Democracy & the West: Iran marks Islamic revolution

Last Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and his wife, Empress Farah

By Dr. Abdul Ruff

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Islamic Revolution in Iran is still being criticized by the Western powers led by the “democratic leader” USA, though it was purely an internal politico-religious matter of Iran. Even as being under constant threat from anti-Islamic nations led by USA and Israel which is supported by countries like India, Iran has launched 10 days of celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution that overthrew the US-backed former ruler, the Shah. As a bully policy, the USA rapes Iran by slamming the lack of Western democracy in the country and insists that many in Iran would like more “democracy” and personal freedoms. But a recent study has revealed US aversion to any criticism of its government’s destructive role in Mideast and Afghanistan. But Iranians are also receptive to US President Barack Obama’s invitation to heal relations with Washington.

Most Iranians are still proud of the independence from foreign domination they won in 1979. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said speaking at a ceremony in the capital, Tehran, at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini – the father of the revolution that the revolution is “lively and alive”. “We are still at the beginning of the path and greater changes are ahead,” Ahmadinejad was quoted by AFP news agency as saying, “Although the Islamic revolution happened in Iran it is not limited to Iranian borders”.

The US broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in 1979, after students stormed the US embassy in Tehran after the Islamist revolution overthrew the US-backed Shah. Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran from exile in Paris on 1 February 1979. It took only 10 days before the Shah’s regime collapsed. Iranians are as usual united and stand behind their leader. The chants of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” on Jan 31 reminded the long standing animosity between the super power and the nuclear aspiring Islamic state. May be there was no longer the fervour of those early days of the revolution, as the western reports suggest.

In an unprecedented move, President Ahmadinejad congratulated US president-elect Barack Obama on his election win. Barack Obama has offered to open unconditional dialogue with Iran about its nuclear program. US President Obama has used his first formal TV interview since taking office to reach out to the Muslim world – saying Americans are not its enemy. Obama reiterated that the US would extend the hand of friendship to Iran if it “unclenched its fist”.

Iran’s president has responded to an overture by the new US president by demanding an apology for past US “crimes” committed against Iran. The US “stood against the Iranian people in the past 60 years”, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during an address in the western region of Khermenshah. “Those who speak of change must apologize to the Iranian people and try to repair their past crimes,” he said.

The presidential poll is approaching and the chances of Ahmadinejad getting reelected are greater than projected by the USA. Iran’s rhetoric war has united the Iranian as never before and Iran is on its way to have nukes, if not already have them, as the president once even claimed having got some last year at the height of “Iran-US nerve war. Nowadays, however, Iranian governments get judged on much more mundane issues like the state of the economy or the ever worsening Tehran traffic.

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Relations between Washington and Tehran reached new lows in recent years over attempts by the US and its allies in the United Nations to curtail Iran’s nuclear programme over fears it is trying to build nuclear weapons. Tehran says its programme is to develop civilian nuclear power only. The new US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said that she was looking forward to “vigorous diplomacy that includes direct diplomacy with Iran “. Iran has called the US bluff all along ad blamed it for pursing the Jewish policy to appease the fascists..

Ahmadinejad also attacked US support for Israeli fascism and also its own wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He called on Obama to withdraw US troops from their bases around the world and for America to “stop interfering in other people’s affairs”. Referring to Obama’s predecessor, George W Bush, he said he trusted that he had “gone to hell”. Last year, while in Iraq, Ahmadinejad called the occupying foreign terror forces led by the USA to quit Iraq and Afghanistan.

The remarks are the first Iranian comment on the US since Obama took office eight days ago on 20 Jan. In Tehran the BBC’s Jon Leyne who opposes Iran and other Islamic nations describes it as one of Ahmadinejad’s strongest tirades against the US. The new US president Barack Obama has offered to extend a hand if Iran “unclenched its fist”. President Obama discussed the possibility of a softening of US policy towards Iran in his first interview recorded with a Saudi-owned Arabic TV network. Ahmadinejad congratulated Obama after his election in November but the message was criticized in Iran and received a cool response from Obama.

USA believes in threats and tactics to bully the weak nations, while keep applying diplomatic rules with strong nations like Russia, China and others. America’s crimes against Iran, the Iranian leader said in his televised speech, included support for the Iranian coup of 1953 and backing for Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. The Iranian president welcomed the possibility of US change, but said it should be “fundamental and effective” rather than just a change of tactics.

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It is a very sad commentary on Islam today that there is not even one Muslim country that truly practices Islamic tenets in true spirits, although there are over 57 declared Muslim nations, both big and small in size and population, strong and weak economic politically and security wise; both nuclear and non-nuclear and aspiring nuclear powers; both terrorist and anti-terrorist nations depending on their equations with USA and other anti-Islamic nations controlling the world. All that the Muslim leaders seek is wealth for themselves and their kith and kin and they promote nepotism and rampant corruption inflicting a serious blow to Islam at their levels, anti-Islamic tenet like inequality and drunkardness.

The US-led anti-Islamic world does not allow any real Islam to flourish any where in the world and after the destruction of Afghanistan that tried to establish a true Islamic society, no Islamic nation takes any risk of establishing an Islamic nation based on Sharia’. All anti-Islamic nations now led by US-India-Israel are ganged up to “defeat Islam and kill the Muslims under fictitious pretexts like terrorism that are created by themselves to uproot Islam. They cleverly use the services of some of Muslim organizations promoted by CIA-Mossad-RAW globally and regionally.

That Iran even after an Islamic revolution could not make any real progress in implementing Islam in true spirits is another story now. Ahmadinejad will, as expected, stand for re-election in June, Aliakbar Javanfekr, a close aide of Iranian president asserted. World may see twists and turns out of Iran as its leaders work out whether Obama is offering real change and what they may offer in return. While he was playing to the crowd, he could also be staking out his position ahead of Iran’s presidential election in June.

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A brief calendar of events concerning Iran’s problems with USA and UNSC and IAEA: Iran waged a long war with its neighbor Iraq with American weapons. But USA wants to disarm Iran after it destroyed Iraq. Iran’s nuclear path is being used by the USA and Israel to invade Tehran, but Iran has challenged them to do that. The US-led anti-Islamic West is using Iran against the Arab nations.

Rise of Anti-Americanism

2002 January – US President George Bush describes Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an “axis of evil”, warning of the proliferation of long-range missiles being developed in these countries. The speech causes outrage in Iran and is condemned by reformists and conservatives alike. 2002 September – Russian technicians begin construction of Iran’s first nuclear reactor at Blusher despite strong objections from US. 2003 June – Thousands attend student-led protests in Tehran against clerical establishment. 2003 September – UN nuclear watchdog, IAEA, gives Tehran weeks to prove it is not pursuing an atomic weapons programme. 2005 June – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tehran’s ultra-conservative mayor, wins a run-off vote in presidential elections, defeating cleric and former president Amber Hashemite Rafsanjani.

Nuclear crisis

2005 August-September – Tehran said it had resumed uranium conversion at its Isaac plant and insists the programme is for peaceful purposes. IAEA finds Iran in violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 2006 February – IAEA votes to report Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear activities. Iran resumes uranium enrichment at Nathan. 2006 April – Iran says it has succeeded in enriching uranium at its Nathan facility. 2006 31 August – UN Security Council deadline for Iran to halt its work on nuclear fuel passes. IAEA says Tehran has failed to suspend the programme.

Holocaust denial

2006 December – Iran hosts a controversial conference on the Holocaust; delegates include Holocaust deniers. UN Security Council votes to impose sanctions on Iran’s trade in sensitive nuclear materials and technology. Iran condemns the resolution and vows to speed up uranium enrichment work. 2007 April – President Ahmadinejad says Iran can produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale.

IAEA says Iran has begun making nuclear fuel in its underground uranium enrichment plant. It also says that Iran has started up more than 1,300 centrifuge machines. 2007 May – IAEA says Iran could develop a nuclear weapon in three to eight years if it so chooses. 2007 July – Iran announces plans to stop making cars that only run on petrol and switch to dual-fuel vehicles, which also run on gas.

Iran agrees to allow inspectors to visit the Ark nuclear plant following talks with the IAEA. 2007 December – A new US intelligence report plays down the perceived nuclear threat posed by Iran. 2008 February – Iran launches a research rocket to inaugurate a newly built space centre. Washington describes the launch as “unfortunate”. 2008 March – President Ahmadinejad makes unprecedented official visit to Iraq, where he calls on foreign troops to leave. He also stresses his government’s desire to help rebuild Iraq and signs a number of cooperation agreements. UN Security Council tightens economic and trade sanctions on Tehran. 2008 June – EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana presents an offer of trade benefits, which Tehran says it will look at, but will reject if it demands suspension of uranium enrichment. 2008 July – Iran test-fires a new version of the Shahab-3, a long-range missile it says is capable of hitting targets in Israel. Iran says it has successfully launched a test rocket capable of carrying a satellite into space. 2008 September – UN Security Council passes unanimously a new resolution reaffirming demands that Iran stop enriching uranium, but imposes no new sanctions.

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