Edited by Harley Jackson
Iranian Student Activists Respond to Obama’s Letter
Following Obama’s letter addressed to Iranians on November 4th of this year, Iran’s student groups released the following letter to the attention of American president, Barack Obama.
According to Alef News Agency, the letter says:
Attn: U.S. President, Mr. Barack Obama
Iranians feel resentment toward America's arrogant nature, falsehood, deceitfulness, crime, murder and plunder, support of the corrupt, illegal Zionist regime and state terrorism; not to mention America's involvement in Iran's internal affairs in the form of the August 19th coup, plunder of Iran's national wealth, demand for Iranian capitulation, encouragement for the Pahlavi regime, support and organization of subversive and terrorist acts, and finally, the U.S. administration’s open hostility against Iran.
Accordingly, on 4 November 1979, the Tehran-based American Embassy was seized by Iranian students. As attested by the official Embassy documents and in violation of international accords, it was used as a hub of conspiracy, espionage, and organization for counter-Iranian terrorist tactics and measures to overthrow the Iranian government. Yet the United States followed up by turning to terrorist acts, military intervention, economic sanctions, etc., rather than reconsidering its hostile policies against Iran and other Islamic nations. The U.S. administration’s tyrannical stance and behavior therefore naturally resulted in severed U.S.-Iranian relations and subsequently abated negotiations. Of course, America initiated the process leading to reciprocal relations based on a hatred of Iran on one side and the treacherous belligerence of American government on the other side.
Mr. Obama!
There are still many families in Iran who mourn the loss of their loved ones, wounded or martyred, as a result of U.S. military intervention — namely, the targeting of oil tankers and platforms, the shooting down of an Iranian passenger airline by the USS Vincennes, multilateral support of M.K.O. (People's Mujahedin of Iran) when they were assassinating high-profile officials of the Islamic revolution, all out assistance of the Iraqi Ba’ath regime during its eight-year-old imposed war with Iran, support of tribal separatists across borders, design and operation of terrorist bomb attacks, and standing in defense of internal protestors.
The Iranian nation feels deeply that it has been under too much economic pressure and scientific apartheid, led by your administration, particularly in regard to its attempts at preventing Iran from gaining access to nuclear energy. In addition, scenes of oppressed Palestinian women and children murdered and plundered — acts committed by the Zionist regime under auspices of your administration — have caused profound grief to our nation and filled our citizens with compassion.
Mr. Obama!
Did you know that December 7, 1952 in Iran marks the anniversary of the killings of Iranian students who protested the American president’s visit to Iran and U.S. interference in the August 19, 1952 coup? Many Iranian students are among the victims of crimes mentioned earlier.
Mr. Obama!
What logic supports your message to Iranians, on the anniversary of our liberation from the U.S. Embassy in Iran, in which you spoke of American spies being unjustly arrested by Iranian students, while at the same time thanking the spies? Which of these, in your judgment, is a cruel action? Could it be Iranian students' apprehension of terrorism and spies in the face of 50 years of cruelty and crime rendered by your government against Iranians or the aggravating “Iranophobia,” aggression, carnage, soft coup, and economic sanctions imposed upon Iran by the United States?
Mr. Obama!
No suspicion has been raised among Iranians by means of the U.S. Embassy takeover (Iranian literature calls it a “Den of Espionage”). On the contrary, the malice between our countries is triggered by the American government's acts against Iran and the rest of the world’s oppressed people. This has been intensified by the documents published from the espionage den and through America's flagrantly repressive anti-Iranian behavior for the past three decades.
What you call suspicion disappears only in the shadow of real change, not hypocrisy or compensation, in the form of slogans, for 50 years of anti-Iranian oppression, crime, and the abandonment of world catastrophes, caused by three centuries of U.S. government involvement. How can Iranians trust you when you send a message to them beginning with appreciation for spies and agents of crimes, cruelty, terrorism and genocide against Iranians?
Mr. Obama!
In your letter, you said, "Americans show great respect for Iranians and their rich history." If by Americans you mean the black people, the oppressed Muslims, the underprivileged who feel crushed by capitalist tyranny, and the Native Americans who have been ransacked and looted, then this receives our approval because we show sympathy to them for being repressed by the liberal-democratic system and administration of America. However, the U.S. administration's sympathy and compassion for the oppressed people cannot be expressed without halting the oppression. In fact, it will be of no consequence to employ hypocritical and ambiguous remarks.
Mr. Obama!
Al-Qaeda, M.K.O, the outlawed “Riggi” tribe [Amanollah Riggi, chief of the Baluchi tribe] and the pro-Shah Association, etc. have launched various terrorist operations actually targeting Iranians. Iranians always ask where the millions of dollars approved by your administration to operate against the people of Iran are being spent. Who pays the terrorists that are doing nothing but massacring Iranians? Iranians ask why they feel, under your supposed velvet gloves, the pressure of cast iron hands. Iranians question whether referring Iran’s nuclear dossier to the U.N. Security Council and lying about it are included among your measures taken to build confidence. What is signified by a renewed anti-Iranian economic embargo and direct involvement in Iran's post-election events?
Mr. Obama!
Engaging the U.S. with relations, mutual respect, and benefits while forgetting the past events of which you spoke would be condoning the malicious manners and ever-changing policy of America. Lies, deceit, crime, arrogance, oppression, worldwide problem creation, suppression of liberalists, rogue state and illegal Zionist regime support, and anti-Iranian vengeance are satanic policies the U.S. administration must change. We want America to stop its wolf-like policy and build up its ties with other nations based on mutual respect.
Mr. Obama!
History has taught Iranians that the two apparently competing factions in America's bipartisan system both serve capitalism and Zionism. Mottos of Democrats differ in no way from those of the warmongering Republicans.
You have called upon Iran to fully show itself to the international community and stand up to its commitments. This is the question, though: What country has not acted upon its promises?
Think of the historical record of U.S. government involvement in other countries' internal affairs and direct occupation of countries from Panama to Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and others. If you want to understand who is actually isolated, you can lend an ear to anti-American, anti-capitalism, and anti-war slogans chanted all over the world, including on the streets of America.
In the end, we remind you that the world has heard the Islamic republic calling for justice. The Iranian nation will not endure negotiations and relations with the great Satan, meaning the U.S. administration, without real change. As our late Imam Khomeini, and the incumbent supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “America must come to its senses." The people of Iran will stand until their last breath in defying conceited desires and arrogant powers like America. American statesmen will never see Iran joining the hegemonic regime of America as long as it survives outside of their dreams.
Signatories:
Alliance of the Islamic Associations of Independent Students
Alliance of the Islamic Society of Students
Students’ Movement of the Muslim World
Students’ Movement in Favor of Justice
Office of Unity and Strength
According to Alef News Agency, the letter says:
Attn: U.S. President, Mr. Barack Obama
Iranians feel resentment toward America's arrogant nature, falsehood, deceitfulness, crime, murder and plunder, support of the corrupt, illegal Zionist regime and state terrorism; not to mention America's involvement in Iran's internal affairs in the form of the August 19th coup, plunder of Iran's national wealth, demand for Iranian capitulation, encouragement for the Pahlavi regime, support and organization of subversive and terrorist acts, and finally, the U.S. administration’s open hostility against Iran.
Accordingly, on 4 November 1979, the Tehran-based American Embassy was seized by Iranian students. As attested by the official Embassy documents and in violation of international accords, it was used as a hub of conspiracy, espionage, and organization for counter-Iranian terrorist tactics and measures to overthrow the Iranian government. Yet the United States followed up by turning to terrorist acts, military intervention, economic sanctions, etc., rather than reconsidering its hostile policies against Iran and other Islamic nations. The U.S. administration’s tyrannical stance and behavior therefore naturally resulted in severed U.S.-Iranian relations and subsequently abated negotiations. Of course, America initiated the process leading to reciprocal relations based on a hatred of Iran on one side and the treacherous belligerence of American government on the other side.
Mr. Obama!
There are still many families in Iran who mourn the loss of their loved ones, wounded or martyred, as a result of U.S. military intervention — namely, the targeting of oil tankers and platforms, the shooting down of an Iranian passenger airline by the USS Vincennes, multilateral support of M.K.O. (People's Mujahedin of Iran) when they were assassinating high-profile officials of the Islamic revolution, all out assistance of the Iraqi Ba’ath regime during its eight-year-old imposed war with Iran, support of tribal separatists across borders, design and operation of terrorist bomb attacks, and standing in defense of internal protestors.
The Iranian nation feels deeply that it has been under too much economic pressure and scientific apartheid, led by your administration, particularly in regard to its attempts at preventing Iran from gaining access to nuclear energy. In addition, scenes of oppressed Palestinian women and children murdered and plundered — acts committed by the Zionist regime under auspices of your administration — have caused profound grief to our nation and filled our citizens with compassion.
Mr. Obama!
Did you know that December 7, 1952 in Iran marks the anniversary of the killings of Iranian students who protested the American president’s visit to Iran and U.S. interference in the August 19, 1952 coup? Many Iranian students are among the victims of crimes mentioned earlier.
Mr. Obama!
What logic supports your message to Iranians, on the anniversary of our liberation from the U.S. Embassy in Iran, in which you spoke of American spies being unjustly arrested by Iranian students, while at the same time thanking the spies? Which of these, in your judgment, is a cruel action? Could it be Iranian students' apprehension of terrorism and spies in the face of 50 years of cruelty and crime rendered by your government against Iranians or the aggravating “Iranophobia,” aggression, carnage, soft coup, and economic sanctions imposed upon Iran by the United States?
Mr. Obama!
No suspicion has been raised among Iranians by means of the U.S. Embassy takeover (Iranian literature calls it a “Den of Espionage”). On the contrary, the malice between our countries is triggered by the American government's acts against Iran and the rest of the world’s oppressed people. This has been intensified by the documents published from the espionage den and through America's flagrantly repressive anti-Iranian behavior for the past three decades.
What you call suspicion disappears only in the shadow of real change, not hypocrisy or compensation, in the form of slogans, for 50 years of anti-Iranian oppression, crime, and the abandonment of world catastrophes, caused by three centuries of U.S. government involvement. How can Iranians trust you when you send a message to them beginning with appreciation for spies and agents of crimes, cruelty, terrorism and genocide against Iranians?
Mr. Obama!
In your letter, you said, "Americans show great respect for Iranians and their rich history." If by Americans you mean the black people, the oppressed Muslims, the underprivileged who feel crushed by capitalist tyranny, and the Native Americans who have been ransacked and looted, then this receives our approval because we show sympathy to them for being repressed by the liberal-democratic system and administration of America. However, the U.S. administration's sympathy and compassion for the oppressed people cannot be expressed without halting the oppression. In fact, it will be of no consequence to employ hypocritical and ambiguous remarks.
Mr. Obama!
Al-Qaeda, M.K.O, the outlawed “Riggi” tribe [Amanollah Riggi, chief of the Baluchi tribe] and the pro-Shah Association, etc. have launched various terrorist operations actually targeting Iranians. Iranians always ask where the millions of dollars approved by your administration to operate against the people of Iran are being spent. Who pays the terrorists that are doing nothing but massacring Iranians? Iranians ask why they feel, under your supposed velvet gloves, the pressure of cast iron hands. Iranians question whether referring Iran’s nuclear dossier to the U.N. Security Council and lying about it are included among your measures taken to build confidence. What is signified by a renewed anti-Iranian economic embargo and direct involvement in Iran's post-election events?
Mr. Obama!
Engaging the U.S. with relations, mutual respect, and benefits while forgetting the past events of which you spoke would be condoning the malicious manners and ever-changing policy of America. Lies, deceit, crime, arrogance, oppression, worldwide problem creation, suppression of liberalists, rogue state and illegal Zionist regime support, and anti-Iranian vengeance are satanic policies the U.S. administration must change. We want America to stop its wolf-like policy and build up its ties with other nations based on mutual respect.
Mr. Obama!
History has taught Iranians that the two apparently competing factions in America's bipartisan system both serve capitalism and Zionism. Mottos of Democrats differ in no way from those of the warmongering Republicans.
You have called upon Iran to fully show itself to the international community and stand up to its commitments. This is the question, though: What country has not acted upon its promises?
Think of the historical record of U.S. government involvement in other countries' internal affairs and direct occupation of countries from Panama to Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and others. If you want to understand who is actually isolated, you can lend an ear to anti-American, anti-capitalism, and anti-war slogans chanted all over the world, including on the streets of America.
In the end, we remind you that the world has heard the Islamic republic calling for justice. The Iranian nation will not endure negotiations and relations with the great Satan, meaning the U.S. administration, without real change. As our late Imam Khomeini, and the incumbent supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “America must come to its senses." The people of Iran will stand until their last breath in defying conceited desires and arrogant powers like America. American statesmen will never see Iran joining the hegemonic regime of America as long as it survives outside of their dreams.
Signatories:
Alliance of the Islamic Associations of Independent Students
Alliance of the Islamic Society of Students
Students’ Movement of the Muslim World
Students’ Movement in Favor of Justice
Office of Unity and Strength
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