We Are All Accomplices

Hame-ye Ma Sharik-e Jorm Hastim

Genre: Historical, Political, Social

Publisher: Mehri Publication Ltd – London

April 1, 2022

ISBNs:
978-1-914165-44-3

Reviews:

Hadi Khojinian (Director of Mehri Publication) in an interview with Radio Farda:
Regarding the publication process of the book, he stated:

“Kiumars Pourahmad expressed intense joy about finally publishing a work without censorship. He used to say, ‘I feel as though my chest has finally opened up [to breathe].’”

Babak Ghafoori Azar (Radio Farda):
“The book We Are All Accomplices is an overt tribute to women and certain contemporary Iranian political figures, including Farrokhroo Parsa and Amir-Abbas Hoveyda.”

Mohammad Abdi (Phoenix Magazine – Toronto):
“The author, who—like many Iranians—is deeply embittered by the Revolution and Khomeini, unleashes years of suppressed anguish in the final fifty pages, seemingly unconcerned with how the tone and structure of these final chapters align with what preceded them. One can guess that for the author, uttering these unspoken words and unburdening his bleeding heart was more important than anything else.

Consequently, toward the end of the novel, the protagonist, Arash, is somewhat forgotten. What remains is the village that had been built and flourished before the Revolution—a clear symbol of Iran—which has now, by the 20th anniversary of the Revolution, turned into a ruin. The author concludes his novel with sentences more bitter than ever:

‘And Ava did not know that something far more grave, and much, much more lethal than leprosy, was crawling, crawling, crawling under the skin of all of Iran—and this was only the twentieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.’”

Paria Bahrami (Radio Zamaneh)

Linguistic Audacity and Narrative Critique
The novel employs a bold and uninhibited language. The depiction of erotic scenes, sharp socio-political critiques, and the candid behavior of characters in various situations—such as the scene where the village headman is deposed, the intimate encounters, and the women’s assertive defense of their rights in the public eye—all invite deep reflection. Arash, as the primary narrator, provides a critical intellectual framework that is particularly noteworthy.

Strengths and Shortcomings
This linguistic and thematic audacity occasionally teeters on the edge of popular fiction (Aame-pasand). Certain instances, such as Arash’s internal monologues regarding a villager’s crude interactions with an animal or similar bawdy jokes, border on the vulgar. Furthermore, an overindulgence in romantic banter in a few passages leads to prolixity and tedium.

Despite these flaws, the author’s overarching philosophy remains admirable: his promotion of tolerance, his rejection of immersion in tradition and religion, and his sharp, incisive gaze throughout the story.

Key Excerpts from the Novel
“What a pity for you young people, fallen into this cesspool of customs, traditions, religion, and rituals… You should be free from every shackle, free!” (p. 255)

“My father was looking for a place that had no Mullah (cleric). He used to say a village without a Mullah has more human inhabitants! A parasitic Mullah ruins everyone. He said a Mullah makes one’s world dark and gloomy; he robs you of your joy and high spirits.” (p. 245)

Plot and Themes of “We Are All Accomplices”

The novel We Are All Accomplices follows the story of Arash Azarpannah, the son of an Imperial Army General and Farrokhroo Parsa, the then-Deputy Minister of Education. Despite his privileged background, Arash chooses to fulfill his military service by joining the Literacy Corps (Sepah-e Danesh) to serve in a remote village before joining his brother in the United States.

The Transformation of Hejrak

Arash is dispatched to a village called Hejrak in the province of Akhtaran—fictional names representing the desert regions of central Iran. In the 1960s, the villagers live in extreme poverty, facing severe water shortages and deprivation. Arash’s arrival serves as a catalyst for:

Progress: He brings literacy, healthcare, and infrastructure (water) to the community.
Female Empowerment: He disrupts the traditional patriarchal structure. Golbanoo, a powerful woman who effectively manages the village’s affairs but is overshadowed by the village headman (Kadkhoda), gains the confidence to eventually take over his position.
Education: Her daughter, Mah-Jahan, a lover of literature, is encouraged by Arash to pursue higher education. She eventually earns a PhD in literature and becomes a university professor.

A Vision of Pre-Revolutionary Iran

Pourahmad depicts a pre-revolutionary world driven by reason and progress, where religion and the clergy have no place, and superstitions are replaced by intellect. In this narrative:

Government officials are portrayed as incorruptible servants of the people.
The 1960s are characterized as a decade of increasing prosperity and public awareness.
Art and Joy: Poetry, music, and dance are integral parts of daily life.

Political Critique and Tragic Figures

The novel explicitly mentions two historical figures executed after the 1979 Revolution: Farrokhroo Parsa and Amir-Abbas Hoveyda (the long-serving Prime Minister). While Pourahmad offers some critiques of specific policies like the White Revolution, his overall portrayal suggests that Iran was on a path toward advancement.

Ultimately, the novel frames the 1979 Revolution as the turning point that halted this progress, leading the country toward “ruin and decay.”

The Influence of Maternal Legacy and Social Dialogue

Arash owes all his positive traits, knowledge, and insights to being raised by a mother like Forugh-ol-Zaman, who taught him the value of both discipline and liberal-mindedness. One of the novel’s emotional peaks is Arash’s struggle to accept his mother’s Alzheimer’s disease; here, the author paints deeply moving and melancholic scenes that haunt the reader’s imagination.

The author also meticulously maps the socio-political landscape of Iran during those years. Through characters representing diverse schools of thought, he highlights specific government programs that contributed to the country’s development and atmosphere of tolerance. The clash of ideas and the overlap of perspectives between characters like Yavar, Arash, and Mah-Jahan are vividly brought to life through their dialogues.

Social Liberalism and Cultural Shift

Beyond the central romance between Arash and Mah-Jahan, characters such as Golbanoo, Termeh, and the two health corps members (Sepah-e Behdasht)—who are later dispatched to the village clinic—enjoy liberal and free relationships.

Thanks to Arash’s presence, his services, and his benevolent influence, the villagers strengthen a sense of mutual trust and tolerance in their personal lives. Throughout the novel, the author explicitly criticizes the male monopoly on Islamic polygamy and emphasizes the importance of free relationships that exist outside the boundaries of tradition and religion.

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Open Access

Test 8 Feb

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