Zaidabadi’s Farewell to Politics
Ahmad Zaidabadi, the journalist, wrote in a Telegram note titled ‘The Moment of Farewell’
The reaction to what I wrote addressed to Hamed Esmaeilion clarified the future of this country for me in every way, although it was somewhat clear to me before.
From vile insults to threats of murder and sexual assault, these were part of the reactions from individuals who, both online and offline, supported Mr. Esmaeilion and directed them at me.
I considered this land the land of Attar, Sana’i, Rumi, Khayyam, Hafez, and Saadi. I never thought that a part of the people of this land would reach this point. Now that they have, there is no place for me here. After all, I too am made of flesh, blood, and nerves. The pressures come from all sides, and I feel so alone and alienated that I prefer death over sharing a homeland with such individuals.
This is the moment of my farewell to a politics that wants to proceed in this manner and method. I am leaving this scene because no vein in my being aligns with it, and I am a stranger to it in its entirety.
From now on, I will focus on writing my books, and in this channel, I will only write about history and abstract matters. I will not write a word about what is happening and will happen in this country. This decision is irreversible.
If I were not banned from leaving the country and had a passport, I would go to Samarkand or Bukhara for a while, reminiscing about the flourishing era of Iranian culture, or I would head to Iraq and settle near the Kufa Mosque, recalling the moments of Ali’s solitude and oppression.
Despite all this, I love my homeland and pray for its well-being, and this is the only thing I can do for now.