Thread by @HeshmatAlavi

THREAD

"fabricated polls"

1)
@mattduss criticizes Trump's #Iran policy by citing a University of Maryland poll.

Let's dig into some details that Duss won't tell you about.

2)
The University of Maryland is also cited by #Iran apologist/lobbyist @yarbatman in his pushing of Tehran's talking points against Trump's talking points.

3)
These surveys are conducted by Ebrahim Mohseni of the University of Maryland. Here he is seen speaking at the Atlantic Council, a known pro-#Iran appeasement think tank.

Mohseni is known to have given speeches at IRGC Basij paramilitary events.

4)
"Professor Marandi, amongst many other bodies, heads the University of Tehran Centre for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR), which is monitored by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Mohseni is one of Marandi's proteges... "
thecommentator.com/article/6281/i…

5)
"Together, they launched two public opinion polls in 2007 and 2008, which received wide Western media coverage. Ahmadinejad was so pleased with them, that his office helped them set up the, 'University of Tehran Centre for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR)” in 2009...

6)
"... Marandi became the head and Mohseni, became UTCPOR's director of projects.
Mohseni's connection with the Univ. of Maryland also helps him disguise the real paymaster of his fabricated polls. i.e. the Islamic Republic of Iran."

7)
"US organisations and think tanks that lobby for friendship and appeasement with the Iranian regime, many of whom are close to the Obama administration, publicise and promote these polls as if they were scientific surveys conducted by the University of Maryland itself."

8)
It's also interesting how pro-#Iran appeasement voices, along with Tehran apologists/lobbyists, pick up this poll and support it in their tweets.