Nima Sharif
The United States should pressure Iran to respect freedom of its citizens and stop its severe acts of human rights abuse. A firm stance by president Obama and his administration along with the US Congress will bring renewed courage to the Iranian street demonstrators further weakening the theocratic rule and prevent spread of fundamentalism as the Arab Spring thrusts forward.
The all new infighting among the highest levels of the Iranian regime between Ayatollah Khamaneie and President Ahmadinejad brings to surface a deeply rooted and historic power struggle that has infested the Islamic Republic since the day one.
The power struggle came in to existence on the day of inception of the Islamic republic by Ayatollah Khomeini right after he toppled Mohammad Reza Shah’s regime back in 1979. It has alienated important chunks and factions of the regime through the years.
The fact is that the mullahs’ backward ideology has totalitarianism embedded within. That means only one man (and by that we really mean a man) can have all the saying. That’s in fact the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini’s Doctrine of government of Velayat-e-Faghih. That mean the Supreme Leader can veto whatever the public says. That law was later introduced into the Islamic Republic’s constitution.
Bazargan, the Prime Minister of the interim government right after the revolution was the first to fall through the crack. He was followed by the first president of the Islamic Republic Bani Sadr shortly after; then Khatami and the green movement, Rafsanjani and now it is time for Supreme Leaders favorite president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Factions mentioned above are not just one or two persons but each represents a layer within the ruling stratum and points of interest within the Islamic Republic. Of course the list above only includes those who have been part of the establishment and participated at some point in time in the government.
Others were not so lucky though as they were sidelined and persecuted from the day one as anti-revolutionaries and Moharebs (one who wages war on God). Some cases such as the MEK (Mujahedin-e-Khalq) were even subject to a real Genocide with hundreds and thousands of supporters and members taken to the gallows in groups.
The feud among the ranks of the Iranian clerical regime will forever go on until there is no one left but the top mullah. It will bring down the regime to its knees at the presence of the strong and brave Iranian public. Freedom will be accomplished.
No one in Iran, except those who are part of the religious establishment, favor the regime. Any and all messages of support and solidarity from beyond boarders specifically from the United States and President Obama are welcomed and will be well received.
In fact president Obama stands in a position to send a strong message to the Iranian regime to make it understand that it is time to listen to the voices of the Iranian people and their aspirations for freedom and respect of human dignity.
At the same time President Obama can make his voice heard by the Iranian young men and women who desire freedom and democracy that America stands by them and will tolerate no more systematic violations of their human rights at the hands of the mullahs.
A strong Human Right Stance by the American Congress and President will translate into accountability of the Ayatollahs about the atrocities they commit against the Iranian public. Sanctions on the basis of Human Rights violation by the United States, Europe, and also the United Nations Security Council will bring substance to any word of solidarity and will say that America means business.
