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Boris Johnson's latest Gaffe


John52

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There is a woman called Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in jail in Iran.

 

She has dual nationality, and went to visit family there last year, with her young daughter. She was arrested, accused of spying or plotting to overthrow the state, and sentenced to 5 years in jail. The daughter is with the grandparents.

 

Her British husband is here in Britain, hoping for and trying to campaign for her release.

 

Some of this is already familiar to people who have seen some of the story on local TV from time to time.

 

Unfortunately the Iranian regime sees the occasional reports here as tending to confirm her guilt, a mentality that is perhaps not totally surprising when we consider that some countries have only state outlets for journalism and broadcasting.

 

More recently, she has been further accused of plotting to overthrow the state, which might increase the sentence to up to 16 years.

 

The Foreign Office are trying to intercede on her behalf, and even the United Nations is involved.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazanin_Zaghari-Ratcliffe

 

Where does Boris Johnson come in?

 

Last week, addressing a parliamentary committee, he said the woman was in Iran training journalists.

 

This isn't true, her husband says, and it does seem that maybe Boris is getting mixed up, that some Iranian journalists were trained here.

 

His intervention has caused more suspicion by the Iranians, and the possibility that her sentence will be doubled.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-iran_uk_5a005469e4b04cdbeb34b00f

 

Her husband wants Boris to undo the mess he has just caused, but perhaps it won't be easy to undo the distrust at the other end

 

This begs the question for me.

 

How can anyone believe the likes of Boris Johnson are going to outwit 27 other countries to negotiate a better deal outof the EU than we had when we were in?

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Guest pelmetman
John52 - 2017-11-06 5:46 PM

 

How can anyone believe the likes of Boris Johnson are going to outwit 27 other countries to negotiate a better deal outof the EU than we had when we were in?

 

Its impossible to get a worse deal than we have now with the EU *-) .......

 

 

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John52 - 2017-11-06 5:46 PM

 

There is a woman called Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in jail in Iran.

 

She has dual nationality, and went to visit family there last year, with her young daughter. She was arrested, accused of spying or plotting to overthrow the state, and sentenced to 5 years in jail. The daughter is with the grandparents.

 

Her British husband is here in Britain, hoping for and trying to campaign for her release.

 

Some of this is already familiar to people who have seen some of the story on local TV from time to time.

 

Unfortunately the Iranian regime sees the occasional reports here as tending to confirm her guilt, a mentality that is perhaps not totally surprising when we consider that some countries have only state outlets for journalism and broadcasting.

 

More recently, she has been further accused of plotting to overthrow the state, which might increase the sentence to up to 16 years.

 

The Foreign Office are trying to intercede on her behalf, and even the United Nations is involved.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazanin_Zaghari-Ratcliffe

 

Where does Boris Johnson come in?

 

Last week, addressing a parliamentary committee, he said the woman was in Iran training journalists.

 

This isn't true, her husband says, and it does seem that maybe Boris is getting mixed up, that some Iranian journalists were trained here.

 

His intervention has caused more suspicion by the Iranians, and the possibility that her sentence will be doubled.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-iran_uk_5a005469e4b04cdbeb34b00f

 

Her husband wants Boris to undo the mess he has just caused, but perhaps it won't be easy to undo the distrust at the other end

 

This begs the question for me.

 

How can anyone believe the likes of Boris Johnson are going to outwit 27 other countries to negotiate a better deal out of the EU than we had when we were in?

This was on Channel 4 news tonight. I cannot think of a worse Foreign Secretary than Johnson and May was a fool giving him the job. This is a man who calls black people "piccanninies" and telling the Chinese that the British invented ping pong. *-)

 

FGS the man is an absolute disgrace and embarassment. *-)

 

Apparently Johnson has refused to retract his comment despite Thomson Reuters stating it was wholly untrue.

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Bulletguy - 2017-11-06 9:04 PM

May was a fool giving him the job. This is a man who calls black people "piccanninies" and telling the Chinese that the British invented ping pong. *-)

 

FGS the man is an absolute disgrace and embarassment. *-)

 

Apparently Johnson has refused to retract his comment despite Thomson Reuters stating it was wholly untrue.

 

And yet he was populist enough to con people into voting Brexit. So perhaps May thought it politically expedient to have him on her side.

Better inside the tent p*ssing out, than outside p*ssing in :-S

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Bulletguy - 2017-11-06 9:04 PM

Apparently Johnson has refused to retract his comment despite Thomson Reuters stating it was wholly untrue.

 

'Monique Villa, chief executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, called on Mr Johnson to "immediately correct the serious mistake he made".' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41896225

 

Lets hope Johnson can be prevailed upon to do so - since hs mistake is being used as evidence to send an innocent mother to an Iranian jail :-(

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The impact on the womans prospects of Boris's mistaken comment (if that's what it was, whether factually incorrect or just better not said) is due largely to the media frenzy making a fuss about it because they see another opportunity to attack him.  The media aren't in the least bothered by how much extra risk their actions bring to the woman who is stuck in Iran.

 

As I understand it this woman is Anglo-Iranian.  If she goes to Iran, for whatever reason, she risks the Iranian Authorities having a go at her and she will be subject to their laws because she is Iranian as well as British.  If she has been doing anything remotely political, she has been sticking her neck out and there may be very little the FCO can do for her.

 

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John52 - 2017-11-06 10:45 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2017-11-06 9:04 PM

May was a fool giving him the job. This is a man who calls black people "piccanninies" and telling the Chinese that the British invented ping pong. *-)

 

FGS the man is an absolute disgrace and embarassment. *-)

 

Apparently Johnson has refused to retract his comment despite Thomson Reuters stating it was wholly untrue.

 

And yet he was populist enough to con people into voting Brexit. So perhaps May thought it politically expedient to have him on her side.

Better inside the tent p*ssing out, than outside p*ssing in :-S

 

Boris didn't con me ;-) .........I'd have voted for BREXIT regardless >:-) .......

 

I wonder how many folk were conned by the Remoaners establishment "Experts" scare tactics? ..........

 

That have since been proved to be total tosh *-) ......

 

Roll on the 29/03/2019 B-) ........Then the EU can p*ss off :D .......

 

 

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StuartO - 2017-11-07 8:32 AMThe impact on the womans prospects of Boris's mistaken comment (if that's what it was, whether factually incorrect or just better not said) is due largely to the media frenzy making a fuss about it because they see another opportunity to attack him.  The media aren't in the least bothered by how much extra risk their actions bring to the woman who is stuck in Iran.

 

As I understand it this woman is Anglo-Iranian.  If she goes to Iran, for whatever reason, she risks the Iranian Authorities having a go at her and she will be subject to their laws because she is Iranian as well as British.  If she has been doing anything remotely political, she has been sticking her neck out and there may be very little the FCO can do for her.

The Iranian authorities are using the Britrish foreign secretaries mistaken comment about her training journalists as evidence she is inciting propoganda to overthrow them.Sure she risks the Iranian Authorities having a go at her - but she shouldn't have to risk the British Foreign Secretary making it far worse by his careless statemenrts in the House of Commons that are then used in evidence against her!!!!!!!!!And where is your evidence the media have no genuine concern about an innocent mother sent to an Iranian Jail? Or is that just as careless a comment as Johnson made?.
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John52 - 2017-11-07 11:49 PM....  And where is your evidence the media have no genuine concern about an innocent mother sent to an Iranian Jail? Or is that just as careless a comment as Johnson made?.

In my opinion, modern journalism is mostly about sensationalising things to create news which is often spurious and rarely balanced, especially the tabloids.  The evidence for this is the nature of their coverage.  On this occassion I think the coverage has been almost all about grabbing an opportunity to attack Boris (not that I'm a fan of his, he probably is a liabilty) and very little to do with real sympathy for the woman stuck in Iran.

 

I don't know enough about the woman and why she chose to go to Iran but I think anyone who chooses to visit Iran is asking for trouble; it's just a very risky place to go to.

 

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antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

But in this case the 'smoke' - the main evidence against her is from Boris Johnson (who is supposed to be trying to help *-) )

You can't expect the Iranian court to know what a plonker he is and not to take any notice - all they know is he is the British Foreign Secretary.

If it wasn't so serious it would be funny :-S

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Under pressure in the House of Commons, Boris repeatedly refused to change his stance, still blaming listeners for misunderstanding, and has only impressed people that he is keener to save face than try to save this woman.

 

He refuses to write to the committee to ask to modify his remarks.

 

Anna Soubry says his lack of contrition is shameful, that he doesn’t understand magnitude of the job & responsibility he holds

 

 

 

I wonder if Boris is repeating what he was told in a briefing by the Security Services, and can't change it now without misleading Parliament.?

In which case it would have been beter to keep his mouth shut altogether. But then he doesn't seem much good at that either :-(

 

James Kirkup, director of the Social Market Foundation, and former colleague of Boris Johnson at the Telegraph, on Twitter: 'Exc. whips & ministers etc, only c9 Tory MPs in Commons for Boris on Iran. For any other minister, on any other day, that would be the end.'

 

Does this mean Theresa May is now so weakened and paralysed by the succession of crisis she daren't take on another reshuffle?

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antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

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Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 6:46 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

 

I don't know what evidence the Iranian authorities have regarding this naive young lady other than they have photographic evidence of her demonstrating against the Iranians in London and of course the Iranians like the rest of us loathe the BBC she used to work for ... I have faith in the Iranians dealing with this in a suitable way ... To suggest otherwise would be a nasty smear against a Muslim country wouldn't it

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John52 - 2017-11-07 6:00 PM

 

Under pressure in the House of Commons, Boris repeatedly refused to change his stance, still blaming listeners for misunderstanding, and has only impressed people that he is keener to save face than try to save this woman.

 

He refuses to write to the committee to ask to modify his remarks.

 

Anna Soubry says his lack of contrition is shameful, that he doesn’t understand magnitude of the job & responsibility he holds

 

 

 

I wonder if Boris is repeating what he was told in a briefing by the Security Services, and can't change it now without misleading Parliament.?

In which case it would have been beter to keep his mouth shut altogether. But then he doesn't seem much good at that either :-(

 

James Kirkup, director of the Social Market Foundation, and former colleague of Boris Johnson at the Telegraph, on Twitter: 'Exc. whips & ministers etc, only c9 Tory MPs in Commons for Boris on Iran. For any other minister, on any other day, that would be the end.'

 

Does this mean Theresa May is now so weakened and paralysed by the succession of crisis she daren't take on another reshuffle?

 

You have hit the nail on the head John. I am beginning to despair at the competence of her cabinet and her apparent inability to do anything about it.

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antony1969 - 2017-11-07 6:58 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 6:46 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

 

I don't know what evidence the Iranian authorities have regarding this naive young lady other than they have photographic evidence of her demonstrating against the Iranians in London and of course the Iranians like the rest of us loathe the BBC she used to work for ... I have faith in the Iranians dealing with this in a suitable way ... To suggest otherwise would be a nasty smear against a Muslim country wouldn't it

"Like the rest of us" Antony? What gives you the right to speak on behalf of everyone about the BBC? I realise you are being ironic in terms of your alleged faith in the Iranians. There is a distinction to be drawn between the people who hold power in Iran and ordinary citizens. The regime in Iran is to be abhored as are it's corrupt and biased judiciary. There are Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights and who risk their lives in pursuit of the same.
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antony1969 - 2017-11-07 6:58 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 6:46 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

 

I don't know what evidence the Iranian authorities have regarding this naive young lady other than they have photographic evidence of her demonstrating against the Iranians in London and of course the Iranians like the rest of us loathe the BBC she used to work for ... I have faith in the Iranians dealing with this in a suitable way ... To suggest otherwise would be a nasty smear against a Muslim country wouldn't it

"Like the rest of us" Antony? What gives you the right to speak on behalf of everyone about the BBC? I realise you are being ironic in terms of your alleged faith in the Iranians. There is a distinction to be drawn between the people who hold power in Iran and ordinary citizens. The regime in Iran is to be abhored as are it's corrupt and biased judiciary. There are Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights and who risk their lives in pursuit of the same.
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Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 7:15 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 6:58 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 6:46 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

 

I don't know what evidence the Iranian authorities have regarding this naive young lady other than they have photographic evidence of her demonstrating against the Iranians in London and of course the Iranians like the rest of us loathe the BBC she used to work for ... I have faith in the Iranians dealing with this in a suitable way ... To suggest otherwise would be a nasty smear against a Muslim country wouldn't it

"Like the rest of us" Antony? What gives you the right to speak on behalf of everyone about the BBC? I realise you are being ironic in terms of your alleged faith in the Iranians. There is a distinction to be drawn between the people who hold power in Iran and ordinary citizens. The regime in Iran is to be abhored as are it's corrupt and biased judiciary. There are Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights and who risk their lives in pursuit of the same.

 

Bit of a contradiction with that surely ... "Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights" ... Forgive me but the Muslim faith as a whole does nothing for the human rights of women/non-believers/homosexuals to name but a few so your point is in effect a non-point ... I should have added they really don't like Christians especially in Iran ... http://www.christiansinparliament.org.uk/uploads/APPGs-report-on-Persecution-of-Christians-in-Iran.pdf

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Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 7:15 PM

There are Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights and who risk their lives in pursuit of the same.

 

You haven't read any of the Koran have you? :-| .......

 

 

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John52 - 2017-11-07 6:00 PM

 

Under pressure in the House of Commons, Boris repeatedly refused to change his stance, still blaming listeners for misunderstanding, and has only impressed people that he is keener to save face than try to save this woman.

 

He refuses to write to the committee to ask to modify his remarks.

 

Anna Soubry says his lack of contrition is shameful, that he doesn’t understand magnitude of the job & responsibility he holds

 

 

 

I wonder if Boris is repeating what he was told in a briefing by the Security Services, and can't change it now without misleading Parliament.?

In which case it would have been beter to keep his mouth shut altogether. But then he doesn't seem much good at that either :-(

 

James Kirkup, director of the Social Market Foundation, and former colleague of Boris Johnson at the Telegraph, on Twitter: 'Exc. whips & ministers etc, only c9 Tory MPs in Commons for Boris on Iran. For any other minister, on any other day, that would be the end.'

 

Does this mean Theresa May is now so weakened and paralysed by the succession of crisis she daren't take on another reshuffle?

I cannot think of a more inept Foreign Secretary the country has been lumbered with and this fiasco should send a clear message out to all British traveling in foreign countries........the last person you want speaking on your behalf is Boris Johnson.

 

Even MP's from his own party are rightly disgusted and in the HoC today MP's were calling for his resignation. His pathetic excuse that his remark "could have been clearer" is simply unacceptable. Johnson played the blame shift game instead pleading it wasn't his fault....it's the Iranians fault!

 

Nazanin's husband gave an interview on Channel 4 news this eveing. Neither the FO or Johnson have bothered to contact him.

 

The former head of the Foreign Office Sir Simon Fraser has delivered a scathing attack on the declining influence of British foreign policy under the leadership of the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson.

 

“It is hard to call to mind a major foreign policy matter on which we have had decisive influence since the referendum.”

 

He warned that UK influence was already waning with “the vitriol over Brexit” undoing UK soft power and “revealing faultlines in our society and animosity towards foreigners”.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/07/former-fco-head-lambasts-uk-foreign-policy-under-boris-johnson

 

This BBC article proves an interesting read as it goes on to explain the reasons for the historical distrust of UK by Iran.

 

To Iranian minds, the UK is viewed with almost unique suspicion. Indeed, in 2009 the supreme leader said that of all the world's "arrogant powers", the UK was the "most evil".

 

To understand why, one must go back to the 1953 coup-d'état that overthrew nationalist Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, returning the autocratic Shah to power. Behind it were the British and American intelligence agencies.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41907892

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antony1969 - 2017-11-07 7:37 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 7:15 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 6:58 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 6:46 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

 

I don't know what evidence the Iranian authorities have regarding this naive young lady other than they have photographic evidence of her demonstrating against the Iranians in London and of course the Iranians like the rest of us loathe the BBC she used to work for ... I have faith in the Iranians dealing with this in a suitable way ... To suggest otherwise would be a nasty smear against a Muslim country wouldn't it

"Like the rest of us" Antony? What gives you the right to speak on behalf of everyone about the BBC? I realise you are being ironic in terms of your alleged faith in the Iranians. There is a distinction to be drawn between the people who hold power in Iran and ordinary citizens. The regime in Iran is to be abhored as are it's corrupt and biased judiciary. There are Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights and who risk their lives in pursuit of the same.

 

Bit of a contradiction with that surely ... "Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights" ... Forgive me but the Muslim faith as a whole does nothing for the human rights of women/non-believers/homosexuals to name but a few so your point is in effect a non-point ... I should have added they really don't like Christians especially in Iran ... http://www.christiansinparliament.org.uk/uploads/APPGs-report-on-Persecution-of-Christians-in-Iran.pdf

 

I can't see why you are unable to distinguish between the people that govern Iran and its population Antony. Do you know any Iranians in the UK who are willing to defend the government? I know a few and the reason why some of them are here is they detest the regime but they remain faithful to their Islamic faith. They do not believe that their faith dictates that they can persecute people of other faiths or subjugate women etc, quite the reverse.

 

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Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 10:30 PM

They do not believe that their faith dictates that they can persecute people of other faiths or subjugate women etc, quite the reverse.

 

They can't have been reading the same Koran as me then? :-S ..........

 

 

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Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 10:30 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 7:37 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 7:15 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 6:58 PM

 

Violet1956 - 2017-11-07 6:46 PM

 

antony1969 - 2017-11-07 9:38 AM

 

No smoke without fire

 

Spoken like a true despot from Iran Antony. And your observation is most pertinent in the sense that no retraction from Boris will help. The horse has bolted and he has condemned a woman held prisoner in one of the worst prisons in Tehran to an uncertain fate. Even if he is dismissed as Foreign Secretary "the powers that be" in Iran have taken note. Meanwhile a woman spends her days confined in Evin Prison contemplating her fate, separated from her infant daughter, her husband and everyone dear to her. Time for TM to show her mettle but what an impossible position she is in. Sacking Boris or allowing him to remain in post are the decisions open to her. Neither action will convince the Iranians that what he said was untrue. I used to think he was merely a loose cannon. Now he has proved to be way more dangerous than that. Justice would dictate that we offer the Iranians a swap. Boris for Nazneen. There is a possibility that once he has savoured the delights of being imprisoned in Iran he may be deserving of the post of Foreign Secretary.

 

I don't know what evidence the Iranian authorities have regarding this naive young lady other than they have photographic evidence of her demonstrating against the Iranians in London and of course the Iranians like the rest of us loathe the BBC she used to work for ... I have faith in the Iranians dealing with this in a suitable way ... To suggest otherwise would be a nasty smear against a Muslim country wouldn't it

"Like the rest of us" Antony? What gives you the right to speak on behalf of everyone about the BBC? I realise you are being ironic in terms of your alleged faith in the Iranians. There is a distinction to be drawn between the people who hold power in Iran and ordinary citizens. The regime in Iran is to be abhored as are it's corrupt and biased judiciary. There are Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights and who risk their lives in pursuit of the same.

 

Bit of a contradiction with that surely ... "Iranians who subscribe to the Muslim faith that would dearly wish that their government was respectful of basic human rights" ... Forgive me but the Muslim faith as a whole does nothing for the human rights of women/non-believers/homosexuals to name but a few so your point is in effect a non-point ... I should have added they really don't like Christians especially in Iran ... http://www.christiansinparliament.org.uk/uploads/APPGs-report-on-Persecution-of-Christians-in-Iran.pdf

 

I can't see why you are unable to distinguish between the people that govern Iran and its population Antony. Do you know any Iranians in the UK who are willing to defend the government? I know a few and the reason why some of them are here is they detest the regime but they remain faithful to their Islamic faith. They do not believe that their faith dictates that they can persecute people of other faiths or subjugate women etc, quite the reverse.

 

So they aren't Muslims then

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