Bling, Iranian-style

• Published in: New internationalist 2007-12 (407), p.34
• Main Author: Alavi, Nasrin
• Format: Magazinearticle
• Language: English
• Subjects: Human rights; International relations-US; Islamism; Nuclear weapons; Sanctions
• ISSN: 0305-9529

Emadeddin Baghi, one of Iran's most prominent Islamic reforrfiists and the head of the 'Society to Defend the Rights of Prisoners' wrote in an open letter in September of the 'tragic silence of the elite, political parties, and civil institutions' as well as 'the acquiescence of public opinion' in relation to the 'recent wave of executions in Iran' that has included 41 people in the last month alone. Such acquiescence and political apathy appears to run deep. My attempt to impart the gist of President George Bush's most recent fiery utterances-that Iran must be confronted 'before it is too late' - is met by a few polite, blank stares and shrugs by members of my own extended family. Only one person takes the trouble to respond: 'Oh, so what. Bush sounds just like another [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]. Anyway, there's been nothing but this sort of talk from both sides since the Revolution, and what's the point of discussing what we can't control?' Nevertheless, there are others at the helm inside Iran who may not share Ahmadinejad's bullish philosophy. The powerful Ayatollah Rafsanjani, who has been openly at loggerheads with the President, told a gathering of clerics in December 2006 not to over-emphasize America's woes in the region: 'Iran's nuclear file is still dangerous,' he said, and 'it cannot be solved with slogans'. Rafsanjani was recently elected to lead the Assembly of Experts, the powerful clerical body responsible for supervising Iran's Supreme Leader. This election by his peers is an indication of the ruling clerics' displeasure with Ahmadinejad's economic policies at home and aggressive policies abroad.