Letters

Write for The Iranian Editorial policy

Tuesday
November 13, 2001

Wake up to the reality

Echoing the sentiments expressed by R. Sardar ["Exaggerated allegations"] and Ahmad Javan ["Correction"], I feel compelled to say a few more words to some of the newly-emerged-from-the-woodwork concerned hamvatans, who have tried to warn us about the perils of a revived constitutional monarchy in Iran. There appears to be a sudden surge in the number of these well-meaning concerned Iranians, recently!! Could there be a connection between this "concern" and the fact that Reza Pahlavi's campaign is gaining momentum and, therefore, certain groups are fearing that their personal interests may be in jeopardy?!

Some (of the proclaimed EDUCATED ones) have resorted to nightmare scenarios (I had a dream) and seem to have developed a sense of Khaab-nama!! I wish them "sweet dreams" and hope that one day, soon, they will wake up to the reality. Let them be warned that it is not time for childish stories now.

There are others like S.K. Pishevar ["Son of fire is ash"], who appear to have personal agendas of their own. Pishevar, who has been introduced as " an Iraniam-American businessman, entrepreneur and investor", is apparently a young man (of under 30 years) who left Iran when he was no more than 6 or 7 years old, but (in addition to his financial success) has also become an expert in history and politics!! One of the unique characteristics of Pishevar seems to be his deep, imotional (even romantic) love for his beloved President Khatami! The only way that I could think of explaining this strong love is that, as a child, he must have seen the face of his Imam (Khomeini) in the moon - and now he sees Khomeini's reflection on Khatami's face!!

Pishevar claims that his great-grandfather was one of the enlightened leaders of the 1908 Constitutional Revolution (it wasn't Jafar Pishevari himself, was it? - shame on him!!). Therefore, being a "revolutionary" appears to runs in his blood - and now that he is grown - up (and has written his thesis!) he has discovered the miraculous powers of the charm, smile and popularity of his beloved President Khatami (love is truly blind, isn't it?!!).

My few words to Mr. Pishevar are: if "son of fire is ash", sag-e-zard ham baraadar-e shoghaaleh. The reality is quite opposite of what he is trying to portray. It is likes of him that are shaken by the impact of Reza Pahlavi's successful campaign against the IRI and its puppet-president's so-called reform movement.

Mr. Pishevar compares Khatami to Gorbachev, not understanding the principal fact that Gorbachev, unlike Khatami, was not a "sagheer" under the thumb of a "Vali-e-Fagheeh". Gorbachev, unlike Khatami, had no intention of deceiving the people of the USSR and was a man who stood up to the challenges of his position and delivered what he promised.

Mr. Pishevar, ostensibly, believes in the "Islamic Democracy", that him and his beloved Khatami have concocted!! As an "entrepreneur", Pishevar may know the ways and means of making money, but inventing a "contradiction in terms" is something else!!

Mr. Pishevar, the ship of liberation and democratization of Iran, steered by Reza Pahlavi, has just set sail and will overcome the waves and storms of hatred, prejudice or ignorance of misguided ones and will reach its destination, Iranzamin. Unfortunately, the types of Mr. Pishevar ("businessman and investor") have always sold their VATAN to the highest bidder - because that is their nature, and making money is their only purpose in life.

If Mr. Pishevar's President Khatami is so popular with the youth and is so beloved in the streets of Iran, then what is his problem and worry? and why is he wasting his (money-making) time to warn people of the dangers of Reza Pahlavi's activities? Could it be because he has realized that the same young Iranians have found Reza Pahlavi to be the right man at the right time to help them realize their dream of having a free and successful life in a secular and truly democratic Iran.

Then, we have this character calling himself "Haj Mirza Khan"! ["Shotormorgh Dynasty"] He starts by pretending to be civil and one with imagination and ability to resolve issues.

Then he goes on and on, repeating the same old cliche`rubbish about the Pahlavis, monarchs and kings etc., patronizingly trying to elucidate to the readers of his "masterpiece" the definitive origins of kingship and, thereby, attempting to disprove the Pahlavi's right to the Persian Throne! The fact is, HAJ AGHA, Shotormorgh or not, Iran has had more than 3000 years of monarchy and Reza Pahlavi is the current heir to the Persian Throne - no matter how badly you try to deny the history, misrepresent every fact or twist every word.

HAJ AGHA seems unable to hide his excitement at the possibility of the US showing some signs of opening dialogue with the IRI, in particular at the prospect of the US releasing Iran's frozen assets. Even if, in the prevailing circumstances, the US does release Iran's frozen assets, and assuming that both the US and the EU do sign a few short-term contracts with the IRI, who does HAJ AGHA think would benefit from all that? The US/EU & Mollas (Agha - zadehs like him!) or the people of Iran? Who have been the beneficiaries of the oil and export revenues and "contractual income" (RAANT) in the past 23 years? Mollas & Agha-zadehs or the people of Iran? The realities, HAJ AGHA, are as follows:

1) -This is the 21st century and, therefore, any form of government (be it a republic or a constitutional monarchy) will have to conform to the socio-political requirements and criteria of the time - neither like the Islamic Republic nor an autocratic rule by a monarch. For the examples of the appropriate constitutional monarchies, HAJ AGHA's attention is drawn to Spain, Britain, Holland and others in Europe.

2) - No matter how hard and futile you try to distort the reality of today's situation, the issue today is NOT calling for a referandum to reinstate the Pahlavi dynasty, but to provide the Iranians with a chance to choose between the IRI (and its dark-age constitution) and an Alternative. That alternative may or may not be a constirutional monarchy, depending on the free choice of the people. To that end, Reza Pahlavi is on the scene, determined and commited to the purpose and the goal of delivering a secular and democratic form of governanment to the desrving people of Iran

3) - HAJ AGH refers to Iran's geopolitical importance in the region and concludes that "times have changed and the US will now have to suck-up to Khatami - so there is no room for Reza Pahlavi and his friends in Iran!! Yes, HAJ AGHA, times have changed and the time of the mollas and their naive (or mozdoor) friends has passed. The new generation of Iranians know better. They know what they want and how to achieve it. They know all about revolutionaries (like you) and how they imposed the most repressive, reactionary, brutal and destructive regime upon them. The youg Iranian of today know why Iraq invaded Iran in 1980 and why 8 years of war, with all its devastation and loss of lives, was continued by the IRI. So, don't you dare insult their intelligence by trying to blame all that on on others - like Reza Pahlavi or the American media, because they have now started listening to him.

Best regards,

Maral Beheshti