Another response to Friedman

Interesting how, of the number of letters they must have received in response to the mentally deranged and morally imbecilic Friedman, they choose to publish only that of Shahbanoo Farah Pahlavi, the implication being that the Shah of Iran’s only remaining defender is his wife. But don’t worry. In a few hours one of our dime-a-dozen TAHLILGARS (“analysts”) will interpret the acknowledgment of the letter as a “second thoughts” on the part of these “liberal” revisionists of history. As a British novelist once put it through one of his characters, they can even rewrite yesterday's weather.


International Herald Tribune
FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2006

Iran under the shah

Thomas Friedman's article, "A shah in a turban" (Views, Dec. 24), poignantly illustrated the rift between Iran's clerical dictatorship and the country's population, especially the youth. However, an inappropriate headline and cartoon by Kal undermined what was informative and valuable in his article.

The implication that the shah's reign bears any resemblance to the present regime is inaccurate. Under the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iranians enjoyed incomparably better lives than what they have to endure today; moreover, the prospect for a stable Middle East appeared promising.

Jews and other religious minorities thrived and prospered under the shah, who promoted religious freedom and tolerance. During World War II, Iran assisted many Jews fleeing the Nazis by issuing them Iranian travel documents, a policy that was continued for Middle Eastern Jews expelled from their respective countries.

Farah Pahlavi, New York