Al on Iranian television (IRIB) discussing Libya, Bahrain, oil, and Western double standards

This is the raw footage of an interview with Yours Truly conducted by IRIB at their London studio on April 7, 2011. This was confirmed at rather short notice. The last time I appeared on Iranian TV - on July 2 last year - there were two of us in an hour long programme late afternoon. I was expecting the same again, and was surprised that I got a whole half hour programme to myself. Unfortunately, it started a lot earlier, and I was working late in the Library the previous night.

I was also expecting the programme to be largely about Libya and oil, and hoped to get in a lot about how we (meaning the whole world) should stop using oil per se, but when I got there I learned they were more interested in talking about the situation in Bahrain and the West’s double standards over it. Unfortunately, I hadn’t researched this in any detail, largely because of the subdued commenting on the situation there by the BBC - my main source of news (no, don’t laugh).

Having said that, I managed to make a few points, and judging from their reaction afterwards, I went down pretty well.

My thanks to Majeed Karimi for inviting me back, and to the engineer for providing me with a DVD of the programme. All is vanity!