FORMER WORLD CHESS CHAMPION REJECTS NOTION OF MODERATION UNDER ROUHANI.

By INU StaffINU - Garry Kasparov, the former World Chess Champion wrote in his Facebook that “comments from Iranians, mostly those abroad, of course, that they support Iranian "moderates" and "reformers" are giving me memories of the USSR. There was always talk about this faction in the Party or that group in the Politburo, liberals or reformers or whatever, but they all served the same system. All dictatorships work similarly, and don't believe that change”

Kasparov, born in 1963, is a Russian chess Grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist. He became the youngest ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985 at age 22 by defeating then-champion Anatoly Karpov.

Kasparov announced his retirement from professional chess in 2005, after which he devoted his time to politics and writing. He formed the United Civil Front movement, and joined as a member of The Other Russia, a coalition opposing the administration and policies of Vladimir Putin. He is currently chairman for the Human Rights Foundation and chairs its International Council. In 2014 he obtained Croatian citizenship. He wrote in his Facebook: 

“…Another historical item that has stirred interest in the comments and conversations below goes much further back. If you want to distract us from the brutal Iranian dictatorship and its sponsorship of terrorism, doing so by bringing up US intervention in 1953 is an unlikely method! I'm not defending that UK-US coup, but if you want to bring up US interference in Iran in that way, why not go back to 1946 when Harry Truman stood up for Iran vs Josef Stalin, who was trying to use post-WWII Soviet troops and Azerbaijani proxies to take Iranian oil fields. Had Truman not risked war with the USSR to protect Iran (a war that Stalin didn't want, but Truman had no way to know that), Iran would have eventually received the typical Stalinist "cleansing" experience.

Lastly, comments from Iranians, mostly those abroad, of course, that they support Iranian "moderates" and "reformers" are giving me memories of the USSR. There was always talk about this faction in the Party or that group in the Politburo, liberals or reformers or whatever, but they all served the same system. All dictatorships work similarly, and don't believe that change will be anything but superficial distraction until the regime starts to collapse. As long as the same person or people are really in charge, shuffling the names and faces on the ballots and in the news is all for show. Don't fall for it.

By the way, the Human Rights Foundation, of which I am chairman, and I have worked with Iranian dissidents there and outside Iran. Primarily on an e-voting project and other methods of allowing Iranians a chance at free expression…”