PERSIA بلاد فارس (in 2020)
Iran is undeniably a country rich in history and is a unique experience that stems far beyond its exotic deserts. Originally known as Persia, Iran dates back to 550BC and consists mainly of mountainous terrain, also controlling about a dozen islands in the Persian Gulf.
It is common to hear warnings about visiting Iran, with warnings including to not give the “thumbs up” to locals and for women to cover their hair at all times. Although it is probably too sweaty in Iran to display public affection anyway, this is also considered taboo and even a simple photo can attract the attention of authorities. This article is a little different to my favourite Iranians on the Shahs of Sunset (I just binged all seasons), and focuses on the Australians detained on suspicions of spying.
Setting aside the political drama with the United States and the most recent accusations made by Saudi Arabia that they had dismantled an Iranian trained terrorist cell, the ongoing fight to have Australian Melbourne University lecturer Kylie Moore-Gilbert released from jail continues.
In August, it was reported that she had been transported to notorious desert prison Qarchak after being detained in Iran since September 2018. Dr Moore-Gilbert has spent the past two years sleeping on the floor of a prison cell in Tehran after being arrested at the airport while returning home from a conference with her Australian passport. Her alleged crime? She was acting as a spy which has been fiercely denied. In a smuggled letter from January she wrote, “I am not a spy and have no interest in becoming a spy”, as she is also denied calls to her family.
It is believed that she has endured dire circumstances in solitary confinement, engaging in hunger strikes and being beaten for attempting to communicate with fellow prisoners. Although she has received visits from the Australian Ambassador Lyndall Sachs, she continues to seek freedom from the Australian government after strongly denying the allegations put to her.
Her case is similar to many others:
- Swedish national Ahmadreza Djalali was sentenced to death in 2017 after refusing to become a spy whilst on a business trip for his work in emergency medicine
- British Council employee Aras Amiri was arrested after visiting her grandmother in Tehran in 2018, and has remained incarcerated on charges of espionage
- British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe sentenced to five years for vague security charges, although widely believed it is for her work as an independent journalist
- Wildlife conservationist Morad Tahbaz accused of collecting classified information and detained on charges of “corruption on earth”.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne acknowledges that while attempts are being made to free Australians (which also include travel bloggers Jolie King and Mark Firkin who were detained for flying a drone in Iran), they are also making efforts to ensure that they are treated humanely, fairly and in custom to international norms.
Although undeniably being one of the coolest jobs, travel blogging also comes with a high degree of risk. After the bloggers were found to be filming content using a drone near a military instalment, they therefore breached an Iranian law despite having a permit to film. Since being detained in 2017, they have returned to Australia in an apparent prisoner-swap with the United States.
In a strange way to celebrate the Iranian New Year in March, 10 000 prisoners were pardoned but unfortunately this did not include those stuck abroad. From the ongoing protests against the Iranian regime, those that speak out such as Hedayat Abdollahpour have been executed by firing squad. Campaigns for independent investigations continue to gather momentum worldwide, but due to the simmering military tensions with nations such as the United States, it remains a delicate operation.
It is difficult to predict the rollercoaster of relations between Australia and Iran but for now, we are trapped within our own borders anyway. From the above, it poses the question of whether Iran’s emphasis on security makes it incredibly safe to travel to, or whether it simply restricts your freedoms. For now I’ll remain in lockdown on my couch…dreaming of New York.