Iran is an exceptionally beautiful country with a long and fascinating history. Its people are highly educated, passionate and personable. When (Ayatollah) Ruhollah Khomeini (1902-1989) and his band of Islamic extremists overthrew the autocratic and repressive Shah Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980) in 1979, Iran entered an unprecedented era social and political darkness. Thirty-two years later, the people of Iran remain hostage to their own cruel and corrupt government..
The state under Khomeini and his successors has been used to quash any form of dissent. Two armed forces, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) and Basij militia, have been charged with the task of suppressing civil liberties in round-the-clock intimidation campaigns in order to maintain power for the regime.
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Its hatred and hostility toward Israel is well-documented. Revolutionary Iran created and currently supplies Hezbollah, a Shia-Lebanese organization, with both arms and military training to launch attacks against Israel. Under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (b. 1939) and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (b. 1956), Iran has supported international terrorists and is attempting to develop nuclear capability.
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Since the 2009 presidential elections, whereby Ahmadinejad retained the presidency after both a rigged vote-count and a brutal suppression of peaceful post-election protests, Iran has descended even further into the abyss. In breaking up the anti-government demonstrations, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Basij militia and local police departments unleashed a campaign of mass terror against its people with detentions, public beatings, forced confessions, torture and state-sponsored rape.
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In February 2010, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, chronicled testimony from several victims of the crackdown. The following passages, which have been taken from that report, exhibit the true nature of the Iranian regime.
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"One student who spent 48 hours in the ministry basement told Human Rights Watch:
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'During the attack the plainclothes forces grabbed me and some other students randomly, although we were not chanting or anything. I was blindfolded and could not recognize where we were headed. On the way, they cursed and beat me. In the 48 hours in that place, which I learned from the conversations of the guards was the basement of the Ministry of Interior, they put food in our hands and forced us to eat, and if any food fell on the ground they would beat us with batons. They made harsh noises to terrify us. We had to beg to go to the toilet. Some of the detainees had open wounds and needed medical attention, but they were treated the same way."
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Unfortunately, the regime has recruited at least a few women into its campaign of violence. This is evident in the following testimony given by a female who was rounded up near Baharestan Square on 17 June 2009 - just days after the presidential election.
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'There was a fluorescent lamp that didn't really help us to distinguish day from night. There was no soap. They confiscated all our personal belongings. It was hard to lay down or sleep. We were not allowed to use restrooms when we needed to. In Tehran's hot weather, we were deprived of a fan or water. They interrogated us. If anyone had a green scarf, shawl, or bracelet indicating that they were Mousavi supporters (Mir-Hossein Mousavi opposed Ahmadinejad in the presidential election), their situation was worse. On the last day, I was feeling sick and a female guard came and kicked me a few times to stop me from crying.'
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Although egregious, these stories represent the least severe cases of brutality. Unfortunately, many if not most victims of Iran's terror campaigns, which have been ongoing since 1979, have experienced far worse treatment.
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There are several well-researched sources of information on the internal terrorism practiced by Tehran on its 75 million people. One is the report cited above by Human Rights Watch. To read the full report, please click onto the following link: http://www.hrw.org/en/node/88463/section/3. It contains graphic and disturbing testimony.
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In the United States, PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) has produced two excellent pieces of documentary, investigative reporting. Similar to the reign of Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) in Italy from 1922-1945, the political and religious leadership of Iran relies on underlings to carry out violence against any form of dissent - including the raping of women - which Mussolini endorsed. As such, the West has been precisely correct in labeling Iran an Islamo-Fascist state.
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To watch an enlightening 'behind the scenes' report by PBS Frontline from 2004, please click onto the following link: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/player.html?pkg=302_iran&seg=1&mod=0 (24:00). To view a report on the post-2009 election crackdown and its heartbreaking consequences for the people of Iran (especially women) from PBS NEWSHOUR on 10 June 2011, please click onto the following link: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june11/iranianwomen_06-10.html (9:37). Again, these reports contain graphic and disturbing material. The criminal nature of the Iranian regime, however, must be exposed to the world.
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During the US Democratic Nomination campaign in 2008, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards were asked if they would meet and conduct diplomacy with the Holocaust-denying, anti-Semitic President of Iran - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Senator Obama stated that he would do so only after "careful preparations." While gracious, Obama's position was also naive. Under no circumstances ought any Western leader meet with Ahmadinejad - especially after the post-2009 repression. The leaders of Iran have no intention of ending their campaign of terror at home or abroad. If Iran is allowed to produce nuclear weapons, there can be little doubt that they would be used to blackmail the West and threaten civilization itself. In short, the West must ally with the Iranian people, who have clearly expressed their desire for freedom and democracy, and consistently endorse and promote a policy of regime change.
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Anything less would be contrary to democratic values, human rights and common decency.
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(Photo: Basij militia or Iranian Revolutionary Guards attacking peaceful protesters in the streets during the 2009 protests)
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J Roquen