Easter Gifts from Iran to Britain

Further to the ‘two sides to every story theme’ , The Sun newspaper was interpreting the hostage release as Easter gift-giving.

It said, “Conniving President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad bragged to the world that he ordered their release as an Easter gift to the British people. Then he insisted on taunting the group one by one in a sickening line-up at his palace in Tehran, for which they were kitted out in brand new suits — with no ties.”

Continuing the Easter gift-giving theme, The Sun front cover read: ‘I went to Iran and all I got was this lousy suit.”

Geoff Pound

Source: Tom Newton Dunn and Andrew Porter, Freed 15 Taunted by Captors, The Sun, April 5, 2007.

Easter Hostage Release: Two Sides to Every Story

The Independent newspaper had an interesting slant on the release of the British hostages in Iran today.

For the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, it was ‘Victory’ as he basked in the diplomatic triumph while announcing that the 15 British sailors and marines captured in disputed waters of the Persian Gulf two weeks ago would be freed.

For English Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the families and the hostages themselves, as they received the news and were putting the champagne on ice, the message was ‘Rejoice’.

The Independent was discussing, “Who came out on top at the end of the hostage crisis?”

It all depends which way you look at it.

For every event, even Easter, there are more than two sides to the story.

Geoff Pound

Source: Angus McDowall in Tehran and Colin Brown, ‘Both sides claim victory as Iran frees hostages’, The Independent, 05 April 2007.

Image: Front page to The Independent.