No end in sight for Iran's political gridlock

BBC:

And when, back in 2001, my colleagues and I tried to film the public demonstrations in support of the newly re-elected President Khatami, we were attacked and arrested. One of the special policemen who assaulted us tried to poke my eye out with his finger.
In which other country would foreign television crews be beaten up for filming the celebrations when a new president has been elected?

And somehow Mr. John Simpson manages to call Iran a pseudo-democracy better than the rest of the countries in the ME? Why compare Iran to other ME Arab countries? Why not do a comparative analysis of Iran's social/economic freedom and liberties under the previous regime?