BBC World News anchor Katty Kay came to Iran's defense Monday morning, arguing on MSNBC that the nation is "potentially" very pro-Western and pro-American.
In a speech Sunday in Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump took a harsh line on Iran.
"From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms, and trains terrorists, militias, and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region," he said. "For decades, Iran has fueled the fires of sectarian conflict and terror."
Kay lamented Trump's aggressive posture on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
"You're alienating a nation which is potentially a fairly pro-Western, pro-American nation that has just voted in, not a totally free election–" she began.
"Iran?" said incredulous host Joe Scarborough. "You're speaking like a European right now... there's nothing pro-American about Iran."
"You poll Iranian population and you get a more pro-European, pro-Western, pro-American view than you do if you poll most Sunni countries," Kay insisted.
"Oh I know!" Scarborough said. "Extraordinary people and extraordinary civilization–and leaders from the 7th century."
"You defend the Iranian regime since 1979, I will not," he concluded.