Middle East studies in the News

Deja Vu: Esfandiari & Tajbakhsh Confess Prior to Release?

by Judith Apter Klinghoffer
History News Network
July 17, 2007

http://Iran airs US scholars 'confessing' Actually, it is only running promos to secure maximum coverage. The main "feature" is coming tomorrow:

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/3706

Iran's state-run television is running video clips of two detained Iranian-American academics, the first video of them since they were arrested for alleged crimes against national security this year

The images of scholars Haleh Esfandiari and Kian Tajbakhsh confessing to spying and acting against Iran are part of a promotional trailer for a forthcoming programme this week.

The two were detained separately in May while visiting Iran and were accused of being involved in efforts to carry out a US-backed "velvet revolution" there. Both have been charged with espionage and endangering national security. . .

Haleh Esfandiari, detained Iranian-American Washington, which broke ties with Iran in 1980, has rejected the accusations and called for their release.

In the clip aired on Monday, Esfandiari, an academic at the US-based Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, said she was "an element" in Georgia's velvet revolution.

"One of my missions was to identify speech-makers...," she said in the clip, apparently part of a confession.

Esfandiari, who was wearing in a black headscarf, added: "In the name of dialogue, in the name of women's rights, in the name of democracy." . . .

Tajbakhsh said in the clip his organisation might have been targeting the Islamic world [Reuters]

Tajbakhsh, a consultant with the Open Society Institute founded by billionaire investor George Soros, said in the video that his foundation "might have been targeting Islam".

He was shown holding notes and saying "[The role] of the Soros centre after the collapse of communism was to focus on the Islamic world".

If I were a member of their families, their confession would give me hope. The British captives were also made to confess prior to their release. Indeed, their release turned up to be a PR bonanza to Iran. It would make sense for the Mullahs to try for a second one particularly given the "invaluable connections" these high value hostages possess.

But I am not a member of their family and I am rather annoyed with their assumption that it is safe to visit dictatorships. It is not. It is certainly not safe for Iranian Americans to visit Iran at a time when their declared war on the US has been escalating. No one should have understood this better than the hostages themselves. If they did not, they have just been taught and their experience should be used to teach democratic appeasers, who argue that all states should be treated equally, an invaluable lesson.

Last but not least, Iran is making clear that it has digested the lessons of past "colored revolutions" and is determined such a revolution from taking place in Iran. But can they stop one?I believe so as they are using "confessions" to mobilize the four, five million Iranians who benefit directly from the regime while the West has yet to commit to the battle.

The probable result? Hot war.

Note: Articles listed under "Middle East studies in the News" provide information on current developments concerning Middle East studies on North American campuses. These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Watch and do not necessarily correspond to Campus Watch's critique.

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