SHIMMERING MIRAGE

SHIMMERING MIRAGE

The Supreme Leader of Iran once again make the most of the Friday pray’s platform to give his own vision about the future of the regime. In the first part of the sermon Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave an explicit description about how Shia’s fist Imam, Ali, dealt with his opponents. He explained how patient and understanding Ali was with his enemies. However, he said, Ali eradicated all of his opponents when he found them determined to threaten the very existence of Islam. Giving the present situation in Iran and with this comparison, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s intention was to send a strong but blunt message to his own opponents. There are, however, a few points in this apparently simple analogy which are missing. First and the foremost, there is no characteristic resemblance between the Shia’s first Imam and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the circumstances are absolutely different. In the aftermath of the disputed election, all the members of the opposition along side with ordinary people were systematically prosecuted, tortured and then taken to the court. None was threatening the principals of Islam and presenting such a comparison is either due to delusional grandeur of the Supreme Leader or meant to mislead the public. The approach of the regime and the position taken by the Supreme Leader himself showed no sense of understanding and tolerance towards people who were only concerned about the credibility of the presidential election.

In the second part of the sermon the Supreme Leader divided government’s opponents into those who have remained inside the regime and those who have chosen to be outsiders and then he accused them of acting in their own vested interest. However, he clearly failed to explain the basis of this categorization. As far as the leaders of government’s opponents are concerned, they have been part of the establishment for the last 30 years and believe in Islam and the Constitution. Therefore, this dividing line drawn by the Supreme Leader is being used as a pretext to repress those who dare to raise their voice against the regime.

His lack of political insight became obvious when he exemplified the global acceptance of the regime by saying that people in a café house in remote part of North Africa cheer up the Iranian football team while they watch the match on T.V. This idea of replacing the passion of football with the world wide political support for the Iranian regime is the most ridiculous example he could have ever mentioned in his sermon.

The present dispute in Iran is neither about the election nor about the credibility of Ahmadinejad’s government. The present dispute is about injustice. In the aftermath of the election according to the government’s official figures about 4000 people were arrested. It has been confirmed that more than 80 people were killed and their relatives were banned from observing the religious rituals. There are many unidentified graves in the cemetery which are matter of great concern for families with missing individuals. The issue of overcrowded and secret detention center in which detainees were systematically tortured, beaten and raped was so scandalous that the Supreme Leader was forced to order its closure. These are some of too many examples of the injustice of this Islamic government which according to the Supreme Leader has a strong resemblance to Shia’s fist Imam’s way of governing the nation. Despite all this evidence, his illusory and unattainable vision for the future of the regime became even clearer when he predicted the huge turn out in the next general election.

The striking point at the end of his sermon was when he warned everyone to be vigilant about those who will attend the International Jerusalem Day (Rooze jahaniye Qods). The event is observed in Iran on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as a day of support for Palestinians and opposition against Israel. This year it falls on 18th of September. Ayatollah Khamenei was clearly anxious that there should be no misuse of the event. The opposition forces are intending to use this opportunity to demonstrate and express their anger regarding the post-election events while legally there should be no constraints or restriction against them. It is ironic that during the last 30 years the regime, weeks before the event, used to urge all Iranian to take to the streets on this day. However, this year’s International Jerusalem Day is already proving to be problematic.

The Supreme Leader in his latest appearance as the Friday Imam seemed to be a broken man who could see many irreversible mistakes. He did not appear as one who has a vision for the country; all he could see was a shimmering mirage in an expanding desert of ignorance.

Shahin M