Ali-Asghar Amirani; The Most Important Journalist Executed in the Islamic Republic

Among the thousands of people executed in Iran in 1981, one name stands out due to his background and position in contemporary Iranian journalism; Ali-Asghar Amirani. Ali-Asghar Amirani can be considered the most important and renowned Iranian journalist executed during the Islamic Republic era; someone who published one of Iran's most widely read magazines for over four decades and was ultimately executed on one of the most significant days after the 1979 revolution; June 21, 1981. A Successful Model of 'Readables' Ali-Asghar Amirani was 66 years old at the time of his death and had been publishing the magazine 'Readables' since 1940. He, who studied law at Tehran University, began his journalism career before launching 'Readables' at the Ettela'at newspaper. The magazine 'Readables' was published based on the famous publication 'Reader's Digest' and managed to attract a wide range of audiences over its four-decade run, becoming one of the few successful and profitable private press institutions in Iran; to the extent that it even had its own printing house. Some well-known names in contemporary Iranian literature, including Zabihollah Mansouri, Hossein Maki, Khosrow Shahani, and Mahmoud Talai, worked at 'Readables', and the magazine's influence was such that it could attract the attention of high-ranking officials of the pre-revolutionary Iranian government to its articles. Although most of the content of 'Readables' was translated and derived from previously published writings, the editorials and articles written by Ali-Asghar Amirani were the main and significant part of this publication, which usually faced various reactions. 'Readables' covered various events from contemporary Iranian history over its long publication period, and its positions on developments such as the nationalization of the oil industry and the ousting of Mohammad Mossadegh from the premiership, the premiership of Asadollah Alam and Amir Abbas Hoveyda, and the 1979 revolution were different and controversial. The magazine 'Readables' was published during the premiership of 19 officials of the Iranian government. This magazine was a staunch critic of Amir Abbas Hoveyda's government, and this trend once led to the dismissal of its editor-in-chief. The positions of 'Readables' on various contemporary developments were varied and sometimes contradictory; however, what ultimately ended the life of this magazine was the 1979 revolution. In the months leading up to the revolution, the articles of 'Readables' were influenced by the changed atmosphere of that time, taking on a more critical tone, especially regarding the performance of Amir Abbas Hoveyda's government and some of its ministers, such as Shojaeddin Sheikh-al-Islamzadeh, the Minister of Health. In this critical tone, 'Readables' still tried to emphasize the necessity of continuing the activities of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and preserving the constitutional monarchy. 'Readables' was the most important publication that did not join the famous press strike in the autumn of 1978, which was in protest against censorship, and continued its publication. The writers' strike occurred in two phases (one from October 10 to 13 and the other from November 6 to January 6, 1979). In recent years, many critical opinions have been raised about the negative impact of this prolonged strike. Most of these opinions relate to depriving the audience of receiving real information, losing the opportunity to present the views of the intellectual sector, and not clarifying the main perspective and demands of Ruhollah Khomeini. The publication of 'Readables' faced severe criticism from almost all segments of journalism at that time, so much so that in a statement on November 18, striking journalists explicitly criticized what they called 'government newspapers' for continuing its publication. Apart from 'Readables', less-known publications such as Atash, Bourse, Javanmardan, Mehr Iran, Tehran Economist, and Karikatur continued their publication. At this stage, the circulation of 'Readables' had increased, and its cover was also affected by the events of the day. In this time, Ali-Asghar Amirani, in his editorials, tried to write about the necessity of reducing insecurity and preserving the integrity and unity of Iran, paying attention to the Shah's famous message about hearing the voice of the revolution. He believed that while the people's protests were legitimate and necessary, he also explicitly criticized the actions of the demonstrators. In the editorial of the first issue after the widespread demonstrations of Tasu'a and Ashura in 1978, he wrote: 'I, who observed the type of speech and behavior and slogans of the demonstrators for a full hour on Ashura from the university to the middle of Shahreza, felt ashamed in my heart. In the path we were, there were many young people who instead of mourning, were throwing clenched fists, not knowing where to direct them. Instead of lamentation and mourning, they were shouting slogans, and I had never seen or heard such a thing; the use of red and crimson cloth mixed with green and black cloth that the groups carrying slogans were carrying, even in the mourning of Hosseini and on Ashura!' On January 6, 1979, the title of Ali-Asghar Amirani's editorial was 'Are We Not Making a Mistake?' and on January 27 of the same year, just a few days after Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi left Iran and the return of Ruhollah Khomeini became the main issue of the day, he wrote a very controversial editorial praising both figures relatively. A week later, while the revolutionaries clearly had the upper hand in the ongoing developments in Iran, he wrote: 'My brother, my fellow believer, compatriot, and freedom-seeking reformist, I admire your passion for freedom and reform, but you are destroying the land, the house, and the ground beneath our feet, and if you do not stop, you will go as far as the cowfish. Then where will you accommodate us, in the same place where our deceased were buried, that is, in Behesht Zahra or in the atmosphere?' After the revolution, Ali-Asghar Amirani continued to publish 'Readables' without interruption, and the first issue under the new government was published on February 17, 1979, featuring a photo of Mehdi Bazargan on its cover. Amirani's son, Farood Amirani, in an interview with Radio Farda about his father's view of the 1979 transformation, said: 'My father accepted the revolution and did not oppose it. He also sent us a message not to oppose the revolution. A revolution took place, and the wet and dry may burn together.' In the first issue after the revolution, Amirani addressed the necessity of holding any kind of voting in a free manner and in accordance with democratic principles: 'Our fear and terror is that the people's will is determined by a referendum accompanied by intimidation and force... A referendum must be conducted in a completely free manner and in accordance with democratic principles, and such a thing is not possible in our jungle-like society anytime soon.' This approach led to Amirani's first arrest shortly after the revolution. He was arrested on the morning of March 13, 1979, at his apartment in the Samaneh Towers on Elizabeth Boulevard (now Keshavarz Boulevard) in Tehran.