CNN Journalist Who Reported Inside Iran Praises Trump Envoy, Pakistan for Ceasefire: ‘The World Should Thank Them’

Screenshot via CNN

CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen, who reported from inside Iran during the conflict, said the “world” should “thank” special envoy Steve Witkoff and Pakistani mediators for having facilitated the “major” ceasefire deal announced Tuesday.

Trump accepted a last-minute framework tied to a two-week ceasefire as he stepped back from threats that “wipe out” the entirety of Iran’s “civilization” if the regime failed to comply with his demands.

The journalist welcomed the ceasefire news on Tuesday night, moments after Trump’s announcement, which he said “could pave the way for a long term peace” and also praised those who had clinched the deal.

The tweet was met with backlash from some liberal commentators who called the statement “bizarre” as they pushed back, specifically against his call for others to “thank” Witkoff.

During the conflict, Pleitgen was the first and only major network journalist to gain access to Iran with the approval of the regime, staying inside the country for eight days amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes. While there, he delivered reports on the ground from Tehran and interviewed Kamal Kharazi, Foreign Policy Advisor to the office of the Supreme Leader.

While in Iran, Pleitgen was criticized by supporters of Trump and Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson, who ripped his reporting as “pro-Iran regime propaganda.”

In a later interview with The Guardian, the journalist said he “wasn’t surprised” by the criticism and that he felt “good” about his coverage.

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