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Speaking Up for a Free Iran

By Philip Klein on 6.19.09 @ 6:40AM

Over on the main site, I have an article up based on an interview I conducted with former Iranian political prisoner Amir Fakhravar, in which he argues passionately in favor of President Obama publicly supporting those Iranians struggling for freedom and democracy. Fakhravar also pushes back against the idea that any U.S. support for Iranian protesters would backfire by making it easier for the Islamic regime to portray the demonstrators as tools of America. Elsewhere, noted Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji talks to Spencer Ackerman. In contrast to Fakhravar, Ganji doesn't want Obama to meddle for the most part, but he does say that, Obama "cannot stay silent on human rights issues.” Meanwhile, today the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill introduced by Democratic Rep. Howard Berman and Republican Mike Pence in support of Iranian freedom fighters.