Why does this successful Iranian, residing outside Iran, decided to go back to Iran?

Amir Hossein Jahanshahi, is among the few Iranian residents of Europe who still hope for a good future for Iran.

MERNA – Maybe the most surprising name among those who decided to return to Iran after President Hassan Rouhani’s election would be Amir Hossein Jahanshahi. Surprising because he has lived a successful and luxury life, creating many jobs outside the country for a quite a long time. Most important of all, he is the leader of a political opposition group called “Moj-e Sabz” (Green Wave). Just before the recent presidential election, his group sought to bring the current regime down by any means possible. Even the Ministry of Intelligence under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had claimed it has conducted several successful missions to penetrate into the opposition group and destroy it.

 After President Hassan Rouhani was elected in last year’s presidential election, a group of Iranians living in other countries decided to go back to Iran for various reasons. Many of those deciding to return were those who had fled the country after the controversial 2009 election and its following “Green Movement” uprisings, and thus had not been yet settled in their new countries. Some of those who announced would be going back are yet to go back after more than a year of President Rouhani’s election. Some other even changed their minds. But some who did go back, were not welcomed by the regime and treated harshly.

 Those who know Jahanshahi, would tell you that when he says something, he adheres to it. He doesn’t say something without weighting it first. When he announces something, it means he has thought it through. Seeing his name in the list of those willing to return to Iran makes one wonder seriously.

 This has even puzzled those who do not know Amir Hossein Jahanshahi. Why would a long time Iranian immigrant with all sorts of opportunities in the west would decide to return to Iran?

 Amir Hossein Jahanshahi, 54, is a resident of France as a political refugee. He has retained his Iranian citizenship after all these years and is proud of it. Jahanshahi completed his studies in the field of economy in France and worked as a financial advisor until mid-80’s. Moving on, he continued his career as an international investor, investing in construction, media and telecommunication corporations.

 “Moj-e Sabz” opposition group has changed its policy for a time it claims is not unlimited. Mr. Jahanshahi announced on September 27, 2013, that under the new conditions the group will suspend its pursuit to “overthrow” the regime and aims its efforts to bring about unity and “national reconciliation” instead.

 He also said, he is determined to return to Iran. He stressed that he believes his expertise and international connections in the field of finance and in the world investing networks can attract foreign investors to the Iranian market again. He said he would transfer his experience to his fellow Iranians as well.

At this point, Amir Hossein Jahanshahi, is among the few Iranian residents of Europe who still hope for a good future for Iran, despite its dark history in the last three decades. Therefore, many Iranian emigrants, refugees and asylum seekers closely follow up on him through media, as Mr. Jahanshahi’s success or failure in this could affect their future decisions for staying in the countries of their resident or going back to Iran.