Srinagar, May 4 -- By Tufail Shah

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi commands a wide audience as a calm and articulate advocate of religious moderation.

His measured tone and selective liberal positions have built a reputation that travels well in pro-Western circles.

That reputation, however, cannot stand in place of rigorous history or careful geopolitical analysis.

A soothing style can coexist with serious gaps, and recent remarks on Iran reveal exactly that.

Ghamidi's comments on Middle Eastern politics lean on a narrow reading of history that strips away context and flattens complex events.

In a conversation with Shehzad Ghias Shaikh, he argued that Iran drives instability in the region and suggested that the country enjoyed peaceful relation...