0722 GMT: Currency Watch. The currency website Mesghal has not updated its open-market rate for the Iranian Rial --- 24520:1 vs. the US dollar --- since Tuesday afternoon.
0712 GMT: Foreign Affairs Watch (Canadian Front). Libya is not the only diversion for State media this morning. IRNA featured the Foreign Ministry's call to the "dire situation of Aboriginal Canada".
Earlier this week Ottawa closed its Embassy in Iran and gave Iranian diplomats five days to leave Canada".
0645 GMT: State media continue to ignore the economic problems in the Islamic Republic. That is not news --- we led Wednesday's Live Coverage noting this, and we could probably do the same tomorrow --- instead, what is significant are the stories chosen to fill the headlines.
Three of Press TV's top six "Iran" stories are condemnations of the US-produced amateur film of the Prophet Mohammad, which fostered demonstrations at the US Embassy in Egypt and deadly violence at and near the US Consulate in Benghazi in Libya. Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani said the US Government must be held accountable for "insults to Islamic sanctities": "The US politicians’ claims of supporting and respecting different cultures are … a blatant lie." Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini piled o n with “the Zionists’ insults [to Islam] supported by the leaders of the US capitalist system".
There is the bluster of Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of Parliament's National Security Council, "US President Barack Obama must apologise to all Muslims of the world and prevent distribution of this offensive film by issuing an immediate order." There is the more diplomatic tone of the Foreign Ministry: "Apart from its legal obligations, the US government has direct moral responsibility to stop this dangerous trend of spreading the culture of hatred and desecration of Islam’s sanctities."
None of the politicians and officials --- at least in Press TV's summary --- mentioned, let alone condemned, the Benghazi attacks and the deaths of four Americans and a number of Libyans.
State news agency IRNA does mention the killing of the US personnel --- as the outcome of the "anti-Islamic policies of Washington".
Posted via email from lissping
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.