BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson is currently facing significant criticism for his recent comments
regarding the Iranian regime's security chief, Ali Larijani, following Larijani's assassination by Israel.
www.thejc.com
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Recent Controversy (March 2026)
"Clever and Reasonable" Comments: In a social media post on 17 March 2026, Simpson described Larijani as "clever and reasonable" and "the kind of person you might want to negotiate a peace deal with".
Public Backlash: Critics, including several media outlets and political figures, attacked the veteran journalist for "sanitising" a high-ranking official of a regime known for brutal repression.
Post Deletion: Simpson later deleted the post, stating it had been "interpreted wrongly".
Trump's Criticism: US President Donald Trump lashed out at the BBC's Iran coverage, labeling it "corrupt and fraudulent" and "beyond fake" in response to Simpson's remarks.
www.thejc.com
www.thejc.com
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Reporting History in Iran
John Simpson has covered Iran for over 40 years, with several notable historical reporting milestones:
1979 Revolution: He famously travelled on the plane from Paris to Tehran with Ayatollah Khomeini during his return from exile.
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John Simpson deletes his Twitter describing the Iran nutter as “reasonable” claiming ... [more]