Thursday
Apr152010
Iran: A View From Tehran "The New Year Challenges"
Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 12:20 
Analysis from inside Iran can often be as interesting for what lies behind the words on the page as for the claims on the surface. Consider, for example, the latest perspective in Iran Review from Firouzeh Mirrazavi:About one month after the beginning of the new Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2010) and following international registration of Norouz by the United Nations General Assembly, Iran is facing new challenges: part of this is domestic while another part emanates from Iran’s international and regional policies as well as international pressures it is bearing. Some Iran experts maintain that social unrests following presidential polls in 2009 have led to the isolation of certain parts of the Iranian society, political circles, media crew, and political parties and activists. Post-election events have deepened the gaps and put the country on a wrong track which cannot help to solve any of the existing problems.
The Latest from Iran (15 April): Accepting Authority?
As history has proven in past several thousands of years, enemies usually hit the country in such junctures by fanning the flames of differences. Ambiguities in international relations, especially where Iran’s national security is at stake, have further complicated the situation. Examples to the point include:
1. Iran’s nuclear case and plans by the Security Council and 5+1 to impose tougher sanctions on Iran as the country is getting ready to host an international conference on disarmament and nonproliferation and a similar conference on nuclear security is forthcoming in the United States;
2. Elections in Iraq and persistence of political challenges over the composition of the next Iraqi government;
3. The ongoing situation in Afghanistan and prospects of possible reconciliation between [President Hamid] Karzai and NATO alliance and Taliban forces;
4. Iran’s relations with Saudi Arabia which have been marred by an ongoing crisis of distrust between the two states in addition to territorial and strategic pressures from other Persian Gulf states which are in line with the regional interests of western countries;
5. Israel’s continued threats to use military force against Iran;
6. Tension between Iran and its northern neighbors over the country’s share of the Caspian Sea’s energy resources; and
7. Insecurity of the Iranian borders due to widespread presence of foreign troops in neighboring countries and activities of terrorist and insurgent groups in border areas.
Having a healthy, happy and progressive society by taking advantage of knowledge, expertise and efficiency of all social classes and political groups is the best way to overcome the above-mentioned difficulties. Problems can be successfully solved only when the majority of the Iranian nation, regardless of their political tendencies, lends its support to the government. National unity is an inevitable necessity under existing circumstances and to secure Iran’s rights and interests, there is no better option than strengthening national unity and fostering peace and tranquility in the country.
Reader Comments (35)
Mrs Firouzeh Mirrazavi
You have to write an article about " Iranian government has to release all the political prisoners" ; if they do it, we will see if people will be able to "forgive" them and " forget" what has happened in the country after the elections !!
Scott, I get your point about what lies *behind* the words, but I must comment on a statement that we can certainly take at face value. Firouzeh Mirrazavi writes: "As history has proven in past several thousands of years, enemies usually hit the country in such junctures by fanning the flames of differences." Ths is true - but what about when the country itself fans the flames of differences?
This is the current line-up of headlines in chronological order from the Media Analysis section of http://www.insideiran.org/:
Ahmadinejdad: Obama is an Amateur
April 7th, 2010
Ahmadinejad: World Leaders Are Retarded
April 12th, 2010
Ahmadinejad: U.S. Must Change its Behavior for Engagement
April 14th, 2010
:-)
@ ange Paris,
I dont think people will forget or forgive the governmet once they release all political prisoners. People are asking for secularism and democracy, they dont want any mullahs or a religious government anymore.
People will never forgive this dictatorship regime, they are killing, abusing and stealing sice 31 years. How could anybody forget all this?
@Firouzeh Mirrazavi
What a pointless piece of article. As if nothing has happened over the last 10 months. So according to you, the way to peace and tranquillity is through giving up our rights!!
Horrible Firouzeh, just down right horrible. We will never unite with the wrong side of history. Hatred will always be the loser, the IRI has no hope in the future.
Payam
I know, it's why my words are in inverted commas.
This could be something from a soft version of Keyhan newspaper. This is what Iranians are being fed everyday. I don't consider this as the view of the ordinary Iranian but rather the view of a certain group of people.
Infact I hear other opinions from family and friends in Iran.
"Problems can be successfully solved only when the majority of the Iranian nation, regardless of their political tendencies, lends its support to the government. "
Are my eyes playing a disturbing trick one me or are you really saying what you are clearly saying?
This is exactly what Khamenei has been saying since the elections...that all Iranians must unite behind him and his selected president to fight foreign and domestic enemies.
Shame on you for posting such garbage.
Is Firouzeh Mirrazavi Rafsandjani's pen name?
agne paris,
sorry, just got you wrong.
Payam et al - You only speak for yourself and do not represent all Iranians. Many and the polls bear them out are in favour of the IR system. They want reforms but do not want a secular democracy. The silent majority turned out in droves on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and love Islam. Under your 'secular democracy' if people vote for an Islamic government will you allow them to govern?
Rezvan
Yes we do !
"National unity is an inevitable necessity under existing circumstances and to secure Iran’s rights and interests, there is no better option than strengthening national unity and fostering peace and tranquility in the country." Blah Blah Blah its everyone elses fault and the solution of the problems is for everyone to act like lemmings and follow the Supreme Leader. What a load of trash. When will anyone is Iran address the Human Rights issue in Iran without trying to ignore it or blame someone else. Either this journalist is under pressure to write a pro regime article or she is part of the coup regime.
Malaysia stops gasolene exports to Iran
http://www.rferl.org/content/Malaysia_Says_Suspends_Gasoline_Supplies_To_Iran/2015289.html
This does surprise me!
Barry
Rezvan,
"Under your ’secular democracy’ if people vote for an Islamic government will you allow them to govern?" Well we really should pose the question in reverse and ask will a theocratic government ever allow a secular government to be voted into power. This is especially important in Islam because as your well aware Sharia law holds primacy over secular law always. In fact secular law is essentially constitutes blasphemy in Islam. The answer is a clear no in every case. The regimes use of "enemy of god" title for reformers clearly demonstrates they will never allow an "Islamic" form of government to be replaced with a secular one. If anything for Islamist around the globe Democracy is only a tool to allow them to come to power. Once they do they will abolish it.
Nice try please try again not everyone is a willing sheep.
Thx
Bill
Bill
"If anything for Islamist around the globe Democracy is only a tool to allow them to come to power. Once they do they will abolish it. "
This is what Hitler did - after he was legally and democratically appointed Chancellor of Germany.
Barry
Barry - yeah me too!
Until I read this. Apparently President Obama had a little word with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak not so long ago about this and related matters...
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/dzulkefly-ahmad/60141-najib-must-not-dance-to-us-tune-on-iran
Daimler stops selling trucks to Iran
http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=173275
I can hear a faint "clicking" sound -- I think it is the sound of a one-way ratchet slowly tightening up
Barry
Reading this article made me very angry, hence my comment #4. Now that I had a day to cool down I think I am beginning to agree with Scott’s “what lies behind the words”:-
1) They acknowledge the challenge to their system as a result of the fraud election.
2) They acknowledge the challenge to their legitimacy as a result of the democratic election in Iraq.
3) They are absolutely frightened of all neighbouring countries and in particular the foreign troops.
4) They don’t even dare to discuss the economic mess.
5) They admit that in the absence of the support from the Greens (i.e. the majority), the problems can not be solved.
6) They are begging us to for help.
Trust me; in this historical juncture, it will be the coup government going down.
"They are begging us to for help."
May be and may be not. Either way they shall get none.
Kasra,
Given the context around this article, I think your latest is a very shrewd comment.
S.
I have more respect for the woman who sells her body in streets of Tehran for food than for this Firouzeh Mirrazavi.
Bill - Of course once a populace accepts Islam freely then they are bound to its dictates and principles including its laws. Majority of Iranians are Muslims and over 90 per cent in a popular referendum accepted the establishment of an Islamic Repubic and recent opinion polls show that there is still a majority in its favour. In contrast, a recent poll suggests 90% of US public do not trust their politicians. So why is that in the world's premier 'democracy' ordinary people no longer have confidence in their political system. In most Western 'democracies', they are lucky if they get over 50% voter participation. In IRI, 85% of voters turned out and that as Khamanei said that is the real achievement. Can you get such turnouts in your 'democracies'
@REZZAN
"Of course once a populace accepts Islam freely then they are bound to its dictates and principles including its laws. "
This does make complete sense to me - in the same way that if somebody wants to become a Catholic , then they would accept all the dictates and principles of the Catholic Church.
But please tell me - is somebody, who is or has become a Muslim, permitted to later change their religion to something else - or are they permitted to later come to understand that there is no God and announce themselves to be agnostic or atheist. Can I do that if I come to live in Iran?? What about people already living in Iran - can they do those things??
Barry
@REZVAN
In my country - a Democracy - we get 100% voter turnout, because here voting is compulsory and citizens are fined if they fail to show up at the voting booths.
In the UK and US, voting is not compulsory - so they get very low voter turnout. I agree with you that this is not good.
So Australia and Iran both get very high turnout . The main difference between my country and yours is that here we actually count the votes!!! Even with our sophisticated computerised counting systems, this can sometimes take many days and, in a closely contested election, the winners are not officially announced until many days later when all votes have been counted. Of course - also we do not have a SUPREME POOBAH who tells everyone (like you) what they should think and do and just announces whoever he personally prefers to be winner.
Barry