Iran does the right thing

[Botnst]

Iran frees detained US academic
Haleh Esfandiari is one of the leading US authorities on Iran
BBC

A leading Iranian-American academic jailed in May during a visit to Tehran has been freed on bail, the official state news agency Isna has reported. Detained on security-related charges, Haleh Esfandiari, 67, was released for a bail of 3bn rial ($320,000; £160,000), according to Isna.

Ms Esfandiari, who works for a research institute in Washington, was jailed while visiting her 93-year-old mother.

The development comes amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran.

A spokesman for the US National Security Council welcomed the academic's release.

'Spying'

In December, while on her way to the airport to return to the US, Ms Esfandiari's taxi was stopped by three men who stole her belongings, including her Iranian and US passports.

When she went to replace her passport, she was sent to the intelligence ministry, where she was repeatedly questioned about her work as the director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington.

In May, after being repeatedly prevented from leaving Iran, she was taken to the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, the Woodrow Wilson Centre said.

Iranian media accused her of spying for the US and Israel.

'Coerced'

Her husband spoke from the US of his relief at her release.

Shaul Bakhash told the Associated Press news agency from his Maryland home: "I feel extremely good.

"It has been a very anxious several months. Now we hope she will not only be released from prison but allowed to come back home."

Last month, Iranian television broadcast a programme in which Ms Esfandiari apparently said a network of foreign activists were plotting to overthrow the Iranian government.

But the Woodrow Wilson Centre said the statement had been "coerced".

Another Iranian-American academic, Kian Tajbakhsh, who appeared in the same broadcast, is thought to remain in prison in Iran.

The BBC's Pam O'Toole says the Iranian authorities appear highly suspicious of attempts by the Bush administration to promote democratic change in Iran.

[LUVMBDiesels]

I have a friend who came here from Iran back in the early '90s. A lot of her family is still back there. She is planning a visit back, her first, but I have been advising against it. She is a doctor and I am sure that the authorities could find an excuse for keeping her in the country. She also just got her green card, after a ten year wait, and I was worried about our government looking askance at her going to Iran. I hope she can get in and out of the country with out the issues that befell this poor woman.

[Dee8go]

There are some places in the world I just would not consider going. I feel for anybody who has family in those places.

[Botnst]

Originally Posted by Dee8go

There are some places in the world I just would not consider going. I feel for anybody who has family in those places.

One of my kid's best friends' dad is Persian. He visits every other year or so or brings his family here for a visit. He is very careful.

Coincidentally (truly), he was recently knifed by a deranged guy who entered his auto dealership and chased salesmen around screaming threats and accusing them of building bombs. My neighbor stepped from his office to see what the ruckus was about and the nut attacked him. The attacker was a schizophrenic off his meds so he got popped back into the asylum while my neighbor spent several weeks in a hospital with deep abdominal wounds.

[LUVMBDiesels]

She left without permission and went to Germany one day.

Her father had been in the Shah's cabinet and had been executed by the revolutionaries. It took her something like 12 years to be able to get a visa to go on a shopping trip.

Unfortunately her mother and brothers are still there...

They do meet up in Turkey once in a while so it is not 100% bad

[Mistress]

A good friend of mine is from Iran and everytime he goes there is always some sort of hassling that goes on when he comes back into the states.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Botnst

The BBC's Pam O'Toole says the Iranian authorities appear highly suspicious of attempts by the Bush administration to promote democratic change in Iran.

And rightly so, as it would mean the end of them.

[cmac2012]

Originally Posted by Dee8go

There are some places in the world I just would not consider going. I feel for anybody who has family in those places.

In some ways, I'd love to visit Iran. It's rated (by someone reputed to be in the know) as about 7th or 8th best in historical architecture, antiquities, etc. but about 30th (I forget) in tourism congestion.

It's way more progressive than Saudi Arabia. I recently heard on NPR about a women operated and driven taxi company in Tehran that only handles female clientel. Apparently, the custom is to cram taxis full of passengers going the same general direction and women had complained of getting groped by men. Others report being raped by male drivers.

Women can't even drive in Saudi Arabia.

[Mistress]

Before this mess started I wanted to go to Egypt and take a camel ride around the pyramids then I wanted to go to the Cliffs at Petra. I am going when the war ends and the dust settles....dang it.

[cmac2012]

What's that place in (Jordan, is it?) I forget where a temple with columns and detail, was carved into a large rock face? Is that the place you refer to?

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Botnst

One of my kid's best friends' dad is Persian. He visits every other year or so or brings his family here for a visit. He is very careful.

Coincidentally (truly), he was recently knifed by a deranged guy who entered his auto dealership and chased salesmen around screaming threats and accusing them of building bombs. My neighbor stepped from his office to see what the ruckus was about and the nut attacked him. The attacker was a schizophrenic off his meds so he got popped back into the asylum while my neighbor spent several weeks in a hospital with deep abdominal wounds.

Was it a Ford dealership that sold the guy a Pinto?

[Botnst]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Was it a Ford dealership that sold the guy a Pinto?

How insensitive of you.

B

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Women can't even drive in Saudi Arabia.

The very thought of an 18 year old Saudi female in full dress blues (Chador or Burqa) text messaging on a cell phone whilst roaring through downtown Riyadh in a new Chevy Surburban with fully blacked out windows may have had something to do with why that is.

[LUVMBDiesels]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

It's way more progressive than Saudi Arabia.

Women can't even drive in Saudi Arabia.

That reminds me of another Ladan story... She is a doctor and when she left Iran, she ended up in Dubai trying to get a job in a hospital. She walked in wearing a chador, promptly took it off and scandalized the entire place with her attire. She was wearing a tight blouse and a miniskirt -- That's right a MINISKIRT
She told me that every woman in Iran wears clothes like that, just not in the street. It is perfectly acceptable to wear that kind of outfit in the office.

In Iran women are considered a valuable part of society and get education, have important positions and even hold political office. Not so in our so called allies in the Middle East...

As was said earlier about the Mullahs being afraid of GWB's influence and the push towards democracy--- believe it. Democracy would have a much better chance of taking hold in Iran than in say Saudi Arabia. As she says, 'In '79 when she along with most of her generation were protesting and having the revolution, they never expected the Shah to leave. What they really wanted more democratic reforms. Instead they got Khomeini' Sort of like Russia ending up with Lenin or what happened in the French revolution.

I would love to visit there one day myself. This is a place that had a thriving culture when most of Europe was wearing skins.

Plus they have great food and fantastic women!

[cmac2012]

Don't tell me you hanker to hear some Persian babe purring in your ear . . .