Sir, - As a supporter of Iran's soccer team, I had the pleasure of visiting your friendly capital last weekend and I would like to express my gratitude for the welcome that we received.
During this all-too-brief visit my companions and I were impressed and touched by the benevolence, openness and welcoming attitude of the Irish people exemplified by the post-match handshakes offered by the Ireland fans by way of commiseration. There was none of the sense of menace that supporters of a visiting team feel in many European cities as we walked merrily (and post-match not so merrily) in the Temple Bar area.
My only qualm is that about two dozen of the members of the terrorist group calling itself the "People's Mujahedeen Organisation" managed to infiltrate the ranks of the Iranian fans on Lansdowne Road stands and were allowed to unfurl and display their political banners (complete with s picture of a Kalashnikov rifle!) throughout the match, thus antagonising and insulting the majority of the Iranians present.
This Iraq-based organisation is armed and funded mainly by Saddam Hussein to carry out terrorist activities in Iran and has, over the past years, murdered thousands of civilians in all corners of Iran. Somewhat belatedly, it has been put on the proscribed list by the British and American governments.
Are similar laws not in force in Ireland and, if so, why was this gang not apprehended by the Garda, or at least ejected from the stadium? The nearest analogy that I can think would be the Iranian police allowing even a tiny group of infiltrators to display banners in support of the UVF or the Red Hand Commandos among the Irish fans during the return match in the Azadi stadium in Tehran - although this does not express the degree of revulsion felt by Iranians towards this group.
What would be thought of the credibility of Iran's anti-terrorist stance if such displays were tolerated? But no such abuses will take place in Tehran and I hope that our Irish guests will feel at least as welcome as we did in Dublin. - Yours, etc.,
Kayvan Bahari, Shariati Avenue, Tehran, Iran.