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Has Obama defended human rights in Iran?

Iranian author and dissident Azar Nafisi says the US president could do more on human rights in the country.

Amidst the ratcheting up of rhetoric against Iran among US Republican presidential contenders, renowned Iranian author and dissident Azar Nafisi tells Mehdi Hasan that military threats against Iran “should be condemned”.

“If the West […] wants to help create democracy, you have to give a voice to the voiceless. You have to support human rights,” Nafisi says.

The author also adds that despite her support for Iran opening up to the world, she believes US President Barack Obama could do more on human rights, pointing out that he “has not been firm in his defence of human rights in Iran.”

Watch more from this interview: Iran’s Elections: Change or no change?

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