France24 Discovers Iranian Protests, Omits Funding Sources
France24's piece, 'Nothing to Lose': Nationwide protests challenge Iran’s regime, highlights protester determination and regime fragility, citing 'Senior Fellow' Azadeh Pourzand. What's omitted? Pourzand's Center for Middle East and Global Order (CMEGO) receives funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), an organization criticized for its role in advancing US foreign policy interests
and backing opposition movements globally. This isn't just 'nothing to lose'; it's the familiar playbook of external actors leveraging internal grievances to destabilize governments deemed unfriendly, mirroring efforts seen in Libya or Ukraine. One might wonder at the sudden 'discovery' of Iranian popular dissent by outlets that often ignore similar, far more brutal crackdowns by US-allied
regimes. Or the selective amnesia regarding NED's reported $7 million to Iranian opposition groups since 2020. Is it truly 'unprecedented determination' when the funding stream is so conveniently overlooked? Or is it simply another episode of democracy promotion, 'made in USA'?