【時代論壇訊】自美以對伊開戰及伊朗作出報復後，伊朗的對外通訊一直被政府封鎖，就連SAT-7的單向衛星廣播亦曾一度中斷，區內區外的人只能收到當地零星傳出的信息。本報日前經在美港人教牧轉介，書面訪問了一位身處美國的伊朗初信姊妹，盼藉此或多或少能助讀者了解當地情況，為伊朗、中東，以至普世祈禱時，能從多一個角度思考、紀念。
（由於受訪者身份敏感，其名字僅以化名伊莉代表。按被訪者要求，回應內容不經編輯刪節。原英文回應見文末。）
一、妳能否簡單介紹一下自己？妳是何時離開伊朗的？
伊莉：我大約兩年前持學生簽證來到美國，目前在實驗室工作。
二、我們得知妳現階段無法聯絡家人。妳能否告知他們居住的城市？妳是否也是透過新聞獲悉該城的近況？
伊莉：是的，情況確實如此。遺憾的是，這並非伊朗首次中斷通訊。每當伊朗伊斯蘭共和國感覺權力受到威脅時，便會封鎖網路阻止資訊外流，此類情況已發生多次。
因此，包括我在內的許多伊朗人，正承受巨大壓力及焦慮，盡一切辦法尋找任何方法，只為獲得家裡親人，那管只是簡單幾句的消息。
我全家都住在德黑蘭，那正是備受攻擊之地。我持續關注新聞動態，試圖得知城中哪些地區遭到波及。
過去幾天，幾座燃料儲存設施遭到襲擊，其中幾處離我家很近。你無法想像我經歷了怎樣的煎熬——只能等待並祈求家人平安。
那些爆炸威力極其強大，連遠處建築都遭到波及。鄰近大樓的居民中，有人遭受嚴重燒傷。
三、妳有收到其他目前在伊朗的朋友消息嗎？他們情狀如何？
伊莉：我完全沒有收到任何朋友的消息。或許只有1、2位親友能透過昂貴的VPN每天上網約5分鐘，勉強發簡訊報平安。
四、戰爭開始以來，妳有沒有和身處國外的其他伊朗人談過？
伊莉：有，我居住的城市有個小型伊朗社群。我們每逢週末便聚在一起，彼此分享憂慮，並為伊朗的未來和同胞祈禱。
過去兩個月，我們每逢週末都在城內各處舉行示威，聲援伊朗人民，確保伊朗人的聲音傳遍全球。我們計劃持續示威，直至祖國重獲自由、實現民主。
五、妳如何看待當前局勢？新聞報道指，有伊朗流散群體認為美以試圖推翻現伊朗政權是好事。妳認同嗎？
伊莉：此問題需詳盡仔細地回應。
依我觀察，無論身處國內外，絕大多數伊朗人——可能超過90%——都渴望推翻伊斯蘭共和國政府，這十分明顯。然而，大家對如何推翻存在分歧。
有人主張應在無外國干預下達成，但近期事件表明這幾乎不可能——伊朗境內任何和平抗議都會遭遇槍擊、酷刑與監禁。
在伊朗最近的和平示威中，伊斯蘭共和國兩日內便殺死了超過3.5萬人，數以千計的人被逮捕，在監獄遭受酷刑。許多人已被處決或等待行刑，監獄中的男女老幼更面臨性侵威脅。
因此，徒手對抗現政權實屬不可能，亟需外部援助。與此同時，外國介入或戰爭將帶來毀滅性後果，這點眾所周知。但即便如此，伊朗國內民眾已疲憊絕望至極，甘願奮戰，只為擺脫這個罪惡政權。
儘管戰爭不會帶來美好結局，我仍認同伊朗國內民眾的立場——但前提是普通公民不應成為攻擊目標。
正如美國與以色列總統在新聞中反覆聲明，這場戰爭的敵人是伊斯蘭共和國政權，而非伊朗人民。然而過去數日，我們目睹了直接或間接針對平民的攻擊。
例如石油設施受襲——試想若無汽油，救護車與消防車無法運作、糧食耗盡，引發災難。今日我亦聽聞發電廠受襲，導致許多市民失去電力供應。
美國總統近期受訪時，亦談及重劃伊朗版圖，我必須強調這對所有伊朗人——無論身在國內外——都是不可逾越的紅線。他更提及決定替代領導人選，此舉同樣不可接受，因為惟有伊朗人民才有權決定國家未來、治理方式及下任總統人選。
六、妳對伊朗有何期許？
伊莉：我期盼祖國獲得自由與繁榮。我期盼有一天，伊朗能成為人民毋須為滿足基本需求而離開家人或家鄉的國度。我夢想建立一個宗教與政治分離、由有能者主導的國家。我期盼散居全球的伊朗人才皆能歸回，協助恢復伊朗在47年之前的光輝歲月。伊朗本是全球最富饒的國度之一，無論人力或天然資源皆然。若非伊斯蘭革命爆發，若我們能延續原有發展步伐，今日伊朗必躋身世界前5強之列。即便此刻，只要世界強權不再剝奪我們的權利，我相信那一天終將到來。
七、妳希望遠方的人怎樣為伊朗祈禱並採取哪些行動？
伊莉：我希望其他人協助我們的聲音傳遍全球。我希望他們要求以色列及美國保障平民生命財產安全，協助我們擺脫這個犯罪政權的統治。我希望他們尊重伊朗的領土完整，支持步向民主與人民所願——同時避免任何不必要的干涉。
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? When did you leave Iran?
I came to the United States almost two years ago on a student visa. Right now, I'm working in a laboratory.
2. I learnt that you cannot reach your family right now. Can you tell us which city are they living in, and if you have heard anything about the city through the news?
Yes, that's correct. Unfortunately, this is not the first time communication with Iran has been cut off. Whenever the Islamic Republic feels its power is threatened, it often shuts down the internet to prevent information from getting out of the country. This has happened many times before.
Because of that, many Iranians—including me—are left with a lot of stress and anxiety, trying to find any way possible to get even a small piece of news about our loved ones back home.
My entire family lives in Tehran, where many of the attacks have been happening. I keep following the news constantly, trying to figure out which parts of the city have been hit.
In the past few days, several fuel storage facilities were attacked, and some of them are close to where my family lives. You can't imagine the kind of moments I went through, just waiting and hoping to hear that my family was safe.
The explosions were so strong that even buildings farther away were damaged. Some people in nearby buildings were severely burned.
3. Have you heard anything from other friends currently in Iran? How're they doing?
I haven't heard from any of my friends. Only one or two family members, maybe, can get online for about five minutes a day using expensive VPNs, just enough to send a short message to let me know they're okay.
4. Have you talked to other Iranians outside the country since the war started?
Yes, in the city where I live, there’s a small Iranian community. We try to get together on weekends to share our concerns and pray for the future of Iran and our fellow Iranians.
For the past two months, every weekend we've also been holding demonstrations around the city to support the people of Iran and make sure the voices of Iranians are heard worldwide. We plan to continue these demonstrations until our country is free and enjoys democracy.
5. What do you think about the current situation? We hear in the news that some Iran diaspora think it's good that the US-Israel is trying to bring down the current Iran government. Do you share the same views?
Answering this question will be very long and detailed.
In my view, a large percentage of Iranians—both inside and outside the country, probably over 90%—want the Islamic Republic government to be overthrown, and this is clearly visible. However, there are different opinions on how this should happen.
Some believe it should be done without foreign intervention, but recent events show that this is nearly impossible, because any peaceful protest in Iran is met with bullets, torture, and imprisonment.
In the most recent peaceful demonstrations in Iran, over 35,000 people were killed in just two days by the Islamic Republic, and thousands have been arrested and tortured in prisons. Many have been executed or are waiting for execution, and men, women, and children in prison face sexual abuse.
Therefore, it's impossible to fight this regime empty-handed, and foreign assistance is needed. At the same time, foreign involvement or war brings destructive and harmful consequences, which are obvious to everyone. But despite all these consequences, the people inside Iran are so exhausted and desperate that they are willing to fight—just to be free from this criminal regime.
Although war does not bring pleasant outcomes, I align with the opinion of Iranians inside Iran—but only if ordinary citizens are not targeted.
As has been repeatedly stated by the Presidents of the U.S. and Israel in the news, this war is not against the Iranian people but against the Islamic Republic. However, in the past few days, we’ve seen attacks that have directly or indirectly targeted civilians.
For example, attacks on oil facilities—imagine if there’s no gasoline, ambulances and fire trucks cannot move, food runs out, and it causes a disaster. Today, I also heard that power plants were attacked, leaving many citizens without electricity.
In recent interviews, the U.S. president spoke about redrawing Iran's map, which I must say is a red line for all Iranians, inside and outside the country. He also mentioned deciding on alternative leadership options, which is also unacceptable, because it is the people of Iran who must decide the future of the country, how it is governed, and who their next president will be.
6. What do you hope for Iran?
My hope is for the freedom and prosperity of my country. I hope for a day when Iran is a place where people don’t have to leave their families or homeland just to meet basic needs. I dream of a country where religion is separate from politics and where meritocracy rules. I hope all the Iranian talents working around the world return home to help restore the country's glory to what it was before the past 47 years. Iran is one of the richest countries in the world, both in human and natural resources. If the Islamic Revolution had not happened and our progress had continued at the same pace, Iran would surely be among the top five countries in the world today. Even now, if the global powers don't take this right away from us, I believe that day will come.
7. What do you want people from afar to pray and do for Iran?
I want people to help make our voices heard around the world. I want them to ask Israel and the U.S. to protect the lives and property of civilians, and to help us be freed from this criminal regime. I want them to respect Iran's territorial integrity and support the path toward democracy and the will of the people—while preventing any unnecessary interference.
