Jahanshah Javid

I just watched a fascinating report. Pro- and anti-Ahmadinejad factions are fighting over a Norooz party to be held at Persepolis.

The traditional Islamists can smell Iranian nationalism from a mile away. They consider it un-Islamic and worst of all, secular. They would love to abolish Norooz and all the festivities that go with it. (Don't be surprised if they try to change the current solar calendar with the Islamic lunar one and replace annoyingly pre-Islamic names like Farvardin and Ordibehesht with Moharram and Safar. Seriously. It would be any of these religious nutcases' dream to make a name for himself and begin a campaign to restore the Islamic calendar. It seems to be one of those things dictators do when they get bored and need to generate some false glory. Like when the Shah introduced his imperial calendar towards the end of his reign. Aren't there more pressing issues than the god damned calendar?)

Ahmadinejad and his sidekick Mashaie have rightly been accused of injecting "nationalistic" and "Iranain" themes into their speeches and policies. This is the Islamic Republic's way of admitting that nationalism is on the rise and the only way to neutralize it is to exploit it for the regime's own ends.

But it won't work. Not for long. The rock brains that rule the country don't care about popularity. If something is popular, but outside their control and influence, it must be avoided or suppressed. They are incensed that their hand-picked president is holding a Norooz party at Persepolis. How Shah-ish. 2,500-year celebrations all over again? Didn't we have a revolution in 1979 to end such pre-Islamic displays?

Besides, people are not fooled by the government's attempts to promote Norooz. They know that those who hold real power, the clerical establishment, is bent on slowly but surely wiping out any remnants of Iran's pre-Islamic past. It's in the absolutist nature of these tyrants. They cannot tolerate any differences or pluralism. They are immeasurably jealous that Norooz is THE most popular and celebrated holiday of the year -- NOT Ashoora or Emam Zaman's birthday.

In this regime, the winner of any debate between nationalism and Islamism is predictable. You can make a sure bet that the latter will win, often without a debate. It's their way or no way. Therefore a celebration of Norooz on an international scale based in PERSEPOLIS, the Mecca of nationalists, will cost Ahmadinejad dearly. How dare he!? Islam will not stand for it! The party at Persepolis will probably go ahead, but thugs will make their displeasure known.

And have no doubt it: Ahmadinejad is no longer in the main circle of power. Thanks to Cyrus.

[Thanks to Red Wine for the beautiful design.]