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Criticism and Call for Transparency: Iranian Americans’ Response to Nature’s Recent Article on Islamic Republic’s President Masoud Pezeshkian
Iranian Americans for Liberty
Washington, DC
USA
iranianamericansforliberty.org
July 12, 2024
Editor, Nature
Nature Publishing Group
4 Crinan Street
London N1 9XW
United Kingdom

Dear Editor,
We are writing to express deep concern regarding your recent article titled "Iran elects heart surgeon as president: scientists are hopeful.", dated July 9th, 2024, authored by Michele Catanzaro. While the article paints Masoud Pezeshkian as a potential reformist and advocate for science, it fails to acknowledge critical aspects of his background and the context of his election.
Masoud Pezeshkian's election as president of Iran occurred in a political environment widely recognized for its lack of democratic integrity. The article overlooks the fact that only candidates approved by the regime's Guardian Council, which is controlled by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, are allowed to run, rendering the election process far from free and fair.
Furthermore, Pezeshkian has a documented history of supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an entity designated as a terrorist organization by several governments including the United States, Canada, Israel, and Sweden, to name a few. His actions and statements, including defending the IRGC's violent suppression of protests and restricting academic freedoms during his tenure, contradict the portrayal of him as a progressive reformer.
It is deeply troubling that Nature, a respected scientific journal, presents Pezeshkian and his election in a manner that could mislead readers about the nature of his regime and its impact on science and human rights. Such misrepresentation risks whitewashing the realities faced by scientists and academics in Iran, who continue to struggle under repressive conditions.
History offers a cautionary tale in cases like this. Similar to how Trofim Lysenko's pseudoscientific theories were promoted in the Soviet Union despite their detrimental effects on agriculture and scientific progress, misleading portrayals of political figures like Pezeshkian can obscure the true nature of their actions and policies.
In the interest of accuracy and responsible journalism and given these concerns, we urge Nature to retract the article and provide an opportunity for a response that reflects the full spectrum of perspectives on Masoud Pezeshkian's role in the Islamic Republic. This would ensure a more accurate portrayal of the complexities surrounding his history and the implications for science, human rights, and politics in Iran.
Thank you for considering this important matter.
Sincerely,
Iranian Americans for Liberty
President: Daniel Jafari