In Iran, change they want to believe in
Posted: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 2:23 PM
Filed Under:
Tehran, Iran
By Ali Arouzi, NBC News Producer
TEHRAN, Iran – The celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution were conducted in traditional fashion – full of chants like "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."
But 30 years on, the reaction among Iranians to the revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed shah and brought hard-line clerics to power is far from monolithic.
Today, many of the people who helped usher in the Islamic revolution are disappointed with its legacy results; meanwhile, many of Iran’s young people don’t define their lives by a revolution that came about before they were born.
Even President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that Iran would welcome talks with the United States, if they were based on mutual respect.
Could Iran be in for a new era of change?
Usual rhetoric
At the large rally in Tehran’s Freedom Square many spewed the usual anti-American rhetoric that has come to characterize relations for the last 30 years.
"I hate America, I hate America and its lies," said Reza, a student attending the rally (like many people we spoke with, he would not give his last name). "We don’t want better relations with America because they are our biggest enemy; this is why we had a revolution. The late imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah] Khomeini, the father of our revolution, did not want ties with America."
Hamid, another student at the rally, echoed Reza’s comments. "Our revolution has spread across the world to Palestine to South America to Africa. It has given us freedom. If America wants better relations, then they have to make the effort."
Ironically, Hamid was carrying a big poster of Ahmadinejad with the slogan "Yes we can," sprawled across it. Wasn’t that U.S. President Barack Obama’s slogan? I asked. He responded that Obama had stolen it from Ahmadinejad.
Rasoul, a retired army officer at the rally, also took a hard-line stance towards the United States. "Our revolution has achieved all its goals," he said." If America wants better relations then they have to take the first step. We are not a small nation to be bullied."
But even Ahmadinejad, Iran’s usually firebrand leader, alluded to a new "era of dialogue" in U.S.-Iranian relations in his speech to the crowd gathered for the rally. "The Iranian nation is ready for talks (with the U.S.) but in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect," said Ahmadinejad. They were his most measured remarks toward America since Obama took office.
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| Raheb Homavandi / Reuters |
| Students wave Iran's national flag as others hold pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, in Tehran's Freedom Square on Tuesday. |
Not satisfied
For others, the time has come for a change.
Ebrahim Yazdi, one of the founding fathers of the revolution, said he is disenchanted with the events of the past 30 years. "The authorities are the main players and they don't show any signs of tolerance," he said. "Not only tolerance with us, but [also] tolerance with themselves. I am very much concerned with the future of my country."
Yazdi served as Iran’s first foreign minister after the revolution,, but he resigned from his post in protest on Nov. 6, 1979, two days after the U.S. Embassy was seized. At the time he said that he felt that the embassy takeover was "contrary to the national interests of Iran."
I asked him if he believed the revolution had taken on a different form from what they initially intended. "We wanted an Islamic republic, we did not want a government of the clergies," he said. "They are two different issues."
Yazdi added that the current regime is detrimental to Iran’s young people. With 70 percent of Iran's population under the age of 30, a huge portion of the population wasn’t even born at the time of the revolution.
"The problem with the present system is not only that it is a politically suppressive regime, but also sociologically they are suppressive," said Yazdi, "And who are the victims of this social suppression: the young boys and girls."
‘What I want today is to be able to enjoy myself’
And despite the size of the crowds in Freedom Square, some of Iran’s young people were up in the mountains north of Tehran taking advantage of the day off and were not exactly celebrating the anniversary of the Islamic revolution.
"I was too young to remember the revolution, but what I want today is to be able to enjoy myself, like you do in America," said Amir, a student.
"Today is a public holiday, I just want to escape from the madness of the city come up to the mountains have a walk and a meal," said Milad, another student.
Others are just hoping for a change. "I don't know if the revolution has achieved all its goals, but what I do know is that I want better prospects," said Javad, a cab driver.
And with presidential elections only four months away, many are hoping change is around the corner.
The question on everybody’s lips is: Will the reformist former President Mohammad Khatami get elected and have another shot at loosening social restriction and bridging gaps with the international community? Or will Ahmadinejad stay in office and keep the country on its current course?
Related links: Iran and Iraq: A short look at a long history
