The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Editorials

October 6, 2010

Our View: Iran shameless during hiker drama

The Free Press

— The world can assume that eventually the two American hikers still detained in Iran will join the other, Sarah Shourd, among the ranks of the free. When that happens, we should not forget what has taken place, nor should we credit the government of Iran with any measure of honor in the process. The Iranians have behaved dismally and dishonorably throughout the whole episode — an episode that has been prolonged for more than a year.

Shourd spent 14 months confined in a Tehran prison where her fiance, Shane Bauer of Minnesota, and friend John Fattal, still remain. Hikers exploring near a popular tourist site near the Kurdistan region in July 2009, they strayed into Iran and were accused of spying. The charges were clearly groundless, yet Iran has used these innocent people to engage in shameless grandstanding in full view of the world. Even before Shourd was released, Iranians pulled back a promise to release her on humanitarian grounds (due to serious health issues), then finally did so only after accepting $500,000 in bail money (extortion money, in truth). Tehran continues to play games with the other two hostages, which is what they are, and president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad smiles all the way, pretending to the world what a humanitarian he is.

The world knows better. Upon her return to the U.S., Shourd muted the reality of her distress to protect hope of her friends’ release. She met with Ahmadinejad, in fact, even thanking him for the opportunity. “I have no animosity towards him or the government,” she said later. “I want it to be resolved. I want it to be finished.”

But if the world isn’t angry with Iran, then something’s dreadfully wrong with the world. And the world should remember what kind of regime deals in these kinds of acts.

 

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