Iranians hate their government, not Israel
Telephone calls made by Yedioth Aharonoth, Israel's second largest circulation daily, to ordinary Iranians, indicate that contrary to what Iran claims, sanctions are having an effect on the Iranian people. The ordinary Iranian does not hate Israel. He is far more likely to hate his government, but fears saying so publicly. “You can see it well at markets and shops,” says Razi, the owner of a textile store in Tehran. “People only buy what they really need…I have some friends who only buy the most defective, rotten goods at the market, at the end of the day, in order to save up a few more pennies.”Read the whole thing.
Razi says he belongs to Iran’s constantly shrinking middle class. He dresses up, speaks and thinks like a Westerner, yet to his great regret lives in Tehran. “I would run away if I could,” he says. “But I have a big family and roots here, and I prefer to hope and believe that sometimes all of this will pass and we’ll again be able to live like human beings.”
In recent weeks, the local currency depreciated dramatically, the prices of goods skyrocketed, and inflation has spun out of control. Meanwhile, the government has minimized fuel subsidies and encourages residents to walk or use public transportation. “We’re eating less meat, whose price went up significantly, and settle for staples. It’s good for our health. Maybe the Americans want all of us to go on a diet,” he quips, bitterly.
When Razi is told of the recent Israeli Facebook campaign under the “We Love Iran” banner, he laughs. “I would do a similar campaign. I love Israel,” he says. “However, I have this slight concern that 10 minutes after my first post goes online, you’ll find me hanging upside down from a city crane.”
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Khatem, a real estate professional, says that the Iranian government’s propaganda isn’t working. “They can keep talking about Big Satan and Little Satan, yet aside from the religious fanatics, everyone looks up to the West. We want to be like in America, but wake up into a nightmare every morning.”
“All my relatives are dreaming of running away from here, but stay because of the force of habit,” he says. “The government is corrupt. Everyone knows that. They have no economic problems whatsoever. They keep their money stashed somewhere and know they will always have somewhere to flee to. They are also protected in case of war; they have well-built, durable bomb shelters, unlike the civilians who will eventually be hurt.”
Khatem says that many Western friends and businesspeople he was in touch with severed their ties with him recently, partly because of the sanctions that prevent them from doing business with Iran. “Up until now it was difficult but possible. Yet now, with the new sanctions in place, it appears we’re heading into an impossible and much more difficult period.”
To be on the safe side, Khatem has started to stockpile dollars. Not in the bank, but rather, under his floor tiles. “If, or more accurately, when the situation becomes harder and they nationalize our money from the bank, I’ll take out my dollars, board a plane and seek political asylum in Canada.
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Iranians believe that anti-government protests will renew in full force after Syria’s Bashar Assad will be toppled. “Once Assad falls, the ground here will start to shake here as well,” says Razi.
“It will give youngsters plenty of incentive and vigor to hit the streets. At this time there are snitches everywhere and taking part in any political activity is strictly forbidden,” he says.
Unfortunately, I don't see opinions as to whether an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities would 'unify' Iranians behind their government, as is often claimed in the West. I am skeptical of that claim.
If there are any Iranians reading this and you feel comfortable enough to email, you can email me at IsraelMatzav@gmail.com and (if you want) I will publish the email without any identifying information about you.
Labels: Iran sanctions regime
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:30 AM
1 Comments:
In the late 70's, when I attended college in California after getting out of the Air Force, there were quite a few Iranian students. This period spanned the last years of the Shah and the first year of the Mullah Dictatorship.
I can assure you from personal experience, there are many pro-Western Iranians.
There was a real dichotomy among the Iranians. Around half were from relatively prosperous middle-class urbanized Iranian families, sent to get a Western education at family expense. They were more urban, more Westernized and pro-Western, far more open-minded than the other half, Iranian kids from the country, impoverished country hicks who believed the Koran had the answer to anything in life and sent here on govt scholarships.
I can remember screaming arguments in a Philosophy class of about 18 students, half Iranian. In fact, there was probably much more heated debate between the two groups of Iranian groups!
Very telling of outlook. This was in the early days of Feminism and was discussed. I can distinctly remember one of the city kids saying "Is only fair, if a woman do the same work as a man, to get paid the same as a man". To which a "country kid" Iranian literally whipped out his vest pocket Koran and quoted from some Koran Sura that "one man is worth three women."
One really memorable screaming match was provoked when, after the Shah's overthrow, one of the "city kids" said, referring to Mullah Iran, "I don't need that shit, I'm not going back to Iran! I'm going to find a nice American girl to marry and stay here."
He was a very nice guy; I hope he did. I know there's a large Iranian expatriate community in the LA area, composed of these "city people". From what I've read, they've blended into America rather well. In businesses, the professions, etc. And the least observant of Islam!
As is noted in the article, there are many, many pro-Western Iranians, who do NOT passionately hate Israel or Jews. They are frightened into silence, as the man referencing starting a pro-Israel blog noted, about being hanged by a crane 10 minutes after his first posting.
I also agree with Carl, that an Israeli or American military campaign to take out the Iranian nuclear weapons infrastructure would NOT unite the majority of people behind their tormenting dictatorship. Let's not forget, the everyday Iranian people are the most suffering of the victims of the Mullah Dictatorship. They would understand the necessity of a civilized country taking action against the Mullah's nuclear weapons facilities and I honestly believe would be silently cheering about it.
The Civilized World's quarrel is not with the bulk of the Iranian people but with the Islamofascist Mullah Regime and it's profiteering adherents.
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