Iran is routinely lambasted for its use of torture, summary executions, and midnight raids to quell the political opposition. One of the regime’s stalwart defenders is Mohammad Javad Larijani, head of the judiciary’s human-rights council. He is part of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s inner circle and one third of Iran’s most powerful family: his brothers run the judiciary and legislature. He spoke with NEWSWEEK’s Jerry Guo in New York about why Iran is misunderstood. Excerpts:
