Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

The Stupid Red Line | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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I would like to begin by saying in a very clear and unambiguous manner that I am not a supporter of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and I cannot address its themes objectively. I strongly believe that the external political approach undertaken by the [Iranian] regime with regards to exporting its ideology has had a huge impact on the region and created different pockets of strife and discord.

The best evidence of this can be seen by recalling and reflecting on the scenes of the Iranian sponsored demonstrations that took place during the Hajj and which resulted in dozens of deaths as a result of the blood confrontation. There is also the clear and direct intervention in the internal affairs of other countries which have sowed dissent and discord in a number of locations throughout the Arab world.

Iran is trying to promote itself as a unique model of democracy in the region, and there are some who are convinced of this and promote this idea outside of Iran, however in fact Iran, along with Israel and Lebanon are “bizarre” models of democracy.

Israel is a democracy that is open only to Jews, especially now that it insists upon describing itself as a Jewish State, thereby relegating all of its other citizens; Christians, Muslims, Druze, Hindu, and Baha’i, to second class citizens. Lebanon is a sectarian democracy split between 18 sects that has nothing whatsoever to do with whoever wins the majority vote. Iran also has its own democratic model where a “puppet” stands for the post of president and distracts everybody with an unjust election, meanwhile the higher power remains in an unchallenged position under the principle “I am your Supreme Guide and you must obey!”

So, is this democracy?

The world observed the repercussions of the Iranian election which are still taking place, and these sharp internal disagreements that resulted from the election results led to serious and dangerous cracks appearing in the foundation of the Islamic Revolution. Heavyweight figures that were traditionally “the backbone” of the regime also appeared standing in the ranks of the opposition.

Rather than focusing upon resolving these problems and reviewing the existing issues, working to bridge the gap between the opposition and the regime, Iran has deployed its military might against its own people in a brutal and violent manner. Iran has not stopped here, and the regime has not given a free hand to its Arab-speaking media to attack Saudi Arabia by reporting a series of unbelievable fabrications and lies. These include putting Saudi Arabia on a list of the top ten terrorist states, as well as broadcasting the news of an attempted coup taking place in the country, as well as mass arrests in Mecca and Medina.

Are these the ethics and principles that the Islamic Revolution wishes to export?

The media has recently been talking about the LBC television program “The Bold Red Line” and particularly the recent episode that dealt with sin. In this episode a young man appeared talking about vice and adultery, something that the station permitted, however what Iran is doing is promoting fabrication and discord. This is far more dangerous, as this represents the serious moral collapse of a political regime that has always described itself as being representative of Islam and has always promoted itself as the largest supporter of the resistance. However it has not promoted the fact that this support of the resistance has come at the expense of the stability and security of the region, and it seems that this is a detail that the Iranians are unconcerned with.

With the growing cracks in the foundations of the regime, it seems that the confusion that is seen throughout Iran has no limits, and what the regime’s Arabic language media is doing is nothing more than a new bankruptcy. Iran has a number of large internal problems that are on the rise, and if Iran focused on these in a serious manner, instead of interfering in the internal affairs of others, these would all be resolved.