I live in a town with a large Iranian Jewish community, and it is, indeed, predominently very wealthy. Therefore, I have no problem believing that those Iranian Jews who remained in Iran are quite wealthy as well. Moreover, although some Jewish Iranian ex-patriots have noted that the Iranian government tried to delay their attempt to obtain exit visas, I believe that Iranian Jews are, indeed, free to leave the country- just as most foreigners, including Iranian-Americans and even Iranian-Israelis in recent years, are free to visit.

the person you accuse in your talkback may not know how jews live in iran today and in the past, but i, as an escaped iranian jew to america know only too well. my escape speaks volumes about the jews' situation in iran in the past and always. we are not far from the bahaii's prosecutions. we were and are always second in line. the testament of so many jews fleeing iran in the past is a testament. iran doesn't allow the jews to emigrate to the usa and israel. they stoped this a very long time ago. i escaped in the 90's and am free at last. my family was never allowed to go abroad together. they always said memebers of the family like parents must stay in the country to make sure we don't escape together. if any jew travels for visit to the usa, their brothers or parents must remain in iran and are not given visa to travel. for you to say that jewish people stay there because they want to is rediculous and so untrue. this is not the reality. every year, they close another hibrew school and force the jewish teachers and principals to "retire" and put islamist and muslim educators there. they insist on the school tp open on shabat, our holliest day against the jewish religion. we do not have an independent community paper and news at all. it is forbidden. i finally got my phd in engineering from university of illinois and i can make you sure that jews are not allowed this free education in iran. there are quatas on how many enter the university, which is minimal. most of the jewish community members that are important are always watched by the police and revolutionary guards to "put them in their place" and the person who represents jews in the parliament is basically forced to be the mouth peace of the regime. most jewish people in iran and especially in tehran are respressed always. amadinejad and his police forced this jewish community member to write this letter and use him for propaganda for the regime. do not fool yourself to believe that this letter was written independent from harrassment by a jewish man. you are a fool and liar to say this. i know. i lived there and i know how this things happen.

yes, written by the iranian government and the jew made to sign at gun point or threats. or, they don't need to threaten because this jew already knew what will be the consequesnces if he doesn't sign. or, the letter went out immediatelly after the insult ahmadinejad got in the usa and sent to the press with a bogus jewish signature.

And do not forget the horrors planned against the Jewish people in those days... and in today's persia.

In the Soviet Union they, too, had their "representatives" of Jewish "community" proclaiming the joy of living in the USSR, all the while millions of Jews were escaping by every means possible. In fact, I suspect that Morris Motaned has had a similar path of ascent to become the "Jewish" delegate and spokesman, as his Soviet counterparts: by being a loyal poodle at the expense of his fellow Jews.

The educational institutions here, as well as the government and the media are totally under the influence of Zionists. So the predominant mentality is that of a predator and warmonger. Only a sick host would invite someone to his country to speak, and then insult the person when he arrives.

But all the life is mainly survival. They live in a foreign country so they respect the current government. Jews have done so for thousands of years and lots of countries. It is even written in Torah (i think). I see no reason for Iranian Jews en masse to disagree with current gov't. It seems Ahmadinejad is doing pretty well in internal affairs in his country as he can freely foray abroad for a bit of political eye-poking.

I think a person should look at this himself in order to make any statements regarding Jews in Iran. This whole discussion here is not based on facts. Once I heard that Iranian Jews were offered 60000 Euros each, if they immigrate to Israel and they refused the offer saying that they have a good life in Iran and don´t want to leave. I also read some stories from Iranian Jews who immigrated to Israel and they said that the Iranians were no antisemites like many of the Arabs. They had a lot of friends in Iran and even miss them. yeah, one should look at all of this himself..

How sick, how insane of them to remain there until this day. They are Jew now in name only and would betray Israel has quickly as Olmert,Sharon,Peres,Barak, Livni and Netanyahu have.. The Jews of Iran are a good example of what Israel is becoming. Fearful ,faithless appeasers who bow to their enemies and surrender instead of boldly standing and resisting evil.

if they didn't says that they would be dead. why are we publishing coerced statements?

..give this extremely unpleasant fellow a platform.

Saul is absolutely right. Just like in the Soviet Union, there were "representatives" of the Soviet Jews, people who were either KGB agents or were forced to make stupid statements along the ones this Iranian Jewish leader makes. I met several Persian Jews who got away from Iran - they all said that Ahmadinejad is a total nutcase and Jewish community there is terrified of a nut who talks of prophecies and claims to be talked to by divine force.

The Mullahs find easyly a poor jew to congratulate them... But no muslim to blame them . Demonstration of the Ayatollesk democraty and respectful attitude over the Jews...Prisoners of Tzion.

Hmm...' you said: Nobody who lives in the US or Isreal can view this topic neutrally'? Aren't stereotypes and judgements like these of the same root and therefore biased? I live in the USA but you aren't my thought judge!!!

As a Persian Jew I can hardly believe that the Jewish community in Iran chose freely to put this statement out to the public...the Jews in Iran are not safe there are more and more are leaving via Austria. The IRNA was most likely threatened or used this comment as the article states, "a means of survival." Ahmadinejad was not disrespected in any way, for this man does not even deserve any respect. I applaud President Lee Bollinger's statement, it could not have been said better, and am truly disappointed and disgusted at those students in the audience who clapped at anything Ahmanidejad had to say.

ABSOLUTELY YOU ARE RIGHT! THIS WHAT IS GOING ON AND HAPPEN TO THE PALESTINIANS, BY THE JEWS IN WHAT YOU CALL IT ISRAEL ??? THE JEWS ARMY JAIL THE PARENTS , SPOUSE , SISTERS/BROTHERS , CHILDREN ARE AT STAKE AND IN JAIL, HOW LIKELY WOULD YOU BE IN PEACE WITH JEWS INSIDE WHAT YOU CALL IT ISRAEL ????

My family had a lot of friends in Germany and missed them when, fortunately, they left. And they were very reluctant to leave, even by 1938. Iran is not Nazi Germany. That doesn't mean that Jews are not in the "Dhimmi" underclasss and need to behave in order to avoid governmental or muslim violence or oppression. What do you think would happen to the Jewish remnant there if they stood up and said, yes, we agree with Bollinger? That would be the true test of whether Iran remains a wonderful place for the Jews.

Then they could keep this New Hitler off the stage. I tell you, this man is saying things that make the jews look rediculous. How is the American government going to keep their uninformed masses stupid if these New Hitlers keep getting a voice? We have to get Abe Foxman to lobby better for those new American "hate speech" laws. Oy Vey let me get out the checkbook!

Say whatever you will about him, this president has more b---s than any and all of the leaders in the eastern world or in Turkey. If you actually listen to hims speak, then you would know that the majority of what Bush says is intelligent and makes sense (despite what the creators of the Bushisms calendar might publish). He was brave and smart to go into eastern territory, striking at and taking down one of the most vile dictators in our time. The pathetic truth of the matter is that this man is what makes your news each and every day. People such as Mahmoud Ahmadenijad and Saeb Erekat, in such flowery prose, condemn each and every feature of American and Israeli culture without having any real conception of what they are all about. But behind all the sophistication and air of superiority lies a very impoverished and bilious view of humanity and other cultures. It is people like that who express outraged disbelief at people who "dare" to "insult" Islam by drawing a picture of Muhammad, or who simply cant comprehend that Palestinians have it WAAAAY better in Israel than they do in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. But as the Arab saying goes: "if you pound water, it will remain water"

I have 2 clients who are Jews, from Iran, who got out by the skin of their teeth. Jews are not allowed to leave the country. Many Jews, such as my clients take Armenian names so they are not taken from their homes in the middle of the night by the police and never seen again. Jews, as well as other religious minorities, are constantly being harrassed, and beaten by the Iranian police. They are often jailed and totured- just for being Jews. That country is a hell hole of Islamic intolerance, violence and hatred. Ahmadinejad is a violent psychotic, filled with rage.

The way the AMericans treated the Iranian President. ESPECIALLY the JEWISH AMERICANs with their militant PRO ISRAEL AGENDA. MORE and MOre Americans are waking up to the fact Israel IS NOT GOOD for the USA and Israel is a BURDEN to the USA in EVERY WAY. USA is sick of it. Zionism is looking very ugly.

We need to push for freedom for the Iranian Jews as we did for the Soviet Jews. They are in trouble.

ahmadinejad doing well in his country???? do you not read newspapers? are you nort informed of a collapsing economy of a bankrupt economy? of the hate the iranian youth feel for this person? of the dissidence in the country? of people incarcerated for expressing dissent? where have you been for the past two years? you are not only uninformed, but your comment is rediculously naive.

Your abusive words,unfortunately,do no good at all.If you read the American Press the Colombian University President has made a sory figure of himself.I have a feeling,your reaction and an abusive talk-back is based on what you learnt of a sorry state of affair for the colombian University Presiden rather than President Ahmednejad.Sorry pal.

Easy to write in the talk-back,fellow,but the reality is exactly the opposite of what you have written.It is most unfortunate that you are symopathising with fellow Jews who dont need your sympathies.Many would be laughing at your talk-back.Preserve it for usage somewhere else,JK.