Independent Iran

Why are the media sources in the West finding two or three residents of Iran as being against their leaders statements that "Israel must be wiped off the map" and then drawing the conclusion that the general population of Iran finds such comments as unhelpful?

"On the street, there is a sense of weariness that Iran's international image has again been criticised abroad."

Two points

1. None of these residents interviewed have explicitly disagreed with the sentiment expressed by their leader.

   "This is not anything new. Ayatollah Khomeini said this before but I think it is irrational to say a whole country should be wiped off the face of the earth. When the heads of a state say such irrational things it's natural that public opinion in the international community will turn against Iran."

   Ok...this one said that their leader said something irrational. In what sense? That what he said is wrong and should withdrawn, or that he shouldn't have said this so publically.
   

   "Ahmadinejad says things to appeal to his core supporters. He hasn't done anything for our foreign policy yet."

   No disagreement here.
   

   "He meant to say something to please those who voted for him. It is not meant to have any practical results but it will help isolate us in the international community."

   None here either. I bet if they were recorded as explicitly disagreeing, the Independent would have published it.
   


2. Remember, the Iranian people elected Ahmadinejad very recently as a Islamist canditate. Why the Independent is being apologetic over these more recent comments is strange. Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad all have similar goals: the elimination of Israel.


3. [UPDATED:] Iranian people take to the streets and support their leader.
4. [UPDATED:] One million Iranians sympathise with "Israel must be wiped off the map."

Arab nations stunningly quite in rejecting Ahmadinejad's statement. I believe the Palestinians that categorically rejected his statement as ridiculous saying they wanted to live in peace with the State of Israel. Interesting.

Independent Iran

Why are the media sources in the West finding two or three residents of Iran as being against their leaders statements that "Israel must be wiped off the map" and then drawing the conclusion that the general population of Iran finds such comments as unhelpful?

"On the street, there is a sense of weariness that Iran's international image has again been criticised abroad."

Two points

1. None of these residents interviewed have explicitly disagreed with the sentiment expressed by their leader.

   "This is not anything new. Ayatollah Khomeini said this before but I think it is irrational to say a whole country should be wiped off the face of the earth. When the heads of a state say such irrational things it's natural that public opinion in the international community will turn against Iran."

   Ok...this one said that their leader said something irrational. In what sense? That what he said is wrong and should withdrawn, or that he shouldn't have said this so publically.
   

   "Ahmadinejad says things to appeal to his core supporters. He hasn't done anything for our foreign policy yet."

   No disagreement here.
   

   "He meant to say something to please those who voted for him. It is not meant to have any practical results but it will help isolate us in the international community."

   None here either. I bet if they were recorded as explicitly disagreeing, the Independent would have published it.
   


2. Remember, the Iranian people elected Ahmadinejad very recently as a Islamist canditate. Why the Independent is being apologetic over these more recent comments is strange. Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad all have similar goals: the elimination of Israel.


3. [UPDATED:] Iranian people take to the streets and support their leader.
4. [UPDATED:] One million Iranians sympathise with "Israel must be wiped off the map."

Arab nations stunningly quite in rejecting Ahmadinejad's statement. I believe the Palestinians that categorically rejected his statement as ridiculous saying they wanted to live in peace with the State of Israel. Interesting.