Persian TV reaction

Great response to the Persian TV launch from Tim Garton Ash in the Guardian and in yesterday's Times editorial.

The reaction in Tehran has been a little more equivocal, calling it a threat to national security.

 

Comments

[Mark Kraft]

I have a few issues here...

1> The article says "It won't be easy, given that the Iranian nuclear programme has advanced so far on Bush's watch..."

Which leads me to ask... what nuclear programme are we talking about? The nuclear WEAPONS programme that US intelligence and UNSCOM says there is no evidence of, or the nuclear POWER programme that Iran should have the right to pursue?

Why is the BBC helping to push the idea of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme, when international experts are pretty clear that Iran would essentially need an active reactor they don't currently have in order to enrich uranium up to the approx. 70% level suitable for developing nuclear weapons, instead of the approx 4-5% level needed for nuclear fuel pellets? I have yet to see a single BBC report go in depth into the difficulties of Iran actually developing a nuclear weapon, as opposed to the obvious reasons why they might want to develop nuclear energy, such as the fact that they're rapidly running out of oil and would want to reserve what's left for export, if possible.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2006-12-26-iran-oil_x.htm

The BBC has largely failed in its job as journalists to view this critical distinction with appropriate review and cynicism. If Bush and Brown want to push the idea of Iran developing nuclear weapons, contrary to their own intelligence estimates, it's their responsibility to make the case, just as it should be the BBC's journalistic responsibility to impartially review the facts as they are known, rather than demurring to politicians who, let's face it, do not have a good track record for accurately interpreting intelligence.

It seems to me a bit of a reach for the BBC to be airing polls suggesting that many Iranians don't approve of a weapons program that the world's most recognized intelligence says there is no evidence of?

Perhaps the BBC should poll the British people about whether they would approve of the British government's development of a planet-busting space laser weapon? After all, we know that they're developing lasers, right? Isn't it fair to assume that the government is trying to make a doomsday laser weapon too?

[Richard Sambrook]

Hi Mark.

Great to have you here and I dont mind you disagreeing with me at all. But I dont think you'll find the BBC has ever "pushed" the idea of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme or been "anti Iran" in the way you imply. We may report others who are - alongside Iran's government view. And you may not like that kind of journalism. But thats something rather different...

[Mark Kraft]

Richard,

While I would still contend that the BBC has largely failed to adequately point out all the known facts regarding Iran's nuclear research, while letting claims of a "nuclear weapons program" go unanswered and unclarified, often while talking itself about Iran's nuclear program.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I think the end result tends to mislead the BBC's audience on just what is known.

Another example of this kind of reporting can be seen in this segment from a BBC story:

"The US has also said it is considering offering economic incentives to Iran in exchange for it abandoning plans to develop a nuclear weapon."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4311077.stm

I believe that if it were looked into, you'd find that does not accurately represent either what the US said, or what Iran would actually have to do in order to gain such incentives. Specifically, they would have to stop enriching fuel that UNSCOM inspectors have verified is being enriched to a level suitable for nuclear power generation, and they would have to comply with the "additional protocol".

It quite possibly would have nothing to do with Iran abandoning "plans to develop a nuclear weapon", especially if US intelligence estimates are correct about Iran having scrapped their nuclear program.