Thursday
Nov052009
Iran Document: Ayatollah Montazeri's Interview on Eve of 13 Aban
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 16:36
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Posted on Mowj-e-Sabz and then translated by Khordaad88. See also the analysis by EA reader "Iran Unfiltered":
Honorable Grand Ayatollah Montazeri,
With Regards,
We hope you are in great health. We are from the Website Green Wave of Freedom and would like to take some of your precious time for some questions regarding the historic day of 13th of Aban [November 4th]. We believe your answers can be a solution to the current situation in the country and would certainly be welcomed by our readers and anyone who is interested. We thank you in helping us in this regard. Questions are attached and we hope to hear from you.
With highest regard and gratitude,
The Editor in Chief of Green Wave of Freedom
Question 1: In your writings you have regarded the seizure of the American Embassy in 1980 by the Student Followers of Imam as a mistake. However you supported their actions in that time. What was the reason for your support? Why do you regard it as a mistake now?
Question 2: What is your opinion on Iranian-American relations? Is the continuation of this current curtailment [of relations] in the interest of the country?
Question 3: In the current situation where Russia and China have replaced the U.S. and Europe in the politics and economy of Iran, how are they to be treated? Is this kind of relationship in the interest of the country and the Revolution?
Question 4: Considering the situation after the presidential election where the government lost its legitimacy, is the Iranian-American negotiation a negotiation with dignity or one from a position of weakness?
Question 5: What is the meaning of anti-imperialism? Does it mean defending [one's country] against imperialism or does it mean being at war with imperialist forces? Since international law is accepted by most nations around the world what would the concept of anti-imperialism mean in this situation?
————————-
In the Name of God, The Compassionate the Merciful
With regards and gratitude for your enthusiasm towards the important current events of the country,
Response to question 1)
The seizure of the America Embassy in the beginning of the Revolution, which was supported by most of Revolutionary classes of people and the late Imam Khomeini, was also supported by me. However, due to the negative consequences and the excessive sensitivity that this has provoked amongst the American people which still exists today, it is evident that this was a mistake. Needless to say, an embassy of a country is a part of that country. Thus, a seizure of an embassy of a country with whom we are not officially at war with is regarded as a declaration of war and not a correct thing to do. From what I know, some of the revolutionaries and responsible youth that were in charge of the acts admit that this was a mistake.
Response to question 2)
America was behind the 1953 coup against the late Dr. Mossadegh and behind the return of the Shah. After the coup, America dominated the politics and economics of the country. They defended and supported the former regime and blocked the Iranian assets after the Revolution. In general they did not have an appropriate approach toward the Revolution.
As a result, people were angry with America and the students seized the American embassy and U.S. cut its relations with Iran. Consequently, the late Imam Khomeini ruled against new relations with America. It is obvious that this ruling is temporary and would change according to political and economic circumstances. However, this relationship should be a relationship of two independent countries and should be in our interest.
If national interest calls for relations with America, tensions and distrust must not be aggravated by empty slogans. It is obvious that Israel and its lobby in America have been and will be completely against the Iranian-American relationship and find their interests in the continuation of the current crisis between America and Iran. It is unfortunate that statesmen of the country do not pay attention to this fact.
3) If the arrangements are such that the Iranian government finds itself dependent on the east (China and Russia) in its political and economic affairs, the Iranians would end up serving the benefits of the eastern powers instead of themselves. This is against the "no dependency on the west or the east" slogans of the revolution that our people had insisted on.
What is this difference between the Russians and the Americans that leads us to trust the former so much that we endlessly provide them with large sums of taxpayers money, but we are not even ready to talk and negotiate with the latter? Even if we feel that such negotiations would be to the benefit of our country and this nation.
4) It is obvious that with the crisis that the government created after that "magnificent" election [of 12 June], it cannot negotiate with the powerful governments of the world from a strong position. As such, it would make new decisions every day that contradict its older stance. This will ultimately end in harm to the country and the people. The strength of the establishment would not come from silencing and oppressing the people; instead it is the real and willing support of the people that gives strength to the government.
I believe that, in a wise and calculated decision, the government can immediately free all the political prisoners, free all the press, and strip away the prejudices of government institutions and universities. It can replace this with a hiring process that looks at those who are capable and deserve their positions. With such a revolutionary and pious decision, the government can return the lost authority of the establishment. It is through this [solution] that the establishment can negotiate with the powerful nations with power and authority.
5) Fighting imperialism does not mean that we declare war on countries. This would only make them sensitive and us secluded. Instead it means that we defend the rights of our nation against the greedy and ravenous desires of imperialists. In this regards there is no difference between the east and west. Imperialist people may not be power-hungry totalitarians.
A government that keeps its people unsatisfied, oppresses and desecrates rights of people, and imprisons a large group of educated scholars and political activists with unknown accusations cannot claim to be in a struggle against the imperialists and imperialism. Without attending to public dissent to gain the support of people, without revival of the rights of all classes and freedom of the journalists and media, fighting imperialism is impossible and impractical. It is with such a national support that the government can stand strongly against imposed foreign demands and respond appropriately.
In the end, I ask the great and almighty God for your success, and I pray for the honor and dignity of the great people of Iran.
12 Aban 1388 (November 3, 2009)
Hossein-Ali Montazeri
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Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
Posted on Mowj-e-Sabz and then translated by Khordaad88. See also the analysis by EA reader "Iran Unfiltered":
Honorable Grand Ayatollah Montazeri,With Regards,
We hope you are in great health. We are from the Website Green Wave of Freedom and would like to take some of your precious time for some questions regarding the historic day of 13th of Aban [November 4th]. We believe your answers can be a solution to the current situation in the country and would certainly be welcomed by our readers and anyone who is interested. We thank you in helping us in this regard. Questions are attached and we hope to hear from you.
With highest regard and gratitude,
The Editor in Chief of Green Wave of Freedom
Question 1: In your writings you have regarded the seizure of the American Embassy in 1980 by the Student Followers of Imam as a mistake. However you supported their actions in that time. What was the reason for your support? Why do you regard it as a mistake now?
Question 2: What is your opinion on Iranian-American relations? Is the continuation of this current curtailment [of relations] in the interest of the country?
Question 3: In the current situation where Russia and China have replaced the U.S. and Europe in the politics and economy of Iran, how are they to be treated? Is this kind of relationship in the interest of the country and the Revolution?
Question 4: Considering the situation after the presidential election where the government lost its legitimacy, is the Iranian-American negotiation a negotiation with dignity or one from a position of weakness?
Question 5: What is the meaning of anti-imperialism? Does it mean defending [one's country] against imperialism or does it mean being at war with imperialist forces? Since international law is accepted by most nations around the world what would the concept of anti-imperialism mean in this situation?
————————-
In the Name of God, The Compassionate the Merciful
With regards and gratitude for your enthusiasm towards the important current events of the country,
Response to question 1)
The seizure of the America Embassy in the beginning of the Revolution, which was supported by most of Revolutionary classes of people and the late Imam Khomeini, was also supported by me. However, due to the negative consequences and the excessive sensitivity that this has provoked amongst the American people which still exists today, it is evident that this was a mistake. Needless to say, an embassy of a country is a part of that country. Thus, a seizure of an embassy of a country with whom we are not officially at war with is regarded as a declaration of war and not a correct thing to do. From what I know, some of the revolutionaries and responsible youth that were in charge of the acts admit that this was a mistake.
Response to question 2)
America was behind the 1953 coup against the late Dr. Mossadegh and behind the return of the Shah. After the coup, America dominated the politics and economics of the country. They defended and supported the former regime and blocked the Iranian assets after the Revolution. In general they did not have an appropriate approach toward the Revolution.
As a result, people were angry with America and the students seized the American embassy and U.S. cut its relations with Iran. Consequently, the late Imam Khomeini ruled against new relations with America. It is obvious that this ruling is temporary and would change according to political and economic circumstances. However, this relationship should be a relationship of two independent countries and should be in our interest.
If national interest calls for relations with America, tensions and distrust must not be aggravated by empty slogans. It is obvious that Israel and its lobby in America have been and will be completely against the Iranian-American relationship and find their interests in the continuation of the current crisis between America and Iran. It is unfortunate that statesmen of the country do not pay attention to this fact.
3) If the arrangements are such that the Iranian government finds itself dependent on the east (China and Russia) in its political and economic affairs, the Iranians would end up serving the benefits of the eastern powers instead of themselves. This is against the "no dependency on the west or the east" slogans of the revolution that our people had insisted on.
What is this difference between the Russians and the Americans that leads us to trust the former so much that we endlessly provide them with large sums of taxpayers money, but we are not even ready to talk and negotiate with the latter? Even if we feel that such negotiations would be to the benefit of our country and this nation.
4) It is obvious that with the crisis that the government created after that "magnificent" election [of 12 June], it cannot negotiate with the powerful governments of the world from a strong position. As such, it would make new decisions every day that contradict its older stance. This will ultimately end in harm to the country and the people. The strength of the establishment would not come from silencing and oppressing the people; instead it is the real and willing support of the people that gives strength to the government.
I believe that, in a wise and calculated decision, the government can immediately free all the political prisoners, free all the press, and strip away the prejudices of government institutions and universities. It can replace this with a hiring process that looks at those who are capable and deserve their positions. With such a revolutionary and pious decision, the government can return the lost authority of the establishment. It is through this [solution] that the establishment can negotiate with the powerful nations with power and authority.
5) Fighting imperialism does not mean that we declare war on countries. This would only make them sensitive and us secluded. Instead it means that we defend the rights of our nation against the greedy and ravenous desires of imperialists. In this regards there is no difference between the east and west. Imperialist people may not be power-hungry totalitarians.
A government that keeps its people unsatisfied, oppresses and desecrates rights of people, and imprisons a large group of educated scholars and political activists with unknown accusations cannot claim to be in a struggle against the imperialists and imperialism. Without attending to public dissent to gain the support of people, without revival of the rights of all classes and freedom of the journalists and media, fighting imperialism is impossible and impractical. It is with such a national support that the government can stand strongly against imposed foreign demands and respond appropriately.
In the end, I ask the great and almighty God for your success, and I pray for the honor and dignity of the great people of Iran.
12 Aban 1388 (November 3, 2009)
Hossein-Ali Montazeri
The one aspect I missed in your analysis, particularly in regard to the political manoeuvrings of the Larijani brothers and the much-vaunted National Unity Plan, is any mention of the Supreme Leader. Today was undoubtedly another major blow to his personal authority. Yet he is far from an irrelevancy. Any strategy to remove Ahmadinejad will undoubtedly have to include a carefully calibrated approach to Khamenei.