Dear Ayatollah Khamenei,
We, the undersigned, organisations dedicated to freedom of expression, are writing on the 31st anniversary of the Iranian Revolution to urge you to free all writers, journalists, and editors currently in prison for carrying out their professions in Iran.
During the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khomenei spoke of building a new society that would protect human rights and celebrate the Iranian people’s freedom of expression. In fact, in an interview on November 7, 1978, he pledged that “Our future society will be a free society and all the elements of oppression, cruelty, and force will be destroyed.” Sadly, in many of the years since then, and most especially since last year’s presidential elections, the world has seen the Iranian government betray these...
Lifestyle
Dear friends in Islamic Republic of Iran,
We are looking very concerned on attempts of alleged „free world“ and especially Israeli–ruled United States to defame your nation and your political representatives. We are afraid of plans to import Iraqi–type democracy into your – undoubtedly very beautiful – country; it means democracy full of death, suffering and desperation.
The real criminal state Israel, militarily and economically strongly supported by the United States, has already started to threat with weapons. Israeli psychopathic leaders – mostly the REAL war criminals – are presented as a democrats or even peacemakers by representatives of the Western world.
We are sure your nation is peaceful and your leaders are enlightened, what is indicated by their efforts to secure a...
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Dear Senator Collins,
You have served Maine well, establishing yourself as one of only two or three moderate Republicans in the Senate. Mainers are particularly glad to have you representing us in Washington.
So it was a surprise to find out that you are supporting the diplomatically disastrous Iran Sanctions Bill. The proposed legislation would torpedo the best opportunity in 34 years for a rapprochement with Iran. Worse, it would wreck the possibility, as a New York Times editorial expressed it, of “the most significant restraint ever on a program that has threatened international stability” for over 10 years.
It would create a situation, as the Times editorial concluded, that “could leave war as the only option.” As you know, the Times has been one of the most stalwart...
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Dear senators:
Thank you for your letter of March 9 explaining your system of government. We were unfamiliar with the complexity of your laws. For three years we have been negotiating a nuclear energy agreement with your president. We now realize our mistake. As your letter makes clear, the authority to establish such agreements on behalf of your country rests with your Congress.
We are in your debt for this clarification. Moreover, your letter has prompted us to undertake a broader study of the American political system. What we have learned has opened our eyes. For 35 years, we have treated you as an adversary. Our intelligence agencies told us that your culture and your political system were radically different from ours. We now understand that we were misled. Your country is...
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Dear Mr. President:
Within the past few days the Government of Iran has made explicit requests to you and your Secretary of State for direct talks with the United States on nuclear matters. Those requests have been repeated over a period of at least three years, while your team has used every elliptical "diplomatic" device, including threats to bomb Iran, to coerce Iranian leadership into accepting special, even unique rules for any Iranian nuclear program. Those gambits have succeeded mainly in strengthening Iranian resolve, while demonstrating that the US posture is contrary to the only international treaty on this subject that applies both to the United States and to Iran, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Isn't it time to dispense with those pretenses and talk directly...
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Dear Iranian Negotiators,
Some of you may remember me from the time I served on the American delegation to the nuclear talks. Although I left the U.S. Government over a year ago, I try to follow the negotiations closely, and I have been impressed by the determination and professionalism that you – as well as the Americans and indeed all the parties – have brought to the table.
Although you have earned a respite from what has been a grueling negotiating schedule – an opportunity to catch up on your sleep and spend time with your families – I see that, with your recent meeting with the Americans in Geneva, your “vacation” has been a short one. I think it is an indication of the seriousness with which Tehran and Washington are approaching the negotiations....
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Dear Senators,
We need to talk. It has to do with the open letter you sent to the “Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran” on Monday, March 9. You know, the one attempting to sabotage the ongoing “P5 + 1” negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
This is serious stuff. The issues you address concern the vital interests of the United States and its allies, and touch on the numerous sociopolitical complexities at play in international economic and political systems. Given the gravity, I expected a more nuanced approach to the thorny policy questions raised by the nuclear talks – instead, what I discovered was a juvenile temper tantrum dressed up in senatorial letterhead.
Considering Congress’ recent proclivity toward treating the American people like a class of 10th graders, I...
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Dear U.S. Congress,
It has come to our attention while observing your nuclear negotiations with our government that you may not fully understand the fact that you have absolutely no right to tell us how to power our country or defend it.
Indeed, the existence of nuclear weapons makes us all less safe. Which is why we often wonder how you can bully other countries around, warning the world about the dangers of nuclear weapons, but you continue to build and maintain your own massive nuclear arsenal.
You claim that the Middle East is an unstable region. While this may be true, wouldn't it be safe to say that much of this instability can be traced back to psychotic western leaders who have infiltrated our land to ensure your soccer moms and self-important politicians can drive around in...
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Dear Mr. President
I am presenting this open letter as one of the serious opponents of the Islamic republic of Iran on behalf of the like-minded opposition groups and myself. Because of my knowledge of this regime, especially of Ali Khamenei who is my uncle (my mother’s brother), I see it as my duty to inform you about this regime and the issue of nuclear negotiations with the Islamic regime of Iran.
Let me at first inform you that the regime that falsely calls itself a republic came to power in 1979 by deceiving Iranian people and the world through provoking Iranian people against the regime of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and gaining the support of the world community.
The tragedy of Cinema Rex*, believing in Khomeini’s words and then establishing a backward regime that is violent,...
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Dear President Nikias:
I’m writing as the great granddaughter of USC’s first dean of the College of Liberal Studies, Rev. W.S. Matthew, D.D. He also acted as USC President for a brief time during the 1880s, and raised funds for the fledgling university.
Reverend Dr. Matthew’s oldest child, my great aunt, Margaret Matthew D’Ille Gleason, served as Manzanar’s Social Welfare Director, 1942-1945. Fluent in Japanese from work as YWCA secretary in Japan, 1908-1918, she loved and respected Japanese people and culture.
I’m now grandmother to two babies in Alameda who are Gosei, fifth generation Japanese Americans. They will learn who supported the Japanese Americans during the dark days of World War II, and after.
USC must now act morally and ethically to atone for injustices done to Nisei...
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