The director of United for Iran, a human rights organization, and co-author of the best-selling graphic novel, Zahra’s Paradise, have launched a virtual presidential campaign to draw attention to the lack of democratic processes and viable candidates in this year’s carefully engineered elections in Iran.
The presidential nominee, Zahra is the heroine of the graphic novel, Zahra’s Paradise. Her nineteen-year-old son, Mehdi, disappeared after participating in demonstrations against Iran’s 2009 election results. Zahra is a fictional character but her platform is real as she is calls for a fair and open election, abolishment of the death penalty, gender, ethnic and religious equality, and freedom of expression.
How did this campaign start? What were the organizers hoping to accomplish through this virtual campaign? Malihe Razazan put these questions to Amir Soltani, co-author of Zahra’s Paradise and Firuzeh Mahmoudi, director of United4Iran.
To learn more about the “Zahra for President” Campaign, visit vote4Zahra.org.
And award-winning journalist Max Blumenthal talks to Vomena about right-wing groups that are working to promote their Zionist agenda through large donations to American Islamophobic organizations.