Iranian State Television Attacks CNN's Fareed Zakaria
Radio Free Europe
25-Oct-2011

Iranian state television has attacked CNN's Fareed Zakaria over his recent reporting from Iran.

On the weekend of October 22-23, Zakaria traveled to Tehran where he interviewed Iran's embattled President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

In an October 24 report, the state television which is controlled by Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei accused Zakaria of hurting the country's image under the watch of officials.

The channel 2 network claimed Zakaria had aired "one-sided" reports from Iran in which conditions in the country had been portrayed as "dark and gloomy."

"He tried to show to his audience an Iran that the United States wants to see. For example [CNN's Zakaria] tried to prove U.S. claims that Iran is under pressure because of the sanctions. In order to do so he resorted to lies."

Zakaria said in one of his reports from the Iranian capital, which he described as a "bustling, cosmopolitan city", ordinary Iranians seem to resent that they have to pay for the actions of their government.

"From the bazaar to shops of every kind that dot neighborhoods, you see Iranians doing business. Because of sanctions, you see very few Western brands. Every bank, store, and boutique has a local name with local products. There are some exceptions. Coca Cola is a here as it is everywhere.”

>>>
recommended by Shifteh Ansari

Share/Save/Bookmark