On Akbar Ganji’s question of whether the U.S. and its allies are saying enough about human rights in Iran, check out this remarkably frank blog post from British Foreign Secretary David Miliband:

Fair question - Senator John Kerry also addressed this issue in a typically eloquent piece today. The fact is that those on the streets have not asked for us to be their spokesmen. We need to stand for our deeply held commitment that it is for the Iranian people to decide on their government, and we will continue to call for peaceful respect for media and protestors. The fact is that many Iranians have severe doubts about the outcome announced on Friday. They deserve to have their doubts addressed.

These are fine lines but we know the cost of crossing them. The memory of foreign intervention throughout their history is deep within all Iranians. A proud people wants to decide its own future. We should defend that.

That “memory of foreign intervention” is a reference to the 1953 coup overthrowing Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, which the U.S. signed onto after the British dreamed it up. Good for Miliband to remind people of that.

Crossposted to The Streak.