An Iranian journalist writing about the nuclear
negotiations between the United States and Iran has defected. In an interview
Amir Hossein Motaghi, has some harsh words for his native Iran. He also has a
damning indictment of America's role in the nuclear negotiations.
“The U.S. negotiating team are
mainly there to speak on Iran’s behalf with other members of the 5+1 countries
and convince them of a deal," Motaghi told a TV station after just
defecting from the Iranian delegation while abroad for the nuclear talks. The P
5 + 1 is made up of United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, France, plus
Germany.
A close media aide to Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian
president, has sought political asylum in Switzerland after travelling to
Lausanne to cover the nuclear talks between Tehran and the West.
Amir Hossein Motaghi, who
managed public relations for Mr Rouhani during his 2013 election campaign, was
said by Iranian news agencies to have quit his job at the Iran Student
Correspondents Association (ISCA).
He then appeared on an
opposition television channel based in London to say he no longer saw any
“sense” in his profession as a journalist as he could only write what he was
told.
“There are a number of people
attending on the Iranian side at the negotiations who are said to be
journalists reporting on the negotiations,” he told Irane Farda television.
“But they are not journalists and their main job is to make sure that all the
news fed back to Iran goes through their channels.
“My conscience would not allow
me to carry out my profession in this manner any more.” Mr Mottaghi was a
journalist and commentator who went on to use social media successfully to
promote Mr Rouhani to a youthful audience that overwhelmingly elected him to
power.
