Iran Propaganda 101: Press TV Re-Arranges Ban Ki-Moon's Words

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On Thursday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran. Press TV did not cover the speech. Instead it used Ban Ki-Moon's press conference today --- rewriting the translation on its own video --- to claim, "UN Censures West’s Threats Against Iran's Nuclear Energy Program".

A comparison of the Press TV account and what Ban Ki-Moon said on Thursday....

NUCLEAR ISSUE

Press TV: “I have condemned the threats by any member state to destroy or delegitimize another. I have reminded the leaders...throughout the world to lower the volume and stop the provocation that can lead the area down a slippery slope of conflict....It is time for more reason and responsibility. I urge you all to resolve differences through peaceful means.”

Ban Ki-Moon: "For the sake of peace and security in this region and globally, I urge the Government of Iran to take the necessary measures to build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.

"This can be done by fully complying with the relevant Security Council resolutions and thoroughly cooperating with the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency].

"I urge, also, constructive engagement with the P5+1 [US-UK-France-Germany-Russia-China] to quickly reach a diplomatic solution.

"And I urge all the parties to stop provocative and inflammatory threats. A war of words can quickly spiral into a war of violence. Bluster can so easily become bloodshed. Now is the time for all leaders to use their voices to lower, not raise, tensions."

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

Press TV: "The UN chief pointed to his constructive talks with the Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in Tehran and expressed 'frustration' over the standoff in negotiations between the Palestine and Israel."

Ban Ki-Moon: "We must prevent conflict between all UN member states. And from this platform – as I have repeatedly stated around the world -- I strongly reject threats by any member state to destroy another or outrageous attempts to deny historical facts, such as the Holocaust.

"Claiming that another UN Member State, Israel, does not have the right to exist, or describing it in racist terms, is not only utterly wrong but undermines the very principles we have all pledged to uphold."

SYRIA

Press TV: "Ban called on all the opponent parties to stop violence and urged the international community to facilitate diplomatic efforts and lend support to the efforts by UN-Arab League's new peace envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, in an attempt to bring peace to Syria. 

"'All the parties must stop violence. All those players who may be providing arms to both sides --- the government and the opposition --- must stop. Any militarization of the situation will only prolong this tragic situation and will press the Syrian people into further misery,' the UN chief pointed out."

Ban Ki-Moon: "The crisis in Syria started with peaceful demonstrations that were met by ruthless force. Now, we face the grim risk of long-term civil war destroying Syria’s rich tapestry of communities.

"Those who provide arms to either side in Syria are contributing to the misery. Further militarization is not the answer. The situation cannot be resolved with the blood and the bodies of more than 18,000 people and counting.

"There should be no more bullets and bombs.

"I urge all parties, in the strongest possible terms to stop the violence now. The Syrian government has the primary responsibility to resolve this crisis by genuinely listening to the people’s voices.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Press TV: No Comment

Ban Ki-Moon: "I urge you to unite as well to promote and protect the values embedded in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of association.

"For much of your membership, this internal effort should be the next frontier of action for your people."