And while it makes a great headline that the Islamic Republic of Iran reached out to France on this terrible occasion, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s message of support was empty. Not only because Iran is still designated as the top state-sponsor of international terrorism, but also because Iranian journalists were barred from shows of support to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack.
The terror attack this week in Paris is yet another chilling reminder that evil exists. When masked gunmen burst into an office of unarmed cartoonists and their colleagues, and shouted “Allahu Akbar” while unloading hundreds of bullets from an automatic firearm, and killing 10-- that was evil. When the terrorists continued down the street and essentially executed wounded 2 police officers—that was evil.
As news broke, support immediately started to pour in for the family and friends of the murdered and surviving employees of Charlie Hebdo. This attack on freedom of speech, press and opinion was not going to shake the will of journalists, activists and Westerners around the world. Leaders of numerous countries chimed in to send condolences and messages of support to France, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.
And while it makes a great headline that the Islamic Republic of Iran reached out to France on this terrible occasion, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s message of support was empty. Not only because Iran is still designated as the top state-sponsor of international terrorism, but also because Iranian journalists were barred from shows of support to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack.
According to Radio Farda, after the January 7th attack, Iranian Journalists planned a peaceful demonstration to show their solidarity with the victims by gathering in front of the building that served as the office for the Association of Iranian Journalists, until it was raided and shutdown in 2009 by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. With a visibly heavy police and security force present in front of, and around the said building, journalists and others effectively barred from the right to gather, grieve and support colleagues in Paris at that location, as they had planned.
The Radio Farda article says, “A journalist, who did not want to be identified by name told RFE/RL that journalists had planned to put flowers and light candles in front of the association’s building as a sign of respect for the staff members of Charlie Hebdo who were killed in the January 7 attack. But the journalist said they were forced to leave without placing the flowers they had carried after an hour of trying to bargain with the police.”
Another anonymous journalist is quoted as saying, “We just wanted to express our disgust regarding the terrorist attack.”
Iran is a country with no Freedom of Press—where Regime officials execute journalists and bloggers they disagree with or find offensive, but have the audacity to send condolences for their ridiculous international propaganda agenda. All this, with no intention of upholding Freedom of Press in Iran, no intention of stopping their brutal public execution policy, no intention of renouncing and stopping their support for international terror, and no intention of allowing Iranians to publically honor those killed by Islamic Terror in France.
Just another reminder to never be fooled by the Islamic Regime in Iran’s words—they are always empty, and only meant to benefit themselves. Propaganda is their number one skill.