Amir Taheri
Amir Taheri | |
---|---|
Born | |
Nationality | Iranian |
Occupation(s) | Journalist, politician Chairman of Gatestone Institute |
Known for | Editor-in-chief of Kayhan (1972–1979) |
Amir Taheri (
Career
Taheri was born in
He has been a columnist (often as an "op ed" writer) for
Taheri is a commentator for CNN and is frequently interviewed by other media, including the BBC and the RFI. He has written several TV documentaries dealing with various issues of the Muslim world. He has interviewed many world leaders including Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, King Faisal, Mikhail Gorbachev, President Anwar Sadat, Zhou Enlai, Indira Gandhi and Chancellor Helmut Kohl.[citation needed]
Taheri has published several books, some of which have been translated into 20 languages. In 1988
Controversies and fabrications
Taheri has been the subject of many controversies involving allegations of producing fabrications in his writings, the most notable of which was the
Nest of Spies
Shaul Bakhash, a historian in Mideast history at George Mason University,[3] wrote in a review of Taheri's 1989 book Nest of Spies in The New Republic that Taheri concocts conspiracies in his writings, and noted that he "repeatedly refers us to books where the information he cites simply does not exist. Often the documents cannot be found in the volumes he attributes them.... [He] repeatedly reads things into the documents that are not there."[5] Bakhash stated that Taheri's 1988 Nest of Spies is "the sort of book that gives contemporary history a bad name".[5][6]
Claims of Osama bin Laden's death in 2002
Taheri's byline was attached to an op-ed in The New York Times of 11 July 2002 under the title "The Death of bin Ladenism". His clip claimed, "Osama bin Laden is dead. The news first came from sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan almost six months ago".[7]
Iranian sumptuary law hoax
On 19 May 2006, the National Post of Canada published two pieces, one by Taheri, claiming that the Iranian parliament passed a law that "envisages separate dress codes for religious minorities, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, who will have to adopt distinct colour schemes to make them identifiable in public."[8] Numerous other sources, including
Taheri insisted that his report was correct and that "the dress code law has been passed by the Islamic Majlis and will now be submitted to the Council of Guardians", claiming that "special markers for followers of Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism are under discussion as a means to implement the law".[11]
The National Post retracted the story several hours after posting it online. The newspaper blamed Taheri for the falsehood in the article,[12][13] and published a full apology on 24 May.[14] Taheri stood by his article.[11][15]
Taheri's PR agent Eliana Benador defended his story. "Benador explained that, regarding Iran, accuracy is 'a luxury...As much as being accurate is important, in the end it's important to side with what's right. What's wrong is siding with the terrorists.'"[3]
Khomeni quotation
In 2007,
Javad Zarif accusations
Dwight Simpson of
Hoax of Hanging of Gay Teenagers in Isfahan
In July 2015, days after the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Taheri tweeted that "14-year-old Akbar Zargarzadeh hanged from a tree in Islamic boys' camp after camp's mullah accused him of being gay deserving death." Shortly afterward, American LGBT activist Scott Long contacted Iranian queer organizations and Persian-speaking people, and found out that Taheri's claim was a hoax.[16]
Partial bibliography
- 1986. The Spirit of Allah: Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution.[17]
- .
- 1987. Holy Terror: Inside the World of Islamic Terrorism.[18]
- 1988. The Cauldron: The Middle East Behind the Headlines.
- .
- 1989. Nest of Spies: America's Journey to Disaster in Iran.[21][22]
- .
- 1989. Crescent in a Red Sky: The Future of Islam in the Soviet Union.
- ISBN 978-0-09-173463-3.
- 1991. The Unknown Life of the Shah.
- .
- The Persian Night: Iran under the Khomeinist Revolution (2009) ISBN 1-59403-240-8
References
- ^ Pauly, Robert J. (2017). US Foreign Policy and the Persian Gulf: Safeguarding American Interests Through Selective Multilateralism. Taylor & Francis.
- ^ S2CID 143054087
- ^ a b c d e f Schwarz, Jonathan (18 November 2007) The Amir Taheri Story, Mother Jones
- ^ a b c d "Profile: Amir Taheri". The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009.
- ^ a b c Larry Cohler-Esses, Bunkum From Benador, The Nation, posted 14 June 2006 (3 July 2006 issue). Accessed online 18 March 2011.
- ^ Bakhash, Shaul (15 May 1989). The New Republic. pp. 43–45.
{{cite magazine}}
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(help) - ^ Taheri, Amir (11 July 2002). "Opinion | the Death of bin Ladenism". The New York Times.
- ^ Amir Taheri (19 May 2006). "A Colour Code for Iran's 'Infidels'". National Post. Copy available via Benador Associates Archived 10 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ The Associated Press (20 May 2006). "Iranian Law Would Encourage Islamic Dress". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 27 June 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
- ^ "Iran dress code law does not target minorities - MPs". Reuters. Reuters. 20 May 2006. Archived from the original on 16 June 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
- ^ Benador Associates Press Release. Archived from the originalon 24 May 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2006.
- ^ Yossi Melman,"Canada's National Post retracts report that Iranian Jews will be forced to wear yellow patches". Archived from the original on 3 June 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2006.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), Ha'aretz, 21 May 2006. Archived on the Internet Archive 3 June 2006. - ^ Chris Wattie, Experts say a report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue Archived 28 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine, National Post (Canada), 19 May 2006. Accessed online 21 September 2006.
- ^ Our mistake: Note to readers Archived 12 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine, National Post (Canada), 20 September 2006. Accessed online 21 September 2006.
- ^ Barbara and David P. Mikkelson (31 October 2006). "Badge of Distinction". Snopes.
- ^ Scott Long (20 July 2015). "Gay hanging in Iran: Atrocities and impersonations". Paper Bird. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ John C. Campbell book review (Spring 1986). "The Spirit of Allah: Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution". Foreign Affairs. Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 31 December 2003.
- ^ John C. Campbell book review (Winter 1987–1988). "Holy Terror: Inside the World of Islamic Terrorism". Foreign Affairs. Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 5 July 2004.
- ^ Gross, John (17 November 1987). "Holy Terror: Inside the World of Islamic Terrorism (book review)". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ProQuest 195864106.
- ^ Gaddis Smith book review (Fall 1989). "Nest of Spies: America's Journey to Disaster in Iran". Foreign Affairs. Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 28 November 2005.
- ^ NameBase book review. "Nest of Spies: America's Journey to Disaster in Iran". Public Information Research. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013.