aLiAhWaZi

One last thing

This may be the IRI's fault that Arabs are poor but if Persians don't stop their racism towards Arabs, no matter how rich Arabs are they STILL won't feel like home in Iran! This is very important.

Like some others here

I don't agree with the poster at all but I don't blame him considering the despicable posts I see here. He is an Iranian ARAB and he has every right to call himself such, you Persians have no right whatsoever to tell US [Turks, Arabs, ethnic minorities etc] what we can call ourselves. Being Iranian and Arab are not contradictions. Wow this is so pathetic, I cannot BELIEVE I even have to write this stuff.

Persian Racists

are rampant throughout this website. As a Turkmen I would know, considering how they talk about Turks and especially about Arabs. And here comments from people like VPK and Mohammad prove this Persian chauvinism is alive and well.

Arabs make 3% of Iran, not 1 or 2. Moreover I don't give a crap what these people say, the inhabitants of the land OWN the land, meaning you cannot tell them to leave but don't take the land with them; it's THEIR land. 

Some people here are idiots, you really need to start treating your ethnic minorities with respect. If Ahwaz separates [most Arabs don't want to separate but you Persians are really provoking them] Iran is finished. Will not be staying with a racist country. Arabs are one of the poorest people in Iran and yet you have the nerve to bring up the Persian Gulf?!

These Persians here are really selfish, I know many aren't like this but like half of them are. Shame on you. 

aLiAhWaZi jan

While I wholeheartedly agree with you that all this Fars is better, Aryan is superior crap is just that, CRAP and pure racism and MUST stop, I have to say I do find it disturbing that you identify as an Arab rather than as an Iranian. Certainly, you can't expect to identify yourself as 'other' but then expect to be treated as 'same' in ALL respects, can you??

I've always considered Khuzestanis, Kurds, Turkemens, Azaris etc, Iranians. I am Azari myself but Iranian first and foremost. The Azeri part is only an ethnocultural identification, nothing to do with my nationality. And I would most certainly never support separation of Azerbaijan from Iran while I do support their rights to language, culture etc practiced and taught in their cities, schools etc., (and even the language in schools still only as secondary to Farsi - NOT because I consider Farsi better but because it is the language of the land to which its citizens must be able to contribute to adequately).

By the same token I would never support separation of Khusestan (and it is NOT Arabestan!) from Iran. The shahrvands should be free to move about inside Iran and conduct their lives and business with equal rights and also be free to move out of Iran like all other Iranians if they so wish. But the land and resources remain Iranian. This is not racism, it is nationalism practiced in the interest of Iran by Iranians.

And I sincerely am thankful for you bringing up this subject. I do think it needs much discussion and exchange of ideas not only because of how it affects Khuzestanis but also all other ethnic minorities in Iran. Quite frankly the attitudes some of the Farvehar shileding crowd has made me sick to my stomach time and time again.

Here's a good laugh incase you haven't seen it ;)

//iranian.com/main/blog/hollyusa/farvagea...

VPK II

First of all I have not made any accusations against you personally, I have made an observation based on the repeated comment along the lines that the land stays, if you don't like it pack up and leave. 

I owe nobody any apologies for making an observation based on the evidence that is available to anybody who reads the comments on this thread.

I have already made my point and do not wish to continue this discussion unless new points are raised.

Princess

What I disagree with is the notion that Iranian land is considered a national treasure, but its people aren't!

You are making baseless assumptions. Once again: where did I say the people are not a national treasure? If you make a claim you have to back it up. So just repeating the same false claim does not make it right. 

People and land are very different "treasures". They have different natures and needs. People need education; jobs; healthcare and so on. Land needs to be kept unpolluted. 

The biggest violators of minority rights are the IRR gang. You can bet that a democratic Iran will have much more respect for rights of minorities than have ever existed in Iran.

Arabs are not the problem. Islam is. Indeed several of Arab

peoples (those not from Arabian Peninsula) are quite sophisticated and suffer similar dilemmas as Iranians which is dealing with islamism, bigotry, corrupt and violent regimes, and likes of you. let me say it in a language you understand 

ليست هناك ضرائب على غباء أو الخيانة أو الانتهازية. ومع ذلك ، حتى مجرمي النظام الإسلامي لا تسمح للانفصال خوزستان عن الاستراتيجية والمصلحة الذاتية

الأسباب. كنت أتكلم من مؤخرتك وكنت قد يذهب إلى جانب يمارس الجنس مع نفسك. إذا كان هذا هو الاهتمام الذي كانوا يأملون من قبل لهذا المنصب ، هل نجحت أنت معتوه. 

VPK

What I disagree with is the notion that Iranian land is considered a national treasure, but its people aren't! 

I have a problem with the predominant attitude amongst Iranians who place the land over its people. Maybe we all need to step back and ask ourselves, why would any of our hamvatans want to separate from us, hence my very first comment on this thread.

Frankly, after reading the first few responses on this thread I can't blame the author of this blog for writing the piece he has written. I don't agree with him, but I don't blame him. To me the reaction to his blog has proven his point, and I find that extremely sad. 

After all we all claim to be for a democratic and just Iran ruled by the will of the people where the rights of minorities are respected, yet still the Pavlovian reaction to any mention of the term Arab seems to get the better of us. 

Peace! 

Princess part II

I find it horrifying that while people seem to want to hold on to a piece of land at any cost, they don't assign a fraction of that value to human beings who call that piece of land their home! 

Where did I say I did not value Iranian people. In all my posts I have made it clear that I value Iranian peoople. Specially I don't want them to get killed in war. I want them to have good lives without being pawns in the IRR's stupid game.

But you made a very serious accusation against me. I find it extremely offensive and baseless. Right now I demand: either provide proof that I do not value Iranian people or issue a public apology.

Princess

What part of my statement do you disagree with:

• People should be free to come and go
• Land does not have free will

I agree that the true asset of Iran is its people. I have said that before many times. However how do you propose to "keep the people"? We cannot chain them up. Iran is not going to be the Soviet Union where people are kept against their will.

The best a country can do is to make it attractive for people to stay. Provide security and opportunities. Respect and justice but at the end people get to decide. My position is very simple: People are free to come and go as they want.

I do not see your objection.

As for the land that is a separate issue. Land does belong to a single group or generation to claim or give away. Iranian land is national treasure and belongs to all Iranians: past; present and future no matter where they lived; live or will live. Therefore it is non negotiable.

I beg to differ

VPK, 

The true asset of Iran is its people, without its people the land is meaningless. Although I agree with you that in a democracy people are free to come and go as they please, I fundamentally disagree with the attitude that if you don't like it you are free to leave.

I find it horrifying that while people seem to want to hold on to a piece of land at any cost, they don't assign a fraction of that value to human beings who call that piece of land their home!  

Ya Akhi...

While i will not deny Persian racist comments towards Arabs. I think you need to put things in perspective. First of all, Khuzestan as a whole has been ignored by IRI. I don't know how old you are but during the time of the Shah, most Arabs were living in rural areas. But there were ofcourse rich Arabs who lived in the urban areas and were doing extremely well speaking both Arabic and Farsi. My family had Arab friends in both rural and urban areas. I don't remember saying "dirty Arab" or "inferior Arab". Yes, I have heard my friends say "Arabs this and Arab that" but rest assured if an Arab came in front of them, they would befriend them and buy them lunch. If any government discriminates against its citizens, then that is an issue that needs to be addressed. Democracies have been able to deal with this issue better than totalitarian governments like IRI. You are Arab and I am Persian, we both left Iran because IRI was not able to provide the environment for us to grow as people living within its boundary.  As you say "The difference in the level of life between those cousins in Iran and Kuwait is extremely obvious" that is something you can say for both our Arabs and Persian cousins living in Iran and Kuwait.  Have Arab discriminated against and looked down upon other groups? Yes they have. Anyways you should stay with your Persian brothers and with Iran because things will get better.

Re: The people of Iran are just as important to Iran as is its l

People have free will. In a democratic Iran people will be free to come and go. So if someone wants to pack up and go that is their choice.

The land does not have fee will. The land is and has been a part of Iran from the beginning. Therefore Iranian land stays. 

The people of Iran are just as important to Iran as is its land

... and that includes the Arab hamvatans!

First things first, let's create a true democratic Iran, where every citizen's rights, including those of the minorities are respected and safeguarded, and where every individual is allowed to prosper based on its own merit, then see if there will still be any reasonable call for separation.

Will Arabs let us post this much junk on their websites?

Will Arabs let us post this much junk on their websites?  

Ahwazi group has had a desire to separate from Iran.  Saddam Hussein took that wish to his grave, many Arabs will do the same.  Many Arab countries such as Bahrain were part of Iran.

  Arabs first must learn Persian Gulf is the right term to use, then come and discuss other issues.   

Iran has been hurt and/or damaged by Arab countries more than any other country/race.  Enough of this non-sense.

Ahwazis

Are Iranians and Khouzestan has always been part of iran. But you said:

"Iran ’s oil is almost exclusively confined to Arabistan (Khuzistan)"

Yet another indication of where some of our problems lie.

Marde hesabi, you are Iranian but consider yourself arab - what could be worse?  If Khouzestan is poor, you should refer to 31 years of the Islamic regime's policies which has made life hard for everyone and there are people on this site who claim that the current president (my apologies to real presidents) is looking out for the working class?

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________

Khuzistan is always and will permannently be part of Iran

The arab population in Iran is about 1-2 %. They are welcome to stay or to go. If they go they do not get to take Khuzistan or any of its revenue. As for Arabistan that is Saudi. You should take Shustari's advise; move to Saudi or maybe they won't let you in

with all due respect....

wullek, why don't you pack up and go to saudi arabia?

khuzestan and ahvaz HAS AND ALWAYS BE PART OF IRAN......