Today BBC News provided a platform for Lisa Daftari, an apologist for the Iranian military dictatorship which preceded the Islamic Republic.
In an interview on the BBC News channel today, Daftari sang the praises of the Shah of Iran’s regime. She argued that ‘millions’ had taken part in the current wave of unrest and demonstrations in Iran, and the majority of slogans at the demonstrations were in support of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former dictator.
The interviewer, Carl Nasman, allowed her to continue with her assertions unchallenged. Eventually he suggested the Pahlavi regime had not been democratic.
Daftari’s response was to describe the dictatorship of the Shah as ‘a utopia’ compared to the current regime. The utopia claim went unchallenged.
The facts about the Shah’s dictatorship are undisputed.
The self-titled Shah of Iran, came to power in a coup that overthrew a democratically elected regime.
The regime he overthrew nationalised Iranian oil assets, taking control from foreign oil companies.
The coup was actively backed by British and US intelligence services.
During the Shah’s dictatorship thousands of political opponents were routinely killed or tortured by his secret police, SAVAK.
SAVAK extensively monitored the activities of Iranian students and others living abroad, creating a climate of fear. Students and other Iranians living abroad were terrified they would be arrested and tortured or killed, when they returned home.
The facts show the Shah’s regime was one of the most brutal regimes of oppression.
Lisa Daftari has a strange idea of what utopia means.
And the BBC claims to report the facts without bias.