Iranian scholars denounce denial conference

A group of Iranian scholars wrote a letter denouncing a recent Holocaust denial conference in Tehran. Some 20 academics, writers and artists, many of whom live outside Iran, circulated the letter on the Internet, saying the December conference was dangerous propaganda. “We the signatories of this letter are of the opinion that such ‘conferences,’ more than anything, harm the academic image of the Iranian universities,” the letter said. “Those who perpetuate the discourse on Holocaust denial ignore the feelings of the people directly affected by this event. These people include, among others, a group of our Jewish fellow citizens in Iran.” While the group reiterated standard Iranian rhetoric about supposed Israeli crimes against Palestinians, the letter argued that the issue wasn’t related to the Holocaust. “We believe that conferences like this do not help the cause of the Palestinian people and only provide pretexts for the warmongers in the region,” it said.