Green Light (Iran - Rafsanjani's daughter gives interview

Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, daughter of Iran's powerful Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and a prominent advocate of the Green Movement, speaks to Foreign Policy about the future of Iran's opposition and her (low) opinion of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, 48, was one of Iran's leading members of parliament from 1992 to 1996 and the founder and editor of Zan, Iran's first-ever daily women's newspaper. She is also the daughter of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of the country's most influential men and strongest opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. During the widespread protests that followed Iran's contested presidential election last year, Hashemi was a vocal supporter of the Green Movement and was briefly imprisoned by the Iranian government for her activism. She spoke to Omid Memarian about how Iran has changed since that election and the future of the Green Movement.

Foreign Policy: During the post-election protests last year, you were imprisoned for 24 hours and then released. Many believe that, if you were not the daughter of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, you would still be in prison right now. How has it felt over the past year to see so many of your former colleagues remain in prison?

Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani: I, too, believe that I would not have been released had I not been Mr. Hashemi's daughter. It feels terrible to see individuals who have worked hard for this country for years put in prison without due legal process only for their attempts to stand up to injustice and for telling the truth. Likewise, [it feels terrible] to see those who are real criminals as rulers.

Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani: Didn't the people of Iraq join with foreigners who attacked their country in order to free themselves from injustice and to save themselves and their country? Was this their initial demand, or did their deteriorating conditions lead them to this? It won't be a bad idea to review history from time to time. How long must this situation, which is shameful to every Iranian, continue?

A pointed question -- ouch!

But the foreigners ("us") actually attacked the country's tyrants and those who followed/obeyed them, not the people themselves. This was not a war of genocide.

"How long must this situation, which is shameful to every Iranian, continue?"

A question I ask too. Americans were fooled into electing Obama, Iranians into supporting the Revolution (with several competing factions opposing the Shah, only one of which would come out on top and a lot of them were surprised at the result).

I don't know what it will take to free Iranians of their tyranny; I only hope it would not be a replay of Iraq.

Hey, maybe Jewish Israel might finally return the age-old favor.

I don't know.

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