An Interesting Perspective

In yesterday's New York Times, Javad Zarif, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, wrote an editorial titled We Do Not Have a Nuclear Weapons Program. In it he argues not only that Iran's nuclear program is "exclusively peaceful" but also that Iran has proved over the past several years its willingness to negotiate with and make concessions to the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Zarif's account of the discussions that have been taking place between Iran and the West differs wildly from the reports of the American media, in which Iran is portrayed as uncooperative and unpredictable. The evidence Zarif cites is clearly selected and structured to frame the issue in a manner favorable to Iran, but after reading it I wonder how much our media actively engages in unfavorable framing of what Zarif terms Iran's "rightful enrichment activities".