English translation of the speech by
Kourosh Zaim
At Hamedan Civil Society Party, Hamedan, Iran
August 18, 2006

How to Solve Iran Problem.

The people of Iran made history three times in less than a century by successful popular movements to replace dictatorships with parliamentary democracies. Each time becoming a model for other enslaved nations in the region, and each time seeing their democracies, so painfully earned, destroyed by the ugly marriage of foreign power interests and those of the self-serving clergy.

In 1906, a popular revolution ended the corrupt and inept rule of Qajar dynasty, creating the first free elections in the history of the nation and the first parliament of true representatives of the people; a first in all of Asia. Although people had defeated a clerical effort to derail the parliamentary system and establish a religious dictatorship, later in the process, the self-serving clergy succeeded in defeating the idea of establishing a republic in favor of another dictatorial monarchy.

In 1952, Iran again enjoyed a government truly representative of the people. Mohammad Mosaddeq and his most popular Iran National Front party formed the cleanest and most intelligent government the nation had ever experienced. An American report to the U.S. president at time informed that Mosaddeq's government is the closest thing to stability and that it enjoys support of 95 to 98% of the Iranian people. Mosaddeq's government showed how a patriotic, intelligent and democratic system can pursue and secure national rights and interests, challenging an imperial power, by democratic means and defeating it on its own turf without having to violate any international law, treaty or convention. He showed how you can engage in a fierce fight for a just cause, win and yet become a hero in the eyes your adversaries and the world public opinion. This democratic government also was removed by a coup in favor of a dictatorial monarchy through the unholy marriage of interests of foreign powers and those of the clergy.

In 1979, the diehard people of Iran rose for the third time in three generations against a brutal, corrupt and foreign stooge of a monarchy, restoring parliamentary system of government through free elections. Once again the clergy rose to the occasion wresting the government from the people by violent means, setting up the Islamic Republic as we know it now, a self-serving, brutal, corrupt and dictatorial rule of low intellect.

And, now, those same superpowers who stole democratic systems of governments form us in the past and replaced subservient dictatorships, are now waving flag of democracy for us. They very well know that the great Iranian nation can stand on its own planning and achieving restoration of democracy and human rights. Iranians don't need any do-gooders' sword rattling, nor do they need foreign money or military assistance, specially, from those who have failed their tests of sincerity more than once in the past. Furthermore, the multitude of tactical errors they have made in the region in recent years, and are making now, shows that their planners either lack sufficient knowledge of the region or lack sufficient competence in decision making. What has been happening in our neighborhood recently has only served to strengthen the bases of influence and stability of Iran's religious ruling clans.

During the events leading to the 1953 coup against Iran's most popular and democratic government, American government failed to recognize the nature of the Iranian regime and the political undercurrents in action; during the Iraq-Iran war American government failed to see the opportunity with Iran and sided with a sadistic man instead; and now too, the American government is failing to recognize the nature of the regime in Iran and what makes it tick, and fails to see the opportunities and the undercurrents.

I say to those who beat the drums of war against Iran and in their feeble mind think that this will cause the Islamic Republic to fall, and to those who think their covert actions in Iran inciting ethnic unrest will weaken this particular government, and those who think a smaller Iran will be more manageable, or an Iran pressed with further sanctions and embargos, that war, domestic unrest, revolutionary movement, and destructive actions are exactly the means of guaranteeing the longevity of the Islamic regime. They will tighten their grip on people's throats in the name of national security, militarize the society, jail or kill intellectuals, dissidents, critics and opposition groups, while causing havoc in the entire region. They will do anything and everything just to last another day.

You cannot weaken the Islamic regime with threats of bombs, missiles or embargos. An attack on Iran will only destroy national wealth, economy, employment and lives, but it will give the regime reason for propaganda and for influencing public opinion, creating suitable conditions for growth of radicalism and terrorism. The ruling clans of Iran care not much about destruction of national wealth, damage to economy or loss of life, as they have never shown much concern in the past for such symbols of civilization. As long as the huge and easily obtained oil income exists, they can provide for their own defense or resistance.

In my opinion, there are better ways than attack or embargo to weaken this system at the core and quicken its downfall. The most fatal enemy of the Islamic Republic is international cooperation and partnership, economic progress, privatization, adherence to the WTO guidelines and forced observance of the International Bill of Human Rights. These, if forced upon Iran under the current dispute settlement deal, the Islamic Republic will lose its lifelines and conditions will rapidly become available for the Iranian public to dictate their own will.

I would like to tell the U.S. and the three European musketeers who are leading the punishing or violent confrontation project against Iran that they should never threaten with blood one you cannot see in the mirror, never threaten with embargo one who becomes richer when healthy trade routes are closed, never threaten with bombs one who's pocket benefits from reconstruction of ruined national assets, never threaten with ethnic separatism one who considers religious homogeneity as the only element of sovereignty, and never threaten with invasion one who never confronts you in a classic war. Set aside parameters of comparison your have learned in school and innovate new methods of confrontation. I call this new method a positive war, when you attack in four fronts the very roots of its survival.

Partnership and Investment: As I proposed in November 2004, the best method of solving Iran's nuclear dispute is partnership and joint investment in construction of nuclear power plants, as well as in the business of uranium enrichment. Once these activities are owned and operated jointly, tight international controls are in place. But, more important than the investments and controls, is the partnership and the inevitable dialogue between the countries and the socialization of free citizens with Iranian civil servants. Erosion of fear and forced loyalty will undermine regime's grip on public service structure.

Foreign investment and technology must be extended to other major government controlled industries such as steel, petrochemical, aircraft, marine, agriculture and mining. The importance of foreign investment is not as much as is the inherent cooperation, co-habitation and socialization of the human elements involved in these joint ventures. Iran even at the current rates of oil income, under an honest and competent government, can reach up to the level of a developed country in two decades. So, it's not the money. The abundant presence of personnel from free societies, not only will force the government to make life easier for citizenry in general, but will open new windows of light and let breeze of fresh air in.

Removal of the Sanctions: Economic sanctions and embargos represent the most effective propaganda tool for discrediting intentions of the western powers. On the other hand, sanctions prevent healthy economic growth, employment and welfare of the people, but not the ruling class who have their hands in the till and also benefit from illicit trade to combat sanctions. Furthermore, it is much easier to blame the sanctions for shortages and economic failures than own incompetence. When an aircraft crashes, it is easier to blame the "great Satan" for refusing to supply parts than to blame own policies. Sanctions are effective only when a government cares about its effects on its people. Without sanctions, it would be much easier to evaluate Islamic Republic's economic performance. In addition, free trade and accessibility will increase "clean" economic activity, reduce illicit trade and smuggling and tend to increase standards of living. Once people have little worry about their basic needs, their social needs increase and pressure on the government to meet those needs escalate.

Economic progress and thus improvement in standards of living is one the most dangerous enemies of the Islamic ruling clans' survival. The ruling class get its strength from ignorance, illiteracy, poverty, joblessness, social ills and corruption, because - misusing its spiritual nametag- it can redirect people's anger by blaming foreign countries for all the ill, brainwash the hopeless youth and the desperate for use in internal and external challenges, thus causing birth of the invisible armies. I cannot recall any dictatorial state in the world that upon achieving economic progress and improved standard of living was not forced by its own people to submit to democracy.

Tourism and ease of travel: Backward social behavior and infamousness of the Islamic Republic in world public opinion, couples with programmed scare tactics and propaganda by the west, has caused Iran, one the world's most historic and attractive countries to visit, to be virtually ignored by the tourism industry. One goal of this official Islamic Republic anti-social behavior is exactly to discourage citizens of the free world to come to Iran and bring with them different outlooks and ideas. Futile efforts during past two decades to ban videos, satellite broadcasts and internet have all been to isolate Iranian people from rest of the world. Travel and socialization of millions of free citizens with the enslaved Iranians is not but poison to IR's survival. Our share of tourism now is about a few hundred thousand per year, mostly from neighboring countries, rather than the minimum 30 million we must have.

In addition to the economic benefits of tourism, which will be primarily enjoyed by the public rather than the state, the socialization aspect of the industry will open new horizons, specially for the revolution-age youth who have not seen better days. The ruling clans of the Islamic Republic have been virtually preventing visitation of Iranians by the world citizens, as they prevent visitation of political prisoners by family and friends. The countries that claim they wish democracy for Iran can regulate and arrange and exert proper pressures for opening of the tourism doors and infusion of international investment and involvement in this very vital industry. Free tourism and ease of travel will eat up at the core of the regime like cancer.

Life signs from the United Nations: The United Nations is the most important, though toothless, world organization, which if it could be enabled to perform as its charter prescribes, no government could enslaved its people. The UN has tools with which it can push Iran toward democracy. One of these tools is "mandatory" supervision of elections. Instead of going along with debate over sanctions or threats of military action, the UN must force Iran to hold free elections under the watchful eyes of its inspectors. They should oversee the election process from candidate registration to vote counting to make sure the government cannot influence, threaten, deceive or cheat. A truly free election in Iran will be more effective that the most devastating warhead aimed at the establishment.

Furthermore, the UN must force Iran to observe the International Bill of Human Rights. Those countries that refuse to do so or are in substantially breach must not be allowed to be represented in the Human Rights Council nor the Security Council, and their voting rights in the General Assembly must be suspended until full compliance. The states that are their people's prisoners must not be able to decide the fate of other nations.
 

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