IDEAS

Economic incentives without payback

As I said before only economic incentives and complete lifting of the sanctions will do.

Everything else will be fine once the economic sanctions are lifted. We should all make an effort to persuade our leaders in the West to give a whole lot of incentives and rewards to the ruling elite in Iran yet make them understand that they should refrain from asking too much in return. God forbid we do not want to make the ruling clerics in Iran angry at us. We just want them happy and satisfied. Once they see so much reward and incentive (i.e. carrots) and the fact that nothing is asked from them in return, they will immediately change their behavior, become good rulers and will do no more misdeed. we can even count on their everlasting friendship.

Regards,
A very concerned oil company lobbyist

Anonymous21- Solution to Iranian regime

I could agree with you, but no one is talking about a "free Market" in an absolute term. The politicians are well aware of the fact that Iran is not 1-capable 2-requires- an attack to any nations. The regime of Iran is suspicious and scared. If the west leaves them alone the people change their focus to the regime. Remember the eight years war? If the war wasn't there then people would have taken care of the Mullahs but they couldn't and the clergy became strong. I believe some of that is credited to the United States. Now is the same thing, people are tired and ready for change. the direction of change is not clear yet, since no one has put any effort towards it. The world is threatening Iran, the people are more "relaxed" about the regime and their focus is the international affairs. If Iranians in the United States plan to just work so the life, even under the current regime, for the Iranians become better or bearable, the Iranians inside the country will do the rest. Our focus should not be on regime change while living in the west, our focus should be the people and their lives (in Iran). We should (continue) pushing for Human/Woman Rights along with lifting the sanctions imposed by the west. That would be the right direction. If the people are living better, they have time to invest on reading more, writing more and demonstrating more. If the people have more savings in the banks so they can afford to lose some pay, they might not show up to work so they could pressure the regime-or over throw it. Do you get where I am going? The key is for us to push the west to lift the sanctions, so we open the road for the people inside the country. If we all begin to work in that direction (Lifting sanctions) the worse that could come out of it is that the Iranian people will live better, and there is nothing wrong with that...

Free Market Economy in a

Free Market Economy in a totalitarian system does not lead to Democracy

Below is a good article to debunk the Islamic Republic's apologists/reformers (pocketbook supporters of the IRI) who preach that economic and free-market economy (e.g., joining the WTO) would lead to a democratic, just, and prosperous Iran

China’s desire to become a fully fledged capitalist power is well-known, and her support for dubious regimes is equally well documented, but even China’s harshest critics would have hoped that she could avoid barbaric forms of pre-capitalistic slavery, but alas no, as reported by the BBC:

“Thirty-one dirty and disorientated workers have been rescued from a brickwork factory in China, where they were being held as virtual slaves.
Eight workers were so traumatised by their experiences that they were only able to remember their names.

Apparently, this is happened at least once before in 2001:

“An article by Bruce Gilley published in this week’s Far Eastern Economic Review (16 August 2001) recounts how 27 men were forced to work as slaves, for 12 hours a day and no pay, in a brick factory in Dingzhou, China.
The

key passage is:

“China still has not ratified the International Labour Organization’s Convention on Forced Labour 1930 No.29) or the Convention on the Abolition of Forced Labour 1957 (No.105)”

Vietnam is another example that trade and normalization of relations with the U.S. does not pave the way to democracy, securing human rights, and social justice. Today, The Vietnamese American Youth released this statement on Vietnam Presdient Triet's visit to the United States:

President Triet is the latest and highest ranking Vietnamese government official to visit the United States with the expressed purpose of improving economic ties and increasing foreign investment to Viet Nam. Since diplomatic normalization, Viet Nam has gained significant bi-lateral trade with the United States, become a member of the World Trade Organization, hosted the Asian Pacific Economic Summit, and received Permanent Normal Trade Relation status from the United States Congress. Despite these economic advancements, the government has not made a good faith effort to raise the treatment of its citizens to international human rights standards, as it continues to harass, detain, and imprison - without cause or due process - democracy activists, religious leaders, political dissidents, and various other individuals who voiced opposition to government policies.

Recently, the government has intensified its crackdown on democracy activists and opposition voices by arresting members of a pro-democracy coalition and imprisoning individuals accused of propaganda to overthrow the people's government. Examples include Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest sentenced to eight years of jail time for his leadership role in calling for democracy in Viet Nam. Of particular concern is Mr. Nguyen's denial of an attorney or his ability to self-represent during trial. In another case, lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan, a member of an opposing political party in Viet Nam, was sentenced to jail for similar charges of propaganda against the people's government. Ms. Le was also tried in a closed-court session and was denied legal representation.
Today, despite economic developments, the current Vietnamese government has yet to recognize the fundamental rights of its citizens, including the right to have a free and independent press, the right to establish independent organizations and political parties, and the rights to due process with independent legal counsel and full legal representation.

//www.thsv.org/news_details.aspx?newsID=1194

Xerexes: You are partially

Xerexes: You are partially right. We might not understand Iran...but the same applies to people in Iran. The Iranian people don't understand the outside world and how they are preceived. The outside world is not concerned with the Iranian people but the Iranain government because the government has the power not the people. The Iranian people are powerless and don't present any threat to the world, however, the Islamic Republic does. The world cannot sit idly by and allow the Islamic Republic's cancer to metasticize and threaten the world peace until the Iranian people are good and ready to "reform" the Islamic Republic. Reforming the government of Iran might take 50 years. But other nations cannot afford the Islamic Republic's terrorism and adventurism to go on indefinitely.

The outside world is not interested one way or the other whether Iranians need more time to reform their government...because it is not their problem..they have to look after their own interest and they will do what is necessary whether Iranians like or not...Iranians are the victims of their government's policies and they have to realize that...

Only more economic

Only more economic incentives will do. Economic sanctions must be lifted so that Exxon, Mobil and Specially American oil companies can restart their business in Iran.

Regards,
An oil company lobbyist

Dear Xerxes; You took the

Dear Xerxes;

You took the words right out of my mouth. IRI will refom once there are no threats but incentives, incentives, and more incentives.

God bless,
TP

Anonymous.,

Easy for you to sit in the west and don't worry about the threats and the usage of the IRI from those "Enemies". While everyone knows that the people will take care of this regime once the west stops its bully mentality. The west needs an enemy, so does Iran. Now how would you like "your" Iran to become free? By blood? Why do you think more than 2 million Iranians, mostly successful have not been able to do as much as Armenians or Arabs in this country? I have the answer, but you will not understand. So go continue your "OPPOSITION" and see how far you will get, based on where we are today with your on going "opposition". Man you guys just can't get it. I have found that out long ago, but I guess I just write for the sake of writing. Now if I didn't like something, or ran an unsuccessful business for 29 years, I would maybe listen or change my style of doing business. You guys keep repeating your mistakes. Only a donkey falls in the same hole twice (or more in your case). Good luck on your democratic path!!!(with or without Iran it seems!)

For more than 28 years, the

For more than 28 years, the henchmen and death squads of Khomeini have inflicted a cruel barbarism and mass ignorance on every part of the society in Iran. Law has been replaced by "Divine Velayte-Faghih's Sharia", philosophers, scholars, writers, journalists, students, former allies, and even clerics have all been criminalized, jailed, censored, kidnapped, killed, tortured and maimed in body and soul for life.

Women, fortunate enough to be considered as half a human being might find themselves stoned to death, resort to prostitution or temporary marriages to feed their children and family, or sold as sex slaves to Persian Gulf Arab states. Hanging "heretics" in the streets as "enemies of God" and national threat to the "Holy Islamic Republic" have become popular entertainment and a religious duty (savab?).

The Islamic Republic is marked by corruption, bigotry, censorship, racism, intolerance, violence, terror, and brutal suppression of anyone who dares to express the slightest disapproval of the regime. The fanatics of Shi'a Islam are proving useful to export their martyrdom-seeking culture throughout the Islamic world.
The Islamic Republic has essentially expropriated all the resources – both human and material – which might have improved the lives of Iranians in the name of Islam and the Ummah. While an indolent army of clerics live on the state, the impoverished legion degenerate into life of crimes, addiction, and depravity.
Orchestrated by parasitic Islamic clerics, a cancer of superstition, fear and brutality has been imposed across Iran. The clerical "protection racket" requires the criminalizing of the whole of humanity through the doctrine of Sin. Once a particular mullahcracy, it has become wedded to the military Junta funding and training terrorists of all stripes.

The barbarian tribes that are overrunning Iran are for the most part, true believers (so called men of principles); and the forces that oppose them are tired and their spirit broken. A new Islamic Inquisition was set in motion in 1979 and it continues in full swing

So Sad

So sad

It sad that after 29 years you people still have not come to know the mullahs and their cronies for the dubious bustards that they are
After destroying out country culture and international reputation after killing so many of our young people after destroying our best and brightest and after running out economy to the ground you people are still waggling your ails for a peac of their scrap left over and hope for them to change their ways and pass on so much profit.
I bet the mullah must be laughing their heads off at your naevity nad stupidity to see how with a few irrelevant fancy words and non sense historical comparison you are all following their herd like good GOOSFANDS.

If you guys are supposed to be our future and if our hope for salvation lays in the hand of you and those traitor murderer mullahs then god help us all s that seems a very gloomy future

If you want to wash your hands off your responsibility that is your choice but at least be man enough to admit that and then go back to your miserable lives in exile. But don’t you dare come here and pretend that you are better than the rest of us and you know what is the best for our country. Just because you do not want to get off your sorry lazy ass and want to pass your responsibility to someone else. (as long as it is not you, you do not care who it is (even IRI) and what is its motive).

People who still hope for IRI's to change its ways and believe that our only hope for salvation is to go back to the mullahs with our tails between our legs and hope for their mercy and correction are noting but hopeless lazy good for noting collaborator who are stupid enough to ask the enemy to reform and defeat itself.

Underneath it all you are noting but IRI agents and sympathizers

Shame on you

REPLY : ISLAMIC REPUBLIC, a modern State?

To better understand the situation in Today Iran i read the other day the opinion of a competent Insider. Hier it is. Please acknowledge:

"غلامعلي حداد عادل" رييس مجلس شوراي اسلامي روز پنجشنبه در فرودگاه اصفهان گفت: هر چه از انقلاب مي‌گذرد، اتحاد و اعتقاد مردم به انقلاب بيشتر مي‌شود.

حداد عادل ، با اشاره به اهميت حضور مردم در راهپيمايي ‪۲۲‬ بهمن تاكيد كرد: اميدواريم راهپيمايي ‪ ۲۲‬بهمن، جلوه باشكوهي از اتحاد ملي و انسجام اسلامي را به‌چشم مردم دنيا بكشاند و همچون گذشته باعث سرافرازي مردم ايران اسلامي شود.

وي اظهار داشت: پيوند ملت ايران در سي سال گذشته با انقلاب ناگسستني بوده و درس خود را خوب بلد هستند.

حداد عادل درخصوص مشاركت مردم در انتخابات نيز گفت: بايد با اجراي دقيق قانون براي تامين آزادي و صيانت از آراء مردم كار كنيم و مردم هم براي حضور بيشتر در انتخابات خود را آماده كنند.

به گفته وي عملكرد نمايندگان هم موثر است و بايد از همه جهات تلاش كرد.

رييس مجلس شوراي اسلامي عصر روز پنجشنبه وارد اصفهان شد و مورد استقبال استاندار، نمايندگان مجلس و جمعي از مسوولان اين استان قرار گرفت.

حداد عادل پس از ورود به اصفهان با حضور در گلزار شهداي اين شهر به مقام شامخ شهدا و بويژه چهارمين شهيد محراب آيت الله اشرفي اصفهاني اداي احترام كرد.

رئيس مجلس، همچنين با خانواده‌هاي شهدا كه براي شركت در آيين غبارروبي در گلزارشهداي اصفهان حضور داشتند، ديدار و گفت و گو كرد.

به‌گزارش ايرنا ،امشب با حضور حدادعادل و جمعي‌از مسوولان ارشد استان از ‪ ۲۹‬شخصيت برجسته و ملي استان اصفهان طي مراسمي تجليل مي‌شود.

نخستين همايش تجليل از چهره‌هاي ماندگار استان اصفهان به همت استانداري و صدا و سيماي مركز اصفهان برگزار مي‌شود.
As a matter of fact after "KAVOSHGAR" and "HOPE" beside representing the Powers of Iran regarding selfsuffieciency in Food and medicin supply, defence, scientifical explorations and and and allway more young iranians are convinced they are on the right way. the elders, the ones who were active by founding the Islamic Republic win allways more self confidence. As the most Moslems know that without women it could be so that nobody would ever know a word about islam IF they were not in karballa present and active so know most Iranians today the same role have the Iranian women played by the Islamic Revolution. therefore the women in islamic Iran enjoy special social respect. As Friends and enemies of the honorable iranian nation do not deny that 65% of the students are women. who later on will have to play responsible roles in protecting what iran has achieved dueing the last 30 years.
All what I have written hier is my personal opinion. Nobody is forced to read it. And please take into account that i am un-re-educatable. writtnig earthy words about persons who are most respected by Iranians, such as religious personalities is easy and as all easy things do not solve anybodies problem. At least the problems of the writter. So i think better bringing arguments instead of scold and shauting. otherwise one is ignominious and consequently to be ignored. Greeting

Aryo Barzan...

I am Cyrus the Great & I approve this message......

Aryo, You are RIGHT ON BROTHER...

But seriously, I am an Iranian & unfortunately a Muslim by birth & lable... I got over my Identity crisis many years ago & choose to be simply an Iranian (Persian) due to its Humble, Profound, Wise & Peaceful nature and documented Ancient history...

Believe me it was not a difficult choice for me... Based on pure logic along with documented historical facts...

And, YOU CAN DO IT TOO! (If you want!) You can change your IDENTITY back to where it BELONGS.... (Persian/Iranian)

In your HEARTS, In your SOULS & also in your MINDS...

To reach GOD and CONSCIOUSNESS, YOU DON'T NEED ANY RELIGION, You just need to be an Iranian who understands FERDOOSI, RUMI, HAFEZ, SAADI, KHAYAAM, MOSHIRI & SEPEHRIS...

PAAYANDE BAAD IRAN VA IRANI...

the line the Islamic lobby NIAC/CASMII peddles

This, “IRI will reform, quicker if there are no threats” and that Iranians in Diaspora are irrelevant is precisely the line the Islamic lobby NIAC?CASMII peddles.

I know it's not easy

Be patient. Unfortunately for you, the Iranians out side of Iran are not in any way or form ready or willing to do anything for Iran! I wish that there was an easy way, but there is not. I also don't think this is the end result of IRI, IRI will reform, quicker if there are no threats. Any ways, good luck

oh boy: So, you're an

oh boy: So, you're an Aghazadeh in Canada? hahaha...no wonder you support the fascists in Iran...Aghazadehs' days are numbered...

To Xerxes

My Friend Xerxes

You are mixing two totally different issues

For me and people like me who live in Iran and have to deal with this regime this is noting but a mixture of Islamic dictatorship and cleric oligarchy which live only for one purpose. And that is to serve their own pocket.

However I never mix the evil that is IRI with Iranian people and their culture or our national interest.

Yes of course this is a great country with a lot of bright young people who are interested in the future of their country and have a lot of potentials. That is why sites like this exist and that is why instead of hanging round street corners and looking at pop music and porn sites we get so many people coming to such sites and try to make their points and want to be heard.

The issue of Iranian people Persian culture and Iran as a country is totally separate form the dictatorship of IRI.. I always thought that you people who have been to the other side and have experienced Western democracy were clever enough to distinguish between a real or even partial democracy and a dictatorship where no other political view can even be expressed. I was hopping that you would understand that democracy and accountability of government takes more that a few muck elections with poppet candidates.

I am not one of those people who advocate war against Iran and although I am not a Muslim I do not blame Islam for all our miseries as I am grown up enough to know the difference between a tool and a criminal and how the politicians and clergy twist everything and anything to serve their own purpose.

We Iranians inside the country are dealing with the regime suppression and propaganda day in day out and like every body else we are trying to save our land from the threat of war and economical devastation. It is we who are trying to reclaim our reputation as a nation. To improve the country and invest in our younger generation and every step of the way we are confronted by IRI and its institutional apartite and hate for Persian nationality and identity. The last example of it was the arrest of Bahaie volunteers a few days ago. We believe that we need the world as much as the world needs us and we want to live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world

All we want form the rest of the world in to be fair in dealing with us and not to judge us on the basis of this government’s actions. We want them to understand that IRI is not our representative and we ourselves are a hostage to this monster.

You are accusing me of being close minded although it is you who presume that I am looking to the West for help. You’re accusing me of hiding my head in the sand while it is you who believe that most Iranian in Iran think like this guy and even legitimize this approach by implying that in this way  they are creating hope for themselves(now who is hiding their head in the sand)

No one claimed that the solution is simple or quick or easy, but in order to find any solution first one needs to identify the source of problem and today most of us Iranians can not even get our heads around that fact, as we still do not know our friends from our enemies

سردار پاسدار

سردار پاسدار افشار: آزادی رسانه یی در ایران بی مانند است
7 فوریه 2008
سردار پاسدار عليرضا افشار، معاون سياسی وزارت كشورجمهوری اسلامی می گوید: "آزادی رسانه یی در ایران نه تنها بی نظير، که در برخی جاها حتی زیاد هم هست."
سردار پاسدار افشار در همایشی با عنوان " نقش زنان در عرصه اطلاع رسانی كشور" در مشهد ادامه داده است که: "برخی داوطلبان نمايندگی مجلس با سوءاستفاده از اين فضای آزاد رسانه یی، افكار عمومي را به التهاب ميكشانند و دستگاههای قانونی باید رسانه ها را كنترل و نظارت كنند تا منافع ملی و مصالح عمومی لطمه نخورد."
از سوی دیگرمهدی مصطفوی "رئيس سازمان فرهنگ و ارتباطات اسلامی" نیز گفته است : رعايت حقوق بشر و حقوق اقليتهای دينی در ايران بدون شك الگويی جذاب و عملی برای ساير كشورهای منطقه است.
این گفته ها در حالی منتشر می شود که سازمان های بین المللی ِ مدافع حقوق بشر و آزادی مطبوعات جمهوری اسلامی را بار ها به نقض گسترده حقوق بشر، سرکوبی اقلیت های دینی، و سانسور رسانه های گروهی در ایران متهم و محکوم کرده اند.

Areyo Barzan

I have no arguments with what you say, yet you can't decide to dictate what is good for Iran. I am not either. What I have suggested is look at Iran in a more real and non bias way. I have no doubt that you can find many unjust, stupid, dumb policies/ politicians inside the IRI, but I would challenge you not to stop there. Iran is not all religious or secular, all dictatorial or democratic. You may say that Iran is in the cross roads and at times confused. What hurts Iran are threats. Mis understanding about Iran and the Iranian society, at least should be at the minimum at a site called iranian.com, or ethnic Iranians. How can that happen? Realities are not always what we like them to be. They are not always happy either. So to create hope, many Iranians, young and middle aged, have created a reason for the path that they are taking. This (article) is one argument. Take it, argue with it, but realize that inside Iran the author's idea is common. Makes sense for us to understand it better. After all, this a portion of our youth inside Iran, right?
The author of this article, and many others including myself don't believe that the end of IRI is where we are today. We are on the move and have the opportunity to direct the system to our desired place. Giving up hope or raising your arm to non Iranians for help (which would be militaristic), who naturally don't care about Iran, is not acceptable in my book. Hope is the reason we can uprise. I truly believe that many here don't know Iran. They have this image and put everything that comes from Iran to one dimensional IRI image. That's wrong. That's not Iran. Read, go to youtube and see, research and you will see that Iran is not black or white, IRI or Ahmadinejad. This is so childish that I can't comprehend. I do agree with Anonymous-2 with all he/she said, including that iranian.com is not the place for a well developed arguments, it's more fox news style, hit and run. Hate and curse.
Consider that Iranians outside of Iran have not been able to contribute to the arts, language, religious thoughts, culture, food, etc. and are lacking behind while having all the tools possible. Any cultural help, for example (as long as it's relative to Iran today), can speedup the modernization of the society and help Iranians adjust faster. If you look closely you realize that the Iranians inside Iran are far more advance and ahead with the little that they have.
So don't just sit and blame Iranians, IRI, or close your eyes to the realities. If the solution is too simple, it's probably not a solution!
If the problem is too simple, you are not really understanding it.

to Xerxes

Well my friend

A political philosophy on its own has no value or purpose or meaning. It only becomes valuable or dangerous when a group or and individual tries to use it in order to examine their position or advance their goals and legitimize their behavior.

This is exactly what is happening here.

Analyzing the situation in Europe of 400 years ago has no meaning or relevant to us unless we either want to learn the lesson from other people’s mistakes and successes or twist the truth in order to legitimize or own misdeeds. And it is very clear here where the author is going with regards to these points.

At the end of the day if we are so ready to swallow IRI’s text book propaganda  without any debate or even examining the facts on the ground just because the author uses some irrelevant examples and some big words there is not much hop for any of us. You will be surprise to know that here in Iran even children as young as 10 refuse to swallow such bull crab and heve better counterarguments than you so called Kharej Rafte Intellectuals

And we should really go back and have a long hard look at our self, our education and our inability to counter these propaganda or even admiring it.

Difference of thought

Some are lost and given their hope to the west. Others are looking for solution from within to
1-revolt
2-reform

The latter (Either 2 option above) is for those who believe in Iran, the first has sold self and is considered traitor, just like MKO.
Iran is an amazing country and these guys either never have been there or just putting their head in the sand not to see Iran on the rise. I am not against anyone who disagrees with me, I am only against those who sell their country to the foreigners.

Déjà vu! reminds me of all

Déjà vu! reminds me of all those pseudo-intellectual debates and discussions posted on this same site about the oxymoron concept of "Islamic Democracy" for eight long fucking years until Mahmood joon came along and thank God put a lid on it. lol

And yet another Comedian

Anonymous-2 writes, "This Iranian.com is not a forum for an intellectual debate. It is a site where generally all those who are filled with hatred,revenge, have a narrow – boxed in way of thinking;" and he/she comes here and submits long winded comments rediculing all others who HATE iSLAMIC government of Iran and the way these moslem thugs abuse our family members in Iran.

The mass here say

The Iranians in the iranian.com basically say, give us what we here on the American Media, otherwise you are paid by IRI. Very democratic!

RE: Areyo Barzan, Doesn't make sense

Look, making an arguments, specially based on a political philosophy does not make you for or against. Why are you guys so closed minded?

Maybe this will help some of you Iranian Americans understand Iran:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NDTUz-jxfQ

Dear Mr. Azadi.

Please read thai and read it Good.   I'll make it short. 

Pretend you are a non-moslem living in an Islamic Republic.   It's just like if you are a black person living in a "Whites Republic".  Do you get the depth of Ertejaa ?  

anonymus^2 who's side you really are

So anonymus2

 lets get it straight. From your remarks it seems that you are in 100% agreement with the author and hence believe the Islamic Republic is the best thing that happened to Iran and furthermore our country in on the right course toward democracy.You believe in IRI as a legitimate representative of Iranian people and their interest.Because behind all that selective fact gathering and nonsensical irrelevant rhetoric’s this was the relayed message relayed.Didn't you think even for a moment that many be some of us are living here in Iran hand have to deal with the reality of IRI's dictatorship and incompetence day in day out.It is about time that you chose side you are either for or against IRI.

 Further more if you are so impresed by this article and you beleive that the education in Iran is better that the west why do'nt you come back and live here instead of admiering the mullahs and their foot soldiers from distant

Otherwise if you are going to jump to a different branch each time someone shows you a banana we won’t go very far with this conversation

"S O B" in true meaning

Good greif, can this boy talk and spew hot air and at the end, sum of all his words adds up to a big ZERO ... he must have been trained under the best of demonic moslems akhonds in Qom.
.
There is only ONE way in Iran and any where that islamic cult members have the higher hand and that is THEIR way otherwise one will end up in "very few execution video clips on YouTube". This young SOB talks about killings of Iranians as they were chinkens being slaughtered for dinner.
.
At the end, I guess I don't expect much of intelligence, love and respect for others from a islam cult member.

Not shocked by the commentators - typical!

I am neither surprised nor shocked by the comments that are posted with respect to this article.

1. First the individual has written a very eloquent, well written article which warrants a discussion; however as usual many individuals on this web-site not only do not understand what the writer has said, nor are they willing to engage in an intellectual discussion but always ready to use their typical slandering technique to shut people up – the wonderful tactic of intimidation.

2. I bet most of you cannot write an intellectual, rational comment as eloquently as he has without using abusive word. Well, obviously we can see the ‘Adab” that this individual has learned from the East versus what the West has taught many of you – lack of respect, lack of looking at two sides of an argument from an un-biased perspective, lack of rational analysis, lack of an intellectual discussion..

By this standard I have to say the Iranians who have studied in Iran are a hell of lot forward thinking and progressive than you guys!

3. You use the same ignorant Western thinking; anyone who has left a Middle Eastern country is coming to the U.S. with petrodollars filled in his pockets; as if they have struck oil in their back yard – this is generally how the ignorant American masses think of the oil rich Middle Eastern countries and their citizens - so you have fallen into the same warped way of thinking!

4. It is so paradoxical that many of you sitting in the West beat your chest condemning the oppression of Iranian students and citizens; but when an Iranian student, a journalist, or any other citizen who comes from Iran and provides you with a different perspective – they suddenly become the subject of your backlash, and profane rhetoric and called “vatanforoosh”; simply because they refute your arguments.

• Wow, this is called your version of freedom of print, freedom of speech, and freedom to express one’s idea? Maybe this is what the West and more specifically America has taught you –unless one preaches what you want them to preach that’s okay but God, forbid if they express an opinion contrary to your views!! There is absolutely no tolerance whatsoever!!!!!!!!!

5. This Iranian.com is not a forum for an intellectual debate. It is a site where generally all those who are filled with hatred,revenge, have a narrow – boxed in way of thinking; lack little or no knowledge of Iran gather to let out their steam. The only thing that binds most of these people together is their hatred for Iran – and I will say hatred for Iran not simply IRI – because any citizen coming out of Iran who provides a different view is condemned and called a sold out. Hatred is the common bond that binds these people.

6. Very few are progressive thinkers that are capable of any rational analysis and most speak out of ignorance and arrogance.

Mr. Oazadi, since you have recently come from Iran, I highly recommend that you search for a progressive web-site to express your thoughts. This is the wrong forum – don’t be fooled by the title ‘iranian.com'

You might as well be on a web-site for Fox News. If you don't know the reputation of Fox News just do a little research and you will get my drift.

Good luck!

Not shocked by the commentators - typical!

I am neither surprised nor shocked by the comments that are posted with respect to this article.

1. First the individual has written a very eloquent, well written article which warrants a discussion; however as usual many individuals on this web-site not only do not understand what the writer has said, nor are they willing to engage in an intellectual discussion but always ready to use their typical slandering technique to shut people up – the wonderful tactic of intimidation.

2. I bet most of you cannot write an intellectual, rational comment as eloquently as he has without using abusive word. Well, obviously we can see the ‘Adab” that this individual has learned from the East versus what the West has taught many of you – lack of respect, lack of looking at two sides of an argument from an un-biased perspective, lack of rational analysis, lack of an intellectual discussion..

By this standard I have to say the Iranians who have studied in Iran are a hell of lot forward thinking and progressive than you guys!

3. You use the same ignorant Western thinking; anyone who has left a Middle Eastern country is coming to the U.S. with petrodollars filled in his pockets; as if they have struck oil in their back yard – this is generally how the ignorant American masses think of the oil rich Middle Eastern countries and their citizens - so you have fallen into the same warped way of thinking!

4. It is so paradoxical that many of you sitting in the West beat your chest condemning the oppression of Iranian students and citizens; but when an Iranian student, a journalist, or any other citizen who comes from Iran and provides you with a different perspective – they suddenly become the subject of your backlash, and profane rhetoric and called “vatanforoosh”; simply because they refute your arguments.

• Wow, this is called your version of freedom of print, freedom of speech, and freedom to express one’s idea? Maybe this is what the West and more specifically America has taught you –unless one preaches what you want them to preach that’s okay but God, forbid if they express an opinion contrary to your views!! There is absolutely no tolerance whatsoever!!!!!!!!!

5. This Iranian.com is not a forum for an intellectual debate. It is a site where generally all those who are filled with hatred,revenge, have a narrow – boxed in way of thinking; lack little or no knowledge of Iran gather to let out their steam. The only thing that binds most of these people together is their hatred for Iran – and I will say hatred for Iran not simply IRI – because any citizen coming out of Iran who provides a different view is condemned and called a sold out. Hatred is the common bond that binds these people.

6. Very few are progressive thinkers that are capable of any rational analysis and most speak out of ignorance and arrogance.

Mr. Oazadi, since you have recently come from Iran, I highly recommend that you search for a progressive web-site to express your thoughts. This is the wrong forum – don’t be fooled by the title ‘iranian.com'

You might as well be on a web-site for Fox News. If you don't know the reputation of Fox News just do a little research and you will get my drift.

Good luck!

What do You take us for

O Please Mr Oazadi

For God sake give us some credit. Who do you think you are talking to. Do you think you are the only one who has read the jebrish selective analysis in the Islamic Republic text books where only that part of the truth is mentioned which serves their purpose.(Isn’t that what Ershaad Eslami and Jahaade Daneshgahi is for)

Unlike you who seem to have swallowed the spoon along with the medicine we had and still have a lot of questions and from the very start we spotted the inconsistencies and bias in this approach.

In your article you are claiming that I.R has some democratic institutions. Well sir would you care to point into some these institutions for us. In a country that you are not even able to get a job unless you know someone from the top and it is more about who you know than what you know where is the democracy.where is the democracy in prosecution of Baha’is and refusing them the right to go into university

When every cock-up and every abuse of power is renamed as the bumps and twists on the roads to democracy it really leaves one wondering about the motives of writer. It reminds me of the famous saying of

In rah keh toe mirevi be torkestaan ast.

The fact of the matter is that we have heard this none sense so many times before from those who want  to keep the same old same old as they profit from it.

We all know that the path to democracy is a bumpy road full of twists and turns and even set backs. But we are also mature enough to know the difference of genuine mistakes and learning from one’s errors on the road to democracy on one hand and a regime who arrogantly and deliberately is destroying our economy culture and national institutions on the other. A regime who is stealing our wealth to buy support from every terrorist criminal and misfit around the world in out financial and reputation expense..

If you are happy with a few muck elections where the winner has been chosen before hand and th candidates can only be a selected few appointed by Khamenei, then I should say that you have a very poor perception of democracy and I suggest to you to go back to the university and get some real education. But this time try a real one which takes pro regime propaganda out of academic study.

In any dictator regime in the world there are some institutes which portrait the perception of democracy. Even in Hitler’s Germany under the Nazis they had general elections and the leaders had some or most of people rallying around them but no one in their right mind call Nazi’s Germany a democracy even dough some or most Germans prospered for a little while under their reign.

You mention that a regime is defined by its institutions rather than its leader. Well sir which planet have you come from. Could you please explain to us what do you mean by institutions? Unless by institutions your are referring to the buildings and colorful names given to government departments this is an empty rhetoric. No matter what you call it any institution is as good as people running it and we all know what type of people are running today’s IRI.

The pseudo pretence of parliamentary democracy has now a day been accepted and adopted in theory more or less by all the countries in the world. However, what makes them different is the way these institutions are ran and the behavior of the people in those societies. More importantly it is the accountability of people on the top. In a real democracy no one is above the law and transparency is a must. Hardly what could be said for IRI and most other regimes in the region

Your other rhetoric that really left me wondering was you claim that IRI have political agenda and tactics which it tries to execute as best as it can. Well sir if by policy you mean filling their own and their friends and families pockets with the money stolen from our people and using everything and every one including God and religion to get to their selfish goal then I am all the way with you.

But if by having political views an policies you mean working for the good of Iran and its people then you are of the mark by a million miles and the only question I have for you is that where have you been for the past 26 years.. When was the last time you had a look at the state of our economy. What type of democracy or even dictator who cares about the welfare of this people could pay millions of dollars to Hezbollah to buy support in Lebanon while children of Bam are still living under tents donated by Red Cross. What kind of policy is it that has produced the record number of unemployed and triple digit inflation? Where is the interest of Iranian people when record number of our young people (such as your self) flee the country and our sisters and daughters are smuggled to Dubai  Emirate and other Arab neighboring countries to be abused as prostitutes and sex slaves

Now if you want to barry your head in your ass and pretend that everything is ok and we are in the right path then by all mean be my gust.

But don’t you dare come hear and try to feed us that IRI bull shit decorated with fancy words and d selective historical and social issues just to serve their purpose. Selective partial fact is more damaging and dangerous that a plain lie

We have been there done that, wrote the book and made the movie

Finally I should add that it is so sad to see that after 26 years of this nonsense so many peoplle are still impresed by a few colorfull word and empty retorics just like monkeys amazed with light. It is sad to see that they still swallow clasic IRI propoganda without even trying to crank up that  retarded rusty engin they call their brain

Bravo ....

Bravo for a thoughtful response to Esmail Nooriala. I have also posed a number of questions to him in response to another poster who questioned Esmail's motives behind what he writes. I just think Esmail is a waste of time and is living in a dream world. Instead of wishful thinking and attacks, Esmail could have spent his time writing about the "modern" issues and problems facing iran and iranians, our enemies (westerners pretening to be our friends) analyze them and let people with an open mind decide what they want to do. He is apparently one of those "club" members.

Thanks for your thoughtful article.

Regards,
A/B