Tom Gross, a Middle East analyst based in Israel, recently gave an interview to Radio Farda, the pro-democracy branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that broadcasts in Iran. Gross discussed Iran, Israel, democracy, and the Middle East, among other topics. The interview was translated into Farsi and posted on Radio Farda’s website (accessible here).
Oddly, though, the interview also ran on the government-run Iranian outlet Fars News Agency in a piece on its website (accessible here). It’s odd because Gross is pro-Israel and a democracy advocate. But while the articles in both outlets share the same photo and pretty much the same text, it appears that the Iranian-run outlet took a few liberties of its own. Gross writes on his website:
And when I answered the question on Obama’s foreign policy, they omitted my words about the Iranian regime instituting a crackdown that continues to this day.
However, Fars did translate verbatim my thoughts about how it would have been easier to pressure the governments in Syria and Bahrain if the present Iranian regime was not in power.
According to Gross, this has happened before:
Gross’s entire interview — the English version — can be read on this website.
