Iranians are going to vote for the successor of President Mohammad Ahmadi Nejad next month amid severe economic troubles caused due to inflexible policies regarding nuclear programs. However, the policies have created a lot of problems for the Islamic Republic, yet officials are not showing any sign of retreat.
The question is why they are paying such high price from its nuclear program. I think it is widely believed that nuclear program has been changed into a national pride for Iranians. But I think it has crossed that limit also. It has become a state and people’s cult. Some of you might fret and blame me of exaggeration. But, just consider the sway and appreciation the program enjoys among Iranians inside the country.
However, the issue differs with Iranians who live outside of the country due to different reasons. But, meanwhile, quite large number of them still supports the Iran’s nuclear program.
Just consider that how, sometimes, the states and authorities are successful in directing mass support for themselves, and how they easily ride on float of mass sentiment and feelings, even if their policies buy people economic miseries and social sufferings. But people are ready to sacrifice and they are ready to thrust fist in the air for authorities.
Similar issue has occurred in Iran and Islamic Republic has been successful in accumulating civilians’ support for its, otherwise, ill policies.
I think two integral issues have been effective in providing such a climate. The first and foremost, issue is the Islamic Republic itself. The very establishment of Islamic Republic is based
on the, so-called, anti-imperialism. But from the very initial stage, it moved towards anti-Western countries, particularly, anti-US. Authorities have largely invested on this particular issue and eliminated any elements and factors seemed to challenge their unquestionable power. State always has not been in mood to compromise with opposition, those who struggle for bringing democracy and freedom and amendment of ruling laws of the country. Any sound raised for reformation and amendments of laws has been brutally suppressed. And civilians’ role has increasingly shrunk in the government.
This process has led to tightening situation for state oppositions’ activities. They are hanged, killed by security forces or forced to flee and seek refuge to European and North American countries.
Islamic Republic has been successful in suppressing its opposition on the pretext of foreign elements and anti-Islamic system. This process was accelerated by increasing foreign economic and political pressures and Iran’s economic boom because of huge investment in its oil
projects. Many oppositions of Islamic system in Iran are in view that foreign pressures paved way for authorities and officials to silent and eliminate their enemies easily, blaming for having links with foreign countries. In other words, foreign pressure has been effective in survival of clergies’ government and continuance of authoritarianism. Moreover, the oil revenues have made Ayatollahs proud and unaccountable against people. Naturally, when a state enjoys from such large revenues from its legitimate resources, people have lesser chance to file plea against authorities.
People are not paying much tax and government replenishes its budget from its own revenues. Thus, government has become irresponsible and unaccountable and increased its grip over veins of power. It suppressed its oppositions and awarded supports, thus, when there is a single team in the play ground, then the winner is known. To maintain the situation, government left no stone unturned to mobilize people against an illusionary enemy.
The second issue is media. The government has largely engaged in censoring project. Nothing is said against government. State-run media have increased in the country; all are involved in competition with one another to gain hearts of authorities through sycophancy and supporting state’s policy.
Therefore, state-run media are quite effective in shaping public views. Iranians are maintaining that all Western countries are plotting and trying to prohibit Iranians to achieve modern technological development. ‘Iran is a great country, and other countries cannot stand seeing an Islamic country, ruled on true Shiite jurisprudence to achieve such value technological development’. If you just listen to speeches of Tehran officials, they all indiscriminately exercising rhetoric to draw a picture from Iran that it is, indeed, a country that others are afraid of its technological development. Nuclear program is the legitimate right of Iran and no one can force it to halt.
No body doubts that those countries who signed NPT have the right to build nuclear site, but within the framework of international laws. The country should be responsible and follow the project with most accuracy and transparency, as such that remove doubts and suspicion about civil intentions. But Iran is not doing so. It has always played game with IAEA’s inspectors. The intention behind is not clear. It is blamed for following military purposes; however, it always has rejected the claim. Lack of transparency has led to various and challenging international as well as unilateral economic sanctions against the country. But still many do not care because the general mentality supports the program at any cost. It means what? It means, due to lack of reasonable argument and discussion about the pros and cons, nuclear program has changed into a cult.
Presently, it is not clear that Iranians have multiple choices regarding their developing their foreign policies. What is clear is that no individual irrespective of their ideologies do not have the guts to start a serious talks with six powers that may end up to suspension of the program for an indefinite time span.