Trial in Teheran
SIR,--In his own clumsy way what Mr. Shirzad (or is it Mr. Raw, his American public relations man?) is trying to say is similar to what the prosecutor expressed in court: both try to brand as Communists and traitors any of the Iranian students and graduates who endeavour to open the eyes of the public abroad to the injustices taking place in Iran. The prosecutor has said very clearly that the aim of this military trial is to warn 'high school and university students' what 'fate shall await them . . . if they choose the wrong path.' Two death sentences and a score of life and long-term imprisonments now meted out by the military court obviously are designed to substantiate this warning.
In their efforts to frighten the students, the Iranian authorities have demonstrably failed: students and graduates have never been so active as since the arrest of their friends—demonstrations, ex- pressions of solidarity and hunger-strikes in the US, Germany. Austria, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and England have taken place widely. On our side, we have carefully and methodically translated and published everything that has appeared in the Iranian press concerning the case of our friends, including the prosecution's indictment, extracts of the proceedings and defences of the accused as published in Teheran dailies and we have regularly distributed these translations to all agencies and newspapers in London and abroad.
It is revealing indeed to note that in the face of this concerted action on the part of students and graduates, Mr. Shirzad's only answer is repetitous slander (viz. 'vicious propaganda,' vile attacks,' 'spewed out by a clique of conspirators .
Slandering the British press, Quoodle of the Spec- tator and Iranian students is clearly no answer..
Mr. Shirzad's hypocritical complaint regarding Quoodle's complaint on the merits of a case which is sub judice seems to have been inspired by his American adviser in the Iranian Embassy. as cer- tainly no Persian worthy of his allegiance to the present regime would care about such technicalities considering the fact that throughout the time when the case of the accused was sub judice, government spokesmen, security and military authorities as well as the radio, censored press and Persian members of parliament variously presented the accused as 'vile murderers' and 'convicted traitors.'
We, therefore, challenge Mr. Shirzad, his Ameri- can adviser in the Iran Embassy and whoever he may select to help him in his difficult task to come forward and take part in a public debate to face Iranian students at a place of his choosing (outside Iran, of course, for obvious reasons!) and a time of his convenience. It would then be possible to discuss the views of both sides and compare the validity of our 'allegations' and their 'facts' con- cerning the case of arrest, detention, trial and sen- tences of our friends in Teheran.
For obvious reasons. I must ask you to keep my name and address confidential. (The committee itself is official.)
Secretary, The Iranian Committee in London for the Defence of Political Prisoners in Iran.
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