Michael Rubin, an architect of hollow propaganda, recently floated the idea that the Biden administration should “set up polling stations [in the U.S.], but with expanded ballots … [that include] figures such as Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted Shah.” This absurd proposal not only suggests mirroring the fraudulent tactics of the Iranian theocracy but also showcases Rubin’s penchant for detached-from-reality daydreams and affinity for fringe figures.
His suggestion not only reveals a profound misunderstanding of the sentiments of the Iranian people but also complete ignorance. It is not the prerogative of the Biden administration or any other foreign government to organize elections for the Iranian people. True and just elections can only occur following the overthrow of the current regime, not under the watch of the oppressive IRGC and this dictatorship.
Moreover, by proposing to include the name of the deposed dictator's son, he legitimizes the fraudulent elections orchestrated by the theocratic regime ruling Iran. This is a blatant insult to the vast majority of Iranian people who actively boycotted the sham election.
Rubin's latest outburst coincided with the Free Iran World Summit 2024 on June 29, which united global political figures in support of the organized resistance in Iran led by MEK. The summit highlighted the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its president-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, as the viable democratic alternative to the clerical dictatorship. Distinguished speakers included members of U.S. Congress and lawmakers from across Europe, as well as former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former U.S. National Security Advisors, General James Jones and Ambassador John Bolton, former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, and former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
Over 4,000 lawmakers in 50 countries, including 34 Parliamentary majorities, joined 137 former heads of state or government, ministers, ambassadors, and heads of international organizations to support Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-point Plan, MEK Resistance Units , and blacklisting the IRGC.
Tens of thousands of Iranians and their supporters protested in Berlin on Saturday against the regime’s “sham” presidential elections. Credible sources suggest that 88% of eligible voters boycotted the first round and 91% boycotted the second round of the sham elections, yet Rubin absurdly advocates promoting these fraudulent exercises.
Rubin is incensed by these developments, which effortlessly dismantle years of his carefully constructed propaganda about Iranian politics and the main democratic opposition.
So now, he’s reached the heights of delusion by envisioning Reza Pahlavi, the offspring of a toppled tyrant, as a heartthrob in Iran. Never mind that the Pahlavi dynasty is about as popular in Iran as a skunk at a garden party. Iranian youth today reject both the Shah and the theocracy alike, echoing the powerful refrain "Death to the oppressor, whether Shah or mullah," a chant that rings loud and clear in recent uprisings.
Rubin’s backing of Reza Pahlavi showcases his penchant for puppets on a string. His fascination with Iraq’s Ahmed Chalabi perfectly illustrates this tendency. National security correspondent Robert Dreyfuss even has written extensively about Rubin’s cultivation of a personality cult around Chalabi. Despite U.S. intelligence unmasking Chalabi as an Iranian double agent in 2004, Rubin persisted in his endorsement.
Rubin’s relentless demonization of the MEK, the principal opposition and existential threat to the Iranian regime, further illustrates his alignment with Tehran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has expressed concern over the MEK's growing influence, and the IRGC has threatened to launch missiles at the MEK’s headquarters in Albania. Rubin’s attacks, copying Tehran’s MOIS and IRGC propaganda, make him effectively a regime mouthpiece in Washington
Rubin’s affinity for fabricating fantasyland proposals and his adoring idolization of discredited figures like Reza Pahlavi and Ahmed Chalabi paint a portrait of a commentator more aligned with fairy tales than facts.
In the end, Michael Rubin's propaganda is an arsenal of deceit handed straight to global adversaries who thrive on tyranny and oppression. He emboldens past and present tyrannies to erode the foundations of genuine democratic movements. It's high time Rubin's employers and audience saw through his charade. Indeed, Rubin's narratives read like a tragicomedy where the punchline isn't just a ridiculous joke, but a dangerous distraction from the truths that matter most.
With his explicit endorsement of the son of a brutal dictator, it's time to pose several critical questions:
- What are his views on the one-party dictatorship of the Shah, whose son consistently praises?
- How does he regard the notorious SAVAK and the widespread use of torture under its authority?
- What does he think about Parviz Sabeti, the infamous head of SAVAK’s third directorate, being an advisor to Reza Pahlavi?
- Lastly, what are his thoughts on the billions of dollars allegedly stolen by the Shah's family, including his son, which Rubin seems to support?