Misc

Khaary beh cheshmeh joojeh hezbol haa !

These two gentlemen, with their sincere love for Iran and Iranians and their effective strategy to help Iranian people are annoying the hell out of IRI and its apologists. People who slander these two are exposing themselves as the lowlife IRI lackys that they are. "kharmagas" is indeed a deserving name for an IRI apologist ... as dense as a donkey and as insignificant as a fly. well done.

Great Management Team

The green movement needs an experienced  and committed management team. With Sazegara this grass root movement are getting experience, passion and intelligence. We are bound to succeed.

Good observation Darius. But

Good observation Darius.

But there is an important part that you missed: An organized political body.

You did mention contacts of Saazegaaraa and Reza Pahlavi with military, to which, the extend of contact as you mentioned is unclear and I add that it can not be disclosed either. But as I said once, no matter how these contacts are powerful and organized, they are no match for a lack of social discourse, out in the open, for IRANIAN PEOPLE to know where they are going.

This social discourse can not be generated from inside Iran. Not with more clarity that it already has, which is next to none. It can only be generated from outside of the country, and although having some military personnel defecting to the west can be a source of knowledge, but it will remain in the realm of informations that can not be disclosed to the public. My focus is the public side. Why the lack of a political body to represent the movement from abroad (primary) is not being acknowledged by anybody? The question is not only about putting forward CLARITY to the movement itself, although this is an important part. But in order to have a successful dialogue with power base of the regime, it is absolutely necessary to provide this clarity to them too.

This is a popular movement not a subversive plot to overthrow a regime. The goal and agenda has to be out and in the open for public to see, and a simple slogan of 'democracy' thrown out there to be interpreted by each individual at will doesn't cut it.

no darius! i'm not talking about actors

i'm talking about other film makers and artists. nevermind. i'm not against what this man is up to. i'm against the tactics he is accused of employing in order to secure a certain monopoly. It's always vague and heresay of course. I don't have evidence. I was just curious whether anyone else who is in touch with artists in Iran has ever heard about this. It has nothing to do with this green movement! 

old crooks, new color

mA khar nemishavim!

benross Jaan I agree it's a "L'Etat Dans L'Etat" situation

One of the major shortcomings the Iranian opposition forces both inside and outside Iran have faced in the past 30 years and it remains true today for the leaders of the Green movement inside Iran is the fact that the Army, the Sepah or the Basiji forces have created a sort of Etat dans L'Etat aka A State Within the State.

The hypocritical neutral stance of Mohsen Rezaei the 3rd Candidate at the last Presidential Elections and how quickly he joined the Spiritual Leader in terms of obedience is in itself striking !

I know that both Sazegara ( who was one of the founders of the Revolutionary Guards) and Crown Prince Reza have over the years claimed to have contacts with elements within the Iranian Army and Bassij but quite honestly I am not certain to what extent this is true or how reliable these contacts are.

Unlike the Artists or intellegenstia who have chosen self exile we have rarely seen Officers of the Iranian Army or Bassij chose to flee the country and join the West. There have been a few marginal cases in recent years particularly during the Iran Iraq War but that was the case of a few former officers of the Imperial Army who decided to join the MKO by frustration or because they felt that the monarchy was a lost cause and were ready to join any group ready to fight the Iranian regime militarily.

Even in case of lets say a Regime Change what I fear most is the possible loyalty of the Army to the Regime's ideology.

Over the past 30 years the IRI did what it had to do to "purify" the Army from any element still loyal to the former Imperial Regime.

If ever the Regime is toppled the Army and its hierarchy need to be carefully watched and replaced by loyal officers to the cause of the people. But How can this be possible without an efficient propaganda campaign for regime change in order to draw sympathy amongst elements of the Army's Top Brass for the Green Movement ?

After WWII the German Army was De-Nazified as well as elements of the various state administrations. It was done without spilling blood but simply firing people from their jobs if suspected of links with the former regime or giving them less strategic responsabilities within the same administration.

In the case of the Loyalty of the Army to the will of the People will be one of the Biggest Challenges of a Democracy.

A close look at Greece under the Generals or South American Instability where One President chased another after a successful coup was one of the reasons why it took South America so long to get rid of its  Dictatorships but also dictatorial temptations.

If in the future we could convince officers of the Army or Sepah escape to the West just like some of our Artists or Intelligenstia it would be an asset both in terms of information on who is who in the Army and Sepah in terms of loyalty to the regime.

So your question is Very Legitimate and pertinent. It would be good to see Sazegara develope his assessment on this dillema regarding the Army and Sepah's loyalty to the Regime Vs their loyalty to the Green Movement if tables turn in the Iranian political arena.   

My humble Opinion,

DK

A simple question

A simple question:

If Sepah can be surgically isolated in sanctions, and deprived of its financial means to control the situation, who will control then?

I think it's doable but it needs clarity. A road map.

Makhmalbaf, Ghobadi, Panahi & handful of others are the best.

Everything is sacred.

Marge So What ? Cheshmeh Hassood Koor !

It's Called Competition in a Competitive Market !

He has his own Film Company and if he doesn't hire some actors who in turn become jealous of not working on his films or if he refuses to finance the film of a fellow colleague ...

Well So does Luc Besson in France or Steven Spielberg or George Lucas in Hollywood !

He does not control the Film Critics for that matter. And besides he chose Exile like kiarostami and Golshifteh Farahani and even the daughter of Ahmadinejad's cultural advisor who has asked for Political assylum in Germany.

Bahman Ghobadi, Jafar Panahi can be added to the Long list of Iranian Expats prefering exile to having to work under the Stupid Cultural Laws and Regulations that would even make the Hayes Laws of the 1920's seem Progressive !

I would trust these talented directors actors to all those KHATEH EMAM filmakers endorsed by Iran's Incompetant Minister of Culture or even Khanoum Khaleh Sooskeh Moussavi Number # 3 of the Worlds TOP Thinkers ! ... The latter Which Even these Two ( Sazegara and Makhmalbaf )are Supporting and bringing their full moral support too.

But I think YOUR Problem is that Sazegara accepted to meet Reza Pahlavi or that aMakhmalbaf is good friends with Nourizadeh and Not because of Makhmalbaf's Change of Heart and appearance on VOA Persian unlike YOUR JOON JOONY Trita Parsi !

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=St2gEmd4g_g

Cheshmeh Hassood Koor ! 

LOL

i have heard that makhmalbaf is a bit mafioso himself

this is great and all, but relating to mr. makhmal, i've heard that he is very shall we say, controlling when it comes to sharing the film market with other iranians. of course, it could be a vicious rumor. 

Not wanting to blow the grand plans of these two gentlemen

But "donya" dont give 5 cents about the Iranian people, and its unrealistic to demand anything from them considering the power the IRI wields in the middle-east.

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BRAVO !

Interesting evolution of thoughts !

The Key is to encourage this Solidarnosc "Iroony Style" Movement in Iran !

Keep up the good job !

DK

Recommended Readings:

Marjane Satrapi et Mohsen Makhmalbaf Sur Tous Les Fronts by DK

Sarkozy Our Best Ally by DK

REZA's CALL: An Iranian Solidarnosc... By DK