IRNA Chief Criticizes BBC’s Horrocks’ Anti-Iran Attitude

Moscow, July 7, IRNA – Managing Director of Islamic Republic News Agency’s (IRNA) Ali Akbar Javanfekr criticized the anti-Iran statements of director of British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) World Service director Peter Horrocks. Horrocks in his statements on Friday at World Media Summit in Moscow claimed that BBC is trying to pursue an unbiased policy in Iran despite what he called “the policy of censorship and intimidation in Iran.” “Media such a BBC should not interfere in internal affairs of other countries on the pretext of freedom of speech and creating chaos and instability in target countries,” Javanfekr said in reaction to Horrocks’ statements. Javanfekr strongly criticized BBC’s biased news coverage of violent crackdown on peaceful student protests by British government in November 2010 and terming protesters rioters and hooligans. Similar protests also broke out in cities across Britain in early August 2011. “If popular protests similar to those in Britain had occurred in other countries, BBC would have termed the protesters as revolutionaries and freedom-seeking people,” IRNA ‘s chief noted. Javanfekr’s statements were welcomed by the participating delegations at the international event./end