Meisam Jebelli defected from Iran in 2020, but his brother, Payman Jebelli, runs the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), a powerful state-controlled media group. TIME speaks with Meisam about the family he left behind
The death of Mohammad did not visibly shake the loyalty of Peyman, or most of the Jebelli family. But it was “the final” straw for Peyman’s younger brother, Meisam Jebelli. In late 2020, 43-year-old Meisam defected, along with another Jebelli brother. Both men could have had powerful positions in Iran, thanks to their older brother’s immense influence. Now both are asylum-seekers struggling to make a living abroad, yet proud of their decision.
And of course, I’m afraid that I may even be killed if I go back to Iran. I live and breathe the news, images, and stories that are coming out of Iran day in and day out. My heart is there with the people, and I calm myself with the knowledge that while I’m away, I may be able to use my voice to bring more awareness to the crimes of the regime from the outside.
For the regime, the dominant culture was supposed to be filled with violence, death, and ugliness. For my family and many others alike, whatever would advance this “holy regime” was and still remains sacred, and the smallest things that could divert them from the regime or in any way weaken or hurt the pillars of their “revolution” are condemned.
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