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Amir Abbas Fakhravar

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Amir Abbas Fakhravar (Persian: امیرعباس فخرآور), former research fellow at the Center for the Study of Culture and Security at The Institute of World Politics,[2] is an Iranian dissident.[3][4] Fakhravar served as the Secretary General of the Confederation of Iranian Students[5] and President of the "Iranian Freedom Institute" in Washington, D.C.[6]

Amir Abbas Fakhravar
Fakhravar interviewed by VOA in 2018
Bornc. 1974 or 1975 (age 48–49)[1]
Iran
Occupations
  • Author
  • Activist
Organization(s)Confederation of Iranian Students
Institute of World Politics
Political partyNational Iranian Congress

Currently, Fakhravar is the Senate Chairman of National Iranian Congress (NIC) an organization opposing the Islamic Republic regime in Iran.[7]

Life in Iran

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Activities

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According to his own account, Fakhravar was a student leader during Iran student protests, July 1999.[8][9] Several Iranian former student activists have said they had never heard of him.[10]

Imprisonment

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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.[11] 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.[11] 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.[11][12][13]

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.[14] 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.[15]

Various Iranian activists have contested allegations of Fakhravar and his credentials as a political prisoner.[1][10][8][9]

Fleeing Iran

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Fakhravar took a commercial flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[1] 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".[16]

Activities in the United States

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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;[17] and was given office space by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).[18] He called for unified opposition to the Iranian government, to bring regime change in Iran.[19]

He met American officials from the Pentagon to the State Department, as well as with Vice President Dick Cheney[20] and President George W. Bush.[21]

Fakhravar founded 'Iran Enterprise Institute' (IEI), which took its name as well as some of its funding from the AEI.[1] 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.[22]

In 2013, he established a 'National Iran Congress (NIC), and drafted a constitution modeled after the constitution of Western countries for future Iran.[23]

Testifies at congressional hearings

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On July 20, 2006, Fakhravar testified at U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs representing Independent student movement,[24] where he called the Iranian reform movement a "dead end" and advocated regime change.[25]

2012 trip to Israel

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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.[26]

In late January/early February, Amir Abbas Fakhravar and the CIS team visited Israel to speak with members of parliament and Israeli opinion makers.[27] January 28, 2012, Ynetnews an Israeli newspaper wrote Tzipi Livni meets Amir Abbas Fakhravar, the Iranian opposition member.[28] 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.[29] Fakhravar had an interview with Jerusalem Post and said "Attack will bring ayatollahs, allies, public legitimacy."[30] Fakhravar was speaker on a panel discussion at the 12th Annual Herzliya Conference "Iran: Will Sanctions Work?"[31] During the trip, Fakhravar also visited the Israeli Knesset on January 31, 2012, to meet with MK Shai Hermesh (Kadima).[32] 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.[32]

Election boycotts

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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.[33] 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.[34]

Political leaning and views

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Fakhravar's views has been described as neoconservative.[10][18]

He is a proponent of regime change policy and support for military action against Iran.[18] According to Connie Bruck of The New Yorker, his political stance has been praised by Sheldon Adelson.[35]

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."[36]

Publications

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Fakhravar has written for two Iranian pro-reform newspapers, namely Khordad and Mosharekat.[37]

He has authored the following books:

  • The Greenest Eyes on Earth (1998)[38]
  • This Place is not a Ditch (2000)[37]
  • Still, the Scraps of Prison (2005)[39]
  • Fakhravar, Amir Abbas (2016). Comrade Ayatollah: Soviet kGB's Role In The Islamic Revolution and The Rise Of Khamenei To Power in Iran. Ketab.com. p. 700. ISBN 9781595845214.
  • The Spirit of the Constitutional Law (2024)[40][41]

Reception

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Fakhravar says his This Place is not a Ditch was a finalist for the 2001-2002 version of 'Paulo Coelho Literary Prize'.[37] Journalist Laura Rozen states that the existence of such an award has been questioned.[39]

English PEN bestowed him honorary membership in March 2004,[42] and he was recognized on Day of the Imprisoned Writer on 15 November 2004 by Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN.[43]

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".[38] Belén Fernández describes the book as a successful appeal to attract the attention of Trump administration officials and like-minded media like Fox News.[16]

Documentaries

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  • "The Case for War:In Defense of Freedom" in 2007, Amir Abbas Fakhravar participated Richard Perle presented this documentary articulating his view of the challenges facing the U.S. post 9/11, and debating with his critics including Richard Holbrooke, Simon Jenkins, and Abdel Bari Atwan. The film was broadcast by PBS in their series America at a Crossroads.[44]
  • Forbidden Iran in 2004, Fakhravar's story and organization was one of the main parts of this documentary about the Iranian Student Movement and July 9, 1999.[45][46]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Weisman, Alan (28 November 2007), "'Heroes' in waiting", The Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 8 December 2019
  2. ^ "Lecture with Amir Fakhravar". The Institute Of World Policy. September 23, 2010. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "Iran: Amir Abbas Fakhravar, freelance journalist and prisoner of conscience". Amnesty International UK. February 13, 2004. Archived from the original on August 26, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  4. ^ Sara Baxter (May 21, 2006). "Fugitive pleads with US to 'liberate' Iran". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Amir Fakhravar discusses the prospects for liberty in Iran". The Institute Of World Politics. December 15, 2010. Archived from the original on September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  6. ^ "IWP research fellow Amir Fakhravar meets with members of parliament and opinion makers in Israel". The Institute Of World Politics. January 28, 2012. Archived from the original on September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  7. ^ congratulational research service (February 6, 2020). "Iran: Internal Politics and U.S. Policy and Options, page 34, paragraph 2" (PDF). Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Mascolo, Georg (5 February 2007), "Irak, zum Zweiten", Der Spiegel (in German), archived from the original on 24 October 2010, retrieved 20 April 2020
  9. ^ a b Khalaji, Mehdi (9 July 2007), U.S. Support for the Iranian Opposition (PolicyWatch), The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, retrieved 20 April 2020
  10. ^ a b c Erlich, Reese; Scheer, Robert (2016). The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis. Routledge. p. 98. ISBN 978-1317257370.
  11. ^ a b c "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" (PDF) (Press release). Amnesty International. 25 March 2004. MDE 13/021/2004. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Amir Abbas Fakhravar". The Iranian Congress. September 2022.
  13. ^ Moris, Farhi (2004). "Amir Abbas Fakhravar". New Statesman. 133 (4674): 1. ISSN 1364-7431.
  14. ^ Eli Lake (July 18, 2005). "Ganji Is Near Death in Iranian Prison, a Dissident Reports". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  15. ^ "Iran Report", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, vol. 8, no. 40, 12 October 2005, retrieved 25 April 2020
  16. ^ a b Fernández, Belén (20 July 2018), Meet Amir Fakhravar, the 'snake oil salesman' pushing regime change in Iran, Middle East Eye, archived from the original on 31 January 2020, retrieved 25 April 2020
  17. ^ Toby Harnden (July 2, 2006). "Ex-student hailed as Iran's hope". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  18. ^ a b c Adib-Moghaddam, Arshin (2007), "Manufacturing War: Iran in the Neo-Conservative Imagination", Third World Quarterly, 28 (3): 635–653, doi:10.1080/01436590701200513, JSTOR 20454950, S2CID 143054087
  19. ^ Eli Lake (May 9, 2006). "Iranian Dissident to Seek Support For Opposition". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  20. ^ Eli Lake (October 3, 2005). "Iran Dissident Plots Escape to Freedom From the Mullahs". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  21. ^ AMAR C. BAKSHI (September 6, 2007). "Bush & Fakhravar: Fates Entwined". PostGlobal. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  22. ^ Rozen, Laura (14 November 2006), "Iran Hawks Reorganize", The American Prospect, retrieved 25 April 2020
  23. ^ Katzman, Kenneth (6 February 2020), "Iran: Internal Politics and U.S. Policy and Options" (PDF), Congressional Research Service, p. 34, RL32048, retrieved 20 March 2020, An offshoot, the Confederation of Iranian Students (CIS), led by U.S. based Amir Abbas Fakhravar, believes in regime replacement and 2013 formed a "National Iran Congress" that has drafted a constitution, modeled after western constitutions, for a future republic of Iran.
  24. ^ "Iran's Nuclear Impasse: Next Steps". July 20, 2006. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  25. ^ "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" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. March 10, 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  26. ^ Melman, Yossi (1 December 2011), "The Complicated Relationship Between the Mossad and Israeli Media", Haaretz, retrieved 25 April 2020
  27. ^ "IWP research fellow Amir Fakhravar meets with members of parliament and opinion makers in Israel". The Institute of World Politics. January 28, 2012. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  28. ^ "Livni meets Iranian opposition member". Ynet. January 28, 2012. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  29. ^ "Livni: World must stop Iran's quest for the bomb". The Jerusalem Post. January 28, 2012. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  30. ^ Ben Hartman (January 30, 2012). "Fakhravar: Attack will bring ayatollahs, allies, public legitimacy". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  31. ^ "IN THE EYE OF STORMS: ISRAEL & THE MIDDLE EAST, Preliminary Agenda and Program Table of Contents" (PDF). Herzliya The Balance Of Israel National Security. January 30, 2012. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  32. ^ a b Lahav Harkov (January 3, 2012). "Iranian dissident Amir Fakhraver tells Knesset members the Iranian people are not like their government". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  33. ^ Safa Haeri (April 7, 2005). "The Islamic Republic has no legitimacy". Iran Press Service. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  34. ^ Jason Lee Steorts (December 5, 2005). "Message from Underground". National Review. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  35. ^ Bruck, Connie (23 June 2008), "The Brass Ring: A Multibillionaire's Relentless Quest for Global Influence", The New Yorker, archived from the original on 23 July 2014, ...Adelson referred to another Iranian dissident at the conference, Amir Abbas Fakhravar, whom he said he would like to support, saying, "I like Fakhravar because he says that, if we attack, the Iranian people will be ecstatic."
  36. ^ Yitzhak Benhorin (January 20, 2007). "Iranian student leader: Ayatollahs will run if Iran attacked". Ynet. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  37. ^ a b c "Media Matters", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, vol. 2, no. 44, 15 November 2002, retrieved 25 April 2020
  38. ^ a b al-Husseini, Hoda (22 January 2018). "Opposition Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Iranian Regime Is a Soviet Product". Asharq Al-Awsat. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  39. ^ a b Rozen, Laura (November–December 2006), "Introducing the talented Mr. Fakhravar: Has Washington Found its Iranian Chalabi?", Mother Jones, ISSN 0362-8841, OCLC 2379341
  40. ^ Fakhravar, Amir; Lombroso, Alessia (2024-01-04). The Spirit of the Constitutional Law (1st ed.). Kendall Hunt Publishing Company. ISBN 9798765784044.
  41. ^ Fakhravar, Amir; Lombroso, Alessia (2024-01-04). The Spirit of the Constitutional Law (1st ed.). Kendall Hunt Publishing Company. ISBN 9798765784082.
  42. ^ "Amir Abbas FAKHRAVAR". English Pen. March 1, 2004. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  43. ^ "Day Of The Imprisoned Writer". International Pen Writer In Prison Committee. November 15, 2004. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012.
  44. ^ Richard Perle (January 2004). "The Case For War: In Defense Of Freedom". Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  45. ^ Carla Garapedian (January 2004). "Forbidden Iran". Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  46. ^ Jane Kokan (January 2004). "Forbidden Iran Transcript". Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
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