Madam Secretary

Bill Clinton: Iran is trying to ‘deny the modern world’

Tehran, riot police, June 14, 2009   On Saturday, Secretary Clinton’s husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said: What’s going on in Iran, really? … They have some ethnic differences there and some religious differences, but basically, this is about a government trying to deny the modern world. “And the idea is they just don’t ...

By , copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009-2016 and was an assistant editor from 2007-2009.
584541_090622_IranPolice2.jpg
584541_090622_IranPolice2.jpg

 

Tehran, riot police, June 14, 2009

Tehran, riot police, June 14, 2009
 

On Saturday, Secretary Clinton’s husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said:

What’s going on in Iran, really? … They have some ethnic differences there and some religious differences, but basically, this is about a government trying to deny the modern world.

“And the idea is they just don’t think they can keep control, if everybody gets to say what they really believe, and go where they really want, and be who they want to be. … And they’re right.”

Clinton was speaking in Ohio at an awards luncheon honoring boxer Muhammad Ali, baseball player Hank Aaron, and comedian Bill Cosby for their contributions to civil rights.

Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009-2016 and was an assistant editor from 2007-2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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