Iran Focus
London, 2 Dec – Now that the end is in sight for the Obama administration, the Iranian regime, Iran apologists and Iranian regime lobbies are concerned about the continuation of the appeasement policy. Amir Basiri, an Iranian human rights activist, said in the Washington Examiner that those wanting rapprochement with Tehran are setting propaganda in motion.
This propaganda is in the form of inaccurate and “lopsided reports” and “hastily scribbled op-eds with enticing titles on highly viewed media outlets”. They are attempting to dissuade Trump from selecting anyone with a vocal criticism of the brutal Iranian regime for his cabinet.
One such op-ed was in the Washington Post. In this article Josh Rogin said that Rudy Giuliani has been involved with a dubious group. He was referring to the main opposition to the Iranian regime, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). This is not the first time he has attacked the PMOI, and he is known for using quotes from the Tehran lobbies in his work. In the op-ed in the Washington Post he called the PMOI “a shady Iranian dissident group”.
Last month, Politico published an article entitled “Giuliani Took Money From a Group That Killed Americans”. This provocative article warns Trump that Giuliani is a questionable choice for his cabinet.
These articles are similar in that they ignore the truth, are based on rumours and are “obtained from sources with economic and political ties to the Iranian regime”. Basiri said that a similar, low-level of reporting can been seen in a New York Times article in which “76 so-called national security experts” call on Trump to reverse his hostility with regards to the Iran nuclear deal, as they think the threat of War in the Middle east has been reduced because of it.
Basiri points out: “The article fails to clarify that the source of the report, which it describes as a group ‘that has advocated improved relations with Iran, even while sharply criticizing Iranian leaders over human rights issues’, is in fact a well-known Tehran lobby with deep economic ties to the Iranian regime.”
The article also fails to mention that billions of dollars worth of concessions have been given to Tehran, which in turn appends it in areas that “fuel mayhem and chaos in the region”.
So this is why the lobbies are “resorting to propaganda and dishonest reporting,” said Basiri.
