A group of about 30 Iranian journalists, intellectuals, and academics based in the United States, Canada, and Europe have said in an open letter addressed to the people of Lebanon that they should not be fooled by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, whom they accuse of being up to no good.
Exerts from the letter that was posted on Iranian news websites:
The letter's signatories, who include Iranian-Canadian philosopher and author Ramin Jahanbegloo and former legislator Fatemeh Haghighatjou, write that while they respect those Lebanese citizens who welcomed Ahmadinejad to Lebanon, they believe that Ahmadinejad does not deserve their trust.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari
Exerts from the letter that was posted on Iranian news websites:
Today a man is visiting your country that has neither brought peace and calm and prosperity for Iran, nor does he think about the peace, calm, and prosperity of Lebanon. Ahmadinejad, who stole the 2009 presidential vote and who named himself president instead of the man chosen by the people of Iran, does not represent the Iranian people.
It is likely that Ahmadinejad will make promises of financial help during his trip to Lebanon , yet the economic situation under his government is too bad for these promises to become materialized. He is only using his trip to Lebanon for political show and he doesn't care about the people of Lebanon and Iran, their current [situation] and their future.
It is likely that Ahmadinejad will make promises of financial help during his trip to Lebanon , yet the economic situation under his government is too bad for these promises to become materialized. He is only using his trip to Lebanon for political show and he doesn't care about the people of Lebanon and Iran, their current [situation] and their future.
The letter's signatories, who include Iranian-Canadian philosopher and author Ramin Jahanbegloo and former legislator Fatemeh Haghighatjou, write that while they respect those Lebanese citizens who welcomed Ahmadinejad to Lebanon, they believe that Ahmadinejad does not deserve their trust.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari
