CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour has sparked outrage by insisting that Iran does not want a conflict at the exact moment the nation was launching missiles at Israel.
The British-Iranian journalist stated live that the Islamic Republic does not want its conflict with Israel to “escalate” and suggested that the Jewish state is to blame for Tuesday’s attack.
‘No one, no one, neither the Lebanese nor the Iranians wants this to escalate further. Iran does not want an Israeli or American war against it. “It’s unlikely he’ll be able to resist that, he doesn’t want it,” Amanpour told Dana Bash.
‘The Iranian foreign minister told me in New York during the United Nations that they were showing restraint and that Hezbollah was also showing restraint, and that he wanted to, you know, de-escalate all of this… That was the word also from the Iranian president at the United Nations podium.’
Minutes before Amanpour’s remarks, his colleague Jim Sciutto was forced to abandon his position on a rooftop in Tel Aviv as the missiles approached.
CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour has sparked outrage by insisting on air that Iran does not want a conflict as the nation launched missiles at Israel on Tuesday.
Amanpour went on to say that Iran “felt it had no choice” but to attack Israel after the Jewish state carried out assassinations of Hezbollah members in Lebanon.
‘Now, Hezbollah is not there, you know, Iran is not there to protect Hezbollah. It’s quite the opposite,’ he said.
‘Hezbollah is intended to be Iran’s frontline troops. So this response from Iran is more likely because it feels it has no other option.”
Social media users quickly took to X to criticize Amanpour for his comments given the timing.
Commentary magazine editor John Podhoretz shared several posts about Amanpour’s analysis.
“Iran doesn’t want more escalation, says Christiane Amanpour as hundreds of ballistic missiles fall on Israel because it is crazy or evil,” she wrote.
‘Christiane Amanpour on CNN right now talks about how Hezbollah wanted a ceasefire and it meant Israel wouldn’t allow it. His role as a propagandist of evil is increasing.
Podhoretz added: ‘My recommendation to CNN is to take Christiane Amanpour off the air before she starts singing the Iranian National Anthem.
‘Amanpour now directly blames Israel for the attack because of Netanyahu’s speech to the Iranian people. Because, you know, Israel launched missiles at Iran.
Amanpour had previously said that “so far there is no evidence that anything has landed, that it is being intercepted, according to our correspondents on the ground.”
Minutes before Amanpour’s remarks, his colleague Jim Sciutto was forced to abandon his position on a Tel Aviv rooftop as the missiles approached.
Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, dramatically escalating the conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas.
People take refuge in Israel as missiles sent by Iran filled the skies on Tuesday
He also suggested that Iran’s attack was not aimed at killing civilians, citing reports that the United States and Israel had “assessed that the targets would be three Israeli air bases and an intelligence base.”
Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, dramatically escalating a conflict between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Hamas militias that began nearly a year ago and threatens to push the Middle East closer to a regional war.
The orange glow of missiles streaked across Israel’s night sky as air raid sirens blared across the country and millions of residents crowded into bomb shelters. The attack increased the likelihood of Israeli retaliation.
Before Iran’s attack, Israel had dealt a series of devastating blows in recent weeks against Hezbollah’s leadership in Lebanon. It then increased pressure on the militant group – which has been firing rockets at Israel since the war in Gaza began – by launching what it said is a limited ground incursion into southern Lebanon.
Israel has said it will continue attacking Hezbollah until it is safe for the return of citizens displaced from their homes near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah has vowed to continue firing rockets at Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
