shirzan140102
Roar of the Lioness
She/Her | Because we should not stop talking about what's happening in Iran
Hate and misinformation will NOT be tolerated.
I'm over 18, but the content on here is technically not NSFW, even if it is intense.
NOTE: While the focus of this blog is current events in Iran, it's obviously not the only cause I support. I care a great deal about social justice issues at large.
FAIR WARNING: Since the purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about current events in Iran, I will not be including tags for trigger warnings on posts. While I generally do agree that trigger warnings are important, they shouldn't apply to the news.
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Going Inactive
Considering that everyone has all but forgotten the situation in Iran and that attempts to talk about it are pretty fruitless, I've decided to officially go inactive on this blog. At this point, it's pretty much a waste of time, since it's like shouting into the void; you scream and scream, hoping that someone will hear you, but all that you're left with is damaged vocal cords and an exhausted body. I'll leave my blog up, so that if anyone who might be interested somehow comes across it and wants to see what I have to say, they'll still have at least some idea about what we're STILL going through.
I'll just leave with these parting words: Tumblr, I'm EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in your selective activism and hypocrisy. I get that certain causes may resonate more with some than others, that you can support multiple causes at once, and that compassion fatigue is a thing. I get all that. I'm not saying that all attention has to be on Iran all the time; that'd be extremely selfish and impractical. But some genuine interest and reliable allies who would help amplify our voices would've been a massive help. But, alas, we're in this fight all alone; we were just a flavor of the month used for "good people points" and "stylish activism," nothing more.
If I can leave a parting thought or two: I just hope people do some serious self-reflection and ponder why such double standards in activism exist. (And don't give me the excuse that it's the lack of media coverage, when Iranians are doing whatever we can to continue raising awareness. In fact, the lack of proper allyship is a major contributor to the biased and/or nonexistent media coverage about us.) And honestly, do you really think you can call yourselves feminists, for instance, when you completely forget what some women in the world are going through or when you want to silence them because it goes against your own worldview or interests?
Sorry if this post seems angry and bitter, but I'm just tired seeing how we've been going through a lot alone.
I pray for the day that Iran and Afghanistan are free.
#free iran#woman life freedom#freedom for iran#mahsa amini#iran revolution#iran revolution 2024#free afghanistan#let her learn#women's rights#feminism
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Wow, so many reblogs, you guys! My "Activity" page is blowing up, so you all need to slow down a bit. Thank you sooo much for the support!
Looks like it's time for a new entry in the burn book I started in this post! Our new friend is Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, who allegedly intends to retire when his current term ends.
Senator Cardin here REFUSES to mark up the MAHSA ACT, which means that he effectively wants to block any chance of passing this bill. This bill is one of the few demands of Iranian-American activists, as it would go a long way in holding the Islamic Republic occupying Iran accountable for its many wrongdoings and, hopefully, make it a little bit easier to overthrow them. Cardin's reluctance to bring this bill to the Senate floor has made his message perfectly clear: The desire of the people of Iran to be free of the evil regime doesn't mean shit to him, and he also couldn't care less about how the growing dangers posed by the IR can affect the people of America. When pressed about his inaction by activists, his office has failed to provide a satisfactory answer; it is beyond obvious that they want to kill the bill. Activists won't be deterred by his antics, however; in fact, earlier today, they held a protest in front of his office.
If you're an American resident or citizen who's not of Iranian descent, I strongly urge you to call Senator Cardin's office and increase the pressure on him to mark up the bill. As I've stated before, when it's only Iranian-Americans speaking up, it's easier to dismiss the matter as being the will of a minority or a fringe group; however, when a larger, more diverse and vocal coalition is formed, it'll be harder to ignore an issue. When people from all backgrounds and walks of life confront him for his refusal to take the most basic common sense step, Senator Cardin will be more likely to finally bring the MAHSA ACT to the Senate floor and, hopefully, bring it one step closer to becoming law. As I've said before, this policy is essential not only for the Iranian Revolution's success, but also for national security in the US. The regime is a massive threat that must be addressed, and this law will be a great help in addressing this problem.
#obviously i'm being sarcastic#as of the moment i'm reblogging the post with this addition this reblog is the only note on this post#so thanks for your support i guess#i'm so fucking tired man
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OP, I'm sorry, but she was unfortunately executed around the time that you posted this.
A young woman named Samira Sabzian is about to die.
She might have died already - she's been on death row for ten years, and her time might have just run out.
Samira was a child bride in Iran - she was married at 15 and, by 19, had given birth to two children. The regime of Iran is about to have her hanged, but by saying her name, you could help save her life. Please use the hashtags #savesamira and #samirasabzian - blog about her if you can, talk about her on social media if you can, spread the word if you can. Tag your mutuals here, tag any influencers you know or cool people you follow. Bit by bit, we can help make a difference, whether it be by raising awareness of her or helping ensure that she is remembered.
This information was sourced from various Instagram posts as well as an article from IranWire!
@biggest-gaudiest-patronuses @queen-ofsunflowers @pusheen @brightgoat @beedalee
If I made you uncomfortable by tagging you here, I'm so sorry. I hope you have a lovely rest of your day!!
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Child Bride Executed in Iran
I don't know if anyone talked about this when it happened, but friendly reminder that the Islamic Republic executed a child bride by hanging not too long ago. Samira Sabzian was married at age 15 and subjected to domestic abuse; she was arrested at age 19 for allegedly murdering her husband. She's left behind two small children, one of whom was an infant when she was arrested.
Some distressing stats about child marriage in Iran:
At least 27,448 girls under the age of 15 in Iran married in 2022 alone - you know, the same year when Mahsa Amini was killed.
In recent years, targeted efforts have been made to reduce the age of marriage for girls and encourage families to facilitate the marriage of their daughters.
One in five marriages involves minors, girls allowed to marry as young as 13.
As usual, though, the world will be silent about this tragedy.
SOURCES
#woman life freedom#iran revolution#iran revolution 2023#iran revolution 2024#stop executions in iran#end child marriages#child marriage#child abuse#women's rights#feminism
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Looks like it's time for a new entry in the burn book I started in this post! Our new friend is Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, who allegedly intends to retire when his current term ends.
Senator Cardin here REFUSES to mark up the MAHSA ACT, which means that he effectively wants to block any chance of passing this bill. This bill is one of the few demands of Iranian-American activists, as it would go a long way in holding the Islamic Republic occupying Iran accountable for its many wrongdoings and, hopefully, make it a little bit easier to overthrow them. Cardin's reluctance to bring this bill to the Senate floor has made his message perfectly clear: The desire of the people of Iran to be free of the evil regime doesn't mean shit to him, and he also couldn't care less about how the growing dangers posed by the IR can affect the people of America. When pressed about his inaction by activists, his office has failed to provide a satisfactory answer; it is beyond obvious that they want to kill the bill. Activists won't be deterred by his antics, however; in fact, earlier today, they held a protest in front of his office.
If you're an American resident or citizen who's not of Iranian descent, I strongly urge you to call Senator Cardin's office and increase the pressure on him to mark up the bill. As I've stated before, when it's only Iranian-Americans speaking up, it's easier to dismiss the matter as being the will of a minority or a fringe group; however, when a larger, more diverse and vocal coalition is formed, it'll be harder to ignore an issue. When people from all backgrounds and walks of life confront him for his refusal to take the most basic common sense step, Senator Cardin will be more likely to finally bring the MAHSA ACT to the Senate floor and, hopefully, bring it one step closer to becoming law. As I've said before, this policy is essential not only for the Iranian Revolution's success, but also for national security in the US. The regime is a massive threat that must be addressed, and this law will be a great help in addressing this problem.
#free iran#woman life freedom#freedom for iran#iran revolution#mahsa amini#mahsa act#current events#us government#senate#congress
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This is everyone's friendly reminder to double-check what you're reblogging/sharing, especially when it comes to the Middle East. I've noticed quite a few people on here and on Twitter sharing stuff that can clearly be traced back to the occupying regime in Iran (or regime agents/apologists). I truly applaud your desire to speak up for what's right, but you're just amplifying the voices of oppressors and, in turn, promoting their interests, which ultimately doesn't benefit anyone, including the people whom you're supporting.
#free iran#iran revolution#woman life freedom#iran protests#iran revolution 2024#mahsa amini#freedom for iran#stop executions in iran
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According to some accounts of what happened, they ordered her to put it on at the lashing. She replied, “I will not. Put your Quran under your arm and do it.”
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Many argue that the execution of the lashing sentence violates the law since the recent hijab law passed by the parliament does not include lashing as a punishment.
Persian social media has been flooded this weekend with angry comments since the incident was publicized. People praised Heshmati for her courage to reject the forced hijab, even after her lashing.
In a statement published by its official news website, Mizan, the judiciary claimed on Sunday that Heshmati was sentenced and flogged because she had connections to "an organized group outside Iran" and had received money to defy hijab rules publicly "in a very indecent manner," presumably to encourage others to do the same. The statement added that the sentencing to 74 lashes was confirmed due to the extent of her actions, which were seen as a violation of public chastity and morals.
…
In a note published on Instagram after being lashed, she vividly described how a man hit her shoulders, back, backside, and legs with a leather whip in a small room, resembling a medieval torture chamber, while she whispered a song named “Rise, for Woman, for Life, for Freedom” under her breath.
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#not-so-friendly reminder that this just happened#courtesy of the chair of this year's un human rights social forum
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Also, I'd just like to point out that despite allegations that it was ISIS's doing, the bombing that took place in Kerman, Iran last week was most likely actually a false flag operation. The IR has a history of orchestrating false flag operations for some demented agenda of theirs (see: the Cinema Rex fire and the shooting down of PS752). It's extremely suspicious that Soleimani's own children weren't present at his grave on the anniversary of his death; similarly, officials and higher-ups from the regime (e.g., parliamentary members) were suspiciously absent from this ceremony. It's almost as if they knew to stay away. Besides wanting to highlight the regime's dirty tricks, I also want to remind everyone not to buy everything that the media says.
#free iran#iran revolution#iran revolution 2023#iran revolution 2024#woman life freedom#mahsa amini#freedom for iran
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Some Quick Thoughts about Israel and Palestine
A few weeks after I published my update post about the situation in Iran on here, the October 7th attacks on Israel took place. While I hate that this has become an "I told you so" moment, I must bring attention to the fact that I had predicted something like this happening in the post in question; specifically, towards the end of this post, I wrote:
For instance, do you think they won't get around to attacking Israel or the US?
To be clear, I believe that BOTH Israel and Palestine are the victims here and that the true villain is none other the Islamic Republic. Above all else, the IR and its enablers, Biden, the UN, Canada, the EU, member nations of the EU, and the UK, must be held accountable for all the Israeli and Palestinian blood that's been shed since October. Sincerely, I want to see nothing more than both countries coexisting and thriving, and my heart breaks for everything they've been going through. Both countries deserves better.
Let me be clear, this is all the Islamic Republic's doing. It is an incontrovertible fact that, just like Hezbollah and the Houthis, Hamas is one of the IR's proxies. I especially want to draw everyone's attention to the fact that around the time that it was announced that Biden would unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets, Hamas leaders/higher-ups were actually spotted in Iran. And mind you, this is only several weeks before October 7 happened.
People may argue that the unfrozen assets were untouched, but if you pay close attention to what Secretary Blinken and other officials from the Department of State (such as Matthew Miller) have said, it is clear that their reassurances that Iran wouldn't use the money for anything other than humanitarian reasons are empty lies. In fact, their statements are so contradictory, that their words cannot even be taken at face value, and as I said before, they didn't even deny the possibility that the IR could somehow find a way to use the money to sponsor terrorist activities. Let me be clear here: There is no way to guarantee that the Islamic Republic did not use the money to fund Hamas's activities or, considering the fungibility of the money, that they didn't take advantage of having an extra $6 billion to give Hamas more money. Another important factor that cannot be overlooked by any means is the involvement of Qatar, another major backer of Hamas (and a favorite haunt of some of Hamas's leaders), as the supervisor of the unfrozen assets. I need you to ask yourself this: When support of Hamas is so engrained in Qatar's policy, would there be any reason for them to block Iran from funding Hamas, and assuming that they would be accountable to the US government for monitoring the use of the funds, would they want want to honestly disclose what the money is being used for?
And if you think that it's too far-fetched to blame it all on the IR, consider the following:
Although the world has stopped caring about the Iranian people's fight for freedom - which is still ongoing, btw - they know that the people of Iran, especially Iranian diaspora like myself, can't be kept quiet. We are always finding ways to get word out about our struggles, and there is always someone who listens. What better way to distract from Iranian people's voices than by stoking the fires of another conflict?
Russia, as the Islamic Republic's favorite sponsor, is also seeking a distraction from its invasion of Ukraine.
I'd also like to leave everyone with this very brief observation: If you pay attention to how it operates, you'll see many similarities between how both groups operate. Just like how officials of the IR live in luxury and squander Iran's wealth for their own demented goals while the people of Iran suffer, the leaders of Hamas live in peace and safety while they have left the people under their rule in the line of fire.
Finally, if anyone wants to come to me with the argument that the IR cares for the people of Palestine and is genuinely helping them, I regret to tell you that you're woefully misinformed. This couldn't be further from the truth. They don't care how many innocent Palestinians have to die; they're happy to sacrifice as many Palestinians as it takes as long as they can achieve their delusional goal of destroying Israel.
To conclude, whether you support Israel or Palestine, your anger should be directed at one entity and one entity only: The Islamic Republic of Iran. I'm not here to debate whether, in general, Israel or Palestine is in the right; that is much too complex a matter to be discussed in just one hastily written Tumblr post. But in the case of everything that's happened since October 7, it's clear that Hamas was the instigator at the behest of the Islamic Republic of Iran. There are far too many "coincidences" to be overlooked here, and, speaking as an Iranian-American who knows how the IR works, I promise you that this is how everything has happened and, more importantly, that as long as the IR remains in power, there will only be more bloodshed and suffering. And everyone needs to pay attention to this. So, if you must chant for something, chant for the downfall of the Islamic Republic, which has caused all this misery. If you want someone to hold accountable, hold President Biden accountable for appeasing the Islamic Republic so much and for preventing the UK and EU from proscribing the IRGC. Ask the UN why it keeps emboldening the IR by giving rewarding it with high-ranking positions in matters such as human rights. Ask the leaders of these governments and groups why and how they have become so controlled by the Islamic Republic and why they're willing to sell out the safety of their own people to keep a failing terrorist government happy. (Feel free to look at the Burn Book section in the linked post for a more complete list of everyone who deserves your anger.) Because, as I've said before, the IR's goal is domination and destruction, and they're always on the hunt for more victims.
I'll wrap up this post by once again extending my condolences to both the people of Israel and Palestine. You all truly deserve better, and from the bottom of my heart, I'm truly sorry for your pain and distress. My heart is with all of you.
#free iran#iran revolution#palestine#gaza#israel#israel hamas war#israel hamas conflict#israel palestine conflict#current events#things we care about
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Hello!
I am reblogging this post to notify you all that I have made some important edits and also to provide a few important updates. Please reblog this post from this new reblog to also share these updates:
One of the "professors" whom I briefly discussed in the original post - Mohammad Jafar Mahallati - was placed on indefinite leave from his post in Oberlin College. Oddly enough, it wasn't pressure from protesters/activists that finally brought about this good news, but, rather, allegations of sexual impropriety.
Some of "prisoners" who were supposed to return to Iran as a part of Biden's "prisoner exchange" were given permission to remain in the US, and they're now wandering around freely in our country. In fact, one of them allegedly is due to start work as... a professor. (Yeah, I'll never understand how these terrorists are able to gain employment as professors.)
In addition to the $6 billion that were due to be released as of the writing of the original post, the Biden administration managed to surreptitiously free up an additional $10 billion of frozen assets. When this matter was brought up a day or two before this news broke at a press conference, Matthew Miller, the spokesperson of the Department of State, had the audacity to smirk and dodge the question in an extremely condescending manner. I want everyone to pay very, very close attention to Biden's dealings with the Islamic Republic. We need everyone to be aware of this, so we can hold him accountable and block him from further appeasing and legitimizing the IR and, in turn, hurting innocent people throughout the world.
There are plenty of other things that have happened since then, but I can't cover them all in a brief update, unfortunately. Lots of these other matters merit their own posts, which I hope to write at some point, and I believe that it's better, for the sake of paying attention to the larger picture, to only focus on these points as updates/elaborations on the original post.
As usual, please share this post as much as you can.
Mahsa Amini: One Year Later
I don't know if this post will have any value. Since I wasn't on here in a long time, I don't know if other users have already posted about this matter. Even if I'm the first person to write about these matters, I expect that I'll hardly get any interaction with this post as usual... which fucking sucks when the goal raising as much awareness as possible and finding more supporters. But I'll still say what I have to say, because it's important. As a heads-up, this post is on the longer side, but please read it in its entirety and reblog it so that as many people as possible can read it. I promise that it's worth it.
This past year has been marked by protests - which contrary to what you might have been led to believe, never actually ended - thousands of protesters being arrested, hundreds of innocent people randomly being killed, countless protesters losing an eye after being shot at by regime forces, a record high number of executions, stronger repression (especially of ethnic and religious minorities), schoolgirls being poisoned simply for wanting an education, several... interesting... scandals of Islamic Republic officials, desperate efforts by Iranian diaspora and opposition leaders to get the help of Western governments and organizations, and meaningless, hollow gestures and statements from these governments and organizations. But what's changed since last year when people first took to the streets? Everything and yet, nothing.
Even if the protests decreased in frequency, many people have engaged in acts of civil disobedience. The people of Iran have become much harder to contain for many reasons, and the Islamic Republic is scared. They may have the resources for violent suppression, but they know they're losing when it comes to numbers and determination. On top of that, more and more cracks are starting to appear and grow in their seemingly strong and impenetrable system. Every move they make is destined to be met with backlash and to backfire on them somehow. By all accounts, the conditions are there for this to be the beginning of its end. So, then, what's preventing the people of Iran from delivering the final blow?
Well, there are two main obstacles on the path to victory:
The people of Iran aren't armed. Without weapons, it's impossible to push through. If lower ranks in the military can somehow be won over, of course, then that'll give a much-needed boost.
Western governments, organizations, and media.
I'll spend most of the remainder of this post elaborating on point 2.
Now, allow me to preface this by saying that I'm a Democrat/liberal. My views align with the Democratic Party's platform, and, at times, I even think it's not strong enough to address certain issues. I also want to make it clear that although I'm referring to the regime in Iran by its name (i.e., the Islamic Republic), it's solely with the purpose of distinguishing it from the people of Iran; my intent is not to disrespect or even criticize Islam (or any other religion for that matter). (In fact, like many, I believe that the Islamic Republic is an affront to Islam.) In short, this post is not being written in bad faith or with the intent to cause trouble. I just want everyone to understand where I'm coming from and my mentality in trying to expose some things.
Also, while I haven't had the chance to provide links to sources because it'd take too much time to find all of them once again, I strongly encourage you all to Google the contents of this post on your own to verify my claims.
Contradictory Actions and Complacency
Ever since the beginning of the revolution last year, the behaviors of the Western governments and organizations have been very contradictory. While they claim to be horrified at the atrocities taking place in Iran, they have hardly changed their approach to dealing with the Islamic Republic and have even, at times, taken steps that actually benefit them. These actions make no sense.
Take the strange politics of the UN, for example. Last December, in an unprecedented move, the Islamic Republic was expelled from the UN Commission on the Status of Women as an alleged show of solidarity with the revolution, but now, it's been announced that a representative of the Islamic Republic will chair the 2023 United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Social Forum this coming November. Let it sink in: 11 months after being punished for violating the rights of women, Iran will be taking on a prominent position in discussions about human rights. On top of that, they allowed the Islamic Republic to host an exhibition about the history of clothing in Iran (or something like that), which just gave them another platform to completely misrepresent everything going on. They had an opportunity to completely rewrite history (i.e., spread the falsehood that women in Iran have always worn the hijab or analogous clothing) and, in turn, minimize one aspect of the revolution.
In addition to all of this, the UN's so-called fact-finding mission on the human rights abuses in Iran has hardly been better than a joke. From asking regular people to send evidence of these abuses (even though they can be easily found on any social media network or news site) and having a very lax schedule for meetings (even though time is of the essence when many lives are at stake), it's clear that they do not take their mandate seriously. Now, in all fairness, I understand the need for concrete, valid evidence, especially when dealing with something as serious as crimes against humanity, but this approach just borders on nonchalance. This is just reinforced by their social media activity. Take this tweet from about 4 months ago as an example:
The wording of the tweet (ALLEGED?!?! human rights violations) and simply saying they're "deeply alarmed" do not indicate genuine concern or sympathy. It does not show any willingness to work faster to bring the regime to justice for its many crimes as soon as possible and, thus, give the people of Iran some long overdue justice. It's hard to think of this "fact-finding mission" as anything more than just a superficial formality. Its clear that they are content to let the Islamic Republic continue its reign of terror with impunity.
The actions of the US, the UK, the EU, and individual EU member countries similarly belie their supposed concerns and expressions of solidarity with the people of Iran. The most notable example of this is the failure of the UK and EU to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to their respective terrorist lists (also known as proscribing it). It is odd that despite many alleged concerns about the dangers posed by the Islamic Republic, the parliament of the UK still hasn't moved to take the one very powerful course of action (i.e., proscribing the IRGC) that would help address this matter (and also help further weaken the Islamic Republic, thereby allowing the revolution to succeed). In fact, James Cleverly - the current Foreign Secretary of the UK - recently claimed [not-so-cleverly] that they haven't proscribed the IRGC, because it's not yet in the UK's interest. Let's just reflect on the absurdity of this statement: Cleverly's claiming that it ISN'T in the UK's interest to protect its own citizens from credible threats from the IR, although they acknowledge their existence. One has to wonder what interests would make the UK drag its feet on taking strong, decisive action despite these valid concerns (and despite it being the right thing to also do for the people of Iran). (I'll talk about the problem with the EU later in the post.)
Despite the acknowledgement that the Islamic Republic is a threat to its own people and other countries, the US, the UK, the EU, individual EU member countries, and Canada are happy to let the Islamic Republic act as it pleases in their countries. Regime agents notorious for horrific crimes against humanity are allowed to freely wander around in the US and Canada, and at times, they are even rewarded with positions of power that can continue to affect relations with Iran in ways that benefit the Islamic Republic. Oberlin College and Princeton University have hired two such criminals as professors, and despite strong backlash, they have done nothing to remedy this. (In fact, Oberlin claims that it conducted an internal investigation and concluded that there was no such issue. Yes, really...) Several institutions in the US and the UK (including THE Cambridge University) were exposed to be collaborating with institutions in the Islamic Republic. (The case of Cambridge University is the most egregious, since it has helped with the drones that Russia has used to attack Ukraine.) Many people have called attention to the fact that so-called Islamic Centers built by the Islamic Republic throughout Canada and Europe are actually places for espionage and radicalization, not for practicing religion and building religious community, and yet, to the best of my knowledge, only a few have been closed by now. (It was recently exposed that similar institutions have also been built in 4 US states, and I don't believe this matter has been properly addressed yet.)
Regime officials are essentially given warm welcomes to these countries. Recently, the same Princeton professor whom I briefly discussed above was given an opportunity to speak at USSTRATCOM. President Raisi is due to speak at the UN this coming Tuesday. Besides all this, the children and relatives of people affiliated with the regime live the most luxurious lives at the expense of the people of Iran. Rather than respecting the teachings of Islam and showing the same modesty that their relatives preach at home, life is one never-ending party for them here in the West. Mahsa Amini was brutalized to the point of death because of her allegedly improper hijab, but the daughters of these people proudly show on social media that they are wearing the most revealing clothes and drinking the best alcohol money can buy. (The regime's problems with financial corruption are best saved for another post.)
Another side of the problem is that many companies based in the West happily do business with or somehow involve people with ties to the regime in their ventures. Recently, it was revealed that the German company Bosch supplied the Islamic Republic with spy technology that's been used to target protesters. It has also been revealed that a major reason why the voices of protesters are often suppressed on social media is that people affiliated with the regime have ties to the groups or companies dealing with their content moderation/enforcement; with the ability to control who can post and how much, they can easily bury the voices of revolutionaries. And yet, none of these companies have taken responsibility for this, nor have western governments done anyhing to hold these companies accountable.
And now, let's talk about the most recent development between the US and the Islamic Republic and why it's nothing to celebrate, contrary to what many Democratic/liberal influencers would want you to believe. It was recently announced that the US would release $6 billion in frozen assets to the Islamic Republic in a prisoner exchange in which both governments would free 5 prisoners. Qatar would be responsible for overseeing the disbursement and use of the freed-up money to ensure that it's only used for humanitarian purposes. The problem is, however, that besides being a totally nonreciprocal deal (they get money and 5 people while the US only gets 5 people):
Qatar, in addition to having its own problems with human rights abuses, has been shown to be in the league wit. the Islamic Republic. For instance, at the behest of the Islamic Republic, they barred protesters from wearing or bringing anything related to the revolution in the stadium at last year's FIFA World Cup. Now, I can already anticipate some responses to the effect that they were just trying to keep the match apolitical, but that's simply not the case, as evidenced by the fact that people were allowed to protest for Palestine without any problem. (This isn't a dig at Palestine, btw; I'm simply pointing out the double standard.) With Qatar doing the Islamic Republic's bidding, who's to say that they will honestly report why any money has been released and make sure that it has been used for the declared reasons?
Money is fungible. Assuming that the $6 billion that's been freed up will be used for humanitarian purposes, the Islamic Republic has an additional $6 billion at its disposal that can be used for anything, including getting extra equipment for suppressing protests... or providing Russia with more supplies with which to terrorize Ukraine.
The prisoners being released allegedly aren't actually prisoners, but rather agents of the Islamic Republic who are based in America. (Read this article about the family of Siamak Namazi, one of the prisoners who's due to return home.) The fact is that the Islamic Republic has dominated the Iranian/Iranian-American lobby here in the US, most notably through the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). Any activism from these groups or people affiliated with them often ends up repeating regime talking points and pushing for policies that will benefit the regime. (While it's beyond the scope of this post, just know that NIAC, the Quincy Institute, and J Street should all be avoided. Anyone affiliated with any of these groups or repeating their talking points is bad news.)
Not all US nationals have been freed, and the Biden administration is lying about it. By law, all US nationals (both citizens and permanent residents) should receive the US government's protection in hostage/prisoner exchange situations. One of the prisoners left behind is Jamshid "Jimmy" Sharmahd, who has unfairly been sentenced to death and can be executed at any moment. (More on this later.)
Many Iranian-Americans have pointed out that this goes against the philosophy of not negotiating with terrorists. All this does is encourage further hostage diplomacy, which only benefits the Islamic Republic and allows it to stay in power. Several officials from the Islamic Republic are on camera promoting this as a business model of sorts. In fact, as luck would have it, before these "prisoners" have even been cleared to return to America, more prisoners with ties to the West have already been kidnapped.
While we'll only know in hindsight the reason for this deal, it's likely that this is part of an attempt to return to the JCPOA or to replace it with a similar agreement. Biden's secrecy and use of flimsy technicalities have made these acts a violation of INARA. (Yes, the Republicans are actually correct here.) Ultimately, this would continue to legitimize the Islamic Republic and help it remain in power, and it would be free to do as it pleases, which means that it can oppress the people of Iran even more brutally and continue to embed itself in other countries (see the Tanzania espionage incident). (There's some speculation that this is some sort of money laundering scheme with some financial benefits for Biden, and while I can't speak to that, one must also consider this possibility.)
In general, the Biden administration has been more lenient in enforcing sanctions, which has allowed the Islamic Republic to get away with things that normally should not slide under these policies. He's renewed sanction waivers. (Yes, the Republicans, sadly, are correct here, too.) One can only speculate at the desired outcomes for such dealings, but it will not be pretty for anyone anywhere in the world. (Yes, this will come to have worldwide consequences.)
Ultimately, from all of these instances, it's possible to glean the extent of the hypocrisy and betrayal on the part of these Western countries and groups. If anything, one can make the case that these governments want to keep the Islamic Republic in power, and the people of Iran are completely alone in this revolution.
New Friends from Unexpected Places
As I stated at the beginning of this post, I'm a lifelong Democrat. Their platform appealed to me for being progressive and for purportedly advocating for human rights. However, several events since the beginning of the Biden administration already made me wary of them (namely the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan) and alert to a more problematic side of them, and these dealings with Iran collectively became the breaking point for me. Now, I'm not saying that I'm going to become a Republican, but I no longer want to associate myself with them and support them. At this point, I'm a politically homeless liberal, and I currently believe that rather than going by party and platform and voting, I'm better off fighting for issues on an individual basis.
With all of that having been said, for once, I actually have to say that the Republicans have been on the right side of history. They're the ones actually trying to hold President Biden accountable for going about things the wrong way. I've even called several of their offices to bring up my concerns about his actions, and they were completely lovely and understanding. In addition to this, Republicans brought the MAHSA Act to the House floor. Again, this doesn't mean I'm a Republican, since I take issue with essentially the rest of their positions, but this whole case has renewed my faith in bipartisanship. I believe in complete fairness, and that means whoever resorts to underhanded methods to achieve their goals, even if we have the same beliefs, should be held accountable, just like that means anyone who does the right things needs to have their good deeds acknowledged, even if we are normally at odds with one another.
Suffice it to say, this whole ideal has left me disillusioned with the Democratic party, and I now have no place in the American political system - at least for the foreseeable future. Many other Iranian-Americans who lean left seem to share in this sentiment.
A Mini-Burn Book
There are many people who deserve to be called out, and I could honestly write a novel detailing everything they've done wrong, but I'll format my grievances with them as a brief list for brevity. In addition to the individuals and groups I've named throughout this post and the Islamic Republic, the following individuals need to be especially called out:
President Carter - For his role in helping the Islamic Republic come to power and in so doing doomed not only the people of Iran but also the people of America and arguably even the whole world. (Yes, really. While it's really complex, there's quite a bit of evidence out there supporting this. And I'll be happy to elaborate on my claim that his failures as a president have effectively doomed the entire world.)
President Obama - For originating the JCPOA and, by his own admission, not standing by the Green movement in 2009 to help the people of Iran get their freedom back then.
Robert Malley - The allegedly former Special Envoy to Iran. He clearly has ties to the Islamic Republic, and his son allegedly has ties to NIAC. When it was announced that he had been suspended from his position for accessing sensitive information despite having his security clearance revoked, the Tehran Times, a state-run paper in Iran, had suspiciously way too much information about the circumstances surrounding his ouster from his position. They also had access to documents that allegedly pertained to this problem. (These documents have yet to be authenticated, but they're suspiciously convincing.) Despite this controversy, he has managed to gain employment at Princeton University and some engagements at Yale University.
Princeton University - Not only for its questionable hiring decisions, but also for allowing two of its graduate students to be kidnapped by the Islamic Republic and showing no concern for them beyond a few empty statements that were clearly written begrudingly. (They also have yet to address everyone's complaints about these problematic employees.)
Josep Borrell - High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. He's clearly in the Islamic Republic's pocket. He has sabotaged attempts to proscribe the IRGC with some bullshit technicalities. It's on record that before some major events, such as the votes to proscribe the IRGC, he was on the phone with the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic to provide some reassurance. He's also an example of someone who mischaracterizes the revolution and deliberately wants to help the Islamic Republic stay in power. In a tweet from a few days ago about the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, he talked about making Iran change its behavior... Take note: The people of Iran are openly calling for revolution, not reform, and the Islamic Republic has proven time and time again that it has no intention of changing its behavior. However, Borrell's put it in these terms, completely disregarding what we Iranians want and effectively insulting all the death and trauma that people have suffered in the fight for their freedom and dignity.
Antony Blinken, John Kirby, Matthew Miller, Vedant Patel - For their lies and equivocations. While I can't exactly remember who said what, they all have shown the same dishonesty and nonchalance towards the people of America and the people of Iran. Between the four of them, they have denied knowing about Jamshid Sharmahd and another US national excluded from the upcoming prisoner exchange, dismissed Jamshid Sharmahd as Germany's concern (due to his also having German citizenship) and not America's (though as a legal resident, he is indeed also America's concern), justified the deal as being the only way to get what Biden wants, and when pressed about the prospect of the Islamic Republic using the released money for something other than humanitarian purposes - President Raisi openly claimed in his recent interview with Lester Holt that they are free to do whatever they want with the money. - flippantly saying they don't want to speculate.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut - For disrespectfully attacking Iranian-Americans who simply were sharing their concerns. He's thrown temper tantrums on Twitter when talking about this prisoner exchange that are completely unbefitting of his position, accused us of being "Iran hawks," and claimed that any criticisms about the deal are unfair, bad faith attacks against President Biden. (No, sir, we just want what's best for both of our countries.) It's been said that he's secretly met with NIAC and thus may be under the regime's influence, which is completely credible, considering his demeanor.
Everyone from NIAC and other IR-affiliated lobbying groups, but especially Barbara Slavin - In addition to whitewashing the regime's crimes, a video from a meeting earlier this year emerged with Slavin proposing a course of action that is very, very close to the final prisoner exchange deal we're seeing now. Years ago, she had the gall to callously flip off people protesting an event featuring a regime official. Overally, Slavin seems to be oddly enamored of the Islamic Republic.
The New York Times - For disregarding people's concerns that some of their Iranian writers (i.e., Negar Mortazavi and Farnaz Fassihi) are affiliated with the Islamic Republic. Previously, they dismissed people's concerns about these individuals' employment as racist, bad faith attacks against these writers. Last year, they falsely reported that the "morality police" in Iran had been disbanded and to this day haven't retracted or apologized for this, despite pressure from Iranian-Americans.
NPR - For having a presenter/host (Mary Louise Kelly) who's also clearly a regime puppet and allowing her to bring other NIAC/NIAC-adjacent people (including Robert Malley) on her show. Several months ago, after the protests had already started, she randomly shared a picture of peanut butter she found in a store in Tehran on her social media in a clear stunt to distract from what's really going on. With this stupid, childish post, she pretty much said, "Yes, people are dying in the streets fighting for freedom and being raped and tortured in prison, but hey, look, peanut butter!"
Various social media companies (including Tumblr) - For not listening to us when we talk about how are voices are being suppressed and allowing it to continue to happen and for not giving us the attention we deserve. (@staff, Iran deserves to be on the "Things We Care About" page!)
Celebrities and show-off activists - For only making posts or stories to claim that they care and act like they're good people and then quickly moving on with their lives. I get that compassion fatigue is a thing and that you can't go too deep into everything, but the speed with which they forgot is most likely due to them only putting up appearances. I'm sorry, but there's no way most celebrities don't know a single person of Iranian descent when they live in a place with a large Iranian-American population (i.e., Los Angeles) and, in turn, haven't heard some additional things about what's going on in Iran from these acquaintances (or maybe even friends).
There are probably plenty of people whom I've forgotten, but these are the worst offenders at the moment, imo. In particular, there's a congressman whose name I've forgotten who had the gall to dismiss Iranian-American activists because they're "being too emotional." (Yes, in the year 2023, a man actually dared say this to someone affiliated with a movement that started with women.)
The Role of the Media
The media has also played a huge role in suppressing news of what's going on in Iran. For instance, tonight's episode of NBC Nightly News did not mention that today was the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. Media attention waned after the first few weeks of protests, and it's very, very rare to see any mention of Iran on tv nowadays. I understand that there are still plenty of online articles and think pieces, but discussing these major issues on televised news or in primetime tv programs is a very effective way of raising awareness. And we're being deprived of that.
When someone is brought to comment on something related to Iran, it's highly likely that they are affiliated with the regime (i.e., have ties to NIAC), and it's very rare to see legitimate opposition leaders have an opportunity to set the record straight. Even in these cases, there's no guarantee that their story will be given the attention it deserves. Going back to the horrible prisoner exchange deal, Ghazale "Gazelle" Sharmahd, Jamshid Sharmahd's daughter, has been doing everything she can to bring attention to her father's situation and save his life. She recently shared that at a sit in with the families of other "prisoners," she managed to finally get interviewed by MSNBC of all networks, but her story never made it to the final cut. Only the material with the families of "rescued" prisoners (i.e., people who probably have ties to the Islamic Republic) were broadcast.
Now, I'm not saying that we live in a country where our news is 100% controlled by the government. We fortunately have nowhere near the amount of issues they do in Iran, Russia, or North Korea with state-sponsored media, propaganda, and information control. However, it is very suspicious that only certain voices are being promoted over others and that certain things are overlooked or misrepresented. There's no way that media outlets haven't gotten tips from Iranian-Americans; people have been so active and vocal that they've certainly heard our concerns. One is left to conclude that there is something or someone controlling how certain narratives are told. (This also explains the prevalence of the fake-intellectual history about the 1953 "coup" and why hardly anyone believes that America, France, and the UK had a role in the 1979 revolution, although the evidence is there.) While I agree with a lot of criticisms against them, I still think it's very interesting that Project Veritas managed to get believable behind-the-scenes footage of an ABC employee complaining about how they knew about Prince Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein years before the story broke but they were prevented from exposing it by the royal family. If this footage is legit, it definitely hints at a shockingly insidious trend of governmental/elite control of the information we receive from the media. I do think we mostly have a free press here - Or, at least, I'd still like to believe that this is the case. - and I don't buy into the Republican narrative about the mainstream media, but there are suspicious signs of interference with the news and facts that are provided to the general public.
Dear Reader
If you've managed to make it this far in this post, thank you for sticking with me. I promise that we've reached the end, but I have a few things that I'd like to leave with you... and a few requests. As I've hopefully made clear throughout this post, the people of Iran are up against insurmountable obstacles due to Western powers ostensibly wanting to keep the Islamic Republic in power. They say all the right things to play the role of the leaders of the free world, but then they take actions that are a slap in the face to all of us fighting for a free Iran. If they keep getting in the way like this, we'll be doomed to live under the shadow of the Islamic Republic forever. In fact, even we diaspora aren't completely safe.
And this is where you, dear reader, come in. When it's just our voices as the minority, it's easy for people in positions of power or with larger platforms to ignore us. However, when people from other groups show up with us, then it'll be harder to disregard what we have to say. And the cool thing is that, in this case, even if you aren't Iranian, this still does concern you too. The Islamic Republic is becoming a worldwide threat, and gradually nobody anywhere will be safe from their clutches. For instance, do you think they won't get around to attacking Israel or the US? I'm not trying to manipulate anyone or exaggerating when I'm saying they're after worldwide domination; it's a fact. They don't care that they're destroying their own people and their own land and that they've tainted the name of Islam. Nothing is sacred to these people except power and their own interests. And there will be a time where you, too, can become their victim. Do NOT let that happen.
This is why I'm assigning non-Iranian people the following action items:
If you live in America, contact your senator and ask them to vote in favor of the MAHSA Act.
If you live in the UK or EU, push your parliament to proscribe the IRGC.
If you live in America, call out President Biden for his actions (most especially the prisoner exchange). This is especially important if you're a Democrat, since any underhanded claims that you're acting in bad faith will have no merit.
Boycott any companies that still do business with the Islamic Republic, and push the governments where their bases of operations are located to punish them.
Hold the media accountable for their selective, biased reporting on matters in Iran. Tell them that you're interested in hearing about Iran and ask them why they haven't discussed it in televised programs much. If it's just Iranian people asking, then they can dismiss it as the interest of a niche group and claim it's of no value to their program, but if a wider demographic argues that there's a need for it, that would arguably put more pressure on them. Also, bring to their attention that certain individuals are NIAC members (or NIAC-adjacent) and that they shouldn't be given a platform. If they do get involved with someone from NIAC (or a NIAC-adjacent group), hold their feet to their fire; make them cut ties with them and issue a retraction and apology.
If you're on stan Twitter or Instagram, nag your fave to post about Iran, especially if they've acknowledged or interacted with you before.
Pressure social media companies to look into the suppression of Iranian voices, especially if you're employed at one of these companies.
Find a way to bring Iran into any discussion as long as it's relevant. If issues such as LGBTQ+ rights or environmental justice are being discussed, for instance, talk about how these matters are under attack in Iran.
Also, if there's any debate about whether someone is affiliated with the Islamic Republic and associated organizations, please follow the lead of Iranians and Iranian-Americans. Take care to not make assumptions on your own, and just help us expose whoever we've identified.
I know this post has been very long, but this is an extremely important issue. Please stand with the people of Iran. We can't do this alone. We can't stand anymore tragedy and destruction, and we want to rebuild and thrive. Amplify our voices and be our friends in our time of need.
Thank you!
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آتش آزادی هرگز خاموش نمی شود
the fire of freedom never goes out
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Night photo of a projection of Mahsa Jina Amini's face on the entire wall of a building. Today is the anniversary of her death.
There are a few videos of protests in Iran and also from around the world circulating on X fka Twitter right now but I imagine there is more to come...
Here is a video of an interview with Mojgan Eftekhari, paying tribute to her daughter.
youtube
Source: Twitter/behzadm75; BBC
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today is the 1 year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iran’s Morality Police. it sparked massive protests by Iranian citizens, largely women, seeking rights, justice, and freedom.
the movement is not over. progress is being made, but it has been brutal. many have been jailed, tortured, assaulted, and killed. please continue supporting Iranian citizens and uplifting their message.
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Mahsa Amini: One Year Later
I don't know if this post will have any value. Since I wasn't on here in a long time, I don't know if other users have already posted about this matter. Even if I'm the first person to write about these matters, I expect that I'll hardly get any interaction with this post as usual... which fucking sucks when the goal raising as much awareness as possible and finding more supporters. But I'll still say what I have to say, because it's important. As a heads-up, this post is on the longer side, but please read it in its entirety and reblog it so that as many people as possible can read it. I promise that it's worth it.
This past year has been marked by protests - which contrary to what you might have been led to believe, never actually ended - thousands of protesters being arrested, hundreds of innocent people randomly being killed, countless protesters losing an eye after being shot at by regime forces, a record high number of executions, stronger repression (especially of ethnic and religious minorities), schoolgirls being poisoned simply for wanting an education, several... interesting... scandals of Islamic Republic officials, desperate efforts by Iranian diaspora and opposition leaders to get the help of Western governments and organizations, and meaningless, hollow gestures and statements from these governments and organizations. But what's changed since last year when people first took to the streets? Everything and yet, nothing.
Even if the protests decreased in frequency, many people have engaged in acts of civil disobedience. The people of Iran have become much harder to contain for many reasons, and the Islamic Republic is scared. They may have the resources for violent suppression, but they know they're losing when it comes to numbers and determination. On top of that, more and more cracks are starting to appear and grow in their seemingly strong and impenetrable system. Every move they make is destined to be met with backlash and to backfire on them somehow. By all accounts, the conditions are there for this to be the beginning of its end. So, then, what's preventing the people of Iran from delivering the final blow?
Well, there are two main obstacles on the path to victory:
The people of Iran aren't armed. Without weapons, it's impossible to push through. If lower ranks in the military can somehow be won over, of course, then that'll give a much-needed boost.
Western governments, organizations, and media.
I'll spend most of the remainder of this post elaborating on point 2.
Now, allow me to preface this by saying that I'm a Democrat/liberal. My views align with the Democratic Party's platform, and, at times, I even think it's not strong enough to address certain issues. I also want to make it clear that although I'm referring to the regime in Iran by its name (i.e., the Islamic Republic), it's solely with the purpose of distinguishing it from the people of Iran; my intent is not to disrespect or even criticize Islam (or any other religion for that matter). (In fact, like many, I believe that the Islamic Republic is an affront to Islam.) In short, this post is not being written in bad faith or with the intent to cause trouble. I just want everyone to understand where I'm coming from and my mentality in trying to expose some things.
Also, while I haven't had the chance to provide links to sources because it'd take too much time to find all of them once again, I strongly encourage you all to Google the contents of this post on your own to verify my claims.
Contradictory Actions and Complacency
Ever since the beginning of the revolution last year, the behaviors of the Western governments and organizations have been very contradictory. While they claim to be horrified at the atrocities taking place in Iran, they have hardly changed their approach to dealing with the Islamic Republic and have even, at times, taken steps that actually benefit them. These actions make no sense.
Take the strange politics of the UN, for example. Last December, in an unprecedented move, the Islamic Republic was expelled from the UN Commission on the Status of Women as an alleged show of solidarity with the revolution, but now, it's been announced that a representative of the Islamic Republic will chair the 2023 United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Social Forum this coming November. Let it sink in: 11 months after being punished for violating the rights of women, Iran will be taking on a prominent position in discussions about human rights. On top of that, they allowed the Islamic Republic to host an exhibition about the history of clothing in Iran (or something like that), which just gave them another platform to completely misrepresent everything going on. They had an opportunity to completely rewrite history (i.e., spread the falsehood that women in Iran have always worn the hijab or analogous clothing) and, in turn, minimize one aspect of the revolution.
In addition to all of this, the UN's so-called fact-finding mission on the human rights abuses in Iran has hardly been better than a joke. From asking regular people to send evidence of these abuses (even though they can be easily found on any social media network or news site) and having a very lax schedule for meetings (even though time is of the essence when many lives are at stake), it's clear that they do not take their mandate seriously. Now, in all fairness, I understand the need for concrete, valid evidence, especially when dealing with something as serious as crimes against humanity, but this approach just borders on nonchalance. This is just reinforced by their social media activity. Take this tweet from about 4 months ago as an example:
The wording of the tweet (ALLEGED?!?! human rights violations) and simply saying they're "deeply alarmed" do not indicate genuine concern or sympathy. It does not show any willingness to work faster to bring the regime to justice for its many crimes as soon as possible and, thus, give the people of Iran some long overdue justice. It's hard to think of this "fact-finding mission" as anything more than just a superficial formality. Its clear that they are content to let the Islamic Republic continue its reign of terror with impunity.
The actions of the US, the UK, the EU, and individual EU member countries similarly belie their supposed concerns and expressions of solidarity with the people of Iran. The most notable example of this is the failure of the UK and EU to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to their respective terrorist lists (also known as proscribing it). It is odd that despite many alleged concerns about the dangers posed by the Islamic Republic, the parliament of the UK still hasn't moved to take the one very powerful course of action (i.e., proscribing the IRGC) that would help address this matter (and also help further weaken the Islamic Republic, thereby allowing the revolution to succeed). In fact, James Cleverly - the current Foreign Secretary of the UK - recently claimed [not-so-cleverly] that they haven't proscribed the IRGC, because it's not yet in the UK's interest. Let's just reflect on the absurdity of this statement: Cleverly's claiming that it ISN'T in the UK's interest to protect its own citizens from credible threats from the IR, although they acknowledge their existence. One has to wonder what interests would make the UK drag its feet on taking strong, decisive action despite these valid concerns (and despite it being the right thing to also do for the people of Iran). (I'll talk about the problem with the EU later in the post.)
Despite the acknowledgement that the Islamic Republic is a threat to its own people and other countries, the US, the UK, the EU, individual EU member countries, and Canada are happy to let the Islamic Republic act as it pleases in their countries. Regime agents notorious for horrific crimes against humanity are allowed to freely wander around in the US and Canada, and at times, they are even rewarded with positions of power that can continue to affect relations with Iran in ways that benefit the Islamic Republic. Oberlin College and Princeton University have hired two such criminals as professors, and despite strong backlash, they have done nothing to remedy this. (In fact, Oberlin claims that it conducted an internal investigation and concluded that there was no such issue. Yes, really...) Several institutions in the US and the UK (including THE Cambridge University) were exposed to be collaborating with institutions in the Islamic Republic. (The case of Cambridge University is the most egregious, since it has helped with the drones that Russia has used to attack Ukraine.) Many people have called attention to the fact that so-called Islamic Centers built by the Islamic Republic throughout Canada and Europe are actually places for espionage and radicalization, not for practicing religion and building religious community, and yet, to the best of my knowledge, only a few have been closed by now. (It was recently exposed that similar institutions have also been built in 4 US states, and I don't believe this matter has been properly addressed yet.)
Regime officials are essentially given warm welcomes to these countries. Recently, the same Princeton professor whom I briefly discussed above was given an opportunity to speak at USSTRATCOM. President Raisi is due to speak at the UN this coming Tuesday. Besides all this, the children and relatives of people affiliated with the regime live the most luxurious lives at the expense of the people of Iran. Rather than respecting the teachings of Islam and showing the same modesty that their relatives preach at home, life is one never-ending party for them here in the West. Mahsa Amini was brutalized to the point of death because of her allegedly improper hijab, but the daughters of these people proudly show on social media that they are wearing the most revealing clothes and drinking the best alcohol money can buy. (The regime's problems with financial corruption are best saved for another post.)
Another side of the problem is that many companies based in the West happily do business with or somehow involve people with ties to the regime in their ventures. Recently, it was revealed that the German company Bosch supplied the Islamic Republic with spy technology that's been used to target protesters. It has also been revealed that a major reason why the voices of protesters are often suppressed on social media is that people affiliated with the regime have ties to the groups or companies dealing with their content moderation/enforcement; with the ability to control who can post and how much, they can easily bury the voices of revolutionaries. And yet, none of these companies have taken responsibility for this, nor have western governments done anyhing to hold these companies accountable.
And now, let's talk about the most recent development between the US and the Islamic Republic and why it's nothing to celebrate, contrary to what many Democratic/liberal influencers would want you to believe. It was recently announced that the US would release $6 billion in frozen assets to the Islamic Republic in a prisoner exchange in which both governments would free 5 prisoners. Qatar would be responsible for overseeing the disbursement and use of the freed-up money to ensure that it's only used for humanitarian purposes. The problem is, however, that besides being a totally nonreciprocal deal (they get money and 5 people while the US only gets 5 people):
Qatar, in addition to having its own problems with human rights abuses, has been shown to be in the league wit. the Islamic Republic. For instance, at the behest of the Islamic Republic, they barred protesters from wearing or bringing anything related to the revolution in the stadium at last year's FIFA World Cup. Now, I can already anticipate some responses to the effect that they were just trying to keep the match apolitical, but that's simply not the case, as evidenced by the fact that people were allowed to protest for Palestine without any problem. (This isn't a dig at Palestine, btw; I'm simply pointing out the double standard.) With Qatar doing the Islamic Republic's bidding, who's to say that they will honestly report why any money has been released and make sure that it has been used for the declared reasons?
Money is fungible. Assuming that the $6 billion that's been freed up will be used for humanitarian purposes, the Islamic Republic has an additional $6 billion at its disposal that can be used for anything, including getting extra equipment for suppressing protests... or providing Russia with more supplies with which to terrorize Ukraine.
The prisoners being released allegedly aren't actually prisoners, but rather agents of the Islamic Republic who are based in America. (Read this article about the family of Siamak Namazi, one of the prisoners who's due to return home.) The fact is that the Islamic Republic has dominated the Iranian/Iranian-American lobby here in the US, most notably through the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). Any activism from these groups or people affiliated with them often ends up repeating regime talking points and pushing for policies that will benefit the regime. (While it's beyond the scope of this post, just know that NIAC, the Quincy Institute, and J Street should all be avoided. Anyone affiliated with any of these groups or repeating their talking points is bad news.)
Not all US nationals have been freed, and the Biden administration is lying about it. By law, all US nationals (both citizens and permanent residents) should receive the US government's protection in hostage/prisoner exchange situations. One of the prisoners left behind is Jamshid "Jimmy" Sharmahd, who has unfairly been sentenced to death and can be executed at any moment. (More on this later.)
Many Iranian-Americans have pointed out that this goes against the philosophy of not negotiating with terrorists. All this does is encourage further hostage diplomacy, which only benefits the Islamic Republic and allows it to stay in power. Several officials from the Islamic Republic are on camera promoting this as a business model of sorts. In fact, as luck would have it, before these "prisoners" have even been cleared to return to America, more prisoners with ties to the West have already been kidnapped.
While we'll only know in hindsight the reason for this deal, it's likely that this is part of an attempt to return to the JCPOA or to replace it with a similar agreement. Biden's secrecy and use of flimsy technicalities have made these acts a violation of INARA. (Yes, the Republicans are actually correct here.) Ultimately, this would continue to legitimize the Islamic Republic and help it remain in power, and it would be free to do as it pleases, which means that it can oppress the people of Iran even more brutally and continue to embed itself in other countries (see the Tanzania espionage incident). (There's some speculation that this is some sort of money laundering scheme with some financial benefits for Biden, and while I can't speak to that, one must also consider this possibility.)
In general, the Biden administration has been more lenient in enforcing sanctions, which has allowed the Islamic Republic to get away with things that normally should not slide under these policies. He's renewed sanction waivers. (Yes, the Republicans, sadly, are correct here, too.) One can only speculate at the desired outcomes for such dealings, but it will not be pretty for anyone anywhere in the world. (Yes, this will come to have worldwide consequences.)
Ultimately, from all of these instances, it's possible to glean the extent of the hypocrisy and betrayal on the part of these Western countries and groups. If anything, one can make the case that these governments want to keep the Islamic Republic in power, and the people of Iran are completely alone in this revolution.
New Friends from Unexpected Places
As I stated at the beginning of this post, I'm a lifelong Democrat. Their platform appealed to me for being progressive and for purportedly advocating for human rights. However, several events since the beginning of the Biden administration already made me wary of them (namely the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan) and alert to a more problematic side of them, and these dealings with Iran collectively became the breaking point for me. Now, I'm not saying that I'm going to become a Republican, but I no longer want to associate myself with them and support them. At this point, I'm a politically homeless liberal, and I currently believe that rather than going by party and platform and voting, I'm better off fighting for issues on an individual basis.
With all of that having been said, for once, I actually have to say that the Republicans have been on the right side of history. They're the ones actually trying to hold President Biden accountable for going about things the wrong way. I've even called several of their offices to bring up my concerns about his actions, and they were completely lovely and understanding. In addition to this, Republicans brought the MAHSA Act to the House floor. Again, this doesn't mean I'm a Republican, since I take issue with essentially the rest of their positions, but this whole case has renewed my faith in bipartisanship. I believe in complete fairness, and that means whoever resorts to underhanded methods to achieve their goals, even if we have the same beliefs, should be held accountable, just like that means anyone who does the right things needs to have their good deeds acknowledged, even if we are normally at odds with one another.
Suffice it to say, this whole ideal has left me disillusioned with the Democratic party, and I now have no place in the American political system - at least for the foreseeable future. Many other Iranian-Americans who lean left seem to share in this sentiment.
A Mini-Burn Book
There are many people who deserve to be called out, and I could honestly write a novel detailing everything they've done wrong, but I'll format my grievances with them as a brief list for brevity. In addition to the individuals and groups I've named throughout this post and the Islamic Republic, the following individuals need to be especially called out:
President Carter - For his role in helping the Islamic Republic come to power and in so doing doomed not only the people of Iran but also the people of America and arguably even the whole world. (Yes, really. While it's really complex, there's quite a bit of evidence out there supporting this. And I'll be happy to elaborate on my claim that his failures as a president have effectively doomed the entire world.)
President Obama - For originating the JCPOA and, by his own admission, not standing by the Green movement in 2009 to help the people of Iran get their freedom back then.
Robert Malley - The allegedly former Special Envoy to Iran. He clearly has ties to the Islamic Republic, and his son allegedly has ties to NIAC. When it was announced that he had been suspended from his position for accessing sensitive information despite having his security clearance revoked, the Tehran Times, a state-run paper in Iran, had suspiciously way too much information about the circumstances surrounding his ouster from his position. They also had access to documents that allegedly pertained to this problem. (These documents have yet to be authenticated, but they're suspiciously convincing.) Despite this controversy, he has managed to gain employment at Princeton University and some engagements at Yale University.
Princeton University - Not only for its questionable hiring decisions, but also for allowing two of its graduate students to be kidnapped by the Islamic Republic and showing no concern for them beyond a few empty statements that were clearly written begrudingly. (They also have yet to address everyone's complaints about these problematic employees.)
Josep Borrell - High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. He's clearly in the Islamic Republic's pocket. He has sabotaged attempts to proscribe the IRGC with some bullshit technicalities. It's on record that before some major events, such as the votes to proscribe the IRGC, he was on the phone with the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic to provide some reassurance. He's also an example of someone who mischaracterizes the revolution and deliberately wants to help the Islamic Republic stay in power. In a tweet from a few days ago about the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, he talked about making Iran change its behavior... Take note: The people of Iran are openly calling for revolution, not reform, and the Islamic Republic has proven time and time again that it has no intention of changing its behavior. However, Borrell's put it in these terms, completely disregarding what we Iranians want and effectively insulting all the death and trauma that people have suffered in the fight for their freedom and dignity.
Antony Blinken, John Kirby, Matthew Miller, Vedant Patel - For their lies and equivocations. While I can't exactly remember who said what, they all have shown the same dishonesty and nonchalance towards the people of America and the people of Iran. Between the four of them, they have denied knowing about Jamshid Sharmahd and another US national excluded from the upcoming prisoner exchange, dismissed Jamshid Sharmahd as Germany's concern (due to his also having German citizenship) and not America's (though as a legal resident, he is indeed also America's concern), justified the deal as being the only way to get what Biden wants, and when pressed about the prospect of the Islamic Republic using the released money for something other than humanitarian purposes - President Raisi openly claimed in his recent interview with Lester Holt that they are free to do whatever they want with the money. - flippantly saying they don't want to speculate.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut - For disrespectfully attacking Iranian-Americans who simply were sharing their concerns. He's thrown temper tantrums on Twitter when talking about this prisoner exchange that are completely unbefitting of his position, accused us of being "Iran hawks," and claimed that any criticisms about the deal are unfair, bad faith attacks against President Biden. (No, sir, we just want what's best for both of our countries.) It's been said that he's secretly met with NIAC and thus may be under the regime's influence, which is completely credible, considering his demeanor.
Everyone from NIAC and other IR-affiliated lobbying groups, but especially Barbara Slavin - In addition to whitewashing the regime's crimes, a video from a meeting earlier this year emerged with Slavin proposing a course of action that is very, very close to the final prisoner exchange deal we're seeing now. Years ago, she had the gall to callously flip off people protesting an event featuring a regime official. Overally, Slavin seems to be oddly enamored of the Islamic Republic.
The New York Times - For disregarding people's concerns that some of their Iranian writers (i.e., Negar Mortazavi and Farnaz Fassihi) are affiliated with the Islamic Republic. Previously, they dismissed people's concerns about these individuals' employment as racist, bad faith attacks against these writers. Last year, they falsely reported that the "morality police" in Iran had been disbanded and to this day haven't retracted or apologized for this, despite pressure from Iranian-Americans.
NPR - For having a presenter/host (Mary Louise Kelly) who's also clearly a regime puppet and allowing her to bring other NIAC/NIAC-adjacent people (including Robert Malley) on her show. Several months ago, after the protests had already started, she randomly shared a picture of peanut butter she found in a store in Tehran on her social media in a clear stunt to distract from what's really going on. With this stupid, childish post, she pretty much said, "Yes, people are dying in the streets fighting for freedom and being raped and tortured in prison, but hey, look, peanut butter!"
Various social media companies (including Tumblr) - For not listening to us when we talk about how are voices are being suppressed and allowing it to continue to happen and for not giving us the attention we deserve. (@staff, Iran deserves to be on the "Things We Care About" page!)
Celebrities and show-off activists - For only making posts or stories to claim that they care and act like they're good people and then quickly moving on with their lives. I get that compassion fatigue is a thing and that you can't go too deep into everything, but the speed with which they forgot is most likely due to them only putting up appearances. I'm sorry, but there's no way most celebrities don't know a single person of Iranian descent when they live in a place with a large Iranian-American population (i.e., Los Angeles) and, in turn, haven't heard some additional things about what's going on in Iran from these acquaintances (or maybe even friends).
There are probably plenty of people whom I've forgotten, but these are the worst offenders at the moment, imo. In particular, there's a congressman whose name I've forgotten who had the gall to dismiss Iranian-American activists because they're "being too emotional." (Yes, in the year 2023, a man actually dared say this to someone affiliated with a movement that started with women.)
The Role of the Media
The media has also played a huge role in suppressing news of what's going on in Iran. For instance, tonight's episode of NBC Nightly News did not mention that today was the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. Media attention waned after the first few weeks of protests, and it's very, very rare to see any mention of Iran on tv nowadays. I understand that there are still plenty of online articles and think pieces, but discussing these major issues on televised news or in primetime tv programs is a very effective way of raising awareness. And we're being deprived of that.
When someone is brought to comment on something related to Iran, it's highly likely that they are affiliated with the regime (i.e., have ties to NIAC), and it's very rare to see legitimate opposition leaders have an opportunity to set the record straight. Even in these cases, there's no guarantee that their story will be given the attention it deserves. Going back to the horrible prisoner exchange deal, Ghazale "Gazelle" Sharmahd, Jamshid Sharmahd's daughter, has been doing everything she can to bring attention to her father's situation and save his life. She recently shared that at a sit in with the families of other "prisoners," she managed to finally get interviewed by MSNBC of all networks, but her story never made it to the final cut. Only the material with the families of "rescued" prisoners (i.e., people who probably have ties to the Islamic Republic) were broadcast.
Now, I'm not saying that we live in a country where our news is 100% controlled by the government. We fortunately have nowhere near the amount of issues they do in Iran, Russia, or North Korea with state-sponsored media, propaganda, and information control. However, it is very suspicious that only certain voices are being promoted over others and that certain things are overlooked or misrepresented. There's no way that media outlets haven't gotten tips from Iranian-Americans; people have been so active and vocal that they've certainly heard our concerns. One is left to conclude that there is something or someone controlling how certain narratives are told. (This also explains the prevalence of the fake-intellectual history about the 1953 "coup" and why hardly anyone believes that America, France, and the UK had a role in the 1979 revolution, although the evidence is there.) While I agree with a lot of criticisms against them, I still think it's very interesting that Project Veritas managed to get believable behind-the-scenes footage of an ABC employee complaining about how they knew about Prince Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein years before the story broke but they were prevented from exposing it by the royal family. If this footage is legit, it definitely hints at a shockingly insidious trend of governmental/elite control of the information we receive from the media. I do think we mostly have a free press here - Or, at least, I'd still like to believe that this is the case. - and I don't buy into the Republican narrative about the mainstream media, but there are suspicious signs of interference with the news and facts that are provided to the general public.
Dear Reader
If you've managed to make it this far in this post, thank you for sticking with me. I promise that we've reached the end, but I have a few things that I'd like to leave with you... and a few requests. As I've hopefully made clear throughout this post, the people of Iran are up against insurmountable obstacles due to Western powers ostensibly wanting to keep the Islamic Republic in power. They say all the right things to play the role of the leaders of the free world, but then they take actions that are a slap in the face to all of us fighting for a free Iran. If they keep getting in the way like this, we'll be doomed to live under the shadow of the Islamic Republic forever. In fact, even we diaspora aren't completely safe.
And this is where you, dear reader, come in. When it's just our voices as the minority, it's easy for people in positions of power or with larger platforms to ignore us. However, when people from other groups show up with us, then it'll be harder to disregard what we have to say. And the cool thing is that, in this case, even if you aren't Iranian, this still does concern you too. The Islamic Republic is becoming a worldwide threat, and gradually nobody anywhere will be safe from their clutches. For instance, do you think they won't get around to attacking Israel or the US? I'm not trying to manipulate anyone or exaggerating when I'm saying they're after worldwide domination; it's a fact. They don't care that they're destroying their own people and their own land and that they've tainted the name of Islam. Nothing is sacred to these people except power and their own interests. And there will be a time where you, too, can become their victim. Do NOT let that happen.
This is why I'm assigning non-Iranian people the following action items:
If you live in America, contact your senator and ask them to vote in favor of the MAHSA Act.
If you live in the UK or EU, push your parliament to proscribe the IRGC.
If you live in America, call out President Biden for his actions (most especially the prisoner exchange). This is especially important if you're a Democrat, since any underhanded claims that you're acting in bad faith will have no merit.
Boycott any companies that still do business with the Islamic Republic, and push the governments where their bases of operations are located to punish them.
Hold the media accountable for their selective, biased reporting on matters in Iran. Tell them that you're interested in hearing about Iran and ask them why they haven't discussed it in televised programs much. If it's just Iranian people asking, then they can dismiss it as the interest of a niche group and claim it's of no value to their program, but if a wider demographic argues that there's a need for it, that would arguably put more pressure on them. Also, bring to their attention that certain individuals are NIAC members (or NIAC-adjacent) and that they shouldn't be given a platform. If they do get involved with someone from NIAC (or a NIAC-adjacent group), hold their feet to their fire; make them cut ties with them and issue a retraction and apology.
If you're on stan Twitter or Instagram, nag your fave to post about Iran, especially if they've acknowledged or interacted with you before.
Pressure social media companies to look into the suppression of Iranian voices, especially if you're employed at one of these companies.
Find a way to bring Iran into any discussion as long as it's relevant. If issues such as LGBTQ+ rights or environmental justice are being discussed, for instance, talk about how these matters are under attack in Iran.
Also, if there's any debate about whether someone is affiliated with the Islamic Republic and associated organizations, please follow the lead of Iranians and Iranian-Americans. Take care to not make assumptions on your own, and just help us expose whoever we've identified.
I know this post has been very long, but this is an extremely important issue. Please stand with the people of Iran. We can't do this alone. We can't stand anymore tragedy and destruction, and we want to rebuild and thrive. Amplify our voices and be our friends in our time of need.
Thank you!
#freedom for iran#free iran#mahsa amini#woman life freedom#iran revolution#iran revolution 2023#current events#social justice#human rights#mahsa day
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