Tucker Carlson, the influential American broadcaster known for his skepticism of US foreign interventions, has defended his decision to interview Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, stating that American citizens “have the constitutional right and the God-given right” to hear the perspective of Iran, especially in the aftermath of the recent 12-day conflict with Israel.
The interview, conducted remotely with translators, is expected to be broadcast “in a day or two”, Carlson said in a video posted on X. He acknowledged likely backlash from the Washington establishment and pro-war lobby, but insisted, “Why did we do it anyway? Well, we did it because we were just at war with Iran 10 days ago and maybe again.”
Carlson, a former Fox News host and now an independent commentator, clarified that the objective was not to validate Pezeshkian’s claims, but to ensure Americans are exposed to diverse viewpoints. “The point is you should be able to decide for yourself whether you believe it or not,” he said.
In the clip, he explained that he consciously chose not to press the Iranian president on sensitive topics such as US airstrikes or damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. “We dropped those questions because we did not want to provoke or create confrontation,” he said.
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The upcoming broadcast is being seen as a rare window into Iran’s leadership perspective, which is seldom aired in Western media. Carlson said his intent was not to “get to the absolute truth,” but “to add to the corpus of knowledge from which Americans can derive their own opinion.”
Efforts to secure a similar conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are ongoing, according to Carlson, who has long positioned himself as a contrarian voice challenging the mainstream American foreign policy consensus.
“This is journalism,” Carlson concluded. “Learn everything you can, and then you decide.”a
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