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Shahbanou Farah pahlavi's interview

 
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cyrus
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 2:40 pm    Post subject: Shahbanou Farah pahlavi's interview Reply with quote



http://www.farahpahlavi.org

Farah Pahlavi: Iran's naked actions against Moslem Azerbaijan is less comprehensible

Q&A with Farah Pahlavi

Farah Pahlavi, wife of Iran Shah Rza Pahlavi who lives in exile after her husband's death answers 525ci Gazet's questions.
Q. You write in your memories that you had only a chance once to visit Azerbaijan. But you lost it after loosing your father.Have you ever tried to visit Azerbaijan after that? In which city of Azerbaijan was born your father?How did he came to Iran?What was he speaking about Azerbaijan?
A. My father was born in Iran. His family came from Azerbaijan in Iran. I had
visited our Azerbaijan as a child, and as a Queen, I visited only once the Soviet Azerbaijan.
Q. Me and many of others like me want to see Iran as it was in times of Reza Pehlevi.However, there are many others who are against the policy carried out your deceased husband. I know it from my talks with Azeri turks who live in Iran.They told me that Pehlevi regime prevented Azeris reading and writing in their mother tongue and their rights were violated.What would you like to say against all of these claims?
A. It was not the policy of the government of Iran to prevent Azerbaijanis from reading and writing in their own tongue. Shahriar, our great poet, had poems in Turkish. However, the official language of
instruction in school states is a different matter. Iranians benefited from
instruction in the common language necessary for all citizens to be able to communicate with each other.
Q. You criticized Pisheveri action in your memories.Some Azeris in Iran and beyond of its borders call for uniation of Southern and Northern Azerbaijan.They even fight to reach this goal.What is your attitude towards this issue?How do you see the end of this struggle?
A. Pishevari's well-known goal was to create a Soviet state. Having suffered Soviet oppression, I am sure you understand why Iranians, including Azerbaijanis, abhored and rejected his designs. As for a movement to separate Iranian Azarbaijanis from Iran, it is a non-starter! From Iran's cultural and economic life to her civil and military institution, the presence and contribution of Azeris is so
deeply woven into the fiber of Iran society that I cannot imagine how it can possibly be separated.
Regarding a few separatists, they should realize that their fight will only create mistrust and tension, and choke the free flow of people, trade and ideas between the two brotherly countries. Instead of fighting to move borders, I believe we should make them less of a barrier, through peace and cooperation.
Q. I hope you know about Armenian agression towards Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20 per cent of the territories of Azerbaijan and our country has about 1 million refugees.Do you think that you can do something for informing people in the country you live about problems of Azerbaijan or you have done it already?
A. I do not know a single Iranian who is happy about the Islamic Republic's meddling in the affairs of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Given the Iranian Republic's pretense of defending Islamic causes, its' naked actions against Moslem Azerbaijan is even less comprehensible.
When Iran was economically and militarily strong, she was a force for stability. The Islamic Republic's exacerbation of regional crises is born out of her weakness and insecurity. This is not what the people of Iran want. God willing, we will become peace makers amongst our neighbors once again.
Q. It is very interesting point: Could Reza Pehlevi save his authority, if he tried? What he had to do for saving his power?
A. Had the people of Iran known that the Islamic Republic would take a million human lives in war, bring abject poverty, corruption, isolation, even weaken faith, they would never accept such a regime.
To prevent such ill fortune, we could all have done more to better inform our compatriots.
Q. Late Khomeini repeatedly stated that Pehlevi was working under control of the US and Israel.What can you say about that?
A. The younger generation might forget that we lived in a world where even Great Britain and Germany depended on the United States to defend themselves against the Soviet Union - let alone Iran with a 2500 kilometer border with the Soviet Union and on her direct path to the warm waters and oil fields of the Persian Gulf. Just like the W. Europeans, Iran's alliance with the US was a rational expression of self interest. The tapes of Khomeini's speeches and promises before the revolution are forbidden in today's Iran, because they were all false promises.
He promised paradise, but he opened the doors to hell.
Q. It is known that your are facing with Tehran's pressure even after you left Iran.Is this pressure against you or your child?
A. Many Iranians who were fighting for freedom in Iran were assassinated by the Iranian Republic outside of our borders. Since the Islamic Republic considers us a threat, they obviously try to harm us.
However, what strengthens our resolve is the depth of affection we have always received from fellow Iranians from all walks of life.
Q. Why did you choose the United States after Iran?
A. I am not a resident of the United States although I visit every year, family and friends who reside there.
Q. It is easy to feel your endless love to Rza Shah Pehlevi from your memories.I apologize if my question is difficult to answer, but it is interesting: How do you remember the day when Shah died?
A. All these years when I think about my late husband, I remember him as a healthy person. I try not to visualize the last day. Of course, it was unbearable to see him leave the United States. I was loosing my husband and our King. I was thinking of my children, of all those compatriots who were
faithful to him. I had to keep my strength and courage for them. After of all the days of hardship, he was resting in peace in a friendly land and among brothers.
Q. You lived another tragedy after Shah's death: Your daughter Leyla died in one of the London hotel.Please, accept my condolonces.My question is: Have you ever clarify the reasons of that tragedy?
A. Loosing her father, her country, being away from us in the difficult months, going from one country to another, one school to another, one group of friends to another, seeing and hearing what was shown and said on some TV's and what was written in some of the press made her depressed and
tired. She wanted to make the pain disappear with tranquilizers or sleeping
pills, and one might think she took too many pills. The death of Leila will always remain an open wound in my heart.
Q. I have read that your daughter was very genuine person. What can you say about her?
A. Yes she was genius, intelligent, with a strong personality. She was generous; she loved life and had many friends.
Q. What is your sphere of activity today?
A. I am busy the whole day - hearing and reading news from Iran, meeting with some compatriots, talking about the situation of Iranians, answering hundreds of letters and emails, helping them when I can for their demands as well as managing my own life and that of my family.
Q. Did you ever try to return back to your Motherland?
A. No, I cannot return.
Q. One can see differences between Pehlevi's Iran and present Iran.What can you say about today's Iran? What do you feel about Islamic Iran?
Intellectuals, students and journalists have been imprisoned tortured and in some cases murdered for their political views. Women have lost many of the right, which they enjoyed before 1979.
They are abused, humiliated, flogged and in some instances stoned to death. Rampant corruption, lack of accountability and transparency is destroying the fabric of the society.
Drug addiction is widespread, especially among the youth.
Young girls resort to prostitution due to poverty. Number of homeless children forced to beg in the streets is alarmingly on the rise. Rising crime rate. Loss of credibility by the clergy.
The state apparatus becoming dysfunctional. Rising poverty Destruction of our fragile environment. Dilapidation of our cultural heritage. State sponsored terrorism; the Islamic republic is a barrier for the economic prosperity and security of the Middle East and the rest of the world.
Q. What is your attitude on current policy of Iran? The Islamic Republic is the antithesis of democracy and of the democratic values that the free world stands for. It is a repressive regime
mixing religious fundamentalism with politics.
A. The 25 years of the Islamic Republic is a black spot in the thousand years of Iranian history. The majority of Iranians are eager to have a democratic and secular government.
Q. Do you believe that you can return Iran? What would you do in first day of your returning back to your Motherland?
A. My greatest concern is to see people of Iran throw off their chains and find the path of democracy, freedom and progress; an Iran that respects uniersal human rights and enjoys a democratic and secular government. To see an environment, this breeds hope and promises a bright future for the young generation. If one day I can go back to my country, it will be a great day in my life. I know that light will triumph over darkness and Iran.


Last edited by cyrus on Sat Feb 05, 2005 3:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Saman



Joined: 14 Jul 2003
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Location: Scandinavia

PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Such a intelligent woman. She has my endless admiration.
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Pāyandeh bād xāke Irān e mā!
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