Tyranny in Iran

I was delighted to see Pahlavi’s column. In a free and democratic society, there has to be a separation of church and state. Indeed, the current rulers of Iran promised just that before they took over. The whole concept of an “Islamic republic” is contrary to this ideal. As long as the mullahs run the country, they cannot afford to let any other faction oppose them as their existence depends on the rule of the mosque. They deal with demonstrations in a swift and brutal fashion.

The Iranian propaganda machine has been successful in portraying the current rulers as moderates. Let me cite a few recent examples of not-so-covert policies of the Rafsanjani government: assassination of opposition leaders aboard; actively supporting fundamentalism in the former Soviet republics in hope of creating more Islamic republics; printing and distributing counterfeit money to undermine the economy of the “Great Satan.” If these actions are the work of moderates, God spare us from hard-liners!

SHAHRIAR JAHANDOUST

Tujunga