Tehran will not and cannot accept US demands

by A Freeman Sat Mar 28, 2009 22:55

The Obama administration is showing that it won't be a soft touch on Iran. While the brutal Islamic fundamentalist mullahs remain in power in Tehran I see no reason why the US should make any major concessions. Iran is the major sponsor of terrorism in Middle East (Hizbullah, Hamas) and also brutally represses its own people, in particular minorities such as Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Bahi'i. The repression of women and executions of homosexuals are also a feature of the mullahs' tyranny. Keep sanctions and support Iranian exiles and political prisoners

by pat c Sun Mar 29, 2009 13:24

All of the Iranian Dissident groups that I am in contact with oppose any sanctions. Furthermore they oppose any Imperialist aggression towards Iran. You can best oppose the present Iranian Government by supporting the women activists, workers and students who are struggling for Democracy. Regime Change must come from within Iran and from below.

by GI Trooper. Sun Mar 29, 2009 14:39

Best bet is to send in the American Troops.

Look how tame Germany and Japan are nowadays.

Thanks to America.

by Maggio 1358 Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:44

"Iran is the major sponsor of terrorism in Middle East (Hizbullah, Hamas)"

I'd say 'a' rather than 'the' major sponsor of terrorism. It has some pretty hefty competition - the US, Israel and to a lesser extent Saudi Arabia for example.

"and also brutally represses its own people, in particular minorities such as Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Bahi'i"

The Bah'ai yes. You're on more shaky ground when it comes to the Zoroastrians, the Christians and the Jews. They're all accorded special legal status, given guaranteed parliamentary representation and generally accepted within Iranian society. It's not necessarily easy for them, as it rarely is for any minority, but barring the case of the Bah'ai I would have thought repression of religious minorities a very strange stick with which to beat the Islamic Republic.

by Washington Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:55

"But barring the case of the Bah'ai I would have thought repression of religious minorities a very strange stick with which to beat the Islamic Republic."

That reminds me of what the Mayor of Washington DC said:

"Barring the case of our very high murder rate Washington has a low crime rate."

by Maggio 1358 Mon Mar 30, 2009 13:34

Yeah agreed the Bah'ai are repressed. Harder to argue for the Zoroastrians, Christians and Jews though. Concentrate on the case of the Bah'ai and I totally agree but make sweeping statements about the others and I don't.

by Confused democrat Tue Mar 31, 2009 13:31

On agreeing to sweeping statements.

Iran executed high profile Christians in the 90's for apostatasy when they left Islam.
Religious minorities,like you say, have seats reserved for them in parliamnet (except Ba'hai) but cannot be president, cannot run their own schools and are discriminated against by Iranian law.
Also, I get the feeling that the persecution of the Baloch people might have something to do with the fact that they are Sunni Muslims.

Also, see women, democrats, gays, trade unionists, students etc.

Nothing that i've just said is a sweeping statement, in my opinion. This doesn't mean that i want to see American troops go in or that i'm in favour of more sanctions. Any attempt to portray 'The Islamic Republic of Iran' as a country with a (mostly) tolerant government is stupid and dangerous.

Wouldn't you agree?

by Maggio 1358 Tue Mar 31, 2009 14:52

I would totally agree. Nothing you have said is a sweeping statement. Re women, democrats, gays, trade unionists, students etc. there's no question about it. The Islamic Republic does not have a good record on civil liberties to put it mildly. I'm certainly not trying to portray its government as being mostly tolerant.

Religious minorities (barring the Bah'ai) are accorded special status in Iranian law. This entails some discrimination against them but also means that they have certain privileges not available to the Muslim minority. Your statement on schools is untrue.

Personally, I believe everyone should have equal rights and responsibilities under the law but I don't think that repression of Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians is among the gravest of the human rights violations perpetrated by the current Iranian regime.

Apostasy is a problem issue in Islam. I condemn the executions you refer to but Iran isn't the only place that happens.

The case of the Baloch is complex. There might be an element of religious discrimination there but there's an awful lot more going on too. The Kurds are also Sunni for the most part and while the Islamic Republic hasn't covered itself in glory there either one would probably have to say that they've been less culpable than either Turkey or Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

I think the most useful criticism of the Islamic Republic would concentrate on gender inequality in law, persecution of homosexuals, suppression of protest and free expression, the death penalty, extra-judicial detention etc. I'd venture that in Julfa or Yazd that might be what they're more worried about too.

by freedom fan Tue Mar 31, 2009 22:58

What we seem to be forgetting here in our anxiety to portray the US as the bad guy here is that the values of the Irish people are infinitly closer to those of the US than Iran. The US is a liberal democracy like Ireland. Iran is a repressive autocracy where many of the causes supported by Indymedia in Ireland would earn persecution in Iran - or worse. It is incredible and hypocritical that people would side with Iran against a country that shares ties of values, ideals and blood with Ireland.

by Bazooka Joe Wed Apr 01, 2009 13:55

"Iran is the major sponsor of terrorism in Middle East (Hizbullah, Hamas)"

Not so, the US has for many years held that accolade.

"....the Irish people are infinitly closer to those of the US than Iran. The US is a liberal democracy like Ireland..."

That depends. Which 'Irish people' you are referring to? The white ones or the Muslim ones? And yes, we are closer to the system of politics in America. The same ole political elite giving us the illusion of democracy while keeping power for themselves. Well done Ireland! Maybe we should try a 'liberal democracy'?

"It is incredible and hypocritical that people would side with Iran against a country that shares ties of values, ideals and blood with Ireland"

Again, you must mean the white Irish? While it may appear to you that people are 'siding with Iran' because you obviously see the world in terms of us and them, that is not what people who oppose the continual propaganda drive against Iran are doing.

It gets very boring reading articles and comments like these above. The same ole, "brutal Islamic fundamentalist mullahs" racism that is paraded as concern for the 'People of Iran'. Don't you get just a bit bored banging it out? Hey, Mullahs are people too and so are the people who voted in the present government in Iran. If you hold democracy in such high esteem then you should respect this or take the title 'Hypocritical' for yourselves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Iran

Anne McShane is correct when she cuts and pastes from Yassamine Mather who says Iran will not accept the present US demands. Correct, Iran will not cease uranium enrichment for civilian purposes and It will not stop assisting resistance to Zionist Israel and I for one am glad somebody has the guts to stand up against Israeli and US aggression. More power to Iran!

Now that the US no longer needs propaganda cheerleeders against Iran such people must be feeling the cold chill and missing their Department of State support. Tantrums won't help.

Caption: Video Id: 6MDklneATBI Type: Youtube Video
Embedded video Youtube Video

by A Freeman Wed Apr 01, 2009 19:25

So Bazooka Joe, you're a big fan of ayatollahs and mullahs and seem to have a problem with 'white Irish'?!? What is your ethnicity out of curiosity? and what loony left planet do you normally reside on? The majority of Irish people feel a strong affinity with the USA as it's somewhere our relations and ancestors emigrated to and made new lives for themselves, many of us also have enjoyed travelling and studying there and enjoyed American hospitality and culture. I can't recall any of these connections with Iran (although I'm sure there are many fine and welcoming Iranians), and many Iranians now live in exile due to the brutal repression there and the tender mercies of the VEVAK secret police. From your comments I'd imagine you're some half-educated student who hasn't a clue about what it would be like to live in a repressive state like Iran as he's been lucky enough to grow up surrounded by those terrible 'white Irish' you're so annoyed about, muppet!