Why was Iran so cool ?

Why was Iran so cool ? Amid the jungle of bearded extremists and steadfast autocrats, millennial monarchies, and areas of American influence, stands the Islamic Republic of Iran. If the name of this « great country » in the Middle East can make you smile so much that it is contradictory to place the terms Republic and Islam side by side, know that you are wrong …

Back in 2015, in the West, Iran is cool, and very cool indeed. Because the country is the second largest oil reserve in the world and above all a market that has not yet been exploited by Western capitalism. And that, the economic lobbies can not support it any longer… It must also be said that Iran had become a potential ally in the fight against Daesh, and even if the execrable relationship of the Iranian leaders with the “great American Satan” prevented Europeans to get closer to ancient Persia, it would seem that the situation was on the verge of changing… Diplomats, politicians, media and business leaders poured water into their wine, and showed us that Iran , in the end, it was “cool”.

Then Daesh explodes, and returns to the state of a terrorist group. And for several years now, Iran has been more too cool. The cynicism of international relations is then expressed perfectly on both sides …

What to know about Iran !

Until the late 1970s, Iran was nothing other than the United States’ oil reserve in the Middle East; a situation similar to Saudi Arabia today. The country had very good relations with Western countries, as with Israel. It was run by an autocrat, but there was a certain amount of freedom there. A refugee tells us: « Anything was allowed, as long as we did not touch politics. »

In 1979, in front of the incessant procrastination of the Shah, and his lavish spending, many centers of revolts arose in Iran. In the last days, the end of the Shah is no longer in doubt, but two factions are waging a merciless struggle to conquer power. The Islamists of Ayatollah Khomeini (refugee in France at Neauphles les Chateaux) and the National Front of Shapour Bakhtiar (secular party).

Ultimately, veil replaces the crown, taking with it the liberal aspirations of a rich class too westernized to rule and leaving to people the local pawnshop: Islam.

After his triumphant return, Khomeini instituted the new rules of the game. He became the supreme guide of Islamic Revolution. It is this politician with religious overtones that will use the expression « Great American Satan » upon his return to Iran. The war against imperialism becomes « sacred ».

Iran establishes divine sovereignty, and is hit by an embargo. A situation that has lasted for 30 years. Why was Iran so cool ?

Return of Iran in international chessmate !

It is still a Supreme Leader who has ruled the country, Ali Khameini, since 1989, but the west countries got a little peace from election of President Rohani in 2013, presented as a reformer after the strongly contested Ahmadinejad. At this time, they start negotiations with the Islamic Republic for an agreement on nuclear power; which would open the door to the lifting of sanctions.

The Iranians are waiting for this; the country suffers from economics sanctions. The 2012’s European sanctions brought Iran to its knees. Basic items like chicken have become too expensive for the population. In 2014, 50% of the population fell below the poverty line.

If the government does nothing, there is the risk of a social divide.

At the same time, the international situation has evolved: Iran can be seen as an ally against Daesh, armed and funded by Sunni neighbors. (« Which thrives on the hatred of Sunnis and Shiites« )

At that time th West was more concerned with the impact of the ISIS than with the internal politics of the Islamic Republic.

Why was Iran so cool ? The « un-demonization » in motion !

So media are working to change the image of Iran.

The Iran Economy Circle, created in 2013 at the initiative of Persian-speaking academics and business leaders, advocates for a new vision of Iran. More and more present in the media in the middle 2010’, these experts from the Islamic Republic speak differently about the country.

In the 2000s, Iran was in G.W. Bush’s axis of evil. The few journalists who managed to break through the impervious borders of the mullahs’ republic painted the face of a country scarred by fanaticism: stoning, woman reduced to slave rank, regime funding international terrorism.

Persian-speaking a experts from the Cercle Iran Economie are often invited to the radio sets. Bernard Hourcade, moderator of the first circle conference, and geographer specializing in Iran, emeritus research director at the CNRS, spoke no less than four times on France Culture in less than 5 months during the negotiations in 2015, without counting his numerous interventions in the hurry. In short, these academics believe that negotiating with Iran on nuclear power and economic openness is the worst possible solution after the others. Why was Iran so cool ?

Specialists in the region are unanimous on one fact: a direct confrontation with the Islamic Republic would tighten the population around the leaders who are now contested. And with the arrival of Daesh « barbarians« , a Democrat in the White House, and a global economic crisis, the Iranian mullahs have for the first time since 79 a ^possibility to negotiate. Especially since the sanctions have started to hurt a lot since 2012.

It seems that Iran has become popular. Journalists take up the economic discourse of these connoisseurs.

The Western media have even given way since 2010 to articles like “tourism’s guide” which advise going to Isfahan to see prodigious palaces rather than going to eat a “shollo kebab” in Tehran.

Abbas Bakhtiari, director of the Iranian cultural center « Pouya« , and political refugee even tells us: « I keep meeting people who come back from vacation there … They tell me: » It’s beautiful, and people are nice ”…” To believe that Iran is fast becoming a tourist destination of first choice.

In the mid-2010s, the Iranian lobby, masterfully led by the Iran Economy Circle, was on the verge of winning the media war.In Why was Iran so cool ?

Why was Iran so cool ? Lobbying and politics

The Cercle Iran Economie is also close to the interparliamentary friendship group France-Iran, which they revive by organizing with them seminars and conferences that allow companies to prepare to trade with Iran again.

« Iran has been seen too much in France in a reductive way, and this is not justified, » we are told in these circles.

Senator Aymery de Montesquiou, Chairman of the group (which is also being investigated in the so-called « Kazakhgate » case):

“It is sometimes difficult for a Westerner to understand the custom of veiling women. However, I would like to stress that education occupies a major place in Iran, and that there are more than three million students, 60% of whom are young women. This is essential, because Iran’s poor image in the West stems in part from our misrepresentation of the status of women in this country. « 

It is also the speech of Nigel Coulthard, President of the Cercle Iran Economie: « Iran represented in the media or in stupid films like » Never without my daughter « , has nothing to do with reality », tells us -he. Iran, « it’s an industrialized country, » women put on makeup and have « overflowing » necklines. The country has nothing to do with its neighbors: « Iran is often confused with the chaos of Afghanistan or the social rigidity of Saudi Arabia. » Why was Iran so cool ?

Basically, we’ve been dumbfounded by the media for years. They made us think that Iran was all about executions and the deplorable condition of women, when not at all!

We passed by; Iran is cool, and we are not …

In the Islamic Republic, adds Nigel Coulthard, ‘there are even « debates in the newspapers … except with regard to religion, or the Supreme Leader ».

There is still a downside. For those who have forgotten it, the Arab Spring begins in Iran in 2009. The disputed election of Ahmadinejad causes riots in Tehran and in major cities. For the first time since the Islamic revolution, the Iranians rebel and set the capital ablaze. The repression was direct and brutal. The two leaders of the rebellion, Moussavi and Karoubi, were under house arrest.

The refugees we met keep in mind the image of Faraneh M . arrested, raped, and burned alive in a police station during the Iranian spring. And despite its promises of emancipation; Rohani hasn’t changed anything yet. The two opposition leaders are still locked up. In 2015′, why was Iran so cool ?

 Nargues Mohammadi, vice president of the Association for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran, was arrested again in early May. If in 2011 the PS denounced in a press release its 11-year suspended sentence, this new event was not reported anywhere. This silence is a message!

It’s true, when it comes to freedom, we’ve known better … But the question of human rights, this former CEO of Alstom in Iran stays quiet.  Iran « still kills 700 detainees a year, which still imprisons no less than a thousand political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, more than 130 followers of the Baha’i faith as well as nearly 50 people converted to Christianity, dozens of Sufis ”(dervishes) and Sunni Muslims, all for their religious beliefs” said Karim Lahidji, FIDH. We are really too idealistic for this follower of « real politik« . He reminds us: « France sells planes to Qatar, maintains relations with Egypt », the absence of healthy relations with Iran is the greatest hypocrisy.” Why was Iran so cool ?

To imagine that the Western powers will determine their foreign policy based on their interlocutor’s respect for human rights is indeed a fantasy. It would be a long time if not China would be on Uncle Sam’s blacklist …

Finally, N. Coulthard is right on this point and on another essential point. According to the last travelers who returned to us from Iran, the economic situation in Iran is so catastrophic, especially in terms of inflation, that political objectives have taken a back seat. Iranians want their president to resolve the economic crisis first before claiming political freedom.Why was Iran so cool ?

A domestic policy that remains undemocratic !

Outside the country, Iran’s has changed. And of course, leaders speak of opening up, of course, travelers can echo a modern civil society, which wants to exchange with the whole world, in which women have an important role, in which young people are in the majority, and know how to party hidden from the regime, in private. All of this is true, but it should not overlook a fundamental problem: the functioning of Iran remains the same, and nothing has changed in terms of freedom and human rights.

The political refugees we met, many of whom do not want to be cited in the article because fear of the Iranian government is still present even in exile, are aware of this new arrest.

They also gave us all the same testimony: there, the rule is that a woman’s oath « is worth half of a man’s » which can be delicate in the event of divorce or rape; executions, abuses …Why was Iran so cool ?

Supreme Guide and his Guards, the Pasdaran, control politics and the economy. A lifting of the sanctions will benefit them, the people will be a little appeased, they will avoid revolt, but nothing will change. On the other hand, they will be accepted on the international scene, thus legitimizing a barbaric regime.

Institutional relations in Iran are complex and almost incomprehensible to a westerner. Power in Iran is shared by an infinite number of bodies and institutions. He’s always on the move. But if the power shifts from one hand to another, from one institution to the other. Abbas Bakhtiari reminds us that it remains in the hands of powerful men of the Islamic revolution. Rohani, former president, himself is a mullah. Moussavi and Karoubi, the two rebels under house arrest since the Iranian spring, are also former powerful men of the Islamic regime.

As all political refugees we have met unanimously say, Islamic Republic has only one goal: « to stay« . And  international community is participating in it by legitimizing its institutions. If Iran is treated better, Iranians are not!

Ayatollah’s nephew Khamenei goes even further. A doctor in Lille, he left Iran for 25 years, and would like to create a possible alternative to the diet. Why was Iran so cool ?

According to him, Iran’s evolution hides an organized plot: « Ali Khamenei and his regime spend large sums of money on advertising and lobbying, not only in religious circles, but also in the community of opponents. in exile in order to hide it and only let appear a puppet opposition. Likewise to influence the Muslim world through radio and television channels, through satellites and the Internet. « 

Among opponents, it is rumored that certain media, such as BBC Persian, or « Voice of America« , have in recent years hired Iranian journalists close to Islamic Republic, who are spreading an other vision.

These rich exiles are in permanent contact with North Tehran according to Abbas Bakhtiari.

According to him, “Ali Khamenei and his associates know very well that they will never be at the head of a nuclear power. They are using the idea only to dominate the countries of the region and export a medieval revolution. « 

Thus, he believes that « lifting the crippling sanctions without fundamental change is not in Iran’s interest. It will only serve to help the Islamic Republic achieve its goals. « 

“By giving in and economically strengthening this regime, it is not the Iranian people who will benefit. It is the Islamic regime that will profit from this for more repression, more social injustice and more terrorism in the world. « 

For Cercle Iran Economy: According to Nigel Coulthard, opening up Iran will change the internal situation, economically and therefore politically.

Axis of evil again ?

Since the fall of ISIS in the Middle East, and election of D. Trump as President of the United States, Iran has celebrated its comeback in axis of evil. Of course, European side is still trying to temper relations with the precursor of the Islamic Republic, but the nuclear agreement no longer holds. While some believe that an economic opening to Iran would create a cultural revolution in the country to shake up what was left unsaid about the Islamic revolution, others imagine that only sanctions can destabilize the republic of the Mullahs. Why was Iran so cool ?

Be that as it may, the evolution of the media treatment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the media between the phase of « softness » of the mid-2010s ′, and the return to the media lynching of the 2020s ′, show that the influence of different lobbies on the media is real. To take up theses dear to Noam Chomsky, is press freedom even an illusion in our developed countries ? Because when ISIS was reigning terror, the Islamic Republic was more popular than it is today.

L’article Why was Iran so cool ? via @ Urban Tracks.