Iranian student protester: 'We don't deny the Holocaust. We do accept Israel's rights.'
CNN interviewed an Iranian student protester on its Monday morning show, and if this protester is representative of what's behind the protests in Iran, Binyamin Netanyahu is correct to reach out to the revolutionaries. Here are some highlights (Hat Tip: Memeorandum). Roberts: Mohammad, we have been talking this morning about what the students are fighting for and whether the students are fighting for something different than the older more established political candidates like Moussavi. Are the students seeking regime change? Are they looking to bring down the Ayatollah and completely change the form of government there in Iran? Or are you looking for – as has been suggested – more civil rights, more freedoms within the context of the existing regime?Sounds like we may have an ally.
Mohammad: Yes. Let me tell you something. For about three decades our nation has been humiliated and insulted by this regime. Now Iranians are united again one more time after 1979 Revolution. We are a peaceful nation. We don’t hate anybody. We want to be an active member of the international community. We don’t want to be isolated… We don’t deny the Holocaust. We do accept Israel’s rights. And actually, we want — we want severe reform on this structure. This structure is not going to be tolerated by the majority of Iranians. We need severe reform, as much as possible.
Roberts: Interesting perspective this morning from Mohammad, a student demonstrator there in Tehran.
Mohammad: Excuse me, sir. I have a message for the international community. Would you please let me tell it?
Roberts: Yes, go ahead.
Mohammad: Americans, European Union, international community, this government is not definitely — is definitely not elected by the majority of Iranians. So it’s illegal. Do not recognize it. Stop trading with them. Impose much more sanctions against them. My message…to the international community, especially I’m addressing President Obama directly – how can a government that doesn’t recognize its people’s rights and represses them brutally and mercilessly have nuclear activities? This government is a huge threat to global peace. Will a wise man give a sharp dagger to an insane person? We need your help international community. Don’t leave us alone.
Chetry: Mohammad, what do you think the international community should do besides sanctions?
Mohammad: Actually, this regime is really dependent on importing gasoline. More than 85% of Iran’s gasoline is imported from foreign countries. I think international communities must sanction exporting gasoline to Iran and that might shut down the government.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:36 AM
9 Comments:
I have been looking around to see whether pigs ha all of a sudden started to fly..but nothing!!!
This is simply incredible. I think Mohammed is an amazingly courageous man and HE deserves the Nobel Peace Prize (as opposed to Obama who will for sure get it after doing absolutely nothing for peace other than bending over for Muslim countries).
Debbie Schlussel sounds a dissenting note and wonders how representative people like Mohammed are of typical Iranians. She mentioned a gay student named Amir in London and how most of the dissidents supported Ahmedinejad. If this "revolution" is being really led by the Mousavis and Rafsanjanis, we're still dealing with a different bunch of extremists, not democrats.
Not Easy Being "Green": Congrats! You're Now Allies of Hezbo Jewish Center Bomber Rafsanjani & Gay "Reformist" Israel/US-Hater "Amir"
We can only hope that unlike in 1979, the Iranians don't exchange one form of absolutism for another. It remains to be seen what kind of revolutionaries they are and they can be judged only by their deeds and not by their sentiments, encouraging as they might be.
Read it all.
I agree with Schlussel.
Note that you don't hear of the masses taking to the streets in other major Iranian cities, Isfahan, Shiraz, etc.
This will all be over in a short time and then we'll return to our regularly scheduled program "Welcome Back, Kotter".
Interesting article: Israeli Radio Show Captivates Iranians, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124571901245939581.html
Please see website http://democracybroadcasting.com/. The Iranians did not have much choice of candidates because of their election system. Some are saying Mousavi has changed from way he was (a point I'm not persuaded of but that is echoed by no less than Banafshe Zand-Bonazzi), some are saying they only support Mousavi as less of 2 evils & that in any case this is far less about supporting Mousavi than about supporting free elections & democracy as way to get rid of mullah system. Shy Guy, there have been masses protesting in Isfahan and Shiraz. Our several Iranian blogger friends, such as our dear "anti-mullah", Allan (who I believe is still disappeared from his website -- said if he didn't come back in 10 days he'd be gone), are supporting these freedom protests. Now that the total corruption & fallibility of Khamenei & mullah system is exposed, it's no wonder some of them are shouting against Ayatollah. This is a huge gift to the world, a huge opportunity, what are we waiting for.
Most of Iran's official statements regarding Israel have been so overblown that I would think that most educated Iranians would have to question where logic ends and blind, dogmatic rage begins. However, remember that they are still shouting Allahu Akbar from the rooftops in great numbers. The "moderate" viewpoint on Israel in Iran probably mirrors the UK, not the US.
"Anything different is good."
-- Bill Murray in Groundhog Day
Hullo, Orde, good to see you....
I've got two links that illustrate, and give hope, urging, and impetus to your words:
Regime Change Iran: Movement Seeks to Eliminate 'Supreme Leader' Position
http://threatswatch.org/rapidrecon/2009/06/regime-change-iran-movement-se/
Video Comparison: Obama on Iran versus Reagan On Poland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt-RyUngNpQ
--Ma Sands
We can only hope & pray that this young man truly is representative of Iranians - and that these sorts of people prevail. I say "only hope & pray" because I really don't know what Obama can do, short of the one thing the Iranians will resent: truly interfere, rather than sit on the sidelines and loudly disapprove (even if the little whacko hatemonger dictator's puppet is trying to call it "interfering").
(& I agree with Andre!!)
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