{"id":84608,"date":"2025-07-07T17:16:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T17:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2025\/07\/07\/5-questions-for-cnns-fred-pleitgen-on-high-risk-iran-assignment\/"},"modified":"2025-07-07T17:17:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T17:17:25","slug":"5-questions-for-cnns-fred-pleitgen-on-high-risk-iran-assignment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2025\/07\/07\/5-questions-for-cnns-fred-pleitgen-on-high-risk-iran-assignment\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Questions for… CNN\u2019s Fred Pleitgen on High-Risk Iran Assignment"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fred Pleitgen<\/strong>, CNN senior worldwide correspondent, alongside Claudia Otto, <\/strong>CNN senior producer and photojournalist, were the first Western journalists to report inside Iran<\/a> on the top of the nation\u2019s battle with Israel in June.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The crew, whereas on the bottom, visited and reported from a number of places, together with the Iranian State Broadcasting Firm (IRIB) tv station, which was hit by an Israeli airstrike. They had been additionally within the Iranian capital, Tehran, when the U.S. navy struck three nuclear services contained in the nation on the orders of President Donald Trump<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Now, out of Iran, Pleitgen shared with TVNewser his experiences within the nation, each official and unofficial. He additionally particulars what it took to get there and the sudden automobile hassle they’d en path to Tehran.<\/p>\n

TVNewser: How did you land the Tehran task\u2014was it voluntary?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pleitgen: Claudia Otto and I’ve been going to Iran for greater than 10 years. When the Israeli assaults began, we instantly crammed out a visa software. The visa was granted rapidly\u2013about three days\u2013and we left proper after getting it stamped on the embassy. We believed it was extraordinarily vital to report from the Iranian aspect, and so we did every thing that we may to get there as quick as potential.<\/p>\n

How lengthy did it take to get out and in of Iran?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s airspace was closed attributable to Israel\u2019s bombing marketing campaign, so we needed to fly to jap Turkey after which drive throughout the border. The journey was lengthy. We first flew from Berlin to Diyarbakir, Turkey, then drove eight hours to the border\u2014the place we spent nearly three hours doing paperwork\u2014after which had a 14-hour drive to Tehran. The drive was extended as a result of our automobile broke down someplace within the mountains between Tabriz and Zanjan. And the journey out of Tehran was the identical, minus the damaged automobile, fortunately.<\/p>\n

A number of issues had been exceptional in regards to the journey into Iran. Crossing the border itself took some time as these manning it don\u2019t usually see international TV crews crossing, and it was a excessive safety state of affairs due to the continued battle. Our automobile then broke down on a mountain freeway many miles from the subsequent settlement. We stopped on the aspect of the highway, hoping the engine would settle down, after which saved driving just for it to interrupt down once more. Fortunately, the primary automobile that stopped was a tow truck, kind of like Iran\u2019s model of AAA. The motive force tried to restore the automobile however stated a cylinder was in all probability damaged. So, we simply stood there with no working automobile and no technique of communication, as our Western telephones had stopped working. The subsequent stroke of luck got here when one other automobile stopped, and it was a driver who had simply dropped somebody off on the Turkish-Iranian border. He was headed again to the capital, so we requested him to take us to Tehran. In complete, our journey time from Berlin to Tehran was round 32 hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"ImageCredit score: CNN \u2013 CNN\u2019s Fred Pleitgen and Claudia Otto protecting the protests in Tehran, Iran.<\/cite><\/figure>\n

Had been you allowed to freely transfer round whereas in Tehran?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tehran was very empty after we arrived, as lots of people had already left the town to keep away from getting caught up in airstrikes. We drove in late at night time there and didn\u2019t see actually any folks within the streets or lights burning in homes. Within the days that adopted, we had been capable of exit and movie, however there have been some restrictions on the websites broken by airstrikes. For example, we wanted an escort to enter the premises of Iran\u2019s state broadcaster, which had simply been hit by an Israeli airstrike, because it was situated on a fenced-in compound. It was additionally crucial at a number of the websites in residential areas the place airstrikes had struck, as these had been deemed high-security zones. These had been the one occasions we acquired an official escort.<\/p>\n

On the top of the battle, what was it prefer to be reporting on the bottom?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We had been working day and night time because the air marketing campaign was unfolding, particularly when the U.S. acquired concerned by bombing Iranian nuclear installations. Throughout the day, we\u2019d exit and movie in hospitals treating the wounded, areas that had been hit by strikes, and markets to talk to common people about what was taking place. The battle was ever-present, as we regularly heard the thuds of what appeared to be airstrikes, and we noticed air defenses firing into the skies, significantly at night time. We had a detailed name one morning when, unexpectedly, jets flew over us, adopted by a big explosion in our quick space. We ran to the basement and heard the jets move once more, adopted by extra explosions that violently rattled our constructing. Once we emerged to the rooftop, we noticed massive elements of western Tehran engulfed in smoke. The strikes had hit solely a couple of block from our location.<\/p>\n

What about Iranians was not adequately lined?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We noticed it as our core mission to assist Iranians\u2019 voices get heard. From the Iranians recovering in hospitals after strikes to these we met in public locations residing in concern, and to these protesting in opposition to the air marketing campaign, the message was at all times the identical: anger and disbelief on the air marketing campaign. I interviewed a hardline Iranian politician who stated that whereas many Iranians weren’t proud of the Islamic Republic, when attacked from the skin, they got here collectively to face in opposition to the bombings, rallying across the flag.<\/p>\n

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Bonus Query: Please describe an offbeat expertise you had whereas in Iran.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iran has nice meals on each degree. One of many favourite refreshing desserts is saffron ice cream with carrot juice. Even on the top of the battle, we nonetheless managed to get saffron ice cream and carrot juice.<\/p>\n

\"ImageCredit score: CNN \u2013 CNN\u2019s Fred Pleitgen and Claudia Otto in Tehran, Iran.<\/cite><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n