September 25, 2010

This week, thousands of Iranians showed up in New York, from around the U.S. and indeed the world to protest Ahmadinejad’s appearance at the General Assembly this week.

As usual however, the international media totally missed this specific story, though Voice of America (VOA) Persian section produced this exceptional video report. As you will see in the below video, 2;42 minutes into the video you see Iranian activists cornering Ahmadinejad’s pet deputy, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashei who is indeed one of the most controversial and reviled characters inside the Iranian regime even, dares to show up among Iranian protesters.

The human rights activists question him, demanding explanations regarding the various issues for which the Iranian regime must be held accountable. The following is a translation of that conversation:

The lady in the black shirt says: “Inside Iran all of our most esteemed journalists are being tortured…”

Rahim-Mashaei brazenly responds: “VOA…what does it mean?”

The voice over then says: “The Voice of America’s reporters however were attacked by him.”

Then you see him covering the VOA camera lens.

Then the woman in the lavender colored shirt ask him: “What do you have to say for yourself about the case of Sakineh Mohmmadi-Ashtiani? Mr. Ahmadinejad claims that the sentencing was not even passed on her case.”

(click here and scroll down in the page to see explanation and copy of the document of her sentencing passed by the Iranian judiciary)

Rahim-Mashei snickering: “It was not at all passed!”

Woman in lavender shirt: “The judiciary passed the sentence! Then what is the judiciary saying that for now, the sentence is voided.”

Rahim-Mashei: “Who says? Voided? The case has not even been processed!”

Then human rights activist Naghmeh Mosaed in the green shirt says: “She was supposed to be executed!”

Rahim-Mashaei: “No such thing!”

Woman in the lavender shirt: “So okay, she won’t be stoned to death then.”

Then the man in the black and white stripped t-shirt says: “Yeah right, if it wasn’t for the international pressure, that it was stopped…and you lot aren’t scared of our people…”

Rahim-Mashei to the man: “If the international committee had any real care, they’d stop the nonsense about the nuclear issue and not concentrate on this Sakineh..”