Every now and then I watch this interesting program called ‘Mosalase Shisheyi’ which has a large audience in Iran. The host or interviewer is Reza Rashidpour, in my opinion a very professional fellow. Last summer a similar programe hosted by Rashidpour was titled ‘Shabe shisheyi’. One of the reasons this programe has such a large audience was due to its unique style (in Iran) and the known and famous personalities invited to the programe, actors, artists, politicians as well as professionals such as doctors and pilots, etc…
Being very open and honest and straight forward on a live TV programe is a difficult task, specially in Iran, bearing in mind our cultural and social codes of behavior, specially when it comes to our personal life. However; the programe seems interesting even to many of us living abroad. Nevertheless; the common denominator in such prohrames in Iran, is the constant religious and pro-religious comments and statments by the host as well as ‘some’ of the interviewd. This summer while watching the ‘Mosalase shisheyi’ I realize that there’s a very visible effort by the makers, to mix popular cultural characters with very unpopular individuals such as some clerigs and ‘politicians’ trying to give the mediocre impresion that everything is good and we’re all the same in Iran.
One of the invited characters weeks ago was ‘Sardar Radan’ the police chief of the greater Tehran, who happens to be the face behind the ‘dress code’ crackdown as well as other very harsh measures that sofocate the daily life on Iranians (at least the vast majority of Iranians) While watching the programe, once I thought, well; this host (Reza Rashidpur) is somehow making a favor to the IRI stablishment by being the interviewr of such programe by treating people like radan and other hezbolahis with respect and his famous smile. He should be part of the regime, I thought. It needs to be mentioned that last year another interviwer (Farzad Hassani) was fired upon questioning and ridiculing Sardar Radan on his live TV show called ‘koole poshti’ Then I recalled that years ago, a friend of mine got a job offer from Iran Air in Germany. He turned it down because the wage was very low, but later told me that another friend had told him that by working for Iran Air he’d be working for the IRI and that he should really think about it.
Now, I cannot stop wondering, where do we draw the red line? the border? How do we decide who works for the IRI and who doesn’t? Do all Iran Air pilots work for the IRI? What about the artists such as Reza Kianian or Parviz Parastooyi among many other acors and directors that make films about the Iran-Iraq war and martyrdom… aren’t they making a favor to the IRI by helping them spread their brainwashing ideology? What about the bank directors, civil servants, military men, factories, the police, etc…
Aren’t they by working and getting paid for and by the state, being indirectly part of the IRI stablishment? The day the IRI collapses, should Iranians go after Reza Rashidpour, the TV presenter? or after many artists that have participated in making pro-IRI and pro-Hezbolahi films?
Where is the red line to be drwan? Another question would be, are Iranians living abroad, many of whom have left Iran as political refugees and still use the IRI passport and ID to travel back and forth, are they qulified to judge and say who does or doesn’t belong to the IRI? Aren’t they by their constant trips to Iran, with the money they spend there giving any legitimacy to the IRI? In such situation, who is the hypocrite? Reza Rashidpour the TV presenter or the milions of Iranians who despite oposing the IRI still use its documents and passport to travel back and forth, like tourists?
Because, then someone can come and say, all Iranians are part of the IRI for having stayed and worked for or under the regime and obviously such view cannot sustain itself. But the question remains, who is part of the IRI stablishment and therefore guilty? (assuming that the IRI is gulty of many things)
Sepas!
