Thursday Iran Talking Points

from LobeLog: News and Views Relevant to U.S.-Iran relations for January 26th, 2011:

National Review Online: Foundation for Defense of Democracies President Clifford May writes about the controversy surrounding a scheduled screening of the Clarion Fund’s film, “Iranium,” which was postponed after “suspicious letters” were received and the Iranian embassy complained. May points out that “it’s worth recalling that the Islamic Republic has a long history of attempting to enforce its will extraterritorially.” On Western engagement with Iran, May, who is interviewed in the film, observes, “diplomacy, outreach, engagement, and carefully crafted speeches showing respect and apologizing for “grievances” will have limited utility.” He concludes, “No sensible, rational person can watch this film, hear this evidence, and fail to come to the conclusion that the fanatics who rule Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.”

Commentary: Alana Goodman blogs on Commentary’s Contentions blog that, according to the Times of London, Iranian Press TV has had its British bank account frozen. Goodman concludes her post, “The fake news station not only devotes itself to publishing constant anti-American and anti-Israel propaganda; it’s also issued news reports denying the Holocaust and claiming that the Mossad helped commit the 9/11 attacks. At the very least, the government should require the station to provide a content warning informing viewers that it’s funded entirely by the Iranian government.”