Malcolm believes that democratic leaders are too eager to believe the notion that Rouhani is a “moderate”, leading them to make the Nuclear Deal in 2015, allowing billions of dollars to flow into Iran without obtaining concessions on human rights abuses or guarantees of termination to their military aggression in the region.  According to reports, Iran used this money to assist the Assad regime with the war in Syria, rather than using it to benefit the people of Iran.

“Like every other corrupt tyrant at the United Nations, Rouhani received the royal treatment. He was given a platform to lie and misrepresent his own government,” writes Malcolm.

A short walk from the the UN takes one to a large protest hosted by Iranian human rights activists seeking to present a very different side of the Iranian regime. These protesters have gathered to condemn Rouhani and demand justice for those killed in the 1988 Massacre by the Iranian regime, where some 30,000 political prisoners were executed during a few short months of summer. The regime rounded up political prisoners, most of them members or supporters of a dissident group, and systematically mass murdered them.

Malcolm spoke with Geoffrey Robertson, a human rights lawyer and former appeal judge at the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone, at the protest. Robertson pointed out that “killing prisoners of war is the worst kind of war crime,” noting that Iran’s massacre was the worst since WWII.  “There has been no reprisal, no retribution, unlike the other (similar) atrocities,” said Robertson. “The people who ordered it, most of them, are still in high command in Iran.”  Rouhani himself was a senior official in the government that oversaw the massacre.

Joe Lieberman, former U.S. Senator, Vice Presidential candidate and lifelong Democrat, also spoke at the protest. He condemned the Iranian regime, calling it a “brutal dictatorship.”

Malcolm interviewed Lieberman, who told her that the international community should treat Iran with “the disdain as we treat North Korea”, noting that “there is more blood on the hands of the regime in (Iran’s capital) Tehran.”

“Rouhani should not be treated as if he was a respectable world leader. He should be treated like Kim Jung Un would be treated if he came here.” said Lieberman.

The international community welcomed Rouhani, instead.

On Twitter, Canada’s Global Affairs Minister Stephen Dion noted that he met with the regime to discuss the status of their relationship and consular cases. “Dion failed to note any discussion on human rights, terrorism or justice for those killed in the 1988 massacre,” notes Malcolm.

The United Nations was founded in the after World War II as a means to prevent another such conflict.  “The UN is supposed to identify, condemn and stop world leaders who commit crimes against humanity,” says Malcolm, adding, “This week, instead of identifying and condemning Iran for its wicked crimes, the United Nations looked the other way and gave a seat of honour to the world’s most despicable leader.”