Evidence of a Totalitarian Iran

Re “A Not So Totalitarian Iran,” Commentary, June 15: I was wondering how Christopher de Bellaigue could dare to state, “Clearly, Iran is no totalitarian regime,” when the Iranian Ministry of Justice has the authority to close down nearly 100 reformist newspapers in the last five years and imprison journalists and editors on the charges of “undermining national security,” “insulting regime officials” or “anti-government propaganda,” and the Iranian judiciary has no obligation to conduct open trials.

Then I’m reminded that he lives in Tehran -- he couldn’t dare to say otherwise in print.

Troy Zimmermann

Playa del Rey