Amir Abbas Fakhravar Explained

Amir Abbas Fakhravar
Birth Place:Iran
Party:National Iranian Congress
Organization:Confederation of Iranian Students
Institute of World Politics

Amir Abbas Fakhravar (Persian: امیرعباس فخرآور), research fellow and visiting lecturer at the Center for the Study of Culture and Security at The Institute of World Politics,[1] is an Iranian dissident.[2] [3] Fakhravar served as the Secretary General of the Confederation of Iranian Students[4] and President of the "Iranian Freedom Institute" in Washington, D.C.[5]

Currently, Fakhravar is the Senate Chairman of National Iranian Congress (NIC) an organization opposing the Islamic Republic regime in Iran. [6]

Life in Iran

Activities

According to his own account, Fakhravar was a student leader during Iran student protests, July 1999. Several Iranian former student activists have said they had never heard of him.[7]

Imprisonment

An Amnesty International press release published in 2004, designates Fakhravar as a prisoner of conscience who was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment for defamation charges in November 2002, because of comments he made on Iranian authorities in his book, This Place is Not a Ditch.[8] The statement further adds sometime between January and February 2004, he was held at Ward 325, where he was reportedly subject to solitary confinement and white torture, before being granted a 2-days furlough on or around 8 February 2004.[8] According to the same release, he was moved to Qasr prison upon his return and on or around 21 March, he was given another leave lasting 19 days for the new year holidays, as part of an annual temporary release of prisoners.[8] [9] [10]

On 17 July 2005, Eli Lake did an interview with Fakhravar while on temporary release to participate in his university exams, in which he said, "I forgot to report back to prison" and that he was going to ignore his arrest warrant.[11] In October 2005, RFE/RL reported that Fakhravar has been on leave since June of the same year, and has told them about his decision to refuse to return to prison and his sister of being informed at the court that government forces are authorized to shoot him on sight.

Various Iranian activists have contested allegations of Fakhravar and his credentials as a political prisoner.[7]

Fleeing Iran

Fakhravar took a commercial flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.A WikiLeaks cable from the American Consul writes that Fakhravar left Iran "while on prison leave" and "with the help of 'friends' who bribed [Iranian] airport officials not to enter his name into the computer".

Activities in the United States

Upon his arrival, Fakhravar was invited as a guest of honor at an American Enterprise Institute (AEI) lunch, co-hosted by Richard Perle and Michael Ledeen;[12] and was given office space by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). He called for unified opposition to the Iranian government, to bring regime change in Iran.[13]

He met American officials from the Pentagon to the State Department, as well as with Vice President Dick Cheney[14] and President George W. Bush.[15]

Fakhravar founded 'Iran Enterprise Institute' (IEI), which took its name as well as some of its funding from the AEI. According to a source talking to The American Prospect, in 2006 he applied for U.S. government funds appropriated by Iran Freedom and Support Act for three projects totaling $3 million, but it is unclear how much money, if any was received.

In 2013, he established a 'National Iran Congress (NIC), and drafted a constitution modeled after the constitution of Western countries for future Iran.

Testifies at congressional hearings

On July 20, 2006, Fakhravar testified at U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs representing Independent student movement,[16] where he called the Iranian reform movement a "dead end" and advocated regime change.[17]

2012 trip to Israel

Israeli foreign ministry refused to grant Fakhravar a visa in 2011, following an invitation by an Israeli institute. Yossi Melman of Haaretz reported that his denial was a result of efforts made by Richard Horowitz, a New York attorney and former IDF officer who brought concerns about his credibility and motivations to Israeli officials.

In late January/early February, Amir Abbas Fakhravar and the CIS team visited Israel to speak with members of parliament and Israeli opinion makers.[18] January 28, 2012, Ynetnews an Israeli newspaper wrote Tzipi Livni meets Amir Abbas Fakhravar, the Iranian opposition member.[19] Jerusalem Post wrote Livni's statement came during a meeting she and Kadima MK Nachman Shai held with Amir Abbas Fakhravar and Saghar Erica Kasraie of the Confederation of Iranian Students in Tel Aviv. January 28, 2012, Ynetnews, an Israeli newspaper, wrote Tzipi Livni met Amir Abbas Fakhravar, Iranian opposition member.[20] Fakhravar had an interview with Jerusalem Post and said "Attack will bring ayatollahs, allies, public legitimacy."[21] Fakhravar was speaker on a panel discussion at the 12th Annual Herzliya Conference "Iran: Will Sanctions Work?"[22] During the trip, Fakhravar also visited the Israeli Knesset on January 31, 2012, to meet with MK Shai Hermesh (Kadima).[23] The trip had been noted in several articles in the Jerusalem Post and other national Israeli Media. Channel 2 TV- Jerusalem – Amir Fakhravar's Interview with Ulpan ShiShi on prime-time news. Several campaigns were started on Facebook and Social media after this interview with the direct message of this interview: We (the Iranians) Love Israel. Israelis Love Iranian, Iranian Loves Israel.

Election boycotts

In the 2005 Iranian presidential elections, he supported boycotting the elections in Iran, claiming that the regime has no legitimacy and that the presidential elections should be turned into a referendum.[24] Fakhravar strongly opposed president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's attempts of a "second cultural revolution," such as appointing hardliner clerics such as Amid Zanjani, famous for his work as a religious prosecutor, as chancellor of Tehran University.[25]

Political leaning and views

Fakhravar's views has been described as neoconservative.[7]

He is a proponent of regime change policy and support for military action against Iran. According to Connie Bruck of The New Yorker, his political stance has been praised by Sheldon Adelson.

In an interview with Ynet, Fakhravar said that if the West launches a military attack on Iran, "The top brass will flee immediately. People will come out onto the streets protesting, why are we being bombed? Many of the regime' mid-level officials will shave their beards, don ties and join the (civilians) on the streets."[26]

Publications

Fakhravar has written for two Iranian pro-reform newspapers, namely Khordad and Mosharekat.

He has authored the following books:

. Comrade Ayatollah: Soviet kGB's Role In The Islamic Revolution and The Rise Of Khamenei To Power in Iran . Amir Abbas Fakhravar . 2016 . Ketab.com . 9781595845214 . 700.

Reception

Fakhravar says his This Place is not a Ditch was a finalist for the 2001-2002 version of 'Paulo Coelho Literary Prize'. Journalist Laura Rozen states that the existence of such an award has been questioned.

English PEN bestowed him honorary membership in March 2004,[30] and he was recognized on Day of the Imprisoned Writer on 15 November 2004 by Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN.[31]

Fakhravar wrote in his book Comrade Ayatollah that Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei is a Soviet agent trained by KGB. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the book includes hundreds of documents, adding, "I obtained the documents from the KJB [''sic''] archive, as well as the CIA and Israeli Mossad and even the Iranian intelligence itself. I did not use a single Iranian opposition document".[27] Belén Fernández describes the book as a successful appeal to attract the attention of Trump administration officials and like-minded media like Fox News.

Documentaries

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lecture with Amir Fakhravar . September 23, 2010 . The Institute Of World Policy . August 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190827074003/http://www.iwp.edu/events/lecture-with-amir-fakhravar/ . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: Iran: Amir Abbas Fakhravar, freelance journalist and prisoner of conscience . February 13, 2004 . Amnesty International UK . August 26, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190826152103/https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/iran-amir-abbas-fakhravar-freelance-journalist-and-prisoner-conscience . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy.
  3. Web site: Fugitive pleads with US to 'liberate' Iran . Sara Baxter . May 21, 2006 . The Sunday Times . September 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190908142434/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fugitive-pleads-with-us-to-liberate-iran-ngwmkrt55kk . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy.
  4. Web site: Amir Fakhravar discusses the prospects for liberty in Iran . December 15, 2010. The Institute Of World Politics. September 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190916195711/https://www.iwp.edu/articles/2010/12/15/amir-fakhravar-discusses-the-prospects-for-liberty-in-iran/ . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy.
  5. Web site: IWP research fellow Amir Fakhravar meets with members of parliament and opinion makers in Israel . January 28, 2012 . The Institute Of World Politics . September 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190906151139/http://www.iwp.edu/press-releases/2012/01/28/iwp-research-fellow-amir-fakhravar-meets-with-members-of-parliament-and-opinion-makers-in-israel/ . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy .
  6. Web site: Iran: Internal Politics and U.S. Policy and Options, page 34, paragraph 2 . congratulational research service . February 6, 2020 . February 17, 2020. mdy .
  7. Book: Reese. Erlich. Robert. Scheer. The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis. 2016. Routledge. 978-1317257370. 98.
  8. 25 March 2004. Further Information on UA 88/03 (MDE 13/009/2003, 31 March 2003, and follow-up, MDE 13/009/2004, 13 February 2004) — fear of torture/ill treatment/Prisoner of conscience, Amir Abbas Fakhravar (m), freelance journalist, aged 26. MDE 13/021/2004. Amnesty International. 25 April 2020.
  9. Web site: Amir Abbas Fakhravar . September 2022 . The Iranian Congress .
  10. Moris . Farhi . 2004 . Amir Abbas Fakhravar . New Statesman . 133 . 4674 . 1 . 1364-7431 .
  11. Web site: Ganji Is Near Death in Iranian Prison, a Dissident Reports . Eli Lake . July 18, 2005 . The New York Sun . July 5, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190705040915/https://www.nysun.com/foreign/ganji-is-near-death-in-iranian-prison-a-dissident/17131/ . September 23, 2019 . live . mdy .
  12. Web site: Ex-student hailed as Iran's hope . Toby Harnden . July 2, 2006 . The Daily Telegraph . June 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190616162833/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/1522892/Ex-student-hailed-as-Irans-hope.html . September 22, 2019 . dead . mdy .
  13. Web site: Iranian Dissident to Seek Support For Opposition . Eli Lake . May 9, 2006 . The New York Sun . September 29, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070929125259/http://www.nysun.com/article/32367?access=554720 . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy.
  14. Web site: Iran Dissident Plots Escape to Freedom From the Mullahs . Eli Lake . October 3, 2005 . The New York Sun . August 31, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190831082346/https://www.nysun.com/foreign/iran-dissident-plots-escape-to-freedom-from/20865/ . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy .
  15. Web site: Bush & Fakhravar: Fates Entwined . AMAR C. BAKSHI . September 6, 2007 . PostGlobal . December 3, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181203105541/http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/america/2007/09/george_bush_amir_fakhravar_iran.html/ . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy.
  16. Web site: Iran's Nuclear Impasse: Next Steps . July 20, 2006 . August 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190827234629/https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/federal-financial-management/hearings/irans-nuclear-impasse-next-steps . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy .
  17. Web site: PREPARED TESTIMONY OF MR. AMIR ABBAS FAKHRAVAR TO THE SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY . March 10, 2007 . United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs . August 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190827234630/https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/072006Fakhravar.pdf . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy.
  18. Web site: IWP research fellow Amir Fakhravar meets with members of parliament and opinion makers in Israel . January 28, 2012 . The Institute of World Politics . February 13, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120213012743/http://www.iwp.edu/news_publications/detail/iwp-research-fellow-amir-fakhravar-meets-with-members-of-parliament-and-opinion-makers-in-israel . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy .
  19. Web site: Livni meets Iranian opposition member . January 28, 2012 . Ynet . September 19, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190919105439/https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4181905,00.html . September 22, 2019 . dead . mdy .
  20. Web site: Livni: World must stop Iran's quest for the bomb . January 28, 2012 . The Jerusalem Post . April 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160414073305/https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Livni-World-must-stop-Irans-quest-for-the-bomb . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy .
  21. Web site: Fakhravar: Attack will bring ayatollahs, allies, public legitimacy . Ben Hartman . January 30, 2012 . Jerusalem Post . September 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190916231615/https://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Israeli-strike-would-be-blessing-for-Irans-regime/amp . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy .
  22. Web site: IN THE EYE OF STORMS: ISRAEL & THE MIDDLE EAST, Preliminary Agenda and Program Table of Contents . 11 . January 30, 2012 . Herzliya The Balance Of Israel National Security . September 22, 2019 . mdy . September 22, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190922123748/https://www.idc.ac.il/en/research/ips/Documents/2012/ProgramE2012.pdf . dead .
  23. Web site: Iranian dissident Amir Fakhraver tells Knesset members the Iranian people are not like their government . Lahav Harkov . January 3, 2012 . Jerusalem Post . September 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190906115619/https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Help-Iranian-people-separate-from-fanatic-govt . September 16, 2019 . live . mdy.
  24. Web site: The Islamic Republic has no legitimacy . Safa Haeri . April 7, 2005 . Iran Press Service . March 30, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160330013806/http://www.iran-press-service.com/ips/articles-2005/april-2005/fakhravar_interview_7405.shtml . September 24, 2019 . dead . mdy .
  25. Web site: Message from Underground . Jason Lee Steorts . December 5, 2005 . National Review . September 23, 2019 . https://archive.today/20190923184730/https://www.nationalreview.com/2005/12/message-underground-jason-lee-steorts/amp/ . September 23, 2019 . live . mdy .
  26. News: Iranian student leader: Ayatollahs will run if Iran attacked . Yitzhak Benhorin . January 20, 2007 . Ynet . April 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190403023237/https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3354536,00.html . September 22, 2019 . live . mdy.
  27. Web site: Hoda. al-Husseini. Opposition Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Iranian Regime Is a Soviet Product. 22 January 2018. Asharq Al-Awsat . 26 July 2018.
  28. Book: Fakhravar, Amir . The Spirit of the Constitutional Law . Lombroso . Alessia . 2024-01-04 . . 2024 . 9798765784044 . 1st . English.
  29. Book: Fakhravar, Amir . The Spirit of the Constitutional Law - ISBN 2 . Lombroso . Alessia . 2024-01-04 . . 2024 . 9798765784082 . 1st . English.
  30. Web site: Amir Abbas FAKHRAVAR . March 1, 2004 . English Pen . August 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190827122553/https://www.englishpen.org/campaigns/amir-abbas-fakhravar/ . September 21, 2019 . live . mdy .
  31. Web site: Day Of The Imprisoned Writer . November 15, 2004 . International Pen Writer In Prison Committee . October 1, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121001002205/http://www.pen.org/freedom/doiw_iran.htm . dead . mdy.
  32. Web site: The Case For War: In Defense Of Freedom . Richard Perle . January 2004 . Public Broadcasting Service . September 23, 2019 . https://archive.today/20190923201610/https://www.pbs.org/weta/crossroads/about/show_the_case_for_war.html . September 23, 2019 . live . mdy .
  33. Web site: Forbidden Iran . Carla Garapedian . January 2004 . Public Broadcasting Service . September 23, 2019 . https://archive.today/20190923202034/https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/iran/thestory.html . September 23, 2019 . live . mdy .
  34. Web site: Forbidden Iran Transcript . Jane Kokan . January 2004 . Public Broadcasting Service . September 23, 2019 . https://archive.today/20190923202620/https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/302_transcript.html . September 23, 2019 . live . mdy .

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