Darya Homan slates Povey's Shah Abbas encomium Writing in The Guardian on May 13, the Socialist Workers Party’s favourite Iranian, Elaheh Rostami Povey, described a blood-drenched 16th century ruler of Persia as “inspirational”. Cooing over Shah Abbas I (1571-1629) as a “visionary”, Povey says that “under his rule Iran became a great political power, transforming international trade and ...