Iran launches English language TV channel as ‘antidote’ to Western propaganda…

Yvonne Ridley, the former Sunday Express reporter who achieved a degree of fame (or possibly infamy) by going undercover in Afghanistan and then being captured by the Taliban, has joined the English language TV news channel launched this week by the Iranian authorities. Press TV claims to be an antidote to the propaganda peddled by the Western media.

As the Guardian pointed out this morning, the Press TV website is carrying a story about the London and Glasgow terrorist incidents. The report plays it fairly straight until the end, when the reporter suggests “they were staged by the UK government, in order to tarnish the image of Muslims enraged by the knighting of Salman Rushdie”.

Interesting take on proceedings. Ms Ridley (who has converted to Islam since her capture) is quoted as saying:  ”I have had no editorial interference so far and I wouldn’t be here if someone did try to censor me. I like working for news outlets that don’t peddle propaganda.”

She must have hated working for the Express then.