Ali Mostofi - Iranian Astrologer and Current Affairs Commentator.

 “If a president elected by the people is not endorsed by the Supreme Leader, then obeying the president’s orders are Haram.” is what Ayatollahs Mesbah Yazdi says.

Read this:

//www.insideiran.org/media-analysis/ahmadinejad-foes-attempt-to-end-mashaiee%E2%80%99s-career/#more-2375

A certain fear

So there are people in Iran, that clearly follow this creed.  There is, in their mind, a certain fear, that something will happen in their lives, if they did not believe in this.  Put simply, there is this strong emotion, that stops Iranians from creating change against this "incredible" creed.  What is this emotion, and how do we get around it?

Incredible 

We used to have a King, and the same statement could be said about him; that no one Prime Minister has a right, unless it is endorsed by the King.  The question that pops in your mind right away is, "but what happened in 1979?" And the answer, which we can now all agree (after 30 odd years), is that the people's fear of Islam then, was enough to produce a "moral" justification to have Khomeinism. This "incredible" creed created the emotion to act.

Kid asking me 

Humm ... does that feel right.  Can I live with that perspective?  Can I go and say that, in an answer to a kid asking me, "what happened to the Shah?" No seriously folks, imagine you are approached by a kid, who quite innocently asks that question.  What can you say?  The psychology is fascinating.  Whatever you say, is going to make you shiver of brainwashing the kid forever.

Shouts and screams 

And in fact, that is exactly what the Ayatollahs have tried to do, and failed.  The real education the Iranians have had, in this tiny episode on Iranian history (even though we right now think differently), is that our own culture is deeper for it.  We have not dismissed it in anger, or accepted it.  We just didn't think about it anymore.  This Islamic creed shouts and screams, from its big mouths like Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, or so subtley, from meek ones like Ayatollah Sistani, but we all have a Teflon coating for it.  It does not stick. Mesbah does not mesmerise us anymore! Hooray!!

Trojan Horse fails

Yes that is the mood we have.  We seemed to have digested all the horror that was associated with the wrath of Khomeini. What is it that did that?  The answer to that question is that nothing did. We just found something we had, that we had not known we had, and were worried from losing it instead.  So a new fear has come about.  This fear, is the fear of losing our culture.  You see, if Khomeinism was launched like a rocket from Iraq, then the threat would have been very clear and obvious.  But it came in, as a Trojan Horse, as a gift in the form of democracy. It then started to wipe out Iran's name, with the help of BBC and AP calling all the Ayatollahs' actions as "Iranian". Oh that makes you mad. Iran this ... Iran that... everywhere. And in 80's we did not have internet.

Bull Dozer fails, but 

Yes on the road to democracy and freedom and modernity and and and .... etc etc, Iranians were ready to use anything, and wipe out anything.  But we went too far.  We reached a point when we were about to fall off the cliff, and brakes were put on.  It was close.  Very close.  In the process of throwing out the baby with the bath water, we nearly, very nearly, bull-dozed our ancient monuments (remember Khalkhali). All along, the western press were busily rebranding Iran, and no one could say anything. Recently the people rejected the Islamic elections, but the BBC called him President of Iran.

Harrods fails

We reached a point were all arguments had been played out, and we were left looking at each other, and saying, "what is it that we like about each other".  I used to run away from Iranians. "Oh my God, neegah kon, oonjah, let's run, quick, bereem, bereem, eerooniand".  It is so true.  But that is what we used to do, especially in posh places like Harrods.  "Ah negah kon, khejalat nemikeshesh, too gorbat dareh khareed meekoneh". This was in 1980.  Now I walk to Iranians and say "Dorood bar shoma" and I love seeing Iranians because I can't go there.  People like me have an escort service at the airport in Iran straight to the firing squad. To me, to see an Iranian is like touching Iran's soil. That's how much we, or people like me, feel about Iran.  Why? It brings tears to my eye. Why?

Koran fails 

It is because there is a taste of Iranian culture, our homeland, that we do not have anywhere else.  No matter how many top notch clothes, gadgets, whatever, they do not replace Iran, Iranian goods, or Iranians. That's ghorbat!  So that feeling that we might lose this love because of some sheepishoo akhound's creed, is hell.  To think that Iran will not be there, is a bigger fear, than whatever is said in the Koran.  This is the immense feeling that makes sure we keep Iran alive.  John Lennon said, "You don't know what you got until you lose it" and by golly do we in ghorbat know this. Ironically we feel it more Iranian than those in Iran. So when we see, that the media writes about the Ayatollahs, and calls it Iran, we react.  The word "Iran" has become more precious than Diamond.  That's how sensitive we have become. Good, about time.

Feeling 

The conclusion of all this, is that feeling Iranian, and wanting to feel Iranian, and not losing that feeling, is what has united Iranians.  It has taken us thirty or so years to get there, but we are there.  No politics, no religion and no fancy material good, is going to fool us. There is a movement in Iran, where our national treasures, are our words.  The words like "Persian Gulf" are emphatic. Even the IRGC is reacting to it. So the power of the word "Iran" is broad based, and nothing can replace it. It feels Good.