A Letter From One Islamic Paradise

Ali Rezvani,

2005/06/23

The Reformists in Iran were undoubtedly the biggest losers in last Friday's "elections". Those who advocated a boycott, even if we accept the manipulated figures by the Guardian Council, enjoy at least the support of half of the Iranian population. But the reformist vote simply collapsed however you look at it.

People are simply fed up with how the reformists always end up saving the establishment.

Their support for Hashemi Rafsanjani in the second round may now disgrace them even further in the eyes of the ordinary Iranians who see Rafsanjani, not as a "moderate" like BBC's John Simpson, but the head of a brutal financial Mafia clan.

The letter below by an ordinary Iranian citizen may explain why:

I got the highest mark in the 1992  entrance exam to Technical university. I have a Masters Degree and yet I have to do unofficial mini cab job to make ends meet. Hashemi Rafsnajani, however is the richest man in Iran. Why? What is his expertise? Answer me. Who is the Fascist, who is Taliban? Why is it that when my daughter tells me her shoes have a hole and her feet keep getting soaked, and asks me dad when can I have a new pair of shoes? I have to go into the kitchen and cry. But the oil ministry and the oil commission has been in the control of the Rafsanjani clan for the last 21 years. Rafsanjani’s brother-in-law, Hossein Mar’ashi, has been the head of the oil commission for three terms. Ali Hashemi has been the head of the petro-chemical industry for 10 years, and all other key industry positions have been held by the Rafsanjani clan, even during Khatami years. Why? Is no body else worthy of these jobs?

Reformists say Ahmadi-Nejad is a killer? He is a terrorist? So why did Rafsnajani appoint him as the governor of Ardebil? Why did Khatami's science minister, appoint him as his cultural deputy? If Ahmadi-Nejad is a terrorist, Hashemi Rafsanjani has been on the wanted list of the European courts on terrorist charges for years.

I voted for Khatami, but what did he do? The Rafsnajani clan stole millions from me and my family and the Iranian people and bought villas in Spain and Switzerland. This is reform??

I suffer when I hear a 14 year old girl has to sell her body to 5-6 grown men to be able to feed herself. Yet Rafsnajani’s children spend the weekend in the Maldive islands.

I suffer when I see thousands sell their kidneys to pay the bills with.

I am neither a Hezbollahi nor Ansar, I have nothing to do with anyone and mind my own business, but I just want to say that shame on the reformists who are kidding about an “Anti-Fascist coalition” and form a coalition with Fascists like Asgaroladi, Badamchian, and Falahian. This is not an “anti-Fascist” coalition, it’s the coalition of Ali-“Akbar” Baba and the forty thieves of Tehran.

Ali Rezvani, is a Senior Agricultural Economist.