Tucker Carlson & Iran’s President: On Masoud Pezeshkian’s Dark Record
A look into Iran's President: The Troubling Record of Violence, Terrorist Support, and Nuclear Escalation That Preceded His Rise to Power
American commentator Tucker Carlson is making waves with the upcoming release of an exclusive interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The announcement has sparked backlash from the Iranian diaspora and human rights advocates, who fear the interview could legitimize the Islamic Republic’s violent policies and further its repressive agenda.
Architect of Mandatory Hijab Laws and Systematic Oppression
Long before the nationwide hijab law of 1981, Pezeshkian played a key role in enforcing strict dress codes following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In a 2014 interview, he described himself as one of the original architects of Iran's hijab enforcement, making it mandatory in hospitals and universities just months after the rise of the Islamic regime.
Under his presidency, the enforcement of hijab laws has intensified, with new penalties and expanded surveillance targeting women and girls. Within the first 100 days of his presidency, the "Chastity and Hijab" bill was signed into law. International observers have condemned these measures as part of a broader campaign of gender-based repression. In 2022, Mahsa Amini’s death in policy custody over not properly covering her hair sparked nation wide protests, where protestors were raped, tortured and killed.
IRGC Ties and Endorsement of Hardline Policies
Pezeshkian’s connections to Iran’s military and security establishment are well-documented. He has long maintained close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), notorious for its role in domestic repression and regional violence. In meetings with IRGC commanders, Pezeshkian has openly praised their "defense of the revolution" and reaffirmed his commitment to the organization’s objectives.
His administration has empowered the IRGC further, expanding its authority over internal security and foreign operations. The IRGC, a designated terrorist organization by the United States, was formed to enforce, protect, and spread the Ayatollah’s Islamic beliefs, both within Iran and internationally.
Genocidal Statements and Support for Terrorist Groups
Pezeshkian’s rhetoric has often mirrored the regime's most extreme positions. He has consistently expressed support for groups such as Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Yemen's Houthis—organizations widely recognized as terrorist groups. Prior to his inauguration, he met with leaders from all three groups to reaffirm his support, both ideologically and financially.
In public speeches, Pezeshkian has referred to these groups as the "Resistance Front" and described Iran’s backing of them as a "religious and national duty." He has also praised attacks on Israel and Western interests, including the Houthi’s targeting of Western ships.
Tucker Carlson Under Fire
Tucker Carlson’s decision to interview Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ignited a wave of criticism across political and media circles. Many accuse Carlson of providing a platform to a regime notorious for human rights abuses and anti-Western rhetoric, especially in the wake of heightened tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
This latest controversy is not an isolated incident. Carlson has a documented history of hosting and amplifying figures with antisemitic views, Holocaust deniers, and leaders of authoritarian regimes. Notably, he has given airtime to individuals such as Darryl Cooper—whose views on the Holocaust shared during the interview sparked widespread outrage. Upon introducing Cooper, Carlson called him "the best and most honest popular historian in the United States.”
Following the interview, the Biden Administration White House commented that “Giving a microphone to a Holocaust denier who spreads Nazi propaganda is a disgusting and sadistic insult to all Americans, to the memory of the over six million Jews who were genocidally murdered by Adolf Hitler, to the service of the millions of Americans who fought to defeat Nazism and to every subsequent victim of antisemitism.”