One of the interesting features of the Iranian demonstrations in London is the division which has occurred between the vast majority of the people which stand to one side and a much smaller group consisting of the monarchists and the Mojahedin Khlagh (MKO) that stand together distinguished by their flags bearing the lion and the sun. Oddly the monarchists and the MKO seem to have put aside their differences and united as a result of the symbolic importance of the flag in their respective movements. Personally I think the current emotional attachment of the MKO and the monarchists to their flags is odd to the say the least and highly destructive and counterproductive to the movement that is going on Iran. Firstly, their emphasis on the flag is playing straight into the hands of the IRI who use it as further confirmation that the anti-regime movement is supported by foreign groups and the monarchists. Secondly, they seem to have forgotten who the real enemy is. Repeatedly during the few hours allocated to the demonstrations, they parade their flags across the section where the majority is standing to get a response—thankfully they are completely ignored. Finally even if their strategic objective is the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Iran or having Maryam & Massoud replace the supreme leader, tactically they should have the intelligence to realise that the way to achieve it is to unite today to destroy the regime so they can at least have the chance to make their case to the Iranian people—sadly they don’t. The net result is that even when there is sympathy for their positions (as an example, I believe that a legitimate case can be made, based on historical and cultural grounds, for a constitutional monarchy), they end up losing any goodwill which may exist.
