to have Nuclear Power for energy and to defend themselves .
Hi Jon
Your expressions said it all!
Thank you for pursuing the most important issues as usual and allowing him to reveal what he really is (and what we already believe he is)
A transcription of his replies would be useful as the audio lacks clarity.
Thanks for being one of the most committed journalists in the UK.
Merry Christmas!
He is not president. Please correct the tiltle.
you accepted him (Ahmadi Nejad) when you did interview with him !!!! it’s a shame
Ahmadi Nejad is not Iranian president !!!!
he’s a big liar ,his goverment kill and torture innocent boys and girls and mens and wemons then he disavowed all his brutality !!!!!! it’s a shame that you called Ahmadi Nejad is Iranian president !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you must ignore him if you trust in human rights
Obama better gets the hell out of his retard mind and support the people of Iran.
I wonder how it feels to interview a delusional mad man? Months of unrest, over 4000 arrests, hundreds killed, tortured and raped; he still insists Iran is a free country and people are united!! They even deny the pictures we have seen on the Internet. Unbelievable
well, a very nice interview with little dictator. the thing is he is not going to admit the violation against innocent citizens, but you could criticizes him by giving more and more examples and may be using some pictures of the demonstrations and violations on the streets of Tehran. but anyway I appreciate you for the interview and admire you for controlling yourself during the interview, because I see how illogic he is and I was very irritated when he was trying to deviate the point of discussion. but the big point of the interview is you can see how scoundrel he is.
I wish freedom for people of Iran. hope that day is in a very close future
I admire your patience. I can understand that you were not so hard considering that you might in future want to have contact with them again. There is a big dilemma as journalists tackles with fascist representatives. But the interview itself is a kind of revelation of his wacky ideas. Next time demand him to give examples for his argument ….
good luck
well jonny boy, youv nailed your colours now. the little boy black ops agent look,(just before pulling the wings of a danny long legs) really becomes you. I love the classic line at 10:58 “but this is very difficult for ordinary people to understand” while’st throwing fourth hand muck and pouring contaminated water over everything in your vicinity.
Two sources about BBC’s role as a propaganda apparatus of the British Government.
1- BBC Radio 4 program aired 22 Aug 2005 admitting that BBC was used by the British Government for propaganda purposes and also for toppling Priminister Mossadegh’s government.
The program states:
Even the BBC was used to spearhead Britain’s propaganda campaign. In fact, Auntie agreed to broadcast the very code word that was to spark revolution. Around a decade ago the American government apologised for its role in the coup; but Britain has remained silent.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/document/document_20050822.shtml
2- The BBC Persian Service 1941-1979 – SOAS Research Online
https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/7356/
1. The removal of Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1941;
2. The UK-Iran oil negotiations during 1948-53;
3. The coup of 1953
4. A brief to the years that led to the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
These two documents are a must-read for every Iranian and Mr Snow!
As an Iranian, I think this was not successful interview for you, because this liar Ahmadinejad could divert and reply every question into nonsense answers. He denied all things and as you were not aware of whats going in Iran you could not reply back or stop him from telling lie.
I find this a strange blog , in as much there are so far 84 comments and the vast majority by far say what a lying mad ego maniac dictator Armathingy is , yet look at the voting on each blog.The evil little swine has his accolytes voting.
The President showed a little soul… Happy Xmas to all….
Which country has a perfect leader, what about our own leaders, Brown, Bush or Blair who have taken us into many illegal wars, killed so many people and cannot be held responsible, how can anyone after all that blood shed say that it was worth it. All their lies are coming out thro’ the Iraq enquiry, i am seeing a repeat of the same drama again, against Iran now, USA and UK are trying to demonise the Iranian adminstration thro’ the media to attack Iran. I think expat Iranians should be more sensible when they criticise their government,just look at the mess in Iraq created by the USA and UK with their regime change adventure.
HUSNA
I did not see the interview but from the amount of comments, one can read the level of anger, opposition and revolt towards the current Iranian leader. He has his own ideas and is implementing them in an inhumane way.
Let us not forget the U.S. of A. They have always gone unchallenged, when wanting and getting their own way.
adzmundo CND
The translation is not done very well due to speaking over MA. MA is not in charge of Iran anyway, their constitution puts the supreme leader and assembly of experts above the president whose role is more of a diplomat.
The complication for Obama, is that he and his administration have very little idea about whom to support, since giving support to an opposition without clearly declared positions, may suffer the danger of giving support to a competing faction of the status quo. As was said in the film China Town: ‘Forget it Jake, It’s China Town’. After all, opposition leader Moussawi, was once in the vanguard of the American hostages debacle, during the Presidency of Jimmy Carter. Ironically for Iran, Iranians may owe their future liberty to Israel.
While the people of Iran are murdered on the streets of every city in Iran, women and children are beaten to death, shot, tortured, raped and molested by the blood thirsty dogs of Khamenei, the dictator of Iran. What on earth is the point of giving air time tom this stupid murderer, the unelected president of the non-elected military regime? What does his ideas give humanity? When was the last time Channel 4 showed guts enough to ask the difficult questions? Channel 4 “interview” is now being used as propaganda in every regime – paper and news site. Bravo! And thanks for your “help”!
@Hannah; some people still believe in the freedom of expression (especially if the speech contradicts your cliché believes). Chinese are a quarter of the population of the earth; are you going to gag them because they do not agree with what YOU think is right? Why do you think that you are right and 1.3 billion Chinese are wrong? Did your media tell you that? I am sure you have a brain; so use it!
SHAME ON JON SNOW AND CHANNEL FOUR for giving this evil, hated murderer even more of a platform to spout his garbage.
The Iranian people will never forget the traitors and the liars, all those who have directly on indirectly supported and prolonged the regimes rule.
And this, which was written by Jon Snow, goes to show just how wrong he is.
“But he’s probably right in claiming that nothing very dramatic is going to happen at home at least in the immediate future.”
!!!
@Salahuddin
I certainly do believe in the freedom of expression but Jon Snow and Channel 4 shamefully continue giving Ahmadinejad a platform when we are all well aware of his propaganda, his talk about Israel, the West, and how he has a strong and united country. Rubbish.
I don’t appreciate seeing his “christmas message” on channel 4 nor hearing him speak.
But ultimately, it does not matter, because no-one will get in the way of the peoples will which is a revolution.
@Hannah;
Freedom of expression means allowing everybody express themselves (even those that you do not like). If you do not want to watch President Ahmadinejad on the TV, you can switch off the TV but you have no right to say that he should NOT be shown on TV. Because I want to know what he has to say, do you think I have this right or not?
I feel angered and upset when I see this hypocrite, lie and decieive his own people. I as a British Iranian take great pride in the efforts of the relitivly free press here, and let it be known that the Iranian people are nothing but thankful for the role of the BBC and Channel 4. He codemns the autorocities elseware (Palestine) yet he so easily spills the blood of his own countrymen in the streets of the Motherland. The opposition are a movement led by the people, it is social movement, and our ideals can be implemented anywhere, even in the Holy Land, were we all hope one day Human Rights, and Spiritual freedom will prevail.
@CyrusD; To get your British citizenship you took the Oath of Allegiance to the Queen or to the UK; You might not have understood what it meant but you actually said that the UK and Queen’s interest are above the interest of your own people!
Mate, you sold everything when you took that oath! Now you are neither Iranian nor a British anymore! You are not Iranian because you sold your people’s interest to the Queen and you are not a real British because you are not white and you have no roots in the UK! BNP is trying to kick you out and they will do it sooner or latter!
Start looking for another place to spend the rest of your life!
Astalavista Baby!
The setting was fixed to give an appearance of good will and culture.
Mr Ahmadinejad stressed Irans’ difference to European culture. He made it clear that Iran was an independent Country without the need to determinedly foster good relations.
Jon was a good diplomat and listener , rather than the usual provoker. His expressions although not clearly pictured in response to any comment by Mr A , also displayed a reticence.
Jon commented that he had trust for a friend. That is an unusual quality these days , but to voice it to the president, showed a type of naivety in contradiction to Mr A’s posed sophistication.
I think that these nuances of communication will be lost in Iran , however the planting of seeds is never a bad thing ,whether they fall on stoney ground or not.
U.S. Intelligence Found Iran Nuke Document Was Forged.
By Gareth Porter
WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (IPS) – U.S. intelligence has concluded that the document published recently by the Times of London, which purportedly describes an Iranian plan to do experiments on what the newspaper described as a “neutron initiator” for an atomic weapon, is a fabrication, according to a former Central Intelligence Agency official.
Philip Giraldi, who was a CIA counterterrorism official from 1976 to 1992, told IPS that intelligence sources say that the United States had nothing to do with forging the document, and that Israel is the primary suspect. The sources do not rule out a British role in the fabrication, however.
Full document at
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49833
i wonder if you believe your own propaganda?The images from mobile phones and computers shown on our tv are they fabricated too?Is all things acceptable and cosy within Iran .They are not building nuclear facilities and refusing inspection , against international law.There is no rioting on the streets,no opposition to the regime and no violence by the regime.Believe that and you will believe in fairies
@adrian Clarke;
I posted a link to an article by a famous American investigating journalist saying that the American intelligence has come to conclusion that the document presented by a British media (owned by Rupert Murdoch) is fake, and they think either Israel or Britain faked it.
What has it got to do with your reply? Did I say anything about the images of riot being fake? Do you see a connection between these two subjects? Can you enlighten us please?
It has a lot to do with the blog and jons interview.Whether the alleged document is false or not comes across as a smokescreen to say everything the regime says and does is correct , when clearly it is not .Does the article you refer to matter one iota.It is a fact that the Iranian regime has and is building nuclear facilities it refuses to be allowed to be inspected.If they are peaceful facilities and meant for domestic use it would have no problem accepting inspections . You see your reference to the article can only be seen as a support for the regime!!! If not ,what was the point of it??It has no bearing on the interview , non on the opposition to the regime ,unless you can come up with another reason for your comments
@ adrian Clarke;
Part 1 of 6:
There is no such a thing as perfect government or political system. Let us look at the UK; I can give you 100s of examples of wrong doings by the Politicians and Parties and the Government at every level. Theses wrong doings are called crime and corruption if committed in Iran but they are called “loopholes, Technical mistakes, Misunderstanding, and miss-judgements” when committed in the UK.
It is interesting to note that there are no corrupt politicians in the UK!
Have you noticed it? Can you believe it?
Can you name a single politician who has been found guilty of corruption or even accused of corruption? The corruption tag is only associated with non-western countries; the same crime committed in the western world is called something else!
Isn’t it strange that despite all the scandals and investigations on cases such as Cash for Honours; the infamous beefed up dossier of Iraq; the widespread abuse of expenses claims by MPs; huge interest-free loans taken by political parties and cabinet ministers (and many other cases that need 100s of pages to even mention them), no one has been found guilty of corruption?
WOW!
Part 2 of 6:
Despite all these we cannot say that everything that the British government does is wrong; and the same applies to other countries (including Iran). Let us face another fact; the Iranian political system is less than 30 years old, the British political system on the other hand is several centuries old, but as I said before it still needs lots of ironing to make it look good!
Adrian, you asked me why I posted the reference to the forged document. If you watch the video (21 minutes into the interview) President Ahmadinejad points to the political and media games that the western government play against Iran and forge documents and news and then build a case on those lies. Diane Sawyer of ABC also interviews President Ahmadinejad in Dec 2009 and she referred to the fake document as an evidence, and even asked the president to take a look at a copy she had in her hand and tell her why he thought it was fake!
A short video clip of the interview and the full transcript of the interview are on ABC News website.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/diane-sawyer-interviews-irans-president-mahmoud-ahmadinejad/story?id=9401194
Part 3 of 6:
It is also interesting to know that ABC used the voice of a stand up comedian called Dan Ahdoot as the voice over for the president. Ahdoot (who admitted he had never done voice over before) used a Pakistani accent (maybe to associate the president with the terrorists)! Ahdoot can speak English with Farsi accent perfectly well because he is an Iranian-Jew himself!
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/abc-news-ahmadinejad-translator-an-iranian-jewish-stand-up-comic/
You may think journalists are all honest people; but I give you the confession of Diane Sawyer that she lied in her interview with Ahmadinejad in 2007.
Sawyer: You said you have 52,000 suicide bombers. Where would you deploy them?
Ahmadinejad: Did I say that?
Sawyer: One of the Iraqi officials said that …
Sawyer: Ahmadinejad was right to challenge me, it was not a statement by an official, but a so-called unofficial organization dedicated to suicide bombing. So we asked, is it not true?
Note: As you can see “You said” turned to “an Iraqi official said” and later to “unofficial organization said”!
http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=6074001
Part 4 of 6:
Adrian you also asked if the article I referred to matters.
Yes it matters a lot. It shows how our enemies are plotting against us and how far they are prepared to go!
Here is another document about US forging evidence.
Most US intelligence on Iran shared with the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency has proved inaccurate and none has led to significant discoveries inside the country, diplomats at the IAEA have said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-intelligence-on-iran-not-reliable-says-iaea/24239/
Adrian Clarke; judging by your name you are not Iranian (You could be half Iranian) but I am 100% Iranian; my family, friends and relatives live in Iran and sanctions or military actions effect their lives, so it does matter to me what the enemies are trying to do to my country & people.
As for the nuclear facilities, IAEA has not accused Iran of non-compliance otherwise they would have sacked Iran from the agency.
And also contrary to your claim, the facilities are being inspected by IAEA regularly and also monitored remotely by CCTV 24 hours a day!
Who told you that Iran does not allow inspection of the facilities? CIA or Rupert Murdoch?
Part 5 of 6:
But unfortunately IAEA has become an espionage apparatus for the USA, some IAEA officials have admitted that more than half of the IAEA inspectors work for CIA. These spies are not interested in the enrichment facilities; they want to know about Iran’s military projects. The UN inspectors that visited Iraq provided the bulk of the intelligence that USA had about Saddam’s military capabilities. See the following references.
The US official involved in the IAEA project also helped build “the UN remote video surveillance system to monitor Iraqi facilities capable of developing chemical and biological weapons,” US and UN officials said. That system was secretly modified by US intelligence agents to eavesdrop on Iraqi military communications.
http://www.unwire.org/unwire/19990322/1596_story.asp
An Open Letter to Mohammed ElBaradie.
Using the IAEA to Spy on Iran.
By Dr SASAN FAYAZMANESH (Professor of Economics at California State University in Fresno).
http://www.counterpunch.org/sasan10032008.html
US Spied on Iraq Via UN inspectors. (Washington Post; March 2, 1999).
http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/190/34628.html
Part 6 of 6:
Adrian; I am patriot, I want my country to be strong and powerful. Iran sits on trillions of dollars of Oil and Gas and USA and his pirate friends want to steal it.
I totally disagree with the leadership of Iran with regard to banning nuclear weapons. There is a saying in English; Everything is fair in love and war, therefore we must arm ourselves with every type of weapon that our enemies have and must be prepared to use them.
Those who follow morale codes at war lose the war! During the war with Iraq when Saddam used chemical weapons some Iranian generals went to Ayatollah Khomeini and asked his permission to use chemical weapons in retaliation but he said NO.
Khomeini’s decision costed Iran the lives of over 150,000 Iranians and also resulted in not wining the war and consequently not being able to collect over $1 trillion compensation for the damages that Saddam caused us.
The most important duty of the leadership of a country is to safeguard the security of its people and today having nuclear weapon capability is a MUST for us if we do not want to end up like the occupied Iraq and Afghanistan and Palestine!
Va Sallam.
Salahuddin,for starters my name is English,certainly back to the14th century,but that has no bearing whatsoever on my blogging.I call for Bush and Blair to be locked up for war crimes in invading and removing Sadham as i would were Iran to attack a foreign country , but your 6 blogs make several accusations about inspectors ,and journalists , yet you decry them for lying with no proof.I did not see any acceptance of Iran’s regime s violence against opponents,which i mentioned.Were the tv pictures also a lie?Do you infact support your own regimes violence? It seems you may with your 6th blog where you say Iran needs to be strong and it appears threaten its neighbours with force , even illegal weapons(chemical) seems to be your suggestion .
We certainly have corrupt politicians in this country and hopefully they will be bought to book , but at least we can voice our opinions openly in a free society,and if that is prevented by establishment force(i.e. the police) they are bought to prosecution .I see no such justice inIran , infact the opposite , protestors are held in prison .If you support such a regime god help the world
@ adrian Clarke;
I gave references for each case I mentioned; internet links are on my comments. Did you read any of the references?
I have another example of twists and lies (hope you read the reference this time!).
Exclusive: Iran Prez Won’t Say Yes-or-No to Nuclear Bomb
By MARGARET ARO and MARK MOONEY
Dec. 21, 2009
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/iran-president-ahmadinejad-rule-nuclear-weapon/story?id=9393674
If you watch the video or read the transcript you will see that Ahmadenejad actually says We have got a saying in Iran which says, “How many times shall I repeat the same thing?” You should say thing only once. We have said once [and for ever] that we don’t want nuclear bomb.
Does this answer means Won’t Say Yes-or-No to Nuclear Bomb?
The guy says “We Don’t want nuclear bombs” and two ABC journalists say that he did not say Yes-Or-No! What kind of stupidity is this? How can anyone ever trust anything these people say? Are they really that stupid to think that people are stupid?
We live in 21st century; we can go to the source and watch the video and find the truth for ourselves! The era of journalists lying is over!
I have not much time right now; I will answer the rest of your question later (maybe this weekend).
Jon,
While looking for this recent interview I came across the transcript of your Interview on 12/09/2007, and the following questions and answers which could just as easily have been made two weeks ago:
Q: If that’s true, will you take me to (the nuclear research facility at) Natanza? That place no-one has been further than their front door. Would you take me there?
A: Would the British government allow us in to see their nuclear installations? Or the American government allow us to see their nuclear installations?
Very interesting!
You should have said “Yes, you can go to Sellafield and they will welcome you with open arms. It is for nuclear power. You could not visit Aldermaston because that is our atomic weapons research establishment. Presumably you are telling me I can’t visit Natanza because it is one of your nuclear WEAPONS establishments.”
@Rob2;
Actually neither you nor Jon can visit the core of the nuclear facilities in Sellafield; you may be given a tour of the gardens if you have security clearance but you will not be allowed to get close to the real McCoy (i.e. the reactors).
There are several different militarised security zones at Sellafield, even engineers working in one zone cannot visit other zones. Everything is based on Need To Know basis. Have you seen a single photo of the high security zones that are deep underground?
Your remarks about “nuclear WEAPONS establishments” actually contradicts with the IAEA reports. IAEA inspectors have inspected Iran’s facilities for many years and have said that they have not found any evidence of WEAPONS facilities or even activities. Can you kindly tell us where did you get your WEAPONS information from?
Did Rupert Murdoch tell you that?
John,
I don’t know how you can allow Salahuddin to so monopolise this comments column. He didn’t even bother to use different pseudonyms!
@Rob2
Have I monopolised this comments column? LOL … Very funny!
How can I monopolise a column that is open to millions of people? Do I have especial privileges to restrict you in any form or shape? Have I stopped you from expressing yourself? Is there a rule that says how many comments I can post?
Am I taking your space? No! The server has room for trillions of comments, you too can post as many comments as you wish and let people judge them.
The main reason for having a comment column here it to let people express their own views!
RE: He didn’t even bother to use different pseudonyms!
Are you implying that I have to cheat and use different pseudonyms in order to express my opinion?
Is that what you do?
Rob2 , it matters little that he monopolises the collums for it shows the true intent of the Iranian regime and their false beliefs
salshuddin , i note you do not reply to my blog
@ adrian;
RE: I note you do not reply to my blog.
I refer to your comment of 9:38 am on December 25, 2009. You wrote:
I find this a strange blog , in as much as there are so far 84 comments and the vast majority by far say what a lying mad ego maniac dictator Armathingy is, yet look at the voting on each comment. The little evil swine has his acolytes voting.
You made a few spelling and grammar mistakes which I corrected here so that people can understand what you were actually trying to say!
Your comment told me that you are not here to discuss things, you have your agendas and you are here to push them.
The main purpose of the blog is to provide a platform for people of different opinions to discuss the topic but you proved that you did not like that idea! Anybody that even rates down a comment that you like on this blog is a cheat!
So what is the point in discussing anything with you?
You will disagree with me even if I said 2+2=4 just because I voted against a comment that you thought should have received a thumb up!
Why should I waste my time answering you? I leave you alone the same way everybody else has left you “Lone Ranger” alone!
John
Only yesterday I came across a video recording of events at Mashad’s university where Ahmadinejad’s thugs were throwing students from rooftop of university buildings. If anyone has illusion about this government in Iran must be fool or somehow involved and have interests in these crimes against innocent people.
Sham on those who support Ahmadinejad’s government.
Regards
Salahuddin,
Part 1 of 2:
I am very impressed at how professional you are….at disseminating disinformation!
It is in fact possible for any approved delegation to visit the Sellafield site, including the reactor cores and the reprocessing and recycling facilities. There is of course a proper level of security there but there are no militarised security zones because it is not a military site.
For the same reason it would be very suprising if the site (run by a private limited company) had any secret underground bunkers!
The IAEA has not found any evidence of nuclear waepons development in Iran because these have of course been successfully kept secret by the regime.
Salahuddin,
Part 2 of 2:
You may recall the facilities which were denied until unearthed by foreign intelligence agencies.
Incidentally, it is worth considering that electricity from a nuclear power plant costs three times as much as that from a gas fired power plant and that Iran possesses the second largest reserves of natural gas in the world. Therefore it doesn’t take a genius to work out that Iran’s whole nuclear industry exists to produce nuclear weapons with electricity as an expensive bi-product.
And no, I don’t know Rupert Murdoch.
rob2 i am sure salahuddin can select a report to state how open and innocent their secret nuclear sites are and why they need enriched uranium to produce electricity and not bombs lol
@ Rob2;
Part 1 of 8:
This is going to be another long post because I have to answer you and explain myself.
I hope you will not accuse me of monopolizing Jon’s Blog again!
In this 8 parts comment I answer the 7 topics you raised.
1 – I visited Sellafield when I was a student and it was still under construction; and even then we were not allowed to take photos. Our cameras were taken from us at the gate.
I have seen the core that houses the reactors; it is deep underground and one of the challenges that the engineers were facing at the time was controlling the underground water (during and after construction) and minimizing the risk of the underground water contamination during the operation of the plant.
All reactors are build deep underground to minimize the danger in the event of malfunctioning (such as Chernobyl) or military / terrorist attack on them. If they were build on the ground they would be susceptive to ground and aerial attacks such as rocket attacks or even car-bomb or suicide-bomber attacks; one small crack in the concrete shield is enough to turn it into a radiation bomb (aka dirty bomb).
Part 2 of 8:
2 – Militarized security zone does not mean “operated by military”; it means “Security of the kind that military uses”. Even your ISP has militarized and de-militarized security zones on their network (set on routers); this does not mean military operates your ISP.
3- Contrary to what you said; Sellafield is actually owned and operated by the government (The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority). NDA awards contracts for some operational management and decommissioning of the individual facilities to contractors; but the ownership and overall responsibility is with NDA.
4 – As for your claim that IAEA has not found anything because Iran has hidden them!
Your argument does not hold in any court of law. Basically the burden of proof is with the accuser not the accused.
The prosecutor cannot say we believe Rob2 has committed a crime but he has hidden all the evidences and therefore we cannot provide any proofs. The judge will throw out the case and the prosecutor together in a jiffy!
Part 3 of 8:
5 – RE: the facilities that were denied.
Do you mean denied to be under construction or denied access to IAEA inspectors? I will answer both ases.
The IAEA rules state that members have to report any new sites and make them accessible to the inspectors six months before uranium is used on the site. Iran reported the Qum site over a year before enrichment activities can be started (that is of course if construction goes according to the plan, otherwise it could be even longer a notice). Americans claimed that firstly Security Council resolutions have asked Iran to freeze enrichment activities and secondly the Qum site was close to compellation and Iran had not observe the six months notice period but Iran made the site available to IAEA inspectors to see for themselves that USA claim was baseless. There is not even running water or electricity on the site (let alone centrifuges and uranium processing activities), how could it be close to completion! Inspectors visited the sight and agreed with Iran. (Cont …)
Part 4 of 8:
Basically the Security Council’s Resolution that orders Iran to freeze enrichment activities is null & void because it does not specify a timeframe for the freeze. Is the freeze for a year or 10 years or for ever? If you are taken to court for a driving offense the judge can ban you from driving for a certain period of time (e.g. 3 years); but the judge cannot say you are banned till further notice! Unspecified timeframe in the ruling makes the ruling null & void.
Part 5 of 8:
6 – RE: Nuclear generated electricity costs three times more!
This was true 10 years ago when oil was $10-15 a barrel and Gas was very cheap (Gas and Oil prices go up and down in tandem), but today the equation is changed and nuclear generated electricity is actually cheaper. Oil and Gas prices gone up 10 folds but uranium price only doubled. As more oil fields run out of oil; oil price will keep going up due to supply and demand. Last year oil reached $140 and as soon as the current world economy crisis are over it will go up over $200 and will stay there. Uranium price will not go up as much as hydrocarbon fuel because the fuel cost makes a small portion of the cost of mining and processing Uranium (for the sake of argument let’s say fuel cost makes up 10-20% of the cost of producing uranium).
Uranium also can be reprocessed and used again and again and again; as only 5% of the uranium is wasted every time it is reprocessed it is virtually a reusable fuel for decades; which make it even cheaper. (Cont..)
Part 6 of 8:
If new oil and Gas resources had not been discovered in Iran in the last 30 years, Iran would be a net importer of oil and gas today; and USA could easily break our back by refusing to sell us fuel! How can we rely on the USA and its allies? Iran MUST run the full nuclear fuel production cycle and become totally independent; how can we rely on the foreign fuel suppliers who have proven unreliable even in selling us refined petrol! How can we trust them with supplying us Uranium?
The IAEA’s proposed nuclear fuel bank is not good either because IAEA has proven to be easily manipulated by USA and his (in my opinion “criminal”) friends and allies.
Another important point to remember is that Iran is also under sanction and cannot even buy traditional Oil and Gas powered generators!
The Americans just want to kill us! Sanctions on spare parts for civilian planes, fuel, banks, trade, refineries, electricity generators, and I think soon food and medicine will be on the list too! I am expecting Gordon Brown take the honor of proposing these new sanctions to prove his loyalty to his Masters! (Cont ..)
Part 7 of 8:
Two million Iraqis were killed by the 10 year long sanctions imposed on Iraqi people; over 500,000 Iraqi children were killed due to shortage of sanitation and medicine alone. Even chloride that is used to disinfect water supply pipes was on the sanction list which resulted in mass extermination of the Iraqis!
When Madeline Albright (the US secretary of state at the time) was asked in an interview (ABC’s 60 minutes) that if killing over half a million children (almost twice the number of people killed by two atomic bombs dropped on Japan) was worth it; Albright replied “We believe it is worth it”.
I recently read an article that explains why Iraqis were massacred by denying them food, medicine and even chloride to disinfect their water supply pipes. According to a book published in March 2009; President Jacques Chirac admitted that in 2003 Bush explained to him that the Biblical creatures Gog and Magog were at work in the Mid-East and must be defeated. God Wants to Erase the Mid-Eastern Enemies before a New Age Begins (Bush said to Chirac!). (Cont ..)
Part 8 of 8:
Well, USA Erased a couple of million Iraqis before invasion and a couple of million Iraqis after the invasion! Not a bad job for the God! Hey?
Axis of Evil, Crusades, and now Gog & Magog!
The puzzle is solved, now we have all the pieces of the jigsaw!
“God Wants to Erase the Mid-Eastern Enemies”; and “We believe it is worth it”!
As always, I provide proof for my statements; you can find the article on the following link:
http://www.alternet.org/politics/140221
7 – RE: Rupert Murdoch. If you don’t know Rupert Murdoch then you must be living on a different planet! The bulk of the western world media is owned by Murdoch! You may not know him personally but most of the arguments you put forward here are actually the arguments that Murdoch’s Media Empire put forward repeatedly! So I conclude that you have been infected with “Murdoch Virus” but you do not know it!
Va Sallam [i.e. The End]
Salahuddin,
Part 1.
Well, you finally lost it! “USA Erased a couple of million Iraqis before invasion and a couple of million Iraqis after the invasion”. With statistics like that, who needs damned lies! You really are insulting the intelligence of the readers.
I cannot afford the time to write long diatribes like you. You’re probably paid for it by your government, but I cannot resist a few answers.
Sellafield is actually operated by Sellafield Ltd, but the important thing is I actually phoned them to check whether it would be possible for foreign individuals to be invited for a full visit to the facilities and the answer was, and still is, yes. This proves my most important point and flies in the face of your assertion that they only might let you visit the gardens.
You said “I visited Sellafield when I was a student and it was still under construction”. It was called Winscale and it was under construction in the ’50s. How old are you? lol.
Interesting how you selected a definition of “military security” to backtrack when you really wanted the readers to believe that there were armed soldiers all round Sellafield.
1- Iraq casualties of sanctions and war before invasion is estimated between 1.5 to 2 millions. The casualties after invasion is estimated up to 1 million; therefore sources estimate up to 3 million casualties until 2006-2007.
Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark: the deaths of more than 1.5 million including 750,000 children under five (includes sanctions and war before the 2003 invasion).
http://www.twf.org/News/Y1997/Ramsey.html
Iraqi Cultural Minister: 1.7 million (includes sanctions and war before the 2003 invasion) http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/170/41919.html
Unicef: 500,000 children (including sanctions, collateral effects of war). The report said that as of 1999, children under 5 years of age were dying at more than twice the rate they were ten years ago due to sanctions.
http://www.unicef.org/newsline/99pr29.htm
The casualties however will continue for many years and perhaps for generations. These casualties are not included in any estimate as yet!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/13/falluja-cancer-children-birth-defects
2- My apologies; I actually visited Sizewell B in 1990 not Sellafield.
Salahudddin,
Part 2.
One can only marvel at the effort that you have put into your arguments (as predicted) that nuclear power is after all economical in Iran! No doubt you could prove that black was white if you put your mind to it! lol!
I hope the readers have enough common sense to realise that you cannot make honest figures on it add up. If they did then all the countries that are using 100s of GW of gas fired power would be scrambling to build nuclear power stations even if they were sitting on mountains of gas like you are!
BTW my figure of nuclear power cost v gas was from the BBC website a couple of days ago! No it’s not owned by Rupert Murdoch an neither is Channel 4 News!
And finally, when I said I don’t know Rupert Murdoch I meant (facetiously) that I don’t know him personally…lol.
salahuddin , you try to twist my comments , but your diatribes look like they were written by armadinajad or a member of his government.I can not understand why you have not addressed my points re your police and detention of opponents of the regime , or their right to oppose, as they would be allowed in a free society..Nor have you commented on the TV pictures we saw of the states brutality against such opponents.I suppose they were stage managed by the Brits or Americans.Your absurd figures re Iraqi deaths , a country you wanted to use chemical weapons against lack total credibility and and are made up for effect.I find people who will not answer normally cant
Adrian
For the past thirty years Islamic regime of Iran has blamed the West when coming across public voices and demands for human right and civil liberty, labeling Iranian as agents of the West. This is what Mogabeh, Chavez, Kim Jong of North Korea do in their countries when washing their hands from crushing their people.
I commented a few days ago that those who have illusion about Islamic regime in Iran after all these tortures and killings of innocents must be fools or have interests in these crimes.
Regards
@ Kamran;
RE: For the past thirty years …..
I actually respect Chavez a lot! Why don’t you respect a man who has been elected by the majority of his poor people? Is it because he is not a part of “Gog and MaGog”?
Who has killed more people in the last 60 years? USA and Israel or Chavez and China and North Korea?
Salahuddin.I find it strange that you respect Chavez who sought a coup to overthrow an elected president!! I suppose you have forged figures for deaths caused by Chavez China and North Korea?Yet you can not acknowledge deaths caused by the Iranian regime or the imprisonment of protesters.You certainly have a warped conception of a free society
please
Absolutely a thumbs upwards. All the very best!