Misc

Abarmard: Remember the

Abarmard: Remember the shah's regime. Toward the end of his reign, he was liberalizing his regime; he gave greater freedom of expression and eased up on the treatment of political prisoners. They were also political and judicial reforms that somewhat increased political freedom in Iran. It didn't mean that the Shah's regime was not weak.

Once you open the flood gate its hard to stop the water!!

Montazeri and Iranian

The Real News Network on Grand Ayatollsh Montazeri snd Iranian democracy. Dr. Nader Hashemi is interviewed.

//www.juancole.com/2009/12/montazeri-and-iranian-democracy.html

Dr. Ahmad Sadir, Chairman

Dr. Ahmad Sadri, Chairman of the Islamic World Studies on NPR: "Iran is moving toward a post-Islamic society"

//www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=121766592&m=121766569

Iran is an Islamic country!

Like it or not, the people of Iran are majority Shia Muslims and the clerics will always have a central role in Iran. Religion, Culture, Language, etc are not characteristics to be simply shaken off. And they should not be. Otherwise, the so-called secularists will turn Iran into a sorry-ass emulation of Europe and America. Plus, religion has always played a role in resistance to tyranny. Specially Shia Islam in Iran. Its notion of Mazloomiyat has always rendered it to be a religion of the oppressed. Just as Christianity was prior to the Roman takeover. Just as Liberation Theology in Latin America played a central role in resisting the tyranny of US backed dictatorships in early 60s, so did Shi'ism in Iran since the corrupt Qajar dynasty and the Pahlavi dynasty. But once Shi'ism is in power it contradicts itself by assuming monopoly over violence and hence becoming an oppressor itself. Therefore Shi'ism again becomes a religion of the oppressed in resisting the current theocracy. Its much more complicated than just an ideology to be "Shaken-Off". This is an insult to the Iranian people who are still chanting Yaa Hossein in their protests.

I'm not religious by any means. But it would be ridiculous of me to ask people to be "secular" like me cause I'm so much better. Just because we live in a "western" country and wear a tie to work and shop at the mall, and claim to be secular does not give us the right to tell people in Iran to be secular like us. Maybe their desire is to always keep their religion central to their lives and as a point of resistance against ANY state, or perhaps even within the state. Just because they don't follow the Eurocentric notion of secularism and modernity doesn't make them wrong or "backward" (whatever that means). 

Should secularists be excited about this?

As a secularist,

as someone who wants a system where a Mullah has only a voice of a one man one vote and no special privilages,

and wishes that if we listen to a voice of an expert that it is the voice of an expert i.e. an economist on economy, political expert on politics etc. or voice of someone who is the genuine voice of people, who has something real to contribute to the society,

should we be pleased that after 30 years of countless murders, rapes, looting some clergy who find themselves outside the ever decreasing circle of power have raised their voice?

Sure, anything that helps to destabilize this tyranny is welcome, but

let us not treat such voices as if they have more reverence than the student, or feminist voices.

If we do, we would be betraying the true heros of this movement, and our ultimate objective of actually building a secular society,

I know politics makes strange bed fellows but one should not end up with a social venerial disease the next day and regret it for all time to come as we did 30 years ago!

I know it is difficult to shake off our Shiia subliminally automated cultural attitudes, but come on! shake it off, if now then when?

Like an ex-alcoholic who only drinks milk, recognize this destructive addiction and deal with it!  Stop treating these guys with reverence just because they gave themselves titles like Grand, or super Grand Ayatollah! So he can bring 50000 human sheep to the opposition camp, does the opposition camp really need human sheep?

I very much doubt if he can bring those Basij snipers shooting innocent people to the side of the opposition movement, something more substantial has to be done about such brute force, twitting, voice of IRI builders acting as oppostition, and even change in International attitudes has so far not been enough.  

anef,anef...

remember that clip on Iranian tv back in the 70's :(man migam anef tu nago anef and the kids would ask pas chi begim ?.....

MPD khan came across his (saanei.org) personal hojreh ;turning around every thing he said that was not what you heard !!

these S.O.B summabeches are like lizzards.....

DOWN WITH IRI AND ITS SUPPORTERS      Maziar

Who is this imam?

I have followed this guy's speeches in the past and I should say I agree with many things that he says. But I don't understand the part where he talks about the imam and elevates him to the postion of masoom. I haven't read imam's books but I have heard his words and have seen his deeds. He is the same imam who replaced a brutal regime with an even more brutal regime. So who is this imam that all these so-called reformists talk about?

Afshin

You are right, we can never trust the Mollahs ever again. They did have their 30years time to fame and all they did was defaming themselves.

I for one call for eradication of politicised Islam(or politicised reliogion altogether). We need to realize that the only way out is democracy by clinging on our national heritage.

Marhame dardash(Iran) kami azadi ast

del

del

در آخر قسمت پنجم

فکر می کنم در باره احمدی نژاد اینرا گفت:

«او از حرومزادگی چه دروغ می گویه والا امام زمان را می بینه»

Remeber past mistake so they are not repeated in the future

Those of us who are old enoutgh to remember the events of 1978 and 1979 very clearly rememer certain other cleric speak in the same kind of ambigious blah blah in France. Most people then thought the guy is a "liberal minded mullah"; everyone knows what how "liberal minded" he proved to be. 

Why can't this guy just come out and say Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (by name) is not legitimate? Because he is just manouvering for something. Once he gets what he wants, he'll be quiet as a mouse.

Just look at the picture of Rafsanjani laughing with Ahmadinejad in naming of the new head of the judiciary.

Afshin

I don't understand a word of what he's /Abarmard

saying but I know from what I've read before that whatever it is, it's good. A lot of people forget certain things. When a man of such important religious stature speaks out, he has the capability of convincing sectors of the devout which the Opposition leaders could never reach in a million years. His general lack of political involvement strengthens that capability. If he were to speak out too stridently, he would only alienate those people. As well as members of the clergy he could convince. Abarmard, the clergy is involved in the system. Isn't it the Expediency Council (or is it the Experts) who choose and monitor the Leader? Khamenei will die one day, won't he? Aren't Khatami and Karroubi politicians?Aren't they impacted by people like him? Didn't Montazeri's five year house arrest anger many people? Abarmard, I don't see it.

As for those who think everyone who wears a turban is garbage, well...have it your way.. Iwhat did you expect him to say? Marg bar Khamenei? Free secular Iran now!?  I know, I know, I didn't understand a word he said. But all you people did and still you don't agree. Maybe my deafness is a plus.

I don't agree

I don't see the Islamic Republic being weaker or there is a huge division. Most clergies like Ayatollah Senai are not part of the system. They are not involved in the daily politics.

People mistake what the IR has turned out to be. The word Islamic in the Islamic Republic has confused many that the system is Islamic and cares about "all" Islamic Thoughts. It's is not so.

The system can take many true believers in Shiasm sects and put them in jail like anyone else. At this point, the system does not look worried at all, although there are many criticisms coming from what used to be the inside.
The regime feels comfortable enough to have "opposition” speak against "them" as long as they are not passing the red lines. That is not a weakness of the regime. I don't see it.

del

del

gitdoun....

i find it interesting that up to a 6 weeks ago u actually supported these vultures.....velayete faqih basically claims that one man gets his power from god to rule over others and that everyone should wait for mehdi to come out of the well....I find it hard to believe that anyone would actually fall for this nonsense

 no offense of course, but i'm glad that you have seen the light now...

akhoond jamaat's time is over in iran....a free iran 

Its over!!

as far as Sanei sees it. I think we will see more people positioning themselves for whatever might emerge afterwards.

As JJ rightly says he is one of the pillars of the mullocracy. his audience in this setting would have been elite followers (moghaleds). I understand that from 6 years ago he stopped receiving his stipend(vojohiat) from the government. Amongst the grand Ayatollahs he collects by far the most stipend(vojohiat) which translates in to most followers. In the mullocracy ranking system that makes him the most senior.

This is a very good omen.

for Mehdi

mehdi things are not always so cut and clean like that. kill all molas, kill all basij and we will have a free iran??? bloodshed only begets more bloodshed and rarely does killing change the hearts and minds of a nation. The greatest harm, the biggest attack to the IRI regime in the past 30 yrs did not come from a U.S Fighter Jet or an Israeli Bomb but came from the very action of the regime itself on June 12th. You see i, like many of my friends, were a casualty of that election fallout.  Up till the very day of the election i supported the IRI/wilayat faqhi with all my heart and mind but all that changed however in the subsequent election fallout. Before when i heard negative stories on the IRI i would discount it as FOX News neo-con propaganda or a slanted narratives in favor of America. I mean before i could always give some kind of benefit of the doubt that the regime wasn't what what NBC news or Dateline made it out to be. But this time it was different. What had happened in the election fallout was plainly staring at me in the face and there was no way i could discount the hundreds upon hundreds of cellphone videos showing me the true face of this government. The mask of the regime fell for me on June 12th and I saw it's True Nature. Now i am 120% AGAINST the IRI, 120% AGAINST Khamenei, and I want a Democratic Secular Iran. And i came to this conclusion without any U.S. invasion of iran or spending any time in Guantanamo prison. My heart and mind changed for Democracy and it didn't take the sword for it to happen. If i changed i am sure there are many like me in iran right now who have also changed and are no longer supportive of this regime . And this my friend is the greatest blow to the IRI and it's biggest loss in the aftermath of the election fallout. Nothing in Life is Final. People change, people evolve, and i think basij/Alims should also be given that chance.

benyamin....

yet again u said it perfectly brother!

i can't see how anyone in their right mind would trust an akhoond who has worked under khomeini....mind u, I had very senior roohanies in my family, but they were all great men who predicted khomeini would ruin iran....

religion should never be mixed with politics. PERIOD!

 these types are trying to buy a ticket to heaven and repent to god for their 30 years + worth of sin, now that the crap has hit the fan and the akhoonds are about to fall!!!

this guy is no better than mousavi, khatami, or any other of those scum....the people are using them to get rid of the regime....pure and simple! 

 but let's let him help deligitimize the mullahs further....they can't be exterminated soon enough!

well said JJ

i agree 120% with what JJ said. mirror of my own senitments

Important

By far this is the most damaging speech against the Islamic Republic. Yousef Saneie is among the five most senior and respected clerics in Iran. I would argue that his political stature is even greater than Montazeri's. He certainly has more followers in the clerical establishment than Khamenei. His strong tone, his contempt for the regime he helped create is obvious. This is yet another sign that there are very deep divisions and resentment in the highest levels of the Islamic Republic. Is Saneie a democrat? No. Is his own hands clean as the former top prosecutor under Khomeini? Certainly not. Is he pointing out truths and taking a courageous stand against oppression? Yes.

OK, I am all confused now

I thought we had it all worked out that all we have to do is to kill all mullahs, Basijis, Pasdars and thier relatives and the relatives of relatives, and then we would have a fantastic Iran. Now, what should we do about people like this fellow? I thought the "evil IRI' was not capable of change. But this guy seems to have changed. It is all very confusing. Can maybe Fred or ex progremmer Craig or Farhad Kashani or any other Israel lover or MKO lover or even monarchist  explain this to me please? This is disturbing! ;)

phd in B*.S*.

thanx for your first part of the comment which I agree with the mullahs are master of SAFSATEH the rest is our judgment. 

peace on earth     Maziar

God helps us all!!!

Obviously he is a Mollah, and it took him 40 minuts to say what he means which he could have said it in 10 minutes. He said a few important things but I dislike his style. He is too much of a suck up to Khomeini and he is not very effective in the way he speaks(not carismatic).

God helps us all because I don`t like for Iran to go on the road that has been experienced, what we need is a Patriotic(nationalist) leader that would sever their way from any religion and bring us to the main road which is Mosaddegh`s way.

We need to find our way to Iran, we need to remember once again who we are and what we are made of and what is our history and where we have come from and find our true place in the world and be free and I mean true freedom and democracy all over Iran.

We need to find our way home(IRAN)