News / Interviews

US making a 'fool' out of itself by jailing Press TV anchor: Journalist

Thursday, 17 January 2019 10:56 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 17 January 2019 11:00 AM ]

Press TV anchor and journalist Marzieh Hashemi

The arrest and imprisonment of Marzieh Hashemi, a journalist and anchor working for Iran’s English-language Press TV television news network, show the US government’s hypocrisy, says an academic, adding that Washington is making a "fool" out of itself by such a move.

“As I said they are making a big mistake because they are actually showcasing the hypocrisy that exists in US government, in US foreign policy and they are basically making a fool out of themselves because Ms Hashemi by being in prison is actually showcasing the type of people who are running the US government now,” Dr. Foad Izadi, professor at University of Tehran, told Press TV in an interview on Thursday.

American-born Hashemi, most famous for anchoring news programs and presenting shows for Press TV, was detained upon arrival at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, on Sunday, her family and friends said.

Press TV has learned that she was transferred by the FBI to a detention facility in Washington, DC. The US officials have so far refused to provide any reasons for her apprehension either to her or her family.

The Associated Press said the FBI did not have a comment on the arrest.

Hashemi’s family members and media activists have launched a social media campaign with the hashtags #FreeMarziehHashemi and #Pray4MarziehHashemi in support of the detained journalist.