American journalist and prominent conservative commentator Tucker Carlson announced on Saturday that he had completed an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, which he intends to release in 24-48 hours.
The interview will be Pezeshkian's first interview with any Western media outlet since taking office last July.
Carlson, who has been a consistent critic of U.S. foreign wars and a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump’s June 22nd strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, stated the purpose of the interview was to uphold what he called the American people’s “constitutional and God-given right” to receive information on issues that directly affect them—including hearing from the nations their government might be in conflict with.
“Anyone who seeks to deny Americans that right is an enemy,” Carlson said.
The former Fox News host noted that he deliberately avoided asking President Pezeshkian about the status of Iran’s nuclear program, acknowledging skepticism over receiving a truthful response. Instead, the interview focused on Iran’s broader goals and whether Tehran seeks conflict with the United States or Israel.
Carlson also revealed he has submitted a formal request to interview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—his third such request in recent months. He previously sought interviews with both Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though only the latter has yet to respond.
Carlson has positioned himself as a contrarian voice within the American right, often challenging bipartisan foreign policy orthodoxy. He has openly questioned the value and direction of U.S. support for Israel, and frequently invites guests from across the ideological spectrum.
His influence among Trump’s voter base gives the interview with Pezeshkian considerable potential to reshape perceptions. For many of Carlson’s viewers, this may represent their first opportunity to hear directly from an Iranian leader, especially in the aftermath of escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and the suspension of nuclear inspections by the IAEA.
In February 2024, Carlson traveled to Moscow to conduct a landmark interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. That interview garnered more than 200 million views within three days on X (formerly Twitter), exposing tens of millions of Americans to the Russian perspective on the war in Ukraine.
At the time, Carlson used similar language to justify the interview with Putin as he now does with Pezeshkian—asserting that Americans must hear from the people their government is at odds with to make informed decisions about war and peace.