Akbar Ganji on VOA: Freedom isn't free

The most famous Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji who endured a six year jail sentence and months of hunger strike is now out of Iran and travelling around the world to gather support for the Iranian people to have peace, greater freedoms and democracy.

He was on Voice of America's Persian service on Sunday and talked about variety of issues concerning the Iranian people and world community.

Ganji said that freedom doesn't come free of charge and that he's willing to go back to pay that price for freedom and democracy. Mr. Ganji also mentioned that " country's salvation will come only through democracy " but I guess one of the most important things he mentioned in that interview was his criticism of the Eurowhinnie governments

Ganji criticized European governments for placing their commercial interests in Iran ahead of human rights abuses. "If we receive greater moral support inside Iran from the West, it could help us tremendously. . . . Europe, which is the cradle of civilization, now turns a blind eye when the government of Iran tramples on human rights."

That's why people of Iran do not trust the European governments since they are playing cat and mouse with the mullahs and as long as they have commercial benefits in Iran, they won't drop their stupid support for the mullahs and there won't be a regime change either.

I wonder why Europeans have always acted like this. Just take a look back at Iraq when Germany and France resisted the invasion of Iraq due to their investments and commercial links with the baathist regime of Saddam Hussein.

One thing made me sorry though about his interview was that he advocated the direct Iran-US talks which is not in the interest of the people of Iran. There shouldn't be any talks between the US and the Iranian governments and if US does that, then there will be no differences between Eurowhinnies and Americans then.

By the way, Mr. Ganji will be going to the States to deliver speeches there as well.