French authorities on the 18th of June arrested an Iranian dissident group, the
infamous Mujahideen-e-Khalq, which has among its notable actions involvement of the Iranian embassy
crisis in London in 1981.
"...The dramatic raids came a month after US forces disarmed the military wing of the group, the
Mujahedeen Khalq, in Iraq. The organization, which the United States and
European Union classify as a terrorist group, seeks to topple Iran's clerical
regime..."
- Associated Press
Although the above asserts that the US considers it a 'terrorist group' that is an oversight on part
of AP writer, because although it has been disarmed it has still been allowed a free reign vis-à-vis
harassing the Iranian regime. At first sight this might seem to be the stirring of France trying to
assert some kind of control in the region after its split with the US over Iraq, but a more mundane
explanation could be forwarded.
There has been civil unrest in Iran (8 days since last count) and this maybe providing the Iranians
with a little breathing space by removing its chief antagonist (i.e. the Mujahideen-e-Khalq) from the
picture so that this new student 'revolution' can be brought to the fore to allow a peaceable
transfer of authority from the clerics to the lay masses. Although there are two camps in the
students, the ones who are anti-Islam and revel in their secular stance and those who although not
secular wish to 'modernize' Iran and usher in some sort of Gulf-style democracy, i.e. more power to
the masses.
"...Iran has seen almost of week of
anti-government protests by students in the capital Tehran..."
- BBC
Coupled by Jack Straw’s statement that;
"...Nothing would derail moves towards greater
democracy within Iran than suggestions the internal opposition was being
orchestrated by other nations..."
- BBC
Hinting that this is primarily an (Anglo?) American venture.
The current ruler deserves some mention here.
Hajuat Al-Islam Ali Tehrani, a religious figure in Meshed, sent a letter to Khomeini charging three
Ayatollahs, among them Ayatollah Beheshti, the Secretary of the Revolution Council, of having a
connection with the United States and attempting to take over the authority. Hajuat Al-Islam charged
Beheshti, Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former Minister of Interior and later on President of the Republic,
and Ali Khameini, the former Imam of Tehran's Mosque and the current spiritual leader, of trying to
seize the authority by nominating Jalaluddin Farsi to represent the IRP in the election. He also said
that it is the students' duty to uncover the documents they found in the Embassy which will prove
that these three figures are guilty together with Abbas Amir Entezam, the former government
spokesman, and later a convicted spy for the Americans.
Ali Tehrani was falsely accused and imprisoned because of what he found out about the
aforementioned
conspirators. Rafsanjani himself was accused on many occasions of working to
undermined the IRI by
working for the Americans which forced him out of office, And as for Khameini it
really begs the
question who he works for when he signs a treaty with the Hindu's of India against the Muslims of
Pakistan.
Entezam's fate was exceedingly embarrassing for the IRI;
"...Abbas Amir-Entezam, a deputy foreign minister in the 1979 provisional revolutionary government,
is back in jail, "Iran Daily" reported on 27 April. Amir-Entezam spent most of the last 24 years in
prison after being convicted for espionage and treason in 1979, but was released on bail last year
for medical reasons. He was ordered back to Evin prison on 26 April after making a speech at Tehran
University, during which he called for a referendum on whether Iran should remain under clerical
rule..."
- Javan
Ali Tehrani was sentenced him for 20 years Khameini and his cohorts for collaborating with the
Iraqi's during the Iran-Iraq war which is so ironic since both sides got weapons from the Americans
and both sides protracted a limited war so that pressure would be put on the "Khaleegi Sheiks" (since
they are a Sunni minority ruling over a largely under-represented Shia majority) to switch from
French/British allegience to American...The overall winner form the conflict being the Americans.
Beheshti was unceremoniously blown up in a building in 1981 which Khomeni fingered the US for...It
seems the floor was wiped clean after the hostage crisis in the sense that only Khameini was left and
Rafsanjani was marginalized.
On a more contemporary note, whilst Khameini was giving a speech generously lavished with
anti-American rhetoric at a college in Tehran, a special team of Iranian negotiators were in
Geneva
negotiating with America over Iran's role in post-war Afghanistan and Iraq.
"...Secret talks between the Tehran government and special U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad..."
- Associated Press
Which shows there is some degree of complicity between the "Supreme" leader, Ayatallah Ali Khameini
and the Americans.
The geographical nature of Iran (and the fact that its armies could seriously damage an American
invasion which would no doubt bring hope the Muslims) i.e. being hedged between Afghanistan and Iraq
(the last 2 victims of America) it does not require such an aggressive action as the aforementioned
countries did, but letting the masses boil in there own juices should suffice, as one senior
Washington aid put it:
"...US policy is not to impose change on Iran but to support the Iranian people in their quest to
decide their own destiny, said Zalmay Khalilzad..."
-
BBC
Also the trouble with Afghanistan and Iraq where a more direct approach was required has resulted in
the local populations receiving the Americans for what they are - invaders. So the people in
Washington favor a more multilateral approach. Khatami who was earmarked as being a 'reformist' has
betrayed the people since he has not implemented democracy but has been used by the clerics as a
delay tactic and with the new inspections of WMD in Iran it will invariably cause the regime to
become more strict and so only foment the unrest which will lead to its eventual demise. People like
Ayatollah Al-Hakim, who was a guest of the republic before departing for his native Iraq have called
for 'democracy' in Iraq, which has isolated Iran since she was expected to receive ardent support
from the Haus in Najaf - the spiritual centre of Ithna ‘Ashari Shiaism. The silence I think you will
agree is deafening.
Khameini has been issued a document signed by 'intellectuals' to allow greater freedom and democracy.
"...More than 250 university teachers and
writers added their voices to students' bold demands for democratic reforms in
Iran..."
- Associated Press.
So it is only a matter of time before he (Ayatallah Khameini) is removed for a more 'suitable'
leader, the new UN inspection teams will ensure a steady flow of intelligence to land at the doorstep
of Washington so they can decide their next move.
The writer is a Political Commentator. He contributed above article to Media Monitors Network (MMN) from the United Kingdom.
