The new generation of Iran – especially its young women – are in charge in what increasingly appears to be a full-scale revolt against the strictures of the Islamic revolution. 43 years after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s return to Tehran, women in Iran are fighting to reclaim their freedom, their rights, and most importantly, their futures.

With millions throughout the world calling for urgent change however, Iran’s movement is proving unique – it is not an upheaval simply involving women, but an an upheaval about all Iranians.

Despite the dangers of arrest and death, Iranian young girls and boys have united in imaginative ways, leveraging social media to make their voices heard and rallying more support to their cause. Despite the regime’s best – and it needs to be said – most brutal attempts to quell such activism, Iran is catching fire.

Under the slogan and hashtag #WomanLifeFreedom, Iran is reinventing itself free away from not just the diktat of the mullahs, but even official Islam and Shi’ism. The slogan is all about constitutional rights and appears to eschew any type of support for any ideology or religion.

Unspoken for over four decades, the people of Iran, especially women, are now reclaiming their voice. Is it time we lent them an ear?

The Henry Jackson Society is delighted to welcome you to a panel discussion to focus on most recent political events in the Republic of Iran and what they might portend.

Amir Abbas Fakhravar, (Siavash) is an Iranian jailed dissident, award winning writer, and the recipient of the prestigious Annie Taylor Award. He is the founder of National Iranian Congress and President of the Iranian Freedom Institute in Washington, D.C. Currently, he is an adjunct faculty at the Texas State University who teaches Comparative Constitutional Law, Political Crimes and International Crimes. Fakhravar spent over five years in jail and suffered brutal torture in jail in Iran. His treatments in the Islamic Republic jails have been described as first known example of “white torture” in Iran by Amnesty International. According to Amnesty International, the cells had no windows, and everything was entirely coloured creamy white. The meal was white rice on a white paper plate. If he wanted to use the toilet, he had to put a white slip of paper under the door of the cell to alert guards who reportedly had footwear designed to muffle any sound. Amir Fakhravar has testified before the Senate Homeland Security committee and the House Foreign Affairs on U.S-Iran relation, Foreign Policy, U.S. government broadcasting and Iran’s Nuclear issues. Fakhravar among his CIS team briefed parliament members at the European Parliament and Parliament of Finland, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Parliament of Israel, Parliament of Germany, and Parliament of Canada. He has been a foreign affairs and Iran expert at FOX News, Alhurra, CNN, CBN, VOA, Radio Farda and CBS.

IPT Senior Fellow Potkin Azarmehr is a London-based investigative journalist, business intelligence analyst, and TV documentary maker who was born in Iran. He regularly contributes to several newspapers and television stations on Iran and Middle East related news.

Catherine Perez-Shakdam is a French Jewish political analyst and commentator for the Middle East. A former consultant for the United Nations Security Council on Yemen’s War Economy; her research was instrumental in better understanding Yemen’s political landscape and actors’ financial interests.

Her writing and commentaries on the Middle East have graced the cover of countless publications, including the Huffington Post, BBC Arabic, BBC Persia, Voices of America, and the Times of Israel.

In 2017 Catherine was the only Western media personality to have been granted an interview with now-President Ibrahim Raisi.

Her ability to move close to Iran’s Leadership and have access to key information as to the regime’s propagandist structure bought her the ire of Tehran and allegations that she had operated in Iran at the behest of foreign powers.

Once a close friend to Nader Talebzadeh, Catherine had a front row seat to the inner-workings of the Islamic Republic.

Born in Liverpool where he grew up and was educated, Lord Polak began his career working for the Board of Deputies of British Jews in 1984 as Education Director.

Lord Polak was appointed as the second Director of Conservative Friends of Israel in 1989, a position which he held until 2015 when he was made honorary president. During this period he was responsible for organising over 150 delegations taking parliamentarians and parliamentary candidates to visit Israel so they could see first-hand the facts on the ground and understand the complexities of the situation.

In 2015, he was awarded a CBE for political services and was subsequently elevated to the House of Lords. Since his elevation, Lord Polak sat on the EU Justice Sub-Committee until 2021 and the European Union Committee until 2019. He currently sits on the Adult Social Care Committee. He has also continuously raised issues regarding Israel, the proscription of Hezbollah and Hamas and the destabilising activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Lord Polak founded the UK Abraham Accords Group and initiated the European Friends of Israel. He is a senior advisor at Marsh Insurance Broker and is a member of APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council.

***

EVENT SUMMARY

The Henry Jackson Society was pleased to be part of the discussion in Parliament on the threat of the Iranian regime and the current revolution against it. Lord Polak began by introducing the speakers. Amir Abbas Fakhravar then outlined the solitary confinement and torture he endured by the IRGC and the current violence Iranians are suffering, whilst highlighting the importance of the money Iran gains from its oil exports and the subsequent inability to control the regime due to this money supporting terrorist groups. He explained the importance of putting the IRGC on the terrorist list and Iranian influence worldwide, whilst referencing a KGB University Iranians are trained in and emphasising that the media must show clear opposition to the Iranian regime. Catherine Perez-Shakdam then continued the discussion by stating that the West must react to the oppression, violence and systematic rape occurring, whilst highlighting the courage of Iranians themselves and warning of the regime sending disinformation. She continued by explaining that the regime will never reform and that it cannot be appeased, warning that if Israel falls, the West will be next. Catherine Perez-Shakdam proceeded by exemplifying Iranian threats in Britain itself, including the targeting of British nationals and Britain’s weak response to this. Finally, the speakers answered questions on any potential hijacking after success in the revolution, Sunak’s actions, and leadership in the revolution.

#HJSEvents