Iran tourism: very expensive and hard to leave

Radio Farda reporter Parnaz Azima left Iran after an extended and unplanned eight month stay. Iran’s official media said she was planning a ‘velvet revolution.’ Give me a break! She was visiting her mother.

The stress must be getting to the mullahs. If they see more than three Americans (of Iranian descent) in their country at one time a conspiracy must be afoot. But conventional wisdom as suggested for months a certain disconnect between Iran’s hard-line actors (with long beards) and reality.

Parnaz Azima works for Radio Farda, the Farsi-language radio service of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA), American funded international broadcasters. On arrival in Tehran to visit her ailing mother in January her passport was confiscated and she was charged, according to the Fars News Agency, “…with harming national security by promulgating lies through the Radio Farda and trying to foment a ‘velvet revolution.’” New US international broadcasting chief Jim Glassman told ftm in June that more of the broadcasters’ attention would be directed toward the Middle East but he didn’t mention sending in the grandmothers. Mrs Azima’s first grandchild was born during her extended Iranian visit. (Read the RFE/RL release here)

Her passport was returned on September 4th, though charges were not dropped, and, after putting up the deed to her mothers’ house against the $550,000 bail, she left Tuesday morning. She told RFE/RL that she’d certainly return to Iran for a trial, as if this hasn’t been trial enough.

The mullahs must have read that article in Dictators Daily Digest: “Velvet Revolutions Can Happen to YOU.” Three other Iranian-Americans have been arrested, jailed and interrogated in recent months. One was Haleh Esfandiari who leads the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She was visiting family in Iran during the Christmas holidays when arrested and charged with spying. Mrs Esfandiari was allowed to leave two weeks ago after putting up the deed to her 93 year old mother’s house for the $320,000 bail. The distinguished American lawmaker Lee Hamilton, president of the Woodrow Wilson Center, reportedly sent a nice letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mrs Esfandiari is also a grandmother.

Still stuck in jail – or somewhere – are Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh, an eminent urban planning expert and advisor to the Open Society Institute, and Ali Shakeri, a California businessman and peace activist. Dr. Kajbakhsh is due to leave once the usual and customary bail is met. Mr. Shakeri has not been seen or heard from since March.

All four Iranian-Americans were in Iran to visit ailing mothers, the obvious conspiracy link. A staff member of an international humanitarian organization, in an off-the-record conversation with your wide-eyed, constantly amazed reporter, told of a recent visit to Iran. No mothers involved. This tougher-than-nails, experienced aid worker confirmed the increasing unpopularity of Iran’s mullahs: “Tehran taxi drivers won’t give them rides. If they try to get into the taxis, the drivers throw them out by their beards.” - September 20, 2007

Keywords:Radio Farda

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