Iran Exclusive: An Interview with Mehdi Karroubi "The Movement is Alive"

An EA exclusive: English translation by Potkin Azarmehr of Masih Alinejad's interview with Mehdi Karroubi.

The interview took place amidst the request by Mir Hossein Moussavi and Karroubi for a permit for a rally on 14 February in solidarity with the movements in Egypt and Tunisia, the arrest of Karroubi's advisor Taghi Rahmani, and intimidation of Karroubi's associates.

Security agents appeared in front of Karroubi's house on Thursday to enforce a house arrest, allowing only Karroubi's wife to enter the residence. Alinejad's interview was cut short by the restrictions.

Originally published in Persian in Rah-e-Sabz:

Why are they scared of our presence amongst the people?

Karroubi replied, "The movement which became known as the Green Movement subsided after its initial excitement. Some of the Green Movement supporters became despondent. The government which keeps referring to this as the “end of the sedition”, seems to be worried after the permit for a rally on 14th February was requested, in case once again people will turn up on the streets. Recently Mr. Ejei [Iran Prosecutor General Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei] reacted to the request by calling it a 'political act'."

Karroubi regarded these harsh reactions against the Green Movement supporters as signs of fear and addressed the Government: “Go to a place where people gather like a mosque, cinema or a park and see what people are saying. The brutality of the crackdown and all the tragedies that took place has made people very reserved. When even the lower-rank [dissidents] are sacked from their jobs, of course people become despondent and go into their shell, but the thinking of these people has not changed, a thinking which is now accompanied by hatred and revenge."

Karroubi called the government claims that the people have isolated and contained the leaders of the movement a "mere joke". He added, “If this was the case, why has the government tried so hard to limit us? They claim the people have turned their backs to us, so why are they so scared of granting a permit for a rally? Why are they so scared of us appearing amongst the people?”

The former Speaker of the 3rd and 6th post-revolution Islamic Consultative Assembly [Parliament] emphasised, "The movement is alive and flowing within the people," and reminded, “The media and those who claim the movement is dead should not then be scared of this movement. Why are they so scared?”

Karroubi addressed those officials who oppose every gathering of the people, students, women, and reformers and encounter them harshly by arresting the participants. He said, "They cannot even tolerate a private house sermon and demand a permit for it and close it down, so this shows the movement is alive and has penetrated within the people. The actions of the establishment is the best proof that the movement is alive."

The permit requested for the rally on the 14th Feb is related to the protests against dictatorships in the region. Iranian people staged several huge protests last June, mostly against the election vote rigging which resulted in many killings, injuries and arrests that in turn has forced people to stay away from further street protests. In Egypt, however, people remained in the streets and demanded President Mubarak's removal. If something similar to Tahrir Square happens in Iran on Monday, judging by past experiences, are the leaders of the Movement and the Iranian society in general ready to lead the new protests in line with the current events elsewhere?

Karroubi replied, “This question must be asked from the real leaders of the Movement, which are the people themselves.”

Karroubi said he believed “people know what they are doing and what they must do. This movement is led by the people and people know how they should react for every eventuality.”

Karroubi continued, “In Iran protesters were treated with the upmost brutality possible but in Egypt the crackdown was not as bad, they were what was expected of a dictator, not like in Iran where women were beaten up and families of political prisoners were assaulted."

Karroubi continued, "Egypt's encounter with protesters was what was expected from a dictatorship but in Iran they created a stain of dishonour called Kahrizak [Prison, where detainees were abused and killed after the 2009 election]."

In the last 32 years since the 1979 revolution, more and more people have been added to what the regime refers to as counter revolutionaries. Many people from the first generation of revolutionaries are in prison charged with trying to overthrow the regime. Many distinguished personalities like Karroubi, Mousavi, former President Mohammad Khatami and even former President Hashemi Rafsanjani are referred to as leaders of the sedition. What does all this mean and where will it end?

Karroubi replied “It is obvious where it will end. When individuals whom I do not want to name become Islamic theoreticians and interpret Islam in the way they want, according to their own taste, when their circle is getting tighter and tighter, we are not going to have a good end ahead.”

Karroubi pointed to the time when he was the speaker of the 3rd Parliament (1988-1992), “During that time I had heard these things too, they used the label of sedition on me back then as well. But look at the trend now, look how many we are now. Back then it was just a few, but look how many are called that today? From a former Prime Minister, President, and MPs all the way to students and academics and many more: all are labelled with sedition and visionless. It has come to a point that if they want to show a little respect for an opposition figure and not label them under sedition, they call them 'visionless'. The body of the revolution and the regime is crumbling like never before.”

Many amongst the dissidents and protesters believe the 1979 Revolution has gone astray. There are different interpretations of this. How have you come to the conclusion that the Revolution has distanced itself from its original aims?

Karroubi referred to a quote by Ayatollah Khomeini, “The scale shall be the people's votes” and continued, “We had promised the people that the running of the country's affairs will be by them. That they will choose the officials and remove them from office. Now what has happened is reminiscent of the Iranian proverb, 'It's your auntie's soup, whether you like it or not.' meaning those who have seized power are not prepared to let go under any circumstances and are even trying to expand it."

Karroubi said, “The first and the biggest harm the Revolution faced was distancing itself from the main slogans of the revolution. The slogans were not taken seriously and not implemented in practice. We wanted to have a real Parliament not an order-taking one; we wanted to have a President but not one who acts to his own will.”

Karroubi also criticized the Assembly of Experts, saying, “This assembly is for supervision not for praising and flattery. In any case it is at its lowest point at the moment and this is the first problem about the harm to the establishment's idea of a republic.”

[At this point the interview was interrupted.]