March 21, 2005
Visiting Iran
Just between you and me, I'm thinking of going back to Iran in late May, before the presidential elections.
I know. It could be risky and I could get into serious trouble with Mortazavi and others whom I know are very concerned about blogs and have asked all the arrested journalists about their relationship with me, would be happy to see me unprotected in their interrogation rooms.
But at the same time, this could be the safest time for anyone to visit Iran, since the regime usually behave much more reasonably, fearing of low turn out and bad Western publicity.
Having had a Canadian citizenship now, the only thing I have to do, other than widely spreading the word (not yet, please), is that I have to get some credentials from well-known papers or magazines so I could have their support if anything happened to me. Needless to say that I can also write for them if they'd ask me to. About things no Western reporter would possibly notice.
So what do you think? Any suggestions?
Posted by hoder at March 21, 2005 2:49 PM
I think it's risky for you to go back.I think the chances of you getting arrested are 50/50.You never know.I know that going back has become much easier for everybody even for those who left illegaly but your situation is different.You are well known by many.This can of course serve you too but it won't make you untouchable.Either way...keep up the good work and happy new year.
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No offense intended but I am gonna be upfront with you. It sounds to me opportunistic!
But first things first. You said "Just between you and me ...". How is that supposed to be between you and us when it is so openly published and in a couple of days it will be google searchable and eternal? Was that meant to be a figure of speech? I don't think so.
Kazemi's case brought up a lot of questions on dual citizenship in Canada. Please don't bring it to a new level just for the sake of something that might only benefit you. You have to think it out very carefully. What are you going to achieve or prove with your trip?
Surely your trip with either end results (i.e whether you end up in the Iranian dungeons or come back free) serves your fame (and your career ?). But you might ruin it for thousands of other people who travel back to Iran just to visit their old folks. Or perhaps you think that your arrest will pressure the Islamic Republic more and somehow start a domino effect that is evetually good for all Iranians?
Oh ... why opportunistic? Well, you're doing it right after you've got a citizenship that you keep implictly treating it as a piece of paper that enables you to travel to different seminars or falsely emboldens you in front of Mortazavi (it didn't pan out very well for Kazemi).
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You crazy Hossein???
Dont do that!!!
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As risky as it is, it can also be an opportunity... to touch base with things that have changed and only an Iranian who's been away from it for a few years can see/analyze them...
Cheers,
--sooski
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Oh, Man you are coming. I personally would love meeting you but perhaps you can not invite us to a bar as you always do wherever you go :-) Do not count of rational things to come out from Mortazavi though! Be afraid of the Bull as it has horns and has not brain. I check your blog 10 times a day and do not like to read your grave stone as the second canadian journalist killed behind bars. Take care buddy! (fekr nakoni ziyad pesar khale shodamha vali damet garm Please change the address of my blog in BlogxIranians, it is moved already)
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