My story online Freedom (by anonymous)

When I was first invited by my “to-be-adopted-brother” to come to Iran and visit him and his family there, I had mixed-up thoughts about it.

Finally, I decided to go there and visit him. My parents and a friend had visited him before. I also wanted to get to know him and his country. So I went there and was very happy about a very very warm welcome from everybody in his family. I discovered a lot about him and his family and travelled thousands of kilometers within Iran. I had been to the tomb of Cyrus the Great (or Kyrus) and also to the grave of other great Kings (Xerxes I and II) and I was reminded about history in the Holy Scriptures.

 

In my talks and discussions with good friends and friends of his, I discovered that the big majority of the people I had met was not according to the media image created in Germany or elsewhere in the Western world. Most of them were very liberal in private, but according to the strict religious codex in the streets. I have discovered very open-minded people with a great love for culture, getting together and meeting each other.

 

I was very warmly welcomed and not with fear. People were very interested in meeting me and discussing life and also politics. We had much fun and travelled a lot! I was astonished when I learned about most people’s thoughts about the Mullah regime and the current leaders. In my view, most of the people I had met, regretted having such a strict and “moral” leader. They regretted the fact that their freedom in public was taken away by the government. My “brother” told me that people used to live freely and without restrictions during the time of former president Chatami. And, above all, during the time of the Shah.

 

They were asking me about my view of Iran and of the possible war with Israel. I discovered that they were (very) concerned about this topic and feared possible war.

 

To sum up, I don’t believe that anybody I had met would want going to war with Israel or anybody else. People were worried about the cost of life and market prices. They hated their regime for letting explode the market prices.

 

All this happened before the “Green Revolution” in 2009. Prices and the cost of life have increased dramatically since then, even before the Western sanctions. It was at the time when foreign Persian SAT TV stations reported about student gatherings and brutal clashes with the security forces at the universities in Tehran.

 

Iranians do worry about the cost of living, about staying alive and feeding their families. They do worry about possible war. Now more than ever. But they also have pride and a patriotic national sense. So please do not drive them into the hands of some fanatics.

 

Love can make the difference!

 

Peace – Frieden – Shalom – سلام صلح

 

P.S.

Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to visit Israel til now, but I want to and will do it.