An aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is attempting to work some spin-control magic on what was probably (and unintentionally, according to the aide) Ahmadinejad’s biggest headline-grabber from his speech at Columbia University: his assertion that, “In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals like in your country.”

NYT: The Lede:

Now, a media adviser to Mr. Ahmadinejad tells Reuters that he was misunderstood — that the translator failed to capture the president’s subtle way of speaking:

“What Ahmadinejad said was not a political answer. He said that, compared to American society, we don’t have many homosexuals,” Mohammad Kalhor said.

Kalhor told Reuters that because of historical, religious and cultural differences, homosexuality was less common in Iran and the Islamic world than in the West.

Read more

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig
In this Article:
#america#columbia university#culture#gay rights#homosexuality#iran#mahmoud ahmadinejad#president