It may be political poison for U.S. government officials to talk to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but the taboo does not extend to NPR.
NPR’s Steve Inskeep interviewedthe controversial leader this afternoon in New York and pulled no punches. Ahmadinejad is in the United States to address the United Nation’s General Assembly, which is meeting this week. In an often heated conversation, according to the transcript, Inskeep confronts Ahmadinejad on Israel, “wiping countries off the map and chopping off hands” — and the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
Ahmadinejad, for his part, denies that Iran has provoked the United States, and instead calls the U.S. the aggressor. “I think it’s necessary to open up a bit regarding the relations between Iran and the United States,” he explains. He challenges Inskeep to define the “international community” that opposes Iran’s actions, and he alleges that the U.S. and a small group of allies claim to represent global opinion on Iran, whereas in reality most countries are behind Iran.
Here‘s the full transcript. The interview will air tomorrow, Tuesday, on the show “Morning Edition.” Audio will be available on NPR.orgtomorrow morning.