Top conservative podcast host Tucker Carlson sparked a wave of online attention Saturday by announcing an exclusive interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The revelation comes less than two weeks after President Donald Trump secured a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, following a highly effective U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Carlson posted a video message stating, “We just finished up an interview with Masoud Pezeshkian, who is the president of Iran. A 70-year-old heart surgeon who leads the country we were just at war with a week-and-a-half ago.”
He acknowledged the controversial nature of the interview, saying, “We know we will be doing this interview but we did it anyway,” before explaining his motivations.
Carlson emphasized that the interview was conducted to uphold Americans’ constitutional and “god-given” rights to access information on issues impacting the nation.
He said, “If their country is doing something in their name they have a right, an absolute right, to know as much about it as they can. And that would include hearing from the people they’re fighting.”
Addressing skepticism, Carlson admitted that listeners might doubt some of Pezeshkian’s statements but argued that the purpose is to let the audience decide for themselves, Trending Politics reported.
He added, “The point is you should be able to decide for yourself whether you believe it or not. And keep in mind that anyone who seeks to deny you that right is not your ally, but your enemy.”
Carlson also revealed that he has requested an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the third time in three months, aiming to provide balanced coverage.
“We hope he accepts,” Carlson said, underlining his commitment to multiple perspectives.
The upcoming interview has not yet been made public. Carlson noted that it faced limitations, including a language barrier and the fact that it was conducted remotely.
He explained, “There are all kinds of questions that I didn’t ask the president of Iran, particularly questions to which I knew I could not get an honest answer.”
The interview will be first released to subscribers of Carlson’s streaming platform before becoming publicly available.
Carlson has a history of engaging with leaders considered adversaries of the U.S. Last spring, he conducted an in-depth interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on the Ukraine conflict.
Additionally, Carlson has extended invitations to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for interviews, although none have come to fruition so far.
This latest interview with Pezeshkian marks another bold move by Carlson to provide his audience with direct access to voices from nations recently in conflict with the United States.
The announcement has ignited debates across social media platforms, reflecting the polarized views on such high-profile interviews amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Carlson’s approach continues to challenge mainstream media narratives by emphasizing direct communication with global figures at the center of international disputes.
The full interview’s release is anticipated by followers eager to hear Pezeshkian’s perspective firsthand, especially in light of recent diplomatic developments involving Iran.
Carlson’s emphasis on informed public discourse highlights his ongoing efforts to give Americans a broader understanding of complex foreign affairs.
The forthcoming interview release date has yet to be announced.
