Most valuable thread on Twitter about the massive campaign against Iranian American activists by rogue elements

https://twitter.com/dylanotes/status/1583524311780184064
#Iran #Politics #AIPAC #MahsaAmini #Israel #Pahlavi #MKO #Twitter

Iranian-American journalists & activists — especially women — who support human rights & diplomacy benefitting ordinary Iranians have come under sharply increased attack online.

This week those attacks crossed into grave threats of violence against
NegarMortazavi.

A thread.
Raised in Iran, Negar has been living in exile in the US, where she is also a citizen. She is a skilled journalist who has worked for outlets like the US-government broadcaster VOA, BBC & The Independent, for which her family & loved ones have been harassed by Iran's regime.

Negar has also taken short breaks from journalism to advocate for Iranian human rights and for diplomacy to address disputes with Iran, including supporting the international agreement restricting Iran's nuclear program — an agreement supported by a supermajority of Americans.

Negar has also taken short breaks from journalism to advocate for Iranian human rights and for diplomacy to address disputes with Iran, including supporting the international agreement restricting Iran's nuclear program — an agreement supported by a supermajority of Americans.

NIAC, Negar & others in the Iranian diaspora supporting both human rights & the Iran Deal have long come under attack online by those against the deal or any diplomacy with Iran. Such attacks often falsely accuse them of being mouthpieces or outright agents of Iran's regime.

The attacks against Negar and other prominent women who have supported diplomacy with Iran are also frequently misogynistic and sexual in nature. They sometimes threaten or call for specific violence against them. They've even contained information on where they live

While such false and vicious attacks have occurred for years, there has been a clear surge in such attacks in the last few weeks, and especially since the head of an Israeli digital consultancy tweeted a video falsely accusing NIAC and Negar of being "the Iran regime's lobby."

The video attacking NIAC and Negar received a huge number of tweets, retweets and mentions on Twitter and otherwise spread in a way that "seems to resemble previous attempts to target those who didn't hold the most maximalist position on Iran"

The video attacking NIAC and Negar received a huge number of tweets, retweets and mentions on Twitter and otherwise spread in a way that "seems to resemble previous attempts to target those who didn't hold the most maximalist position on Iran"

Those targeting Negar are now pushing the conspiracy theory that the threat was a hoax by her or NIAC, despite multiple people on the scene confirming to media that they were told not to enter because of a threat & authorities indicating that there is an ongoing investigation

People are free to disagree with Negar, who has expressed strong support for the current protests, but trying to silence or delegitimize her with smears & disinformation is not only reprehensible, it's a form of incitement generating grave threats of violence. It must stop.