As reports surfaced detailing the Iranian government’s harsh response to protestors, National Public Radio (NPR) aired an interview with Youseph Yazdi, a professor identified as the “son of Iranian parents,” offering his perspective on the events.
NPR’s host, Steve Inskeep, presented Yazdi as having a unique firsthand account of the protests. However, Inskeep failed to mention a crucial detail: Yazdi is also the son of Ebrahim Yazdi, a former Iranian foreign minister who was a close advisor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Ebrahim Yazdi’s history is significant. Before the Iranian Revolution, he acted as Khomeini’s representative in America, helping to build a network of support during Khomeini’s exile in Paris.
During the 1979 hostage crisis, Ebrahim Yazdi was meeting with American diplomat Bruce Laingen when revolutionaries seized the American embassy. When Laingen pleaded for help, reminding Yazdi of his diplomatic obligations, Yazdi reportedly responded that the embassy’s seizure was a predictable consequence of the U.S. decision to allow the Shah into the country for medical treatment. Laingen and two others were handed over to the hostage-takers. Ebrahim Yazdi resigned from his position shortly after, becoming a critic of the regime from within.
In his NPR interview, Youseph Yazdi didn’t highlight the rising death toll. He implied that the protestors, whom he sometimes referred to as “trained agitators,” were responsible for the violence. He described them throwing stones at riot police, who then responded with tear gas. He suggested that peaceful protestors were no match for either the police or those seeking to escalate the conflict.
Regarding the regime’s forces, which are reported to have killed thousands, Yazdi described their equipment as primarily batons and tear gas launchers. He also mentioned protestors throwing tear gas canisters back at the police.
He claimed that if protestors remained nonviolent, the government would lose, stating, “But if it’s a nonviolent protest, the government will lose. The power will be more in the hands of the people.”
NPR did not comment on the matter.
Youseph Yazdi frequently speaks and writes about Iranian affairs. He was previously interviewed by Inskeep during the 2009 protests. He has also contributed to Responsible Statecraft, arguing that President Trump’s decision to assassinate Iranian General Qassem Soleimani would have severe consequences.
In his article, Yazdi wrote that the repercussions of the attack would soon become apparent to Trump, similar to how previous administrations were misled into actions that did not benefit them.
Responsible Statecraft noted that Yazdi’s father had served as Iran’s Foreign Minister, a Member of Parliament for Tehran, and the Secretary General of the Freedom Movement of Iran.
NPR reporters have frequently reported from Iran. Inskeep visited in 2015 and 2019, and Mary Louise Kelly visited in 2020 and 2023. Marjan Yazdi, an Iranian-Canadian photographer, has also worked with NPR in Iran. It is unknown whether Marjan Yazdi is related to Youseph or Ebrahim Yazdi.
These details raise questions about NPR’s choice of guest and the context provided to listeners. The omission of Youseph Yazdi’s family history, particularly his father’s role in the early days of the Iranian regime, could be seen as a failure to provide listeners with a complete picture of his background and potential biases. This is especially important when discussing a sensitive topic like the Iranian government’s response to protests, where differing viewpoints and historical context are crucial for understanding the complexities of the situation.
