If you would like a more nuanced view of the Iranian response to President Obama's Nowruz greetings to the government and people of Iran (more nuanced than you get in the US press, that is), go to Juan Cole. He notes that the French reported it correctly:
Interestingly, the French news agency, Agence France Presse, got the story right, entitling their article, "Iran ready to change if US leads way: Khamenei."The Washington Post seems to misinterpret (deliberately distort?) the response:
And, the Iranian PressTV had an even more enthusiastic headline: "Iran vows response to real US change."
Iran's Supreme Leader Rebuffs Obama Washington PostReuters seems to be doing a better job:
By Fredrik Dahl TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has responded to US President Barack Obama's offer of better relations by demanding policy changes from Washington, but the Islamic state is not closing the door to a possible thaw in ties with its old foe.
It will be interesting to see how this unfolds. We don't need kneejerk reactions.
--the BB
2 comments:
WOW the Iranian President teaching the Repudlicans* and the Washington Post a lesson in gracious optimism!
Maybe that's why they call it diplomacy?
David@Montreal
* from the same epistomological root as 'repudiate'; short for 'Repudiate the Republicans'
Let's hope the New Year Greetings of President Obama will be fruitful and profit the peoples of Iran as well as the peoples of the USA and the rest of the World!
Never understood what's wrong with Peace, Love and Understanding.
BTW My impression from the not so few Iranians I've met, is that Iran in it's diversity (it's an Ancient Empire on its own) is the most "Western" country in the Middle East.
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