William is an apostate who, after renouncing Islam in favor of Judaism, was forced to flee Iran under threat of persecution. He speaks to audiences in the United States about religious freedom and other human rights issues that are connected to his personal story.
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<p>five years ago I met the person behind this account. He seemed like a nice genuine Iranian-American who wanted to talk politics.<br> <br> Our conversation in a Kosher restaurant in NYC took a big turn:<br> <br> When he learned that I had left Islam in favor of Judaism. His demeanor changed, he became awkwardly nonverbal, our meeting abruptly ended, and he never spoke with me ever again. Despite the fact that I invited him to my house (as I host people for Shabbat) on a few occasions.<br> <br> This is how I know if someone is actually an Islamist. As soon as I tell them I am an apostate (مرتد) and they become cold, distant, rude—that's it. <br> <br> Here, he is ridiculing an Iranian journalist, who is writing the Iranian people's motto (women, life, freedom) on the ruins of a military base. This was a base of a terrorist organization funded by a regime holding the very same Iranian people hostage for over four decades.</p> <img src="https://nitter.privacydev.net/pic/media%2FGZZ-wQfWEAA9wg-.jpg" style="max-width:250px;" />
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>I was in the middle of services in synagogue when someone made the announcement that Israel was under a large scale attack.<br> Every half hour more horrific details emerged. They didn’t stop.<br> Part of me wanted to believed they were exaggerated reports. But another part knew what Hamas was capable of committing. It felt all too familiar. The hatred. The violence.<br> The lust for killing—killing Jews.<br> That’s how I was raised. Maybe now, I had thought, the world will understand the dangers of Islamism.<br> Maybe now the world will take this threat seriously. Maybe now I won’t have to be fearful when telling my story.<br> Sadly, I was wrong.<br> <br> <a href="https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/new-year-new-hope/">blogs.timesofisrael.com/new-…</a></p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/MosabHasanYOSEF/status/1843389687320457438#m">nitter.privacydev.net/MosabHasanYOSEF/status/1843389687320457438#m</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>May the new year bring new hope for the Iranian people and free all hostages from the hands of Hamas.<br> <a href="https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/new-year-new-hope/">blogs.timesofisrael.com/new-…</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>I wish everyone a Shana Tova and hope we see a free Iran soon!</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>But now I see an alternate path. I see Israel bringing about the fall of Khamenei, returning the favor of Cyrus the Great when he liberated the Jews of ancient Persia. Truly, the Islamic regime’s days are numbered.</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>I used to think an end to the regime was impossible. As an apostate, I had long made peace with the fact that I may never visit my birth country again.</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>I grew up in the Islamic Republic of Iran. I saw first-hand how much the Ayatollah treasures Hezbollah. Its destruction is a huge blow to the regime in Iran.</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>But then Israel nearly decimated Hezbollah and assassinated Nasrallah. And just like that, I feel hopeful.</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>If you had asked me a week ago, I would have said this past year has been very difficult. Antisemitism has become normalized in the West. For the first time in almost 100 years, Jews worldwide feel isolated and scared.</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>It’s almost Rosh Hashanah and the one-year anniversary of October 7th. I couldn’t help reflecting on the year 5784….</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>He said he dreamed of destroying Israel since he was 6 years old (that’s 5 years before the Islamic regime was even born!). That’s not an exaggeration. I know, because I was raised that way as well.<br> <br> As a 5- or 6-year-old, I participated in an anti-Israel competition. So fun! I had no idea what I was doing, but you can see my submission below. (I lost, which I’m very proud of now.)<br> <br> The Islamic indoctrination of children to hate Israel and Jews is terrifying. I managed to pull myself out of the ideology. But most people don’t. This type of hatred only begets more hatred and violence.</p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/TheMossadIL/status/1840478769699865048#m">nitter.privacydev.net/TheMossadIL/status/1840478769699865048#m</a></p> <img src="https://nitter.privacydev.net/pic/media%2FGYq-krXWwAA62Ap.jpg" style="max-width:250px;" />
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>این ماشینا رو از موزه در آوردن؟</p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>This looks like a low-budget trailer for a "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 5" knockoff.</p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/ZAINABALI_72/status/1840367493438689378#m">nitter.privacydev.net/ZAINABALI_72/status/1840367493438689378#m</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>I have been talking to friends over Shabbat about the importance of eliminating <a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/search?q=%23Nasrallah">#Nasrallah</a>.<br> <br> Jared fully understands my childhood:<br> <a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/search?q=%23Hezbollah">#Hezbollah</a> ideology, members, flags, and teachings are a fundamental pillar of the IRGC. They indoctrinate the youth in mosques and schools. We even call supporters of the regime Hezbollahi (حزباللهی)!<br> <br> I cannot underscore enough how monumental yesterday has been.<br> <br> I cannot imagine the fear going down the spine of every IRGC member/support.<br> <br> I look forward to visiting Iran, my country of birth, once it is freed from the hands of IRGC thugs.</p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/jaredkushner/status/1840181053572690060#m">nitter.privacydev.net/jaredkushner/status/1840181053572690060#m</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>رویال اینتل از ما عصبانی باش و از این عصبانیت بمیر!</p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/RoyalIntel_/status/1840021543562227988#m">nitter.privacydev.net/RoyalIntel_/status/1840021543562227988#m</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>Bookmarking this to make sure it doesn't age well!</p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/ejmalrai/status/1840094896327131309#m">nitter.privacydev.net/ejmalrai/status/1840094896327131309#m</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
<p>Is the temperature of hell too hot for the two of you?</p> <p><a href="https://nitter.privacydev.net/raisi_com/status/1840065193365160395#m">nitter.privacydev.net/raisi_com/status/1840065193365160395#m</a></p>
— WilliamMehrvarz (See original tweet)
