Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
I consider my self a friend of Israel, and views the country as the only democracy in the Middle East. In Sweden, where I live in exile, I have over and over supported the Israeli cause and Israel´s right to exist. As an Iranian political activist, I have also in different media condemned the Islamic Regime´s support for terrorism against, among others, the state of Israel.
The fact is that the majority of the Iranian people consider themselves a friend of Israel. It is therefore of high importance to clearly separate the Iranian people from the Islamic regime which is not only a threat to the global peace, but also a threat to Iran and her people.
This short message to you Mr. Prime Minister is highly vital since your country´s policies in the recent years has contribute that many Iranians who consider themselves a friend of Israel, have turned that country their back, and now views Israel with skepticism.
In your speech at the UN General Assembly yesterday, in Persian, you stated to the people of Iran:
Shomaah doosteh mah hasteed [You are our friends].
Imagine the outrage among Iranians when hearing this, and I am not talking about the Islamic Regime and their war against peace and solidarity. I am talking about ordinary Iranians and not least the Iranian opposition wanting to overthrow the Islamic Regime. It is a shame that the policies of Israel have contributed the Iranian opposition to view Israel with skepticism.
Dear Mr. Prime Minister, you can not on one side consider yourself a friend of Iran and her people, and on another side implement policies to support separatism in Iran with the goal of destroying Iran [1-4].
I would like to encourage Israeli policymakers to change their views in relation to separatism in the Middle East and especially Iran. It would be heart breaking for both sides, Iran and Israel, if current friends of Israel among Iranians and the Iranian opposition, would cease to view Israel as a friend.
Best Wishes,
Ardavan Khoshnood
[1] The Jordan Times (19 Sep. 2017)
[2] Haaretz (13 Sep. 2017)
[3] The New Yorker (28 June 2004)