Tucker Carlson caught a lot of flak when he announced his interview with the President of Iran. Detractors labeled him an Iranian sympathizer for doing what journalists could do decades ago while earning prestige for it. A hearsay claim was made about Carlson being funded by an Iranian patron. But the interview with President Masoud Pezeshkian did not go as critics insisted that it would.
Tucker Carlson had a limited amount of time, and there was less of a conversation than in other interviews. The Iranian president’s replies indicated that he was not aware of the questions ahead of time. So with prepared questions, Tucker Carlson underwent a task America has not seen, perhaps since he interviewed Vladimir Putin.
Very few of Pezeshkian’s answers were compelling. For instance, he argued that Islam forbids the development of a nuclear weapon. This is a dubious claim, especially in light of Pakistan’s nuclear program. However, it would be a common Islamic L to invent a rule that keeps civilization in the 14th century. I don’t buy it, personally, as Mohamedians are permitted to lie to advance the cause of Islam.
But the projection of vulnerability, a softer side of Iran, was what Pezishkian pitifully attempted. Tucker Carlson was not apparently sympathetic to the Iranian cause but was appropriately inquisitive. Pezishkian attempted to showcase how recent events forged a unity of Iran, but this seems like a “too soon” judgment for a multicultural nation.
Iran boasts a powerful rhetoric, which the Iranian president insisted was not a call to violence against any nation, but against the deeds of injustice committed. This is a bizarre and definitely foreign appropriation of language, one that is dubious on its face, but that was the Iranian’s story, and he stuck to it.
The Iranian president’s interview with Tucker Carlson was fruitful. The American people got a glimpse of how Iran sees itself, but what was presented was a weak and incompetent leader.
2 Responses
Very good insights. That interview was very valuable to Americans, regardless of what “side” one might take regarding relations with Iran.
“I don’t buy it, personally, as Mohamedians are permitted to lie to advance the cause of Islam.”
Also, the jews are most definitely permitted to lie to advance jewish interests. In fact, (((their))) depraved and demonic “holy book”, the talmud, tells the jews to lie to non-jews to advance jewish interests.